How to encourage my baby to sit up?

0
718
How can I encourage my baby to sit up?

The babies grow fast and we are going to miss the sweet cuddles with our little bundles of joy. But we also love to watch them grow. I have imagined how my babies will talk and walk while they were peacefully growing inside my body. All the parents face this cute contradiction of wanting their baby to be a baby forever and the excitement to see them as a big kid. There are developmental milestones that will remind us that our babies are growing regardless of what we want.   

You will be delighted to see your newborn roll over by himself. Rolling over needs many skills and practice so it is definitely a reason to celebrate. One of the important milestones that your baby will hit next is sitting up. Most of the babies learn to sit up by themselves when they are around nine months. 

All the babies grow up at a pace unique to them. Some will reach milestones early and some will be a little late. There are tips for you to follow if you want to encourage your baby to sit up by themselves soon. This article discusses few such tips and when to be concerned if your baby is late to reach a developmental milestone. 

CONTENT

1.   When should my baby start sitting up?

2.   Steps of learning to sit up

3.   How to encourage my baby to sit up?

4.   When to be concerned that my baby cannot sit up?

1.    When should my baby start sitting up? 

Your baby needs to master many skills before learning to sit up by himself. These skills will be developed along with the other milestones they will reach before sitting up. A baby will have the strength to hold his head up without support when they are around four months. Followed by this developmental milestone, your baby will be able to sit up with support when he becomes six months of age. At nine months, babies usually can sit up by themselves with no assistance from an adult. But you should always remember that babies have their own timeline.

2.    Steps of learning to sit up 

The babies need to keep their bodies straight to sit up. So the first step of learning to sit is the ability to hold their head with no assistance. When your baby can keep his head straight, you can help him to sit up. Surround him with pillows and let him sit with your support. 

When your baby gets the confidence to sit up by himself, he will start to do it by using his hand as support. This tripod position is a sign that your baby will sit up soon without your assistance. After mastering the sitting up skills using his hand as a support, your baby will sit up soon. There is a risk of them tipping over while trying to sit up, so always keep an eye on your baby.

3.    How to encourage my baby to sit up? 

Here are few activities that you can do to help your baby to sit up. 

  • Daily tummy time

Let your baby play on their tummy for at least ten minutes every day. While being on their tummy they will lift their head up which will help them to develop neck and upper body strength. The muscle strength of the neck and upper body are two important skills in learning how to sit up independently. 

If your baby does not like his tummy time, start with shorter periods like five minutes and increase it gradually. Give him interesting toys to play with during tummy time which will not be available to play at other times. When the tummy time becomes fun, they will spend longer durations without complaints. 

  • Practice sitting with your baby

When you know that your baby can keep his head rigid, sit him on your lap. You can slowly move back and forth so the baby will learn how to align his upper body with his lower body. This will also help to develop the muscular strength required to sit up on his own. You should be ready to support the baby’s head in case he lost his balance. 

How to encourage my baby to sit up?
  • Sit on the floor with your baby 

Sit on the cleaned floor of your house and keep the baby between your legs. Provide support as your baby tries to sit up by himself. Practicing sitting up with assistance can help your baby to gain the muscle strength and coordination skills needed to sit up independently. 

You can also sit up the baby on the floor and support him with a hand on his back while he plays with a toy. This is a tip to make your baby practice the sit-up skills while playing. Surround your baby with a cushioned blanket or pillows to protect them if they fall on their face during practice time. 

4.    When to be concerned that my baby cannot sit up? 

As per the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the inability to sit up at the age of six months is not a reason to be concerned. But if it worries you, take your baby to the pediatrician or mention it at your next well-child visit. 

If you observe that your baby is floppy or firm when sitting, you should contact your pediatrician as soon as possible. You can always consult a doctor when you feel like that your baby needs medical assistance. The intuition of the parents has saved many babies from potential health dangers. 

If your baby is diagnosed with a developmental delay, your doctor will direct you to physical therapy, occupational therapy, or any other treatment which will help your baby to reach developmental milestones. 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here