As parents, it’s fun to see and monitor the development of our babies – crawling, standing, sitting, and baby talks. What if the baby’s sitting is still not stable? At what month should baby be able to sit up?
You can read in this article:
- When can babies sit themselves up
- Reasons why baby can’t sit up
- Exercises to help baby sit up
When can babies sit themselves up
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In the sixth month, a baby’s ability to sit develops. She may still be unsteady in her seat and require assistance from mommy and others utilizing infant seat equipment.
By the age of 4 to 9 months, the baby may be attempting to sit up. If he could get his head under control, he’d be ready to sit down.
Babies between the ages of 7-9 months are approaching the milestone of independent sitting. That is, kids are capable of sitting alone without much assistance.
If their sitting is followed by other movements, such as positioning to crawl, they have reached the autonomous sitting milestone.
When do babies sit up and crawl: baby milestones
Babies’ development is influenced by their age. Tummy time should be able to develop in the newborn. Your kid should be able to sit around the age of 4 to 6 months.
He should be sitting alone by the time he is 5 to 9 months old. He is crawling and eventually walking at the age of 6 to 10 months.
But this is not the absolute standard of child development. According to Dr. Michiko Caruncho of Makati Medical Center,
“Child development is not really a specific age or specific month. It is about range. There are children who are slow in development, and there are children who are fast.
For example, in sitting, there are babies who can sit up earlier and there are some who cannot. At more than 8 months, when their bodies are a bit soft or stiff, are those times when we need to ask our pediatricians. “
Tummy time and baby’s sitting development
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Babies’ development is influenced by their age.
Tummy time should be able to develop in the newborn. Your kid should be able to sit around the age of 4 to 6 months. He should be sitting alone by the time he is 5 to 9 months old. And he is crawling and eventually walking at the age of 6 to 10 months.
“Ang tummy time, medyo recently lang natin ‘to naririnig. Tummy time is a special position that you put your babies in.
In other words, nakadapa. Nakadapa si baby kaya tummy time. So during the first few days, weeks and months importante ang tummy time. Because it strengthens the baby’s neck, the muscles in the arm, shoulder.”
Tummy time helps the baby to be ready to sit alone at 6 months because his muscles, neck, and shoulders have been trained while he is still a newborn.
It is also to prevent plagiocephaly – a condition in which specific parts of a baby’s head develop an abnormally flattened shape and appearance.
“It gets the baby ready to support its weight when it’s time to crawl or rollover One more important thing, it keeps the baby’s head in shape. Because if it’s always on its tummy time, it will be flat. It is called Plagiocephaly. So we really encourage tummy time.”
They will begin to develop head control around the age of 3-4 months, according to Dr. Caruncho. He also believes that those who do not go through this procedure risk delaying their development.
“So ideally 3 to 4 months, they start achieving head control so they can support their head. You can put them on your lap, and you will see more stability at this time. It has been shown that babies that don’t get consistent tummy time are somewhat delayed in head control. Babies who are 3 to 4 months old should be able to carry their heads but not yet stable. It is really important that parents do the tummy time for babies. ”
READ MORE:
24 Incredible milestones and changes during baby’s first year
Baby milestones: the first 12 months from newborn to toddler
Reasons why baby can’t sit up
Contact your pediatrician if your kid isn’t sitting on their own by nine months. It’s a good idea to act sooner rather than later, especially if your infant is close to 9 months old and can’t sit with help. Although development differs from newborn to baby, this could indicate a delay in gross motor skills.
Other indicators of motor delay could include:
- Muscles that are stiff or tight
- Sloppy movements
- Reaches only with one hand above the other
- Can’t keep his head in a stable position
- Does not attempt to reach or bring objects to his or her lips
Milestones occur at different times for different babies. Don’t get too worked up just yet; each baby develops at their own pace; some are speedy, while others take their time. If you’re concerned, always consult your baby’s doctor. When developmental delays are recognized early on, they can be remedied.
Baby milestones after independent sitting
Photo from Shutterstock
What the baby will try when he has learned independent sitting is crawling. It still depends on the baby. But the normal development is as follows:
- Crawling
- Trying to stand up
- Clings to furniture to be able to step
- Walking
- Speaking
When to worry if baby is not sitting up
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If the baby is still unable to sit alone by the age of 9 months, he or she will need to be examined by a pediatrician. Some of the warning signs that the baby has a motor delay:
- Tight the muscles
- Sluggish movements
- Only one hand is used to reach objects
- Head control is not rigid and stable
- Tangible objects are not put in the mouth
According to Dr. Caruncho, we should also look at other possible causes of delay in motor development.
“You have to make sure the delay is significant. See if there are risk factors. Is it premature? There are possible neurologic problems. You need to evaluate whether there is a seizure. You need to root out all the possible reasons or causes why your baby is slow in development. When visit your doctor, they won’t just give you the vaccine, they will also check your baby’s development. Anytime you have a concern, ask your pediatrician. ”
Exercises to help baby sit up
Practice makes perfect. Guiding our babies requires full support from mommy and daddy. Here are some ways to teach baby to sit:
- Give your child lots of trial-and-error practice. Stay close as they do this but let them explore and experiment with different techniques to move their own body.
- Let them practice on the floor. This will help improve their sitting development. Placing toys on the floor (appropriate toys for their age) will also help.
- On the floor, sit baby on your lap or between your legs. You can read books, sing, and play various movement games.
- If they are somewhat accustomed to sitting alone, place pillows or another padding around them as you watch them practice on the floor. Avoid practicing on the high floors of your home.
There is no need to rush your baby to sit. You just have to teach them slowly. According to Dr. Caruncho,
“When we try to sit the baby on our lap, you can still see their back hunch, which means their muscles aren’t strong yet. When you see those babies sitting with their backs straight, their muscles can already support their backs. You have to be careful though. Give your baby a lot of space and support. ”
Dr. Caruncho added that it is still better to let the baby practice on the floor than to always be in the crib.
“I wouldn’t recommend that the baby is always in the crib. In fact, if there is a specific area in your house, you can put rubber mats on the floor and let your baby practice there. Move furniture away and bring support. Use of walkers? I don’t even recommend that. Many have also been injured while using walkers. Let them crawl and guide them as they do.”
More tips: exercises to help baby sit up
Here are some more tips to help baby practice sitting safer.
- Cover the outlets in the room where the child spends most of his or her time.
- Ensure that items such as cabinet locks, bathroom locks, and other similar devices are within reach of the child. Put it away from children’s reach in a box.
- Keep your child away from anything poisonous that they could eat.
- Lower the crib to its lowest position after the youngster is sitting. They enjoy picking things up at this age. Make sure the crib isn’t too close to any electrical outlets.
- When they’re sitting in high chairs or other sitting devices, make sure the belts are correctly fastened.