Teach Your Baby To Sit
Teach your baby to sit and ignore the myths that this affects their spine.
Encourage them gently, in the same way that you encouraged them to lift their head and turn around in their crib.
As long as you don’t force them and do the correct exercises, your baby will not be in danger while learning this new stage of their motor skill development.
Exercises to learn to sit
Children’s development happens in stages. And a very important stage is learning how to sit without needing support or help from parents.
When working towards this goal, pediatricians recommend a series of exercises and games for your baby to strengthen their hips and shoulders, and maintain balance in the sitting position.
At 6 months, your baby should be able to lift their back while on their stomach, turn their head and roll over. These are all signs that it’s a good time to also start teaching them how to sit.
Don’t think twice. Teach your baby to sit and put these exercises into practice.
1. Sit them on your lap
Every time you can, sit them on your lap with their back resting on you. Hold their hands so they feel safe and sing a song to make them more comfortable.
It is important that they are sitting correctly. Ensure that they are as erect as possible.
2. Turn it into a game
Grab your baby under the arms and play while sitting them down. Make happy faces every time you put them in this position.
Then stop. Get them ready. Lay them down. Go back to sitting down with the same happy expressions and phrases. They will understand that it is a game and will adjust to this new position better.
3. Let them make an effort
Put your baby on their back. Make raspberries on your fingers or clap your hands so that they get excited and give you all their attention.
Then grab their little hands, take them and let them go while you say encouraging words. This will excite your child and make them want to hold you.
When you can see that they are holding you tight, try to lift them little by little as long as they make an effort to get up.
During this exercise, it is not necessary that your baby reaches the sitting position. If your baby makes an effort, that is more than enough.
4. Sit and lay them down several times in a row
Put your baby on their back. Pick them up by the hands and lift them until they are sitting. Hold them for a few seconds and put them back down.
Perform these steps ten times in a row while you sing or count one two, one two. One when sitting and two when they lie down.
5. Sit them down and hold them
Sit your baby on a hard surface and push their arms forward so that their hands rest on the floor. Hold them by the hips and leave them like that for a few seconds.
This exercise should be done after the ones explained previously. At this time your baby should feel comfortable and understand the sitting position.
Teach your baby to sit
While learning, it is essential to ensure that the child feels comfortable and remains interested.
Teach your baby to sit up, but if you see that they are crying or aren’t comfortable, don’t force them.
Leave the exercises for another time and play with their favorite toys instead.
All stages of motor development must be achieved step by step and with their “consent.”