Watching my babies grow is one of the greatest pleasures that I have had in my life. Those are the lives that were made inside me and it was wonderful to see how my tiny newborns turned into big kids in a blink. The newborn days are the hardest despite it is your first baby or not. But they grow so fast before even you think and then you start to miss the warm snuggles in the midnight and the newborn smell. When your baby rolls over, it is like the first warning to remind us that the baby days are running fast.
Rolling over is one of the first milestones that your baby will hit. It will be a happy surprise for you and sooner the baby will start amusing you with the cute trick that he has mastered. When your baby can roll over by himself, it is a sign that her back, neck, and arms have become strong. With the age, those muscles will grow stronger letting your baby move themselves in many ways other than rolling.
When should your baby roll over and how can you help him to do that? Keep reading this article to know answers for all the questions that arise as your baby starts to roll over.
CONTENT
1. When should my baby rollover?
2. How can I help my baby to roll over?
3. What to do if my baby rolls over at night?
4. What is next after a roll over?
1. When should my baby rollover?
In the first few days of your baby at home, you might notice that your baby turns to the side while sleeping. But most of the babies stop doing that within the first month. As the baby grows, they will get the ability to roll onto their back once you put him on his tummy.
This will happen around four months when the baby has developed his upper body strength and has the muscle strength to push himself with his arms. Most of the time, rolling from the tummy to the back will be a happy accident that your baby experience while pushing himself with arms during tummy time. Some babies will do this a little bit early at around three months of age. By six months, your baby will have the skill to make a full roll over, tummy to back and to tummy again.
When you notice that your baby can roll over, take special care as your baby can now move by himself. Do not leave your baby unsupervised on high surfaces like a bed or a changing table, not even for a minute. Accidents can happen in a second so assure the safety of your baby at every moment.
2. How can I help my baby to roll over?
The baby has to make a big push to roll over and he needs a strong upper body and arms to do that. Tummy time is the best exercise to develop the muscular strength that is required for the baby to roll over himself. You are never too early to start giving your baby some tummy time. It is safe to let your baby be on his tummy from the first week of his life. Use the short time where your newborn is awake and put him on his tummy across your lap.
As the baby grows, you can increase the tummy time up to twenty minutes a day. If your baby is reluctant to be on his stomach for such a long period, start with short periods like five minutes and increase it gradually. A play mat with attractive toys and activities will keep your baby entertained throughout the tummy time and it works well with babies who do not prefer to be on their stomachs. You can also place a toy in front of the baby to grab. It will help to build the arm strength of the baby as well as triggering him for a side roll.
You can demonstrate to your baby how a roll over is done. Lay with your baby while playing and roll over few times while playing. It is also possible to roll over your baby with your hands to show him how it is done.
It is important to remember that babies achieve milestones on a timeline of their own. You might have to help your baby with weeks of tummy time and roll over demonstrations before he makes a roll over by himself. In the meantime, make sure you have created a safe surface for your baby to make his first flip. Use a thick blanket or a mat to prevent your baby’s head from hitting the floor while attempting to roll over. When he has done his first roll over, do not forget to appreciate and encourage it.
3. What to do if my baby rolls over at night?
It is recommended to put newborns to sleep on their backs. When your baby becomes capable of rolling over, they will do it in sleep and end up sleeping on their stomach. Seeing your baby sleeping on his stomach can be frightening to you and you might wonder how you can stop it.
There is nothing to worry about as now your baby can move their body when they feel that something is not right. They are unlikely to be trapped in a position that might suffocate them as they can roll over and move their body to a comfortable position. But you should continue to put your baby to sleep on their back even though you know that he will not remain in that position during sleep.
The risk of SIDS is one of the main reasons that scares the parents to allow their baby to fall asleep on their tummies. But after six months, the high-risk period for SIDS is over and there is less to worry about.
If you want to prevent the chances of your baby rolling over during sleep, place the baby on his back or side with one extended to a side. In case your baby tries to roll over, he will not roll over fully to his stomach as there is an arm setting under him.
4. What is next after a roll over?
Now your baby has the skill of rolling over as well as holding his neck upright. They are vital motor skills leading to the next developmental milestones of a baby. After rolling over, your baby will soon be able to sit up with your assistance before he learns to do it by himself. You can expect the crawling and standing up with support stage to come after these milestones of sitting up. If you feel that something is not right with your baby’s pace of hitting developmental milestones, contact your pediatrician as soon as possible.