Learning to sit up is a process, and it’s not easy. Your baby’s back, neck, and core muscles need to be strong enough to keep them upright, and they’ll need to balance and figure out where to put their legs to keep from toppling over.
Around 4 to 5 months old, your baby will likely develop strong head control and be able to sit up with the support of your hands or a pillow.
However, even a small movement can cause your baby to topple over, so always stay close while they are propped up. As they gain strength and confidence, they will soon start “tripod sitting,” leaning forward on their hands to help with balance.
Sitting up on their own: By 6 to 8 months old, many babies can sit up without support or help from you, and without leaning on their hands for balance. They may not be able to get smoothly from lying down to sitting up (and vice-versa) just yet, though. And even babies who’ve mastered sitting will topple over eventually, often because they lose interest in being upright and don’t know how to change positions.
How to help your baby sit up
You can help your baby reach this milestone – here’s how:
- Give them plenty of tummy time. Lifting their head and chest helps your baby strengthen their neck muscles and develop the head control necessary for sitting up
- Encourage your baby to look up during tummy time. Use a bright toy that makes noise to prompt them to look up
- Let your baby practice sitting up supported by pillows or leaning against you. Put them in your lap and let them lean back on you (or support them with your hands) when you’re sitting together. Or, you can prop your baby up with pillows. Some breastfeeding pillowswork well for this purpose – just make sure to supervise.
