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When a child sits down – this question is asked by many young parents. Sitting on your own is especially exciting for your little one as it opens up a whole new world of play and exploration. It also makes it easier to eat and gives your child a new way of seeing their surroundings. Independent sitting is a skill that many children learn between the ages of 7 and 9 months.
When does the baby sit down?
The age at which a child sits down varies from one child to another – some become quite quick to sit, while others take longer to sit. Around three to five months, your baby may be able to sit up while being supported by you or a seat. It will fall over when you release it.
You may notice that your four-month-old baby shows an interest in sitting by trying to raise his head and shoulders while lying on his back. It may look as if it is doing “crunches”. This is a sign that your baby is becoming more and more interested in his surroundings, which is difficult to do when lying flat.
By the age of 5 months, most babies learn to put their arms in front of them with arms outstretched to keep themselves in the ‘tripod’ position. Babies usually sit up alone between the ages of six and eight / ninth months. However, they must first be able to hold their head up well to avoid tipping over.
In the beginning, your little one will likely sit unsupported for a few seconds to a minute before collapsing. As the baby’s muscles grow stronger and the baby becomes balanced, he may sit for a while longer. This usually takes about 7 to 8 months. At this stage, your child may sometimes fall over simply because he or she is bored of sitting.
If your baby is born prematurely, he may achieve sitting alone a month or two months later than a full-term infant.
Read:Individual vaccination calendar for a child – who should use it?
Is the baby ready to sit down?
A sign of being ready to sit is that the child can roll from side to side and lift his head upright. Most babies as young as 4 or 5 months old are still unable to fully support their heads when you pull them into a sitting position.
To test your baby’s readiness for sitting, you can grab both baby’s arms when they’re on their back and slowly pull them towards you (you need to be sitting, of course). As you slowly pull your baby up, watch if his head is dropping back. If so, you should wait – the baby’s head must be following the upper body as you pull their hands.
Sitting down a child and the stages of development
Every young parent should remember that a child cannot sit up on his own until he has mastered the ability to raise and hold his head. A baby’s neck muscles take time to develop, and this will happen around six months of age.
Around four months of age, the muscles in your baby’s neck and head begin to strengthen rapidly. You can notice this when the baby is lying in the prone position – the toddler can slowly lift the head and hold it. It is then that it will start to roll over, which is a required skill to achieve before sitting.
When your baby spends a lot of time on his stomach, he will soon start using his arms to push himself off the ground. He may even start doing an activity that resembles push-ups for babies. All of these mini exercises help build the muscles needed for sitting.
Some babies may start to sit up on their own as early as around five months of age. Then you should always be close to the baby to avoid it falling.
When your baby’s muscles are strong enough, he begins to figure out how to keep his balance while sitting. Your child’s posture may initially resemble a tripod. She will be bent forward with one or both hands in front.
By around seven months of age, your baby will likely develop the muscles and balance to sit unsupported. Now it’s time to explore – finally your hands are free to grab toys and other nearby objects.
We can also support the child in proper development with appropriate dietary supplements. We recommend DHA in the form of fruit-flavored jellies, which are available on Medonet Market.