New parenthood is filled with many firsts and milestones as babies grow and develop with each new day. One of the most important firsts for baby is learning to sit up. Though most parents excitedly wait for their child to sit upright, this is something that will take time for your child to learn.
When will babies sit up?
Though sitting up seems easy to most adults, it takes serious work for babies to master this new activity. Over a period of several months, your baby will start developing the muscle control and strength that is needed to sit up without support.
Sitting up will help shift your baby’s perspective of the world as it is the first step towards crawling and eventually walking. Regardless of what timeline you have in mind for your child, the simple truth is that each baby will develop according to their own pace. With that said, parents can focus on certain activities to help them learn how to sit.
The best age for babies to sit up
Most babies typically sit up when they reach the four-month mark. Oftentimes, babies will be able to sit up without support when they reach eight-months-old. Most babies master this skill by the time they are nine-months-old.
Regardless of these statistics, every baby has a different timeline. Parents must be patient and allow their babies to do everything in their own time.
How babies learn to sit up
Newborns don’t have the muscle control or strength needed to sit unaided. Over time, babies will develop this strength as they learn to hold their heads up. Eventually, they’ll be able to support the weight of the rest of their bodies as they learn to sit up.
During this process, a baby will start lifting their head to look around during tummy time. With a few growth spurts here and there, baby will then be able to do small push-ups as they force themselves off the ground.
At this point, the baby will be between four to six-months-old. By this time, baby should master the sitting position where they are leaning on their arms. Once their arms move, they’ll fall forward. This new skill will require some practice but is the next step on the way to sitting upright.
Throughout this process, baby will learn how to balance. Through trial and error, your child will be able to push themselves back up and keep getting stronger until they can completely support themselves.
Tips to help your baby sit up
While many parents want to do all they can to help their babies reach their next stage in life, there isn’t much that parents can do to make their children reach the next milestone. Babies must learn to sit upright on their own when their bodies are able to do it.
Parents can facilitate this process by making tummy time fun, limiting the use of sitting devices, having more playtime, getting a baby mirror, and creating a safe environment for practice.
Sitting up isn’t easy for a baby. Help your child reach their next milestone of sitting upright by practicing patience and keeping this information in mind. Though it will take some time, your baby will be sitting upright and walking before you know it.