Tips & Techniques You Can Use Right Now To Help Baby Sit Up

One question I receive year after year is about how to help Baby sit up. Now, there are quite a few ideas around on how to do it.

But effectively these ways come down to 2 approaches:

• Using proven techniques, and…

• Using toys and aids… or a combination of these 2 approaches

2 Techniques for Sitting Up

This article is primarily going to look at 2 techniques and only touching on some toys that give great results.

But before we look how to help baby sit up, appreciate that there are 4 skills your baby must master before s/he can sit properly. These skills are…

• Good head control (holding head upright and turning head to follow objects)

• Adequate development of trunk muscles

• Flexibility of leg and hip muscles, and…

• The ability to take weight on his arms

The goal of sitting properly is for your baby to sit with support.

In the beginning you encourage this development by providing support at the back and sides. But if your child still falls over to the front, you may even consider putting a cushion in front. Another option is to use the Leachco Cuddle-U Nursing Pillow.

All-Purpose Way To Help Baby Sit Up

Put your baby in an upright position and support him at the sides and the back. Now let your child use his hands for support to the front.

As soon as you see your child is able to free his hands, then start giving him toys and other colorful objects to play with.

Colorful toys stimulate your baby and draw focus and attention to the toy. So, while your child is focusing on the toys, he is learning to sit properly.

You’ll also initially see your child only reaching out with only one hand until he’s comfortable sitting. Only then while he starts using both hands for play.

As soon as your baby starts to move his head and look at objects in the vicinity, you’ll know it’s a good time to start stimulation with toys.

At this stage your child has mastered sitting to such a level that he actually takes interest in the surroundings. This is a great time to focus even more attention on other stimulation activities.

The Easiest Way to Help Baby Sit Up

One particularly powerful technique to stimulate sitting is by putting your baby in a smallish open cardboard box.

Use cushions to support him in the beginning.

It’s also a great opportunity to give him a few toys to play with. The biggest single advantage of using a box is probably that it keeps all toys close by.

Of course you can also use a ruler, stick or piece of an old broom onto which you can hang a few toys. Make sure the length of the stick is slightly longer than the width of the box. Then simply rest the broom or stick with the suspended toys on top of the box.

Your baby’s upright position in the box, having both hands free to play with and the added stimulation of the toys all add to a very powerful way to help baby sit up.

And if you find a small cardboard box, what then?

Another Easy Way to Help Baby Sit Up

Use the corner of a room. The same principles and techniques apply as in the previous tip.

So, you still need to support your baby to the sides with cushion since he can still fall over and hit his head against the wall.

Again, give him toys to focus attention away from the sitting position. 

The only reason I believe this alternative is not as good as the previous technique is…

The toys are not always in close proximity to your baby for ongoing stimulation. But over and above that… both options work equally well to help Baby sit up.

But let’s assume that the mere thought of putting your child in the corner of any room at such an early age frightens you J… what then?

Then you keep your baby close to you.

The Cheapest, Yet Fun Way to Help Baby Sit Up

Here’s what to do…

You sit on the floor and sit your baby between your legs on the floor.

Use your legs to support him on the sides.

I like to use this technique when the baby is still a bit too young to properly sit up. I sit the baby with his back towards me, facing in the same direction as shown in the sketch.

What I really like about using this technique to help Baby to sit, is that it allows me to feel the reactions of the baby. It also gives me the opportunity to feel when he can sit unsupported.

And once he reaches that level, you can comfortably start putting him in the open box.

Remember, one of the biggest mistakes you can make when teaching your child to sit… is starting too early.

The Golden Rule

The golden rule to follow when you want to help your baby sit up is…

Be guided by your child’s interest to get into sitting position and, of course… ability to sit

Look at how your baby lifts himself, controls himself, presses forward and even controls his head. All of these activities are very good signs that your baby is ready to sit.

But, here’s a word of warning…

The biggest danger of teaching your baby to sit too early is the possibility that your child will fall backwards and hit his head against the floor or any other object.

Make no mistake…

At this age your child is definitely not strong enough to control or even avoid hitting his head when falling backward.

There’s simply no attempt whatsoever to reduce the impact of hitting his head against the floor or wall.

Of course, that’s why I suggest you always place a cushion behind your baby on the floor… just in case he should fall backwards. Another brilliant aid to use is the Leachco Cuddle-U Nursing Pillow.

See our article, When should baby sit up, for more information on the right age when your baby should sit up.

Go from Help Baby Sit Up to Baby Milestones

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