5 - 6 Months

Week 22: Supporting your new little sitter

Once your baby can easily hold their head upright and move it around as you support their trunk, they’re ready to start practicing sitting up on their own.

Experts say the best way for babies to practice sitting is to put them on a firm padded surface like a playmat or a carpet. Baby seats are convenient, but they don’t allow your baby to experience how their body weight shifts when they tip over.

At this stage, even if they enjoy sitting up, your baby should still be mostly horizontal on the floor. Continue giving them plenty of time on their tummy and back to strengthen their stomach, arm, back, and neck muscles.

Sometime between 5 and 8 months, most babies start to sit up independently.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP YOUR NEW LITTLE SITTER:

Sit on the floor with your baby between your legs, their back against your belly. In the earliest stages, they may sit with their hands on the floor in front of them to steady their body, or lean back against you.
Once your baby is sitting up straighter, you can surround them with soft pillows or put them in an open plastic laundry basket with pillows for support (be sure to supervise).
Wobbling and tipping over onto a soft surface is actually good for your baby! They’re tuning in to their inner sense of balance.
Your baby may not be able to tolerate sitting for long periods; their cues will let you know when they want to stop.

Once your baby is sitting up consistently without using their hands for support, have them practice reaching for toys. Your baby is improving their balance and coordination as they use their hands to reach and play from a seated position.

In this post

The Play Gym

Lovevery’s award-winning debut product includes everything you need in an activity gym—from batting to teething to learning to focus—for a whole year of play.

Learn more

Author

Team Lovevery

Visit site

Posted in: 5 - 6 Months, The Play Gym, Gross Motor, Balance, Child Development

Keep reading

5 - 6 Months

Week 19: “Swimming” in tummy time yet?

Your baby needs lots of tummy time to build core muscle strength for crawling. Here are the different stages of tummy time and ideas to make the most of them.

3 - 4 Months

5 - 6 Months

Endless fun with a sensory bag

Sensory play is a blast, but it can get messy. When you just can't face another major clean-up for the sake of sensory exploration, these bags are a great way to let you little one explore without any mess.

3 - 4 Months

5 - 6 Months

Starry cardboard box

Create a starry night experience for your baby using things you already have at home.

5 - 6 Months

Your Baby’s Physical Development: 6 Months

Watch Lovevery CEO Jessica Rolph discuss developmental milestones for your 6-month old with licensed occupational therapist and founder of CanDo Kiddo, Rachel Coley.