We are often concerned about our children meeting certain milestones. One of these is the ability of help baby learn to sit. This skill is an important milestone, but it is essential to remember that mastering it can take some time for your baby. It is something that you will need to be patient with as your baby gets more robust. It is a process, and understanding it may help you become less anxious about it.
You can do specific activities with your child to help them work on these muscles that will help them with sitting up.
1.When Does A Baby Start to Sit Up?
- Sitting against things
When babies reach about 5 to 6 months of age, they will start sitting with support. You may be able to lean them against something or hold onto them with your hands.
- Tripod sit
Around six months of age, babies will start sitting in a tripod position with their hands out on the ground in front of them. They are still working on their balance, so holding themselves like this will help keep them upright as they get better.
- Baby sitting alone
As your baby’s strength improves, they will be able to sit on their own around 7 to 8 months of age. They will also begin to pivot into other positions and rock back and forth on their knees.
（Independent sit up baby）
2. What Signs Show that the Baby is Ready to Sit?
- Good Head Control
Head stability and neck strength are significant signs that your baby will be ready to sit on their own soon. Your baby should be able to support their head when you pick them up.
- Rolling
Babies that are beginning to roll over and push themselves up when lying face down are also close to sitting on their own.
- Staying upright for more extended periods
If you help your baby into the sitting position, they will begin to be able to sit like this for more extended periods. The longer they can sit, the more strength they are gaining.
（Baby sitting）
3. How to Help Your Baby Sit Up?
Give the baby tummy time
Tummy time is a great way to help your baby build strength. Placing your baby safely on their stomach helps to gain reasonable head control. By practicing with this, babies will build muscles and soon begin to push themselves further up off the floor. You need to make sure that you are in the room to supervise tummy time because it can be difficult, or they may get stuck facedown. Start with just a few minutes a few times a day. Then, you can increase this time as they begin to get older and lift their chest.
Hold the baby upright
Babies also need to learn how to balance before they can sit. Holding your baby upright or wearing them will help them get used to this position. It will also help build their trunk muscles.
Provide safe floor mat time
Babies over five months of age can have a lot of fun playing on the floor. Put a mat down with soft things around them for play. Sit them up, so they can practice without your support. Having fun toys around them also encourages movement so that they can get stronger.
Don’t make it a chore
You should not approach learning to sit as work. Instead, make it fun and enjoyable for your baby. The learning process should be fun. Help them to develop it naturally instead of making it into a chore or something they need to learn by a specific time. They will get there, and the added pressure will only make it harder.
Practice with Toys
Certain toys can help encourage your baby to want to sit, so they can better play with them. Toys to consider are activity cues, shape sorters, ring stackers, and soft blocks. All of these will make your baby want to sit.
（Use toys to help your baby sit up）
4. Help Baby Learn to Sit–Keeping Your Baby Safe While Sitting Up
When encouraging your baby to sit up, you need to keep certain safety precautions in mind. Do not prop them up on couches or beds because they can easily topple over if they do not yet have the muscle control needed to remain upright. It is important to supervise them during tummy time, and while they are sitting in the case, they fall over or need help.
Pushing kids too quickly can also make for a stressful experience. Let your child guide you by showing you how they are strengthening. Make sure they are ready. There is no reason to push them to do something before they are ready. They need to have control of their head and be actively developing their muscles.
（Mother protecting baby）
5. Help Baby Learn to Sit—What if the Developmental Delay is Suspected?
Until nine months of age, you do not need to worry about a developmental delay. If your baby reaches nine months and is not sitting on its own by this time, you should contact a pediatrician.
It could be a sign of a gross motor skill delay, so further evaluation is necessary. Look for other motor delay signs such as floppy movements, tight muscles, lack of solid-to-head control, and not to reach for objects.
Conclusion
It is exciting when your baby learns new skills, but it is important not to push them too quickly. You can encourage their development through the suggestions above, but make sure to let your baby do things in their own time.