Hello, Alena.
Parents are always happy when their baby learns something new. All mothers look forward to the time when the child learns to sit, because this skill “opens up new horizons” not only for the baby himself, but also for his parents.
In matters of child development, we focus on general standards, not always remembering that each child is a separate story. The environment adds fuel to the fire. All-knowing grandmothers, experienced friends with children, sympathetic passers-by - everyone considers it possible to give advice, teach “how to” and “when it’s time.”
The topic of sitting down children at the age of 5 - 6 months is the most relevant. We all know that girls can sit later, boys - earlier. But what should you do if your child tries to sit or get up too early? Mothers of such rapidly developing children are in constant doubt about when the child can be allowed to do everything that he so badly wants to learn.
Looking forward to new skills
By the age of 4-5 months, the child can already do a lot on his own - raise his head, roll over, look at toys. And parents want to see the baby sitting cutely in his crib and playing 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 a child tries to sit up at 4-5 months?
Early boarding from the doctors' point of view
All pediatricians are against such an early desire of the child to sit. The fact is that the bones and muscles of the toddler are very weak. If the mother says that the child wants to sit down, raises the body 30 - 40 degrees, grabs the sides of the bed, this does not mean that if you sit him down, he will sit. By lifting the body, the child trains the abdominal muscles. Usually, at this age, a child can do a lot. For example, hold your head and back confidently, roll over from your stomach to your back and back. The muscles of a four-month-old baby have become quite strong, but they are still unable to withstand the load from sitting.
Official approach
According to the World Health Organization, a child can begin to sit without support from 4 to 9 months. However, domestic pediatricians do not recommend sitting down a child until the age of 6 months, even if it seems to parents that the child is trying to sit down at 4 months. In order to maintain your body in a sitting position, a sense of balance is required, and this develops simultaneously with the development of gross motor skills. Therefore, even a 6-month-old child, whose central nervous system is still developing, is characterized by a feeling of instability in an upright state.
The most important thing is to accept that every child is unique and develops at their own pace. The speed at which new physical skills are learned depends on both the child’s temperament and weight. A thin, flexible baby may be in a hurry to be able to observe the world around him from a sitting position. And a chubby, calm child may well be content with looking at the toys above the crib for a longer time.
Most babies begin to sit well with a little help between 7 and 9 months of age. But there are children who sit down at the age of 1 year, without any delay in mental and physical development.
4 month old baby sits down
moemu sino4ku po4ti 6 mesyacev, babushka moego muja prihodit k nam v gosti i postoyano sojaet malisha na popu ili stavit na nojki. ya ei 3aprishaaju eto delat,babushka o4en 3litca. Mi jivem v germany i nash deckij vra4 ne navya3ivaet soveti, kogda nam sojat malisha! a babushka utverjdaet 4to malish doljen bil uje v 4 mesyaca sidet i 4to nemeckie vra4i glupie. a ya ne opitnaya molodaya, a babushka vospitala dvoih i 3naet kak nado. U nas uje doshlo do skandala prishlos babushku stavit na mesto. No posle etogo ya stala uje sama somnivatca po4emu malish v 6 mesyacev ne sidit! skajite stoit li mne vobshe volnovatca i perejivat?
Myths and reality
Nowadays, the conjectures that used to intimidate parents who placed their children upright too early are becoming a thing of the past: namely, the myth that if a girl tries to sit up at 4 months, she will certainly have a tilted uterus and problems with childbearing. This is wrong. In fact, if a girl or boy tries to sit up at 4 months, they can suffer the same unpleasant consequences due to the heavy load on the fragile spine - this includes scoliosis, radiculitis, and other disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
The main task of parents in raising babies under one year old 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 health and well-being of the children. In the absence of neurological diseases and other disorders, children strive to learn new skills without additional incentives from adults.
Doctor Komarovsky's opinion
Pediatrician Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky always draws the attention of parents to the fact that premature loads on a fragile spine will not lead to anything good. He advises encouraging crawling and taking time to learn to stand and sit.
He gives simple and effective advice to parents of children who are trying to sit up before six months: do not help. If the back muscles are ready, the baby will be able to sit up on his own. Otherwise, he simply will not be able to take a horizontal position. The doctor is convinced that the later a child learns to sit, the better for his health. And until the baby is one year old, Evgeniy Olegovich calls for giving him the opportunity to develop at a pace convenient for him.
Also, Dr. Komarovsky, like the vast majority of his colleagues, does not approve of the hobby of some parents with all kinds of walkers and jumpers. Sometimes moms and dads resort to their help until the child learns to sit and stand. Such devices are designed to strengthen the baby’s motor system. In fact, walking on your back puts a lot of stress on your back. In addition, while the child is using them, he cannot learn to maintain balance.
The physical development of a child is a very individual process. Many children acquire new skills within a set time frame. There are also those who run ahead of the rest, and can overtake their peers in development by a month, or even two. There are also slow, clumsy little ones who are in no hurry to conquer new heights. Parents should remember that every baby will learn to crawl, sit and walk when he is ready, and there is no need to rush him. You just need to support the child and help him.
What can negatively affect a child's health?
When a 4-month-old child tries to sit up, parents sometimes take actions that are not recommended by pediatricians. It is unsafe for a child’s health to sit on pillows, as he falls in different directions, as well as to be carried in a “kangaroo” type carrier, where he sits and the entire load goes on the spine. It is also forbidden to place the baby in a high chair or stroller with a vertical back position; it is permissible only in a reclining position. Not only the baby’s unprepared spine, but also compressed 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 only lie down.
What are the dangers of early attempts to sit?
Parents who neglect these tips and rush to seat their child ahead of time can cause serious harm to his health. In children under six months of age, such experiments can cause curvature of the spine and displacement of the spinal discs.
And problems with posture affect not only the motor system. Curvature of the spinal column negatively affects the internal organs, causes their displacement and compression, and disrupts normal functioning.
Sitting down early is dangerous for the spine
Spinal curvature in young children is very difficult to diagnose. Usually it only appears at school, when the child begins to spend a lot of time at his desk.
It’s not just the baby’s back that suffers from early sitting down. Many parents, in order to seat their son or daughter, pull the baby by the arms. This can lead to dislocations.
When is the baby ready to sit?
The baby is ready to explore the world around and get acquainted with new toys within a couple of weeks after birth. However, with motor skills the situation is somewhat different. It is quite possible that a child at 4 months is trying to sit up while holding onto a support. A healthy 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 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 with his hand to objects, as well as bend his legs. The most successful option would be for a child to be able to crawl on all fours, since crawling is the best way to prepare the back muscles for vertical loads.
The baby will be able to make independent attempts to sit up when he is able to pull himself up with his arms. After this, the child can turn on his side and, leaning on his hand, lower himself onto his butt. At first the position will be unstable and the baby will fall on its side, but over time it will learn to maintain balance.
At 4 months the baby wants to sit down
My daughter is 3.5 months old, she fully raises her body and head from the position of lying in her arms, wants to sit, and maybe even run somewhere, if any movement or action is formed, it means that there were good prerequisites for this. In general, scientists have long been saying that children have become accelerators, i.e. With the accelerated pace of development, it is not surprising that during the entire pregnancy so many drugs are prescribed, the children then mature as if on fertilizers.
Interesting: Can You Have Bloody Discharge During Ovulation?
How to help your baby?
What can parents do if their baby is trying to sit up at 4 months? First of all, you should remember the benefits of gymnastics. Daily exercises will strengthen the back muscles and help the child better master his arms and legs and feel the capabilities of his body. An excellent exercise for developing the muscles of the shoulder girdle would be exercises on a fitball, for example, rolling a baby from one barrel to another. While awake, your baby should often be placed on his tummy so that he can practice getting up on all fours and reaching for hanging toys. An “obstacle course” will also be an interesting activity, when the baby needs to overcome a lying pillow in order to reach his favorite bright toy.
When the time comes, the baby will learn to sit up on his own and will be ready for new achievements. And parents don’t need to worry if a child is trying to sit up at 4 months; you can easily help him master this important skill.
Possible consequences of early sitting down
Those parents who are scared by the fact that their child begins to try to sit up at 4 months are recommended to consult a pediatrician. The doctor will examine the baby and be able to assess his physical readiness. If the specialist considers that the baby is already ready for this step, he will definitely help you do everything correctly and without consequences.
If a child is already sitting slowly at 4 months, but his spine is not strong enough for an upright position, the consequences may be as follows:
- Posture may be formed incorrectly;
- Scoliosis may develop;
- The pelvic bones may become deformed.
According to many, the negative consequences of a baby sitting up at 4 months for girls are, according to many, especially likely.
Sitting down too early can have a negative impact on the baby’s psyche. He will be afraid to take an unusual and uncomfortable position, as a result of which he will develop self-doubt.
In addition to the above, there is a very common belief that girls should not be started too early due to the likelihood of developing a uterine flexion in the future. Doctors for the most part refute this statement, considering it to be ordinary myths. As a rule, abnormalities in the development of the uterus are the result of an inflammatory process or genetic predisposition.
Scoliosis is the most common consequence of early sitting down
To correctly determine when you can start seating your child, you should carefully monitor him and analyze all his actions. A healthy and strong toddler will sit up as soon as he is physically ready for it. Even if this expected skill does not develop for too long, there is no need to rush things. You just need to be patient, and to reassure yourself, talk to your local pediatrician, who knows first-hand about all the variants of the norm.
Rules for dropping off a child
When is the baby ready to sit?
If you see a fairly large child, but find out that he is not sitting yet, then do not rush to draw conclusions. The more a child weighs, the later he will sit up. His slimmer peers can sit already at 5 months of life.
The baby is ready to sit if:
- it turns over independently and freely;
- he holds his head well and lifts himself up on his arms for quite a long time;
- he tries to take a sitting position, looking for support or grabbing onto something.
Baby walkers
Walkers are currently causing heated debate not only among ordinary people, but also among doctors. Orthopedists insist that a child’s stay in them should not exceed 10 minutes a day; pediatricians allow 40 minutes, but only when the baby learns to sit and crawl. They are not suitable for a 4-month-old baby, because the spine is not yet strong enough to withstand the load in the sitting position.
In addition, a child of 4 months is unlikely to be interested in walkers, and he will not yet be able to use them for their intended purpose.
Jumpers for babies
A device such as a jumper can only be used when the baby reaches 6 months. You should choose a model with a back support design, from 1 year - without it. For a 4 month old baby the use of jumpers is unacceptable.
High chair for feeding 4 month old babies
You can purchase a high chair as soon as you start complementary feeding, or simply to place your baby in it while you, for example, are in the kitchen and cooking. A mandatory requirement for it is the presence of a folding mechanism, that is, the ability to choose a “reclining” position for the child using the reclining backrest.
Stroller for a 4 month old baby
Pediatricians do not recommend transferring a child from a cradle to a stroller before 5–6 months. In addition to the fact that the child needs to get stronger in order to sit permanently, the unevenness of the road is much more noticeable in it. It is safer to walk with your baby in a stroller-cradle, which has an orthopedic mattress and good shock absorption.
Baby carrier and sling for 4 month olds
Pediatricians also cannot reach agreement regarding kangaroo backpacks and slings. There is no denying the fact that a baby in a kangaroo still takes a sitting position. By using a sling, this can be avoided, but it will also be difficult to carry a 4-month-old baby in it.
If you still choose a kangaroo backpack, then pay attention to the rigid back and headrest for the child.
Car seat for 4 month old baby
For a 4-month-old child, models in which there are “lying” and “reclining” positions are still suitable.
What to do if the baby does not want to sit?
Many mothers begin to be afraid if the baby does not comply with accepted norms in physiological development and believe that they need to teach the baby to sit on his own. Should I start breastfeeding my baby and at what month should I start doing this? Most often, the child learns new skills on his own and simply needs time. If the baby does not begin to sit by 11 months, you need to go to the pediatrician. Until this time, you should not worry and it is preferable to help your baby’s body grow:
- Regularly do gymnastics with your baby, carry it correctly in your arms, allowing the back muscles to become stronger.
- Sitting at the table and feeding the baby, you can hold him in a sitting position for a short time to train his back.
- You can more often lay the child on his stomach and place toys in front of him so that he can reach for them.
- Parents should help their baby improve physiologically from birth. Often, a course of strengthening massage can help your child learn to sit. It is preferable to have it carried out by a professional. The results will become noticeable quickly. Massaging is carried out for the necessary impetus in the physiological development of the baby.
