Help Your Munchkin Sit!
Sitting! Such an amazing milestone for parents, because we can finally sit baby down and know they won’t just be laying on the floor. It can make playtime more fun, and also means we can start the new adventure of solid foods! So, let’s talk about the best activities to help your baby sit. Babies first need to develop excellent head control to be able to sit without help (tummy time!!). Once head control is adequate, the other muscle groups that are important for your munchkin to develop are her back and core muscles.
The first position is what I refer to as the “baby plank” or “Little Mermaid pose.” This activity helps your munchkin with strengthening her neck, shoulder, back, and core muscles! It is a very difficult position, so make sure your munchkin can tolerate several minutes of tummy time flat on the floor before trying this position. Make it fun with your munchkin’s favorite toys in front!
The second position is encouraging your munchkin to play with her feet while lying on her back (or “happy baby” for you yogis out there). Pulling her feet towards her nose is a great strengthening movement for her core and allows for sensory play to the bottoms of her little feet. It also allows your munchkin to continue to develop hand/eye coordination. For an added challenge, help your munchkin grasp the opposite foot in hand.
Remember, babies typically start to sit on their own between 4-6 months.
Research shows that movement milestones develop in a predictable, linear way. Most often, the next milestone develops because of the skills gained from a prior milestone. For example, crawling on hands and knees typically starts at 9 months old. Prior to 9 months, babies are strong enough to be able to maintain tummy time and push into the floor to straighten their elbows and lift their chest off the floor. This milestone is crucial before successfully crawling.
🗣PSA: All babies develop at their own pace! You should only be concerned if your munchkin is significantly off from the expected timeline.
