Activities for a 3 to 6-Month-Old Baby that Teach How to Sit Up
- February 19, 2024
- by Melissa Lawrence
Hi everyone, Melissa here. Which exercises can you do with a 3 to 6-month-old baby to help them learn how to sit up? Here and in my video, I present some physical activities for a 3 to 6-month old baby that help teach your baby how to sit up. Before running through the exercises, let’s take a quick look at physical milestones for 3 to 6-month-old babies.
Physical Milestones for a 3 to 6-Month-Old Baby
Remember, as my doctor has reminded me, that there is a huge range of normal and babies do things at their own pace. If you do not see your baby reaching these milestones or are concerned about their development, talk with your doctor. That said, although you don’t want to allow these milestones to be a cause for anxiety, it’s good to have them in mind because they encourage you as a parent to introduce activities that help your baby get to the next stage of development.
3-Month-Old Baby Physical Milestones
Most 3-month-old babies are gaining head and neck strength and can hold their heads up steadily while being held in your arms. Enjoying increased coordination, your 3-month-old might be able to put their hands together and reach for an object. During tummy time, many babies this age can hold their heads up. Babies this age generally are beginning to kick and stretch out their legs. When placed on their feet, they will put pressure down and attempt to stand up with your support.
6-Month-Old Baby Physical Milestones
Most 6-month-olds can hold their heads up steadily while being held in your arms and look from side to side. Most 6-month-olds also can raise their head while in tummy time and push up with straight arms. From lying on their tummy, they can roll to one side (from tummy to back). Many are beginning to squirm while in tummy time, bending their knees and trying to crawl. Many babies this age can sit up for short periods of time while in a squat position with their hands balanced in front.
When do Babies Sit Up?
If you’re asking yourself “when do babies learn to sit up?,” the short answer is that this varies according to when your baby was born and other factors. According to my pediatrician, most babies start to sit up at between 4 to 7 months, and master sitting up at between 7 to 9 months. At first, babies will only be able to sit up on their own for short periods of time and will sit in a straddle position with their hands in front for balance. Over time, babies will learn how to sit up unassisted and with greater balance and strength, and can do other things at the same time like play with or reach for a toy.
Physical Activities for 3 to 6-Month-Old-Baby to Teach How to Sit Up
So with those developmental milestones in mind, what activities can I do to encourage my baby to start to sit up? Below, I run through several physical activities that can be easily incorporated into your daily life with your baby, including baby sit ups and tummy time.
Hold Baby on One Leg to Help them Learn to Sit Up
The first physical activity for a 3-6 month old baby to help them sit up involves holding your baby over one leg while gripping them under their underarms with each of your hands. Face your baby away from you and have them straddle their legs over your leg. Hold them tightly enough under their underarms that they cannot fall, but allow them to have more flexibility and space from you by placing them a bit down your leg and, from time to time, relaxing your hold a bit while making sure your baby is secure. When you do this, your baby starts to exercise their back muscles more, which is a key step in learning how to sit up.
Straddle Baby in “Sitting Up” Position between Legs
Here’s another physical activity for a 3-6 month old baby to help them sit up that my doctor recommended. This exercise was easy to incorporate into our daily activities as I’ve been able to do this while reading to my babies. Sit on the floor in a straddle position and place your baby between your legs. Then, sit your baby upright (also in a straddle position) and place them inside your legs facing outwards, allowing them to rest their back against your torso. In this position, the baby starts to sit up but with support. If they fall, they fall onto your torso. And they can’t fall to the sides because your legs are there as a barrier. When your baby is ready, try spacing them out a bit to see if they have the strength to sit. I did this activity a lot with my older babies when they were this age and it really helped them to learn how to sit up.
Hold Baby in your Arms Securely yet Flexibly
The third physical exercise for a 3 to 6-month-old baby to encourage sitting up involves straddling your baby around one hip, and holding them with your arms while giving them some leeway to move around and gain strength. First, straddle your baby around your hips. Next, place one arm beneath their bottom and with the hand of that arm, grip tightly onto their upper leg. Swing your other arm around in front of you and place it behind your baby’s back. You can loosen and tighten this second arm, allowing your baby some leeway and flexibility while making sure they are safe and secure. This is also a great way to carry a baby because it lessens the pressure on a parent’s back and neck.
Prop Baby Up alongside your Leg with Toy
The next physical exercise for a 3 to 6 month-old baby that helps the baby learn how to sit up involves propping your baby up alongside your leg on a flat surface and placing an appealing toy a bit out of their reach. When your baby begins reaching for the toy, they exercise their upper back muscles and arms. Although he’s now six months old, Bracey isn’t quite ready for this yet since he was a premie. But I did this with my older children and it definitely helped them gain the back strength they needed to sit up.
“Baby Sit Ups” to Help Baby Learn to Sit Up
Now, with those everyday, practical, physical exercises explained, let’s tackle one of the most popular gross motor activities for 3 to 6-month-old babies: baby sit ups.
Are Sit Ups Good for Babies?
You might worry that baby sit ups could strain your baby’s neck. I asked my doctor and he said that baby sit ups are great for babies, but that you want to do them slowly while paying careful attention that your baby’s head does not fall backwards. He also mentioned that while doing baby sit ups, you should make eye contact, talk to, and smile at your baby.
How to do Baby Sit Ups
While on a flat, safe, surface, place your baby in front of you with them lying down on their back. Straighten them out. Gently grab their hands. If your baby’s arms are stiffening up into a reflex, wait until they relax and then grab their hands. Very slowly, pull your baby’s arms towards you until your baby is upright. Your baby’s chin should be tucked and their head should stay steady and not roll back. Then, very slowly, while gripping your their hands, help your baby to roll backwards, again without allowing their head to fall back.
How Often should I do Baby Sit Ups?
My doctor advised me to try doing baby sit ups for just 2-3 minutes three times a day. Proceed gently and slowly and make sure not to tire your baby out.
Tummy Time to Help Baby to Sit Up
And now for the most highly recommended physical activity for a 3 to 6-month-old baby: tummy time.
What is Tummy Time?
Tummy Time is a position in which you can put your baby when they are awake and someone is watching them carefully. Your baby will be on the stomach with their arms stretched out in front. Tummy time is an important activity for infants and young babies since it strengthens their legs, back, and arms, and helps them learn how to sit up and eventually crawl.
Where to do Tummy Time
Place your baby in tummy time on a flat surface with you safeguarding them to make sure they cannot fall. You can do this on an activity mat or towel on the floor, or on your bed if you are carefully safeguarding your baby.
[amazonapi title=”infant activity mat, baby activity mat”]
When to Begin Tummy Time with your Baby
My doctor advised me to begin doing tummy time when my baby was a few days old. He recommended starting with just a few seconds to see how the baby does. Over time, he explained, you can increase the amount of time your baby spends in tummy time.
How often to do Tummy Time
Babies can be placed in tummy time from 2-3 times a day for 3-5 minute sessions. Make sure not to tire your baby out since they will be getting a lot of exercise already with all of the feedings they’re mastering. By around 2 months of age, doctors recommend that babies get about 15 to 30 minutes of total tummy time daily.
How to do Tummy Time
Stretch your baby out safely on their tummy in a safe place with their hands out front and palms down and their legs stretched behind. Try placing safe toys in front of your baby to motivate them to stretch forward. Infant mirrors are a fun addition. You can also try laying down yourself alongside or in front of your baby and interacting with them. When your baby is ready, try encouraging them to press down on their hands and push themselves up.
When do Babies Roll from Tummy to Back
At some point, you’ll see your baby push up in tummy time and roll over onto their back, which is an exciting milestone. Most babies do this at between 4-6 months. By 6 months, most babies are able to roll in both directions.
[amazonapi title=”tummy time toys, best tummy time toys”]
Thanks so much for reading – and watching – and see you back soon on Cloudmom.com.
References
Verywellfamily.com
Rocketship Physical Therapy
The Bump.com
Parents.com
NIH.gov
Comments