What to do if a 4 month old baby tries to sit up?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Every family is looking forward to new skills from the child, which can be shown to relatives and on a walk in front of other mothers. Delight is caused by the first smile, the first “aha”, the first conscious look.

Looking forward to new skills

By the age of 4-5 months, the child can already do a lot by himself - raise his head, roll over, examine toys. And parents want to see how the baby sits cutely in his crib and plays with rattles on his own. In the wake of such a desire, the child's attempt to grab the mother's outstretched finger and pull her towards him in the same way as a favorite toy is perceived as a desire to sit upright. Naturally, parents have a question: should they help when the child tries to sit up at 4-5 months?

Official Approach

According to the World He alth Organization, a child can start sitting without support from 4 to 9 months. However, domestic pediatricians do not recommend seating a child before the age of 6 months, even ifIt seems to parents that a child at 4 months is trying to sit down. In order to keep your body in a sitting position, a sense of balance is required, and it is formed simultaneously with the development of gross motor skills. Therefore, even a 6-month-old baby, whose central nervous system is still developing, is characterized by a feeling of instability in an upright position.

The most important thing is to accept that every child is unique and develops at their own pace. The speed of mastering new physical skills depends on the temperament and weight of the child. A slender, flexible baby may be in a hurry to get the opportunity to observe the world around from a sitting position. And a chubby, calm child may well be content with looking at toys over the crib for a longer time.

Most babies begin to sit well with a little help around 7 to 9 months of age. But there are children who sit down at the age of 1 year, while not having a lag in mental and physical development.

Myths and reality

Now the conjectures that used to intimidate parents who put babies upright too early are becoming a thing of the past: namely, the myth that if a girl at 4 months tries to sit down, then she will certainly have a uterine bend and problems with childbearing. This is not true. In fact, if a girl or a boy at 4 months old tries to sit down, then they can suffer the same unpleasant consequences due to the heavy load on the fragile spine - this is scoliosis, sciatica, and other disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

The main task of parents in raising babies up to a year is to create a favorable environment in which children can fully develop. To do this, it is necessary to provide a safe space and monitor the he alth and well-being of babies. In the absence of neurological diseases and other disorders, children tend to learn new skills without additional incentives from adults.

What can negatively affect a child's he alth?

When a 4-month-old baby tries to sit up, parents sometimes do things that pediatricians don't recommend. It is unsafe for the he alth of the child to sit in pillows, so he collapses in different directions, as well as carrying in a kangaroo-type carrier, where he is sitting and all the load goes to the spine. It is also impossible to put the baby in a high chair or a stroller with a vertical back position, it is permissible only in a reclining position. Not only the unprepared spine of the baby, but also squeezed internal organs can suffer from the load. The natural curves of the spine, which will support posture, are formed gradually, so the spine of children under six months is not intended for vertical positions and allows children to lie down only.

When is baby ready to sit?

The baby is ready to explore the world around and get acquainted with new toys in a couple of weeks after birth. However, with motor skills, the situation is somewhat different. Quiteit is possible that a child at 4 months is trying to sit up, holding on to a support. A he althy baby will definitely learn to sit, stand and walk by the hand. It is important not to rush things and allow the child's muscles to adapt to the new tasks. Parents can determine the readiness of the child to sit by a set of signs: the baby can already stand on all fours and at the same time reach out to objects with his hand, and also bend his legs. The best option would be the ability of the child to crawl on all fours, since it is crawling that allows you to prepare the back muscles for vertical loads as much as possible.

Baby will be able to make independent attempts to sit down when he is able to pull himself up in his arms. After that, the child can turn on his side and, leaning on his hand, lower himself onto his buttocks. At first, the position will be unstable and the baby will fall on the side, but over time he will learn to keep his balance.

How can I help my baby?

What can parents do if a baby at 4 months old is trying to sit down? First of all, you should remember about the benefits of gymnastics. Daily exercises will strengthen the back muscles and help the child to better master the arms and legs, to feel the capabilities of his body. An excellent exercise for developing the muscles of the shoulder girdle will be exercises on a fitball, for example, rolling a baby from one barrel to another. During wakefulness, the child should often be laid on his tummy so that he trains to get up on all fours and reach for hanging toys. An interesting activity will also be an "obstacle course" when the babyyou need to overcome a lying pillow to reach your favorite bright toy.

When the time comes, the baby will learn to sit up by himself and will be ready for new challenges. And parents need not worry if a child tries to sit down at 4 months, you can easily help him master this important skill.