‘When Does a Baby Sit Up?’
When it comes to milestones and development, one of the most often asked questions is ‘When does my baby sit up?’ or ‘How much does my child weigh?’. In this article, learn about milestones, child development, and why some children progress more than others.
Babies can sit with support at age 6-7 months and sit without support at age 8-9 months.
Table of Contents
What is a milestone in a baby’s development?
There are so many milestones in a baby’s development that it can become a challenge to keep track of the changes.
One milestone is the first time a baby sits up on their own, which typically happens around six months to nine months old.
There have been many debates about when babies should start sitting independently or not.
Most paediatricians agree that at the earliest is around seven months.
Although sitting up on their own isn’t really a milestone it is at that point those other milestones really begin to occur.
Some parents choose to wait until the baby can sit up on their own longer and in better balance.
It is reported that babies usually start sitting up by themselves between 6months 1/2 and 9 months of age.
What are the milestones before a baby can sit?
Signs your baby is developing social and cognitive skills can include smiling, waving, pushing objects with their hands, and reaching for toys.
These are just a few of the developmental milestones that start appearing at around six months old.
Roll over, and crawl are the milestones that can come before baby can sit up.
In general, babies are able to sit for longer periods of time when they are around 7-8 months old. They may be able to sit for a few seconds at this stage.
Watching your infant develop typically fills you with awe and wonder as that baby begins to take their very first steps, smile back at you, and finally sit up.
These milestones can be very exciting for the parent-to-be! It’s really a momentous occasion when your child finally gets to stop relying on you for support, no matter what age they are or what just happened before those moves may have been made.
Another milestone to watch for before the baby can sit up is pincer grasp or finger-to-thumb grasp. This occurs when the thumb and little finger touch, usually between nine and 11 months old.
If your child reaches this milestone, it is an indication that he may be ready to sit up.
How to encourage a baby to sit up?
Some tips include sitting upright, speaking in your baby’s ear, clipping his toenails, playing with a rattle or measuring tape toy, and watching a pre-recorded video together.
Well, there are a lot of things you can do to help encourage babies to sit up. Toys can be used for pushing baby’s legs upwards or spinning around.
If the child is sitting on his/her own successfully, it is natural for them to want to start walking so you may not want to support them so much in their efforts to walk.
Lifting a baby into a sitting position over the stomach is often labelled as difficult and many people find themselves asking when does it happen?
However, this step is easier than it may seem. Firstly, you should try supporting the baby’s back with your chest or arm, moving the baby towards you as he/she feels comfortable.
Resist for a few seconds and then maintain the lift for about 5-10 seconds. Repeat this process every day until the baby has sat up into a sitting position.
Another option is to stop using the crib altogether and allow your baby to sleep in a women’s-style cover such as Moses’ basket.
While it may not have the traditional position of a crib, which stimulates the muscles in baby’s legs and chest which is crucial for a baby to sit up all by itself, it has much more practical uses and is endlessly more fun to play in.
When to worry?
If your baby is unable to sit on his/her own even at age 11-12 months you should visit your paediatrician for further assessment and investigations.
Conclusion
Though it seems like a fringe idea, there’s no denying that babies starting to sit up on their own is a big deal. Milestone of sitting comes usually at 6-9 months of age. It usually goes along with their crawling, pincer grasp and first words. The benchmarks each time are different for every baby so keep encouraging your little one. Parents should have patience as even though she may seem like she sits up all on her own, know that you are only 2 weeks away from when she gets the power to do this!