To help your baby sit up, you can practice tummy time, assisted sitting, and pulling them up from their back. These activities help them strengthen the muscles and coordination needed for sitting up. You can also sit them on your lap or on the floor with support and rock them gently. Your baby may be able to sit up with some help as early as six months old, and sit independently between 7 to 9 months of age.
Here are some steps you can follow to help your baby sit up:
- Encourage tummy time in those early days. This helps them strengthen the muscles necessary for lifting their head and, eventually, sitting up.
- Practice assisted sitting. Once a baby can hold their head steady, at about 4 months, a parent or caregiver might try propping them up to sit with support.
- Practice sitting on the floor. Sit on the floor with your baby between your legs and support them with your hands around their waist.
- Pulling them up from their back. Place your baby on their back and gently pull them up by their arms into a sitting position.
Remember that every baby is different and will develop at their own pace. If you have any concerns about your baby's development or if they are not meeting milestones within a reasonable time frame, talk to your pediatrician.
