If a three- to four-month-old child tries to sit up, then the mother should consider this not as a reason to be proud of her little prodigy, but as a natural development events that require some attention. There can be no talk of actual landing, including with someone’s help, at this age - at the moment, the child’s skeleton is not yet ready for such loads. The baby will great job to train muscles and ligaments, he must wait until his soft bones get stronger and harden. So, if a child begins to rise, pull himself up, holding onto the edges of a crib or stroller, this is just preparation for one of the most important events of the first year of life: sitting independently.
During this period, mothers often note that the baby has become more capricious: the reason for this is the physical inability to take an interesting and desirable new position. Because of these experiences, the baby may become angry, cry and calm down only in his arms, especially if he is held upright.
Let's consider what to do if a child tries to sit up and shows active dissatisfaction with failures. Should we somehow interfere with the process and rush it, or should we give the initiative to wise nature?
Immediately after birth, the baby’s spine is straight – it has no natural physiological curves. The first of them - in the cervical region - will appear after about two months, when the child learns to raise his head. The second, breast, will be formed in a six-month-old baby when he gets used to sitting. The lower back and sacrum will receive proper physical development when the baby stands on its legs and walks.
A baby will not be able to sit up on his own at three or even four months, no matter how much effort he makes. All the baby’s efforts to sit can only be considered as training - this is how he prepares the ligaments and muscles for the upcoming loads. Thus, the only way for a three to four month old child to find himself in an untimely position is the friendly, but completely unnecessary and even harmful help of parents who sit the child among bolsters and pillows.
The main thing that parents should remember is that the child should never be seated too early. Otherwise, the baby may develop a curvature of the spine and even get problems with the outline of the chest, which, in turn, will lead to breathing problems.
How to prepare your baby for boarding?
The best policy when deciding when a baby can sit down is reasonable non-interference. Allow the baby to independently prepare for this important stage in his life, do not force events and do not try to interfere with the natural process. In no case will the baby be able to harm himself, since he simply will not be able to sit until his bones and muscles are completely ready for this.
During this period, some loving parents surround the baby with overprotective care. This is expressed in constantly carrying the child in your arms and dropping him off surrounded by pillows. For some time, this method will calm the child and allow him to view the world from a new point of view. But at the same time, this approach will leave the baby without the skills to independently take a sitting position, and may also prevent the baby from developing the ability to, in principle, independently deal with problems that arise along the way. physical development questions - why, if mom is always ready with a pillow?
The best help that mothers can offer their children at this time is gentle support. Place the child on an uneven surface - it is advisable that he is not in the most comfortable position. This way the baby will quickly learn to take a comfortable position.
The following conditions will be an additional incentive for him:
- an exercise when he, lying on his back, grabs his parents’ fingers and lifts himself up, gradually more and more (can be performed from two months);
- light gymnastics with the help of mom, which she can master on her own;
- sitting in a special chair with a back that tilts away from the seat at a large angle - this will protect the spine from overload and allow the child to explore the world;
- carried in a kangaroo backpack with a rigid back, which reduces the load on the baby’s musculoskeletal system.
At what age is a child ready to sit down?
Each baby is an individual who develops in his own unique way. That is why it is impossible to reliably say exactly what time a given baby will sit. But some general patterns can still be deduced.
- At three or four months, the baby tries to lift its body and happily grabs the fingers of adults.
- Then the child begins to roll over onto his tummy and back, and gets up on all fours.
- When the muscles and skeleton are completely strengthened and developed, the baby begins to sit up from a standing position on all fours.
Typically, sitting is a skill that an infant acquires between 5 and 7 months of age. But it is worth noting that there are often cases when a baby sits down even at nine months, having previously learned to crawl well or even stand up against a support.
At first, the baby’s position in space in the new position will be quite unstable: the child will lean on his own arms, lose his balance and fall on his side. But gradually he will independently learn to hold himself in a new position, begin to tinker with toys with pleasure, and he will be much better able to see what is happening around him.
Please note that above the age of three to four months, pillows can be used to protect the child during disembarkation. But they must be placed at a distance from the baby, so as not to interfere with his learning to control his body.
How to help a child sit up?
In fact, it is impossible to teach a child to sit for one simple reason - in any case, sooner or later, he will do it himself. But you can help the baby orient himself a little when he already begins to crawl and stand on all fours and tries to sit up. To do this, you can show once or twice (but not specifically teach) how to sit down correctly:
- put the baby on all fours and tuck his legs to his tummy;
- in this position, sharply tilt the body back and place the child on the buttocks.
The above option is the most convenient way for a baby to learn to sit. Only a few babies sit up immediately from a lying position, having passed the stage of all fours.
Pay attention to gender differences in children. It is especially harmful for girls to master sitting before six months or even the seventh month. Otherwise, the child may experience a bending of the uterus, which will cause problems in the field of reproductive health in the future.
During a walk, a baby who expresses a desire to sit up, but has not yet done so, can be carried in a stroller with a raised back for up to forty minutes a day. At first, this position may seem very uncomfortable to him, which he will announce with whims. To distract your baby, keep his attention busy with toys or stories. During the game, you can also speed up the baby's development by putting him in conditions where he tries to reach with his hands the object that interests him. Because of this, the baby is left without one of the support points and balances, developing muscles and a sense of balance.
To the question: A 3 month old baby is trying to sit up, is this normal? given by the author Igor Vladimirovich the best answer is Normal. Lift him by the arms, just so he can hold himself, but don’t put him in pillows. that is, lifted and laid down, the muscles of the back and arms are trained. This is very good.
Reply from 22 answers[guru]
Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: A 3-month-old baby is trying to sit up, is this normal?
Reply from Prosody[active]
No.. . It’s too early, and if it’s a girl, it might even be dangerous at that age!
Reply from I-beam[guru]
they are all trying to do it :)
Reply from Ambassador[guru]
No. This is most likely a tone. First, the child must learn to roll over and stand on all fours. Tell the neurologist about this. Most likely, massage and salt or turpentine baths will begin.
Reply from Lana[guru]
Fine! I'm trying too. It’s just too early for him to sit, his spine is still weak
Reply from Masha Lysakova[guru]
It’s normal, let him train as an exercise, add some pads if he really wants to!! ! Don't plant directly!!!
Reply from Oliya[guru]
It's actually early. Mine started trying at 4-4.5 and by 5 she was already sitting on her own - this is also too early. The spinal column is not yet strong enough, the load on it will be unnecessary, and then problems may arise (such as scoliosis).
Reply from Anzhelika Timoshenko[active]
YES this is normal.. but not possible. The spine is still too weak. my daughter is 5 months old. I also started to struggle with 3.
Reply from Mitya Mamin[active]
Sooner there may be problems with posture such as scoliosis or something else
Reply from Kashtanka[expert]
Your baby Hercules. My friend’s son started at 6.5 months; if I hadn’t seen it myself, I would never have believed it.
Reply from Oksana[guru]
It’s very early for a girl, but it’s too early for a boy. There may be problems in the future.
Reply from Barto[guru]
It probably seems to you that it can’t be because at this stage the babies are just starting to roll over, don’t rush things, otherwise there may be a displacement of organs or for a girl a bend of the uterus, give the child a massage, they do it at 3, 6, 9 months, at 3 they roll over at 6 they sit down and at 9 stand on your feet, but everything is individual
Reply from Koshka Martovskaya[newbie]
Although I am not a professional in such matters, I think that earlier is better than vice versa... Perhaps this baby will have some extraordinary abilities in the future!!! Or maybe it’s just developing very quickly!!
Reply from Lamia Bron[guru]
This is acceleration. My son was lying in a stroller, and at the age of about 4 months he grabbed the sides of the stroller with his hands and sat down. I had to say goodbye to the stroller (I tried to get out of it on my own). Went at 8 months. Also Hercules. There are no problems with posture or scoliosis. Already rose above 185
Reply from MarinKa[guru]
You can’t sit him down, let him turn over on his tummy and back
Experts say that optimal age to start sitting up a baby, regardless of gender - six months. However, there are often cases when small child begins to take initiative much earlier than generally accepted norms and tries to sit down independently. That is why many new mothers and fathers are wondering whether in such situations it is necessary to sound the alarm and run to a specialist at a children’s medical institution for help, or whether it is worth doing everything possible to encourage the baby’s desire and help him learn a new skill.
In addition, new parents need to know and understand how to help their baby learn a new skill and make the process as simple and easy as possible.
What to do if a 3 month old baby tries to sit up
Doctors do not deny that some babies develop somewhat faster. As a result, such children begin to master a new skill a little earlier. If a child at 3 months tries to sit up, do not interfere with him. You need to monitor the baby’s behavior and carefully observe his actions. If he does not experience discomfort and his behavior does not change significantly, most likely, the child’s body is ready to learn new skills, and his spine is strong enough for new achievements. Parents need to help their baby in every possible way, taking care to reduce the risk of unpleasant consequences and injuries, and make sure that the baby does not remain in an upright position for a long time.
Pediatricians' opinion
According to experts, the optimal age to start sitting up a baby is six months. It is not worth starting to sit the baby up earlier, since the baby’s spine is not yet strong and is not ready to change body position. For a three-month-old baby, the normal and most optimal position is for the body to be horizontal in space. However, if a child tries to sit up at 3 months, a girl or a boy, you need to carefully monitor the baby. Exercises on a fitball and massage will be useful.
Experts in the field child development up to three months it is not recommended to use the “kangaroo” design, which is loved by many parents, for carrying small child.
What time can babies sit down?
To answer the question posed, you need to have an idea of the development of the spine of a small child.
At the age of two to three months, babies experience significant strengthening of the cervical vertebrae. That is why at this age the baby can not only hold his head, but also make simple movements with it. These actions form the bend that is necessary for proper development musculoskeletal system.
At 5-6 months, with normal development, without deviations, the baby begins to make the first attempts to sit up. This strengthens the vertebral muscles and creates a curve in the thoracic spine. That is why pediatricians do not recommend starting to sit the baby down before six months.
How to help your child sit up
Parents can not only observe from the outside the baby’s attempts to learn a new skill, but also help the baby. Exercises in the pool or exercises on a fitball will help ease the process. These types of leisure activities will have a beneficial effect on the baby’s body as a whole and will help improve the functioning of the vestibular apparatus. You can exercise in the pool starting from the second month of life, when the umbilical wound has completely healed. A fitball for practicing with your baby should be chosen taking into account his age characteristics: height and weight. You can purchase the necessary equipment in almost any children's goods store at a very affordable price.
Massage will help strengthen the baby's muscles. If it is carried out at home, it is recommended to get by with light stroking of the skin and under no circumstances proceed to more complex manipulations. It is best to contact a professional massage therapist who has all the necessary certificates to work with a baby.
Consequences of early child sitting
Early attempts to sit up carry serious consequences, which the baby’s parents should definitely be aware of. Planting too early can lead to:
- spinal deformities, the emergence and development of scoliosis and, as a consequence, problems with the musculoskeletal system;
- Due to early attempts to place the child, deformation of the pelvic bones and, as a result, incorrect placement of internal organs is possible.
But the popular opinion that early placement of girls can lead to a curvature of the uterus is just a myth. The peculiarity of the structure of the female organ is due to genetic characteristics or infectious diseases suffered by a female representative. If a child tries to sit up at 3.5 months (a girl), this will not lead to uterine deformation.
Parents should understand that unpleasant consequences can only arise if the baby’s body is not ready to master the skill of sitting, and all initiative comes exclusively from the parents.
Conclusion
The optimal age for a baby to start sitting down is six months. According to experts, it is not worth starting to master a new skill before this period. Otherwise, serious consequences may occur, problems with the spine and musculoskeletal system, as well as deformations of the pelvic bones.
If a child at 3 months tries to sit up, boy or girl, parents should not put the baby back. It is necessary to secure the space around the baby and carefully monitor his behavior and general condition. It is quite possible that the baby’s body is strong enough to learn a new sitting skill, and this will not harm the baby’s health in any way. This is why a child sits down at 3 months. Experts in the field of child development do not deny this option. In such a case, the baby’s parents need to help him in the form of regular massage and water treatments. It would be useful to exercise on a fitball, which will not only strengthen the baby’s body, but will also have a beneficial effect on the vestibular apparatus of a small child. Massage can be performed at home or with a professional massage therapist.