Just recently, your newborn baby was just beginning to open his eyes and looked at his crib with surprise. But time flies, and now he is interested in seeing everything that is happening in the world around him. Parents try to show the baby as many interesting things as possible, carry it in their arms, and I begin to think about when it is possible to allow the child to sit up on his own. All this is enhanced by the presence at home of all kinds of high chairs, armchairs, rocking chairs and slings that you so want to try.
Meanwhile, the question of when to sit the child down is very important, because the baby’s body, his bones and muscles are not yet strong enough, and any incorrect movements can cause him injury. And since the baby cannot speak yet, he will not let you know that he feels pain or discomfort.
When do children start sitting?
When a child begins to sit up independently depends on the maturity of his nervous system and the strength of his muscles and bones.
Orthopedists and pediatricians believe that the vertical position of the body before six months of age is harmful to the spine.
The baby's attempts to sit up were successful up to 6 months - remember that it is better for him to spend no more than an hour a day in the new position.
According to average standards, babies begin to sit up at the age of 5.5-9 months.
The process of mastering a new skill goes through several stages:
- At six months, the baby tries to rise from a position lying on his back. Most children are not yet able to sit independently.
- At 7 months, the baby can sit up from a position lying on its side. And hold out for some time in the new position without collapsing.
- At 8 months, the child, as a rule, sits confidently and for a long time. Most of his attempts to sit up from a side-lying position are successful.
Many children at 9 months are able to sit without support; their activity increases significantly.
There are a number of myths associated with how many months girls and boys can be imprisoned. People believe that a boy can be seated almost from 4 months, but with girls you need to wait until she sits down.
Orthopedists do not see a difference between children of different sexes, since the load on a fragile spine before six months is dangerous for both.
The time at which the baby learns to sit also depends on his build. Large children learn this later than their peers, since the load on their spine is greater.
Babies with birth injuries or those born prematurely may also be slightly delayed. Phlegmatic children are also in no hurry to learn a new skill.
How to tell if your baby is ready to sit down
A child can be seated only when he begins to do this himself. If the baby's first attempts are successful, and he sits at least a little with a straight back, parents can sit him down for a short time.
If the baby sits with a rounded back, bending towards his knees, this indicates that the back muscles are not ready for such loads.
Usually, from a sitting position, babies with weak abdominal muscles fall onto their backs. The fact that the oblique muscles need additional training is indicated by the baby falling on his side from a sitting position.
Stages of baby development
During the first 12 months of life, the spine of a small person is just forming, gradually acquiring curves and acquiring the necessary muscle mass.
- During the first three months, the spine is completely straight and it is best for the child to remain in a lying position.
- The first cervical curve of the spine is formed by 3-4 months. The baby is already trying to hold his head up on his own.
- At about 6-7 months, the thoracic region is formed, and children begin to slowly sit up.
- And only after the 9th month does the lumbar spine begin to form and the baby tries to stay on his feet.
Very often, when communicating and playing with a child, we forget and begin to sit him down or seem to put him on his feet, but many pediatricians and pediatric orthopedists strongly advise parents:
- Do not try to force the baby to sit down, or even as a joke, until he begins to sit down on his own.
- Under no circumstances should you lift a child to his feet without support, that is, do not let him stand holding his hands until he can stand up on his own.
How to sit down a girl or boy
Both girls and boys can be seated from 5-6 months, when babies are physically ready.
This is evidenced by a number of factors:
- the child confidently raises and holds his head in a supine position;
- the baby actively turns over from back to stomach, to side;
- stands firmly on his feet, holding the hands of an adult;
- tries to rise himself, grabbing the side of the bed, stroller or your hands.
Effective exercises
Sitting down is an exercise that trains the baby’s back and arm muscles.
The child lies on his back and holds his mother tightly by the index fingers. The mother should lightly pull the baby towards herself, moving him to an upright position. The angle between the child’s back and the horizontal should not exceed 45°.
You can sit your baby on your lap or in your arms. In this case, he should be in a reclining position. The first exercises last no longer than a minute.
You can place your baby in a semi-sitting position in baby loungers or infant carriers 0+. Blankets are placed under the back to create an angle of no more than 30°-45°. The surface on which the child will rest should be inclined and not strictly vertical.
Consider the child’s psychological readiness. If the process causes fear, the baby cries, it is better to refuse to sit down for a while.
At what month can you start putting a boy in a walker?
The desire to add variety to a child’s life, as well as to occupy him or her at least for a while in order to relax themselves, is inherent in almost all parents.
There are many devices for this, one of them is a walker, in which the child independently moves around the apartment, entertaining himself and delighting those around him. This is a wonderful device, but only after the child has learned to sit and crawl on his own. Pediatricians and pediatric orthopedists disagree. The former limit the use of walkers to 40 minutes a day, the latter recommend not exceeding 10 minutes.
There are contraindications to the use of walkers for boys. Since the baby's perineum is constantly compressed when moving in a walker, this can negatively affect the development of the reproductive system.
It all depends on how quickly your son develops. And if at 6 months old he already sits quietly and crawls, then a walker will become an interesting entertainment for him. The main thing is not to leave the child there for a long time.
How to strengthen your baby's back and abdominal muscles
If you want to speed up the moment when your baby sits up on his own, do a set of simple exercises with him:
- Place the baby on the stomach , place a bright toy in front of it. The child will begin to reach out to her. In the process, it will strengthen the abs, muscles of the arms and legs.
- Place the baby on your stomach. Gently lift it up, supporting it under your chest with one hand and under your hips with the other. The baby's legs should rest against your chest. Hold the baby in this position for a few seconds. Exercise strengthens the muscles of the back and buttocks.
- Place the baby on your lap in a reclining position (the angle between the back and the horizontal is no more than 60°). Wrap your hands around your baby's hands. Make rotational movements with your hands, encouraging the child to tilt to the right, left, forward, backward. In this way, the child’s oblique abdominal muscles are strengthened.
- Place the baby on his stomach , interest him with a bright toy, encourage him to turn on his back.
- To show your baby how to sit up correctly, from the age of seven months, support your baby's hand when moving him from a lying position to an upright one. At the same time, rest the child’s other hand on the surface as a support.
Exercises on a fitball can also help. Place your baby on his back and rock him on the ball while bending his legs.
Experienced mothers advise first teaching your baby to stand on all fours. From this position it will be easier for him to sit down.
When studying on your own with your child, monitor his mood. Don't try to forcefully teach your child. Gymnastics are done every day. The best time for this is morning. After feeding, at least an hour should pass.
They will strengthen your baby's muscles and speed up the development of swimming. You don’t have to go to the pool for this; you can practice with your baby in a large bathtub. Regular massage will also be useful; it improves blood circulation and relieves muscle tension.
At what month can a boy be placed in a highchair?
"Take your time!" - say pediatricians. There is no need to subject the baby’s still fragile spine to unnecessary stress. This can negatively affect the overall skeletal development of the child. He will still sit on hard chairs at school, university and at work.
- Firstly, you can put a boy in a chair if he knows how to sit down and hold his back.
- Secondly, use a high chair when you start feeding your baby with a spoon from a plate.
- And lastly, do not leave your baby in the high chair for a long time to do household chores; a playpen or the attention of other family members is better for this.
What not to do if the baby is not yet sitting on his own
If the child does not even attempt to sit up, there is no need to help him.
Dangerous to the baby's health:
- make him sit with pillows around him;
- ride in a stroller with the back raised by more than 30°-45°;
- sit the baby on your lap;
- put the child in high chairs or walkers, jumpers.
You should not carry your baby in your arms. It is better not to use kangaroo-type carriers; ergo backpacks and slings are safer.
The dangers of sitting down earlier
At what age your baby will sit up depends on the individual rate of development. If you rush things, it will lead to the development of scoliosis. Problems can appear at the age of three, and in elementary school, when the load on the back becomes greater.
Early sitting down of a child leads to deformation of the pelvic bones. This is dangerous for both girls and boys.
There is a misconception that early seating of girls leads to a curvature of the uterus. This is wrong. This physiological feature is a consequence of genetic predisposition or chronic inflammatory diseases in the pelvis.
At what month can you try to put a boy on the potty?
The memory of the first time a child used a potty for its intended purpose remains for life. All parents want their children to start using this toilet item as quickly as possible. The potty is usually bought along with diapers, pacifiers and bottles, placed in a prominent place and anxiously awaited when they can start putting the baby on the potty.
Experts believe that until one and a half years old, a child is not physically and psychologically ready to relieve himself on the potty. In order to sit on the potty for at least 15 minutes, the baby’s psyche must be formed. In the first 12-18 months of life, children do not control their physiological needs; they urinate and defecate at the level of reflexes. By the age of one and a half years, the child’s urinary organs are already sufficiently formed and you can try to potty train the baby.
You can read our article about the development of newborns week by week. Contraceptives for nursing mothers, read all the information in our article.
At what age does a baby start to roll over you can find out at this link
At what month can a boy be put in a car seat?
There is no clear answer to this. On sale you can find car seats from 0 to 3, 4, 10 and 12 years. This means that the baby can be placed, or rather put, in a car seat as early as 2-3 months. But it is worth purchasing a seat for a child starting from 1 year and older, when the baby is already sitting and actively turning his head to the sides. Before purchasing a car seat, be sure to read the instructions, read how to install and use it correctly and securely.
