What to do if a baby is trying to sit up at 4 months?

Every family eagerly awaits new skills from the child, which can be boasted both to relatives and for a walk in front of other mothers. The first smile, the first “agu”, the first conscious look causes delight.

In anticipation of new skills

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

Official approach

According to the World Health Organization, a child can start to sit without support from 4 to 9 months. However, domestic pediatricians do not recommend sitting a child before the age of 6 months, even if it seems to parents that the child is 4 months trying to sit down. In order to keep your body in a sitting position, you need a sense of balance, and it is formed simultaneously with the development of large motor skills. Therefore, even for a 6-month-old baby, whose central nervous system is still developing, a feeling of instability in a vertical state is characteristic.

The most important thing to accept is that each child is unique and develops at his own pace. The speed of mastering new physical skills depends on both temperament and the weight of the child. A slender, flexible baby can rush to get the opportunity to observe the world around him from a sitting position. A chubby, calm child may well be content with staring at toys over the crib longer.

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

Myths and Reality

At present, speculations that used to intimidate parents who put their children too upright too early: namely, the myth that if a girl tries to sit down at 4 months old, she will certainly have a bend in the uterus and problems with childbearing. This is not true. In fact, if a girl or 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 an enabling environment in which children can fully develop. To do this, it is necessary to ensure a safe space and monitor the health and well-being of the kids. In the absence of neurological diseases and other disorders, children seek to learn new skills without additional incentives from adults.

What can negatively affect the health of the child?

When a child at 4 months old tries to sit down, parents sometimes perform actions that are not recommended by pediatricians. It is unsafe for the child’s health to sit in pillows, so he rolls in different directions, as well as wearing a “kangaroo” -type carrier, where he is sitting and the whole load goes to the spine. You can also not put the baby in a highchair or a stroller with a vertical position of the back, it is permissible only in a reclining position. From the load, not only the unprepared spine of the baby, but also the compressed internal organs can suffer. Natural bends of the spine, which will support posture, are formed gradually, so the spine of children is not designed for upright positions for up to six months and allows children to be only lying down.

When is the 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, the situation with motor skills is somewhat different. It is possible that a child at 4 months old is trying to sit down, holding on to a support. A healthy baby will surely learn to sit, stand and walk by the handle. It is important not to rush things and allow the child’s muscles to adapt to new tasks. Parents can determine the child’s readiness to sit by a set of signs: the baby can already stand on all fours and at the same time reach for objects with his hand, as well as bend the legs. The most successful option will be the ability of the child to crawl on all fours, since it is crawling that maximally allows preparing the back muscles for vertical loads.

Independent attempts to sit the baby will be able to take when he will be able to pull himself up on his hands. After that, the child can turn on a barrel and, leaning on his hand, fall on his ass. At first, the situation will be unstable and the baby will fall to the side, but over time will learn to maintain balance.

How to help the baby?

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

When the time comes, the baby learns to sit down himself and will be ready for new achievements. And parents do not need to worry if a child at 4 months old is trying to sit down, you can easily help him learn this important skill.