Sitting is one of the important stages in the physical development of infants. Under normal conditions, babies begin to sit independently at about 6.5-7 months. Parents are often concerned about the question of whether there is or is an opportunity to help the baby master this process, and whether it is possible to sit the child down. Reckless attempts to plant a baby at 4-5 months can cause serious problems with her health in the future.

To prepare the baby for sitting, mother and baby must lead a healthy lifestyle. The baby needs to eat well and get enough sleep. It is necessary to communicate with the baby when she is awake and stimulate the development of motor skills. Suitable for this:

1. Daily water treatments (and swimming in the pool with mom);
2. Wellness massage;
3. Games and exercises that are aimed at strengthening the baby’s muscle corset.

How do you understand that a boy or girl can be seated (if they are at least six months old), or that the baby is about to sit up on his own?

• The baby without help turns over onto his tummy from a position lying on his back and returns to his original state;
• The baby holds his head on his own and easily lifts it off the surface of the crib or floor;
• The baby can stand holding onto a support;
• If a boy or girl sees the fingers of an adult, he grabs them and tries to take a vertical position.

It is important to understand that all children are individual, and the normal range is quite wide. Every healthy child will begin to sit in due time. The limits given in the domestic literature on pediatrics are very wide - from 4.5 to 8 months.

Doctor Komarovsky

Dr. Komarovsky shares the point of view of most European pediatricians. Parents need to understand that the child cannot be imprisoned before he tries to do it himself. It is not allowed to do this at 4 months or six months.

When your baby begins to master the skill of sitting, do not help him under any circumstances if he cannot do it the first time. When a baby learns independently, his muscles and spine get used to new loads, become stronger and stronger. It is also undesirable to cover children with pillows during this period of time.

While the baby is 5 months old or has recently turned six months old, it is recommended to stimulate crawling by all available means. Create a safe environment in the room by placing a blanket on the floor. Place a bright toy a few meters in front of the child, and let the baby, lying on his tummy, try to get to it.

When should you sit your baby down? How many months?

Devices for children

For the convenience of parents, the industry produces many devices for verticalizing children. It is important to remember that you can put your baby in a high chair no earlier than 6.5-7 months, when the necessary curves of the spine have formed. Baby car seats, jumpers and loungers for babies can be used from the age of 5-6 months, when the back and other muscles of the baby are ready for this.

When can you sit on your hand?

Mothers are often interested in how many months they can put their baby in their arms, because it’s hard to hold him in a “column” in your arms all the time, and household chores require attention.

Women should remember that a boy or girl is allowed to be held in this position only when the child begins to try to sit up while in a crib or other similar place. This will happen no earlier than six months. Therefore, at 5 months, the baby cannot be carried like this; for transportation, use a sling or a special baby backpack.

Put in a walker

Walkers are one of the convenient ways to give the child an upright position and allow the mother to take care of adult matters for a while. Most manufacturers indicate that their products can be used when the baby is six months old.

Often the question of when to put a small child in a walker is decided individually. Some models are equipped so that they can accommodate a 5-month-old baby. But before purchasing such walkers, mom and dad are advised to consult a doctor about the age at which they can place their son or daughter in them.

When is the best time to imprison boys?

There are prejudices according to which a boy can be imprisoned earlier than a girl, since the physical development of a small man is somewhat ahead of the fragile female body. They are not confirmed by modern medicine.

Do not place a child of either gender early, do not place him in a jumper or other device. This will happen naturally in all babies between 6 and 8 months.

And when the girl

You shouldn't rush things with girls either. You can hear from some parents that early sitting down may cause the baby to develop a curvature of the uterus, and she will have problems with childbearing in adulthood. This is not true.

Mothers of little princesses ask the question: “When can girls sit down?” Healthy girls, depending on individual physical development, try to sit down at the same period of life as boys. Therefore, do not try to sit up your beloved daughter at 4 or 5 months, do not offer her jumpers - this will harm her spine and fragile muscles.

What is harmful for a child

Parents who are trying to find out what time a boy or girl can start should be very careful not to unknowingly harm their children. It is important to understand how to properly interact with the baby in order to prepare her for this important process and not cause problems with the spine in the future.

1. You cannot put a child on a potty, in jumpers or walkers at four to five months.
2. There is no need to hold your baby if he is under 6 months old.
3. When a baby tries to sit on his butt, it is not advisable to provide him with assistance.
4. Do not put pillows on your children when they sit on their butts for the first time, and then after a few minutes they fall onto their sides.
5. When the baby just learns to sit, at first do not allow him to be in this position too much (start with 5-30 minutes).

In some cases, only an experienced doctor can say exactly when a not entirely healthy child can be seated, and at how many months it is worth starting to do this.

What to do if kids won't sit down

If your son or daughter is already 7-8 months old and still cannot sit, this is a reason to contact a pediatrician and neurologist. Doctors will examine the baby and find the reason why his motor development lags behind his peers. If no pathologies are identified, engage in physical activity with your baby - gymnastics will strengthen his muscles and help him sit up. Buy jumpers or another device for verticalization and, after consulting with a doctor, give it to your offspring.

Remember that a child cannot be imprisoned by force. If the baby has any health problems, suffered a birth injury or was born prematurely, then the question of when the baby can be seated is decided individually under the supervision of a neurologist after performing a series of preparatory exercises.

Trying to sit up at three months

It happens that very active and curious babies try to sit up at 3-4 months. Do not stimulate this process under any circumstances. Gently stop your son or daughter’s attempts to sit down, distract the baby’s attention with a bright toy or conversation. At this age, the child’s body is not yet ready to sit; this can seriously harm him.

Exercises to help strengthen your child's back

There are a number of exercises that will help strengthen the child’s muscles and prepare him for a new position in space. Your pediatrician will tell you at what months they can be done, since all babies develop differently.

• With your baby on his tummy, lift your boy or girl off the crib using one hand at chest level and the other at glute level. Then after 5-10 seconds lower it. While lifting, the muscles on the baby’s back should tense;
• Place colorful toys in front of your baby after placing him on his tummy. Let him try to reach or crawl to them;
• Invite your baby to grab your thumbs while she lies on her back. When she does this, pull her towards you and let her back lift off the blanket for 15 seconds. Then gently lower the child.

With proper care and proper preparation, every baby can sit down within the time allotted by nature. The parents’ task is to help him in this important matter, but at the same time not harm the baby’s fragile health.

When can I sit my baby down? Is it necessary to teach a child to sit?

Your baby has grown up, is actively moving and is already trying to sit on his own. And, of course, you are interested in the answer to the question, from how many months can boys be started? Let's find out about it.

Your son is growing and developing, and every day you have more and more questions about how to act correctly in this or that case. One of them is, at what month can boys be imprisoned? Is your baby ready to sit up on his own? Will this be harmful to the spine and internal organs when boys begin to sit?

Your baby's spine does not yet have a framework of muscles that would hold it. If you sit your baby down too early, this can negatively affect the spinal column and cause curvature.

Most pediatricians are inclined to believe that this is possible no earlier than 5-6 months. The age at which boys can be placed largely depends on the level of development of the musculoskeletal system. Genetic predisposition, temperament, body weight and physical activity are all decisive factors.

You can independently decide when a boy sits down in the following situations:

• your son independently learned to roll over from his back to his stomach and back;
• the baby can already stand independently, holding your hands;
• the child crawls, lifts and holds his head well;
• he actively turns his head in all directions, waves his arms and legs;
• the baby is not overweight;
• he makes attempts to stand up on his own, pulling himself up by your fingers.

You should not carry your baby in a kangaroo carrier in a sitting position too early. In order for his spine to form correctly, this can be started no earlier than 5 months.

When asked what time do boys sit down and when can you teach your son to sit up on his own, your pediatrician will best answer. He will be able to objectively assess the level of development of your child after a thorough examination and examination.
If your baby is in no hurry to sit down and is capricious when you sit him down, then you should abandon this idea for a while. Usually children have a desire to sit on their own. And this is individual.

Start preparing his back for sitting. To do this, do special gymnastics and massages with him. You can take your baby by the hands and lift him up smoothly. He will reach for your hands. Make sure that the baby does this with pleasure and that the exercises do not cause him discomfort. The angle of inclination should be increased gradually. You can ride your child on a large ball (fitball). First a little on the back, then on the stomach. Children love these activities.

Swimming and water procedures in the bathroom are useful for strengthening the back. The water should not be too hot; support the baby's stomach and make sure that the water does not get into his respiratory tract. Swimming also has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and calms the baby. It is good to do such procedures before bed.

When the baby has grown a little and has become more active, mothers dream that he will quickly learn to sit. Should we rush things? According to experienced pediatricians, a newborn should be physiologically ready to sit down. Let's figure out when you can sit your baby down.

What the statistics say

During the first year of life, the baby's development is characterized by intensity. Achievements of this age replace each other. Pediatricians have developed child development plans that outline the expected achievements of children by month and week. The average stats look like this:

• at 6 months the baby is able to sit with support;
• at 7 months - already without it;
• at 8 months – sits up independently from a lying position or lies down from a sitting position.

But since each child is individual, each has its own development path and its own time frame for achievement. Therefore, minor deviations from the indicators are also considered normal. So, in most cases, children begin to sit independently at 6 months of age. Well, if a baby starts doing this at 4 months or at 8 months, this is also not considered a pathology.

Here's what Dr. Komarovsky says about this:

What should precede sitting down?

Is it possible to force a child to sit down? In adults, the spine has natural curves. But babies are born with a straight spinal column; their curves develop later. The muscles of a child's back are not able to support the spine. This means the spine is vulnerable. Therefore, until a certain age, you cannot sit down your baby.

At 2-3 months, the baby begins to raise his head while lying on his tummy, thus the cervical curvature of the spine begins to form. When the baby masters independent attempts to sit up, the thoracic spine is formed. Well, when a child learns to stand on his feet and walk, the spine takes on the shape that is familiar to us. Therefore, correct posture will be formed in the baby only when he masters all the stages on his own.

If you start sitting down prematurely, the load on the spine increases. The muscular frame does not yet work and does not support the spinal column. The consequences of illiterate actions by adults can lead to disorders of the musculoskeletal system. The negative impact affects the condition of internal organs and respiratory organs.

The back muscles are strengthened during the baby's motor activity: holding the head, turning over, moving the arms and legs. These seemingly insignificant actions help strengthen your back muscles. And strengthening these muscles prepares the baby to sit down.

When is it possible start off sit down baby?

When can a baby start to be planted? The sitting time should not be determined by the baby’s age, but by his physical skills. Many mothers are interested in what age can a child be seated? If we talk about age, on average children sit between 4 and 8 months. The following indicators indicate that the baby is ready to sit down:

• the child confidently holds his head and lifts it from a horizontal position;
• the child can easily roll over from side to side, from back to stomach and vice versa;
• the child, grabbing the adult’s fingers, tries to give his body a vertical position.

If you observe all these signs in your baby, it means that he will soon begin to sit down on his own.

We draw your attention to the fact that even if a child under 6 months of age begins to sit down independently, he should be in this position for no more than 1 hour a day. Otherwise, problems with posture and other body systems may begin later.

Boy and girl sitting down

There is a myth that if you start placing a girl too early, her uterus will develop. This theory has not yet been confirmed by concrete evidence. If such a pattern exists, then the curvature of the uterus does not affect the conception, gestation and birth of a baby. However, it is advisable not to place the girl before 6-7 months.

As for boys, there are no specific risks observed.

Should you put your baby on pillows?

Some generations are familiar with the expression “planting in pillows.” This is exactly the way our grandmothers taught babies to sit. Of course, this method is not correct, since with such actions we force the baby’s fragile back to take a vertical position, contrary to physiology. Several minutes of such forced sitting can lead to the appearance of scoliosis in a child at school age. It is correct to sit down when the baby begins to do it himself.

What else cannot be done until the child sits up on his own:

• plant in pillows;
• carry the baby in baby carriers and baby carriers;
• let him stand and walk in a walker;
• allowed to jump in jumpers, sit on a high chair;
• hold in your arms while sitting;
• When transporting in a stroller or car, use a sitting position.

It is important to note that with all this it is not prohibited to keep the baby in a semi-sitting position. Currently, there are many models of car seats, swings and other devices in which the backrest is adjusted to a semi-sitting position, reminiscent of the position of an embryo in the womb.

How to help your baby sit up?

If a baby does not sit at 7 months, this does not mean that he has a pathology. Before you sit your baby down, you need to strengthen his back. Parents' actions should not be aimed at giving a vertical position to the child's body, but at preparing the baby to sit down. This preparation concerns the back muscles, which should be strengthened and trained. How to teach a baby to sit up on his own? Gymnastics and massage are wonderful methods for developing a baby’s muscular system, which will help teach him to sit.

Massage can improve muscle tone. It is advisable to entrust the massage to professionals, only they know how to properly massage the muscles. Well, if this is not possible, then at home the mother can stroke the baby’s back, tummy, as well as his arms and legs.

As for gymnastics, it can be done at home and must be done daily. Here is an approximate set of exercises:

1. The baby lies on his tummy. The mother lifts the baby, holding her with one hand under her chest and with the other under her legs. In this position, the muscles of the back and buttocks tense. To let them relax, you need to put the baby in the starting position. And then repeat the exercise again.
2. The child lies on his back. Mom holds the baby by the left hand and then gently pulls her towards her right leg. The baby finds himself in a half-sitting position. Then the mother gives the child the starting position. We do the same with the right hand. This is a great exercise for training the lateral back muscles.

1. The baby lies on his back. Mom gives him the opportunity to grab onto her fingers. Then he begins to lift the baby, pulling his hand towards him. The baby's back lifted off the surface of the bed. It is necessary to hold the baby in this position for 15 seconds. Then, after a short rest, you need to repeat the exercise again.

If the baby is ready to sit down, the mother can help him by following the following recommendations:

• The first attempts at sitting down should be limited to a few minutes.
• An abrupt transition from a vertical to a horizontal position is unacceptable - sit the baby down slowly and carefully.
• The first time, the “sitting” position should not be horizontal, but reclining.
• Do not start sitting on hard surfaces such as chairs or the floor.

However, you should understand that if you help your child sit down, he will develop worse physically. It is much better if the baby himself “trains” his body and sits down exactly when it is ready.

Warning signs

Where is the limit when a mother should worry and run to the doctor? You should worry if:

• at the age of 7 months the baby does not roll over on his own;
• a child at 9 months does not sit up on his own;
• the child cannot lean on one hand to reach a toy with the other hand at 7-8 months;
• at 7 months the baby does not gurgle or babble;
• The baby does not smile or look into his mother’s eyes at 6 months.

In any doubtful situations, you should consult a pediatrician or neurologist.

Let's sum it up

As a rule, children begin to sit independently between the ages of 4 and 8 months. The ability to sit independently should appear in a newborn on its own. In order to help your baby sit up, it is recommended to do exercises to strengthen the back muscles. But in no case should you plant the baby ahead of schedule, when its back is not yet strong. Therefore, if the baby does not yet know how to sit, then you cannot use kangaroos, jumpers, walkers, a highchair and other objects, the use of which implies the vertical position of the child.

Many first-time parents are concerned with the question of what age they can start their child. An experienced pediatrician usually responds to this by saying that there is no need to rush things. If the child does not sit down on his own, then it is not time for this yet. And his body is simply not ready for the new body position. You can teach a child to sit, but the benefits of this for his health are very doubtful.

Physiologically, infants begin to experience the need for a sitting position for play and wakefulness approximately. It is by this age that the baby’s chest muscles, along the spinal column and in the abdominal area, are sufficiently formed. The process of sitting does not cause inconvenience or discomfort for him. The child already holds his back straight and does not need additional support. This is the time when teaching a child to sit is not only possible, but also necessary.

Some parents begin to sit their children down, starting... This is wrong for both girls and boys. The back muscles are not yet sufficiently developed at this time. A violation of the joints of the spine may develop. At school age, this will lead to scoliosis, lordosis or other types of spinal curvature. In girls, early sitting down can distort the pelvic bones, which can subsequently create difficulties in the natural process of expelling the fetus from the uterine cavity.

If the child does not sit down on his own...

In pediatric practice, there are often situations when a child does not sit down on his own after reaching 6 months of age. If the baby does not have serious damage to the central nervous system, severe rickets or muscle tissue dystrophy, then parents should pay attention to the physical development of the baby.

Typically, such situations occur when parents do little with the baby, do not massage him, or do complex physical exercises. An important factor is excess body weight and loose structure. Physical therapy can help in this case. The doctor should explain to the mother how to properly do gymnastics with the baby, how to massage and how to adjust his diet. After all the measures taken, you can begin to teach the child to sit. But this must be done correctly.

Is it possible to teach a child to sit?

First, ask yourself how to properly sit a child; it is unacceptable to use various pillows and bolsters for this. The baby must learn to sit and support his back independently. Extraneous supports can create incorrect posture and the habit of slouching.

Begin the learning process by briefly sitting on your knees. You can first lean the baby against you. In the future, continue your classes, combining them with massage and physical exercise. After a little gymnastics, sit the child on a hard surface for some time. At the same time, control it, not letting it fall, but not really holding it either. Gradually increase the amount of time your baby sits.

If physical and nervous development allows, you can teach your child to sit quickly enough. But don't do this until he is six months old. The child begins to sit up independently and spend a long time in this position after 5-6 lessons.

Approaching the age of five months, the baby becomes very active and inquisitive. The baby looks around, turning his head in different directions, confidently grabs and holds toys, with ease. Some children even try to sit up, which for parents becomes a cause for pride and admiration, because every mother looks forward to that happy time when their child begins to sit on his butt independently.

When does the child begin to sit up on his own?

According to pediatricians, a child should develop and sit according to approximately the following indicators:

• at 6 months – sits with support;
• at 7 months – sits without support;
• at 7.5 – 8 months. – easily sits down independently and can lie down from this position.

Union of Pediatricians of Russia: Transition of a child from a supine position to a sitting position

It happens that active and physically strong children go to school a month and a half earlier. For other babies this happens a little later. According to doctors, such indicators are also considered normal.

If you ask an experienced doctor the question at what months do children usually begin to sit down, he will answer that each little person has his own time, because the development path of each baby is individual and unique.

Is it possible to seat a child specially?

The opinion of pediatricians and orthopedists on a popular question from young parents “Is it possible to help and sit down the child” It’s clear: the vertical position of the spine is unnatural for a child under six months of age. By artificially seating the baby, unfortunate parents can harm the health of the little one. Already at school age this can lead to serious problems with the spine. If the back muscles are not sufficiently strong, then the baby will not sit down on his own because he is not yet ready for such a serious load.

It’s another matter if the child sat up on his own before he was six months old. But even in this situation, the baby should not be in a “sitting” position for more than 1 hour a day.

The moment when you can sit your baby down comes when the little one turns 6 months old. Let me emphasize, not to seat, but to sit down.

Doctor Komarovsky advises: When should you sit your baby down? How many months?

A series of exercises with a child to strengthen the back

What should parents do to help their child learn a new and necessary skill?

Every day, from the age of 3 months, perform gymnastics and massage with the child, swim in the bathtub or pool (in large cities there are swimming pools for joint visits with young children). This way the muscle corset will be well strengthened.

Exercise 1. The child is lying on the table. As soon as he reaches his arms towards his mother, extend his index fingers. The baby will try to sit up, grabbing his mother’s fingers. The child’s back lifts off the surface at 45°; the baby is held in this position for several seconds and then returns to the “lying” position.

Note to moms!

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Exercise 2. "Airplane". Place the baby on his tummy. Raise the child, supporting him under the chest with one hand and under the legs with the other. The legs rest against the adult’s chest, the buttocks and back are tense, the head is raised. Hold the position for a few seconds.

Valentina Ershova: How to teach a baby to sit

For the physical development of the baby, it is recommended to hang rings over the crib, which he can grab onto and try to rise up. When laying it on the stomach, place a bright object (toy) at a short distance in front of the baby, to which he will try to crawl.

It is important for every young mother to know how to sit down a child correctly (this has already been mentioned above) and what not to do.

If the child does not sit up on his own, then you cannot:

1. Place him in pillows;
2. Carry in a stroller in a sitting position (you can fix the back of the stroller at 45º)
3. Carry in various Kangaroo-type carriers in a sitting position;
4. Place on your hands (can be held on your knees in a “reclining” position).

Child sitting down for the first time (video)

Boys and girls: assumptions and facts

In the philistine environment, there is an opinion that boys can be seated earlier than girls. In fact, regardless of gender, planting before six months is harmful for both.

In addition, when girls begin to sit down early, in the future this can lead to deformation of the pelvic bones and serious problems of the female reproductive system. Therefore, pediatricians of the older generation often express the opinion that a girl should not be seated at all until the baby is 6-7 months old. Modern sources take a less categorical position: it is believed that there is no great fear if the little princess decides to sit up on her own before six months, and the grandmothers’ fears are not greatly exaggerated.