When Do Babies Hold Their Head Up For The First Time?
Watching your baby grow and learn new skills is something that many parents eagerly await the moment their baby comes into the world. Holding their head up is among the first important milestones your baby will accomplish! Each baby is different and will hold their head up on their own time. With this in mind, there is an average time that your baby should hold up their head before there is any need for concern.
For the most part, your baby’s neck will strengthen as they get older without exercise, but this process can be helped along through your help! If you’re worried about when your baby should be holding their head up for the first time, continue reading for more information.
When Should My Baby Hold Their Head Up On Their Own?
Most babies can hold their heads up independently by the time they are three months old. With this being said, some newborns lift their heads up (just for a second) right out of the womb! Each baby is different, so it’s best to meet your baby where they’re at.
Your baby will go through different stages on their journey to hold their head up independently. The stages are:
Quick Head Lifts During Tummy Time
These head lifts in the early days can’t truly be counted as head lifts, and you will notice them the most during tummy time or when they are lying on your chest. They will lift their head for a split second, bob it around, and drop it almost as quickly as it went up.
When a baby is a newborn, you don’t necessarily need to start tummy time for a few weeks, but it can also be started just a few days after birth! It is completely up to you and what you think is best for you and your baby. If your baby hates lying on the floor for tummy time, a great alternative is to put them tummy to tummy to you as they are still lifting their head but enjoying your comfort!
Raising Head and Chest
During this time period, between one and three months, your little one will grow more strength in their neck and even their chest, usually able to lift both off the floor for just a moment. They also are usually far more interested in tummy time at this age as their eyesight is improved, and they will enjoy playing with toys.
Complete Neck Control
The last stage is total neck control! By the time your baby is six months old, they should have the ability to hold their head upright and turn it from side to side. If you think that they could use some practice honing this skill, you can do some exercises with them:
Sit your baby upright. Allowing them time to sit upright, supported with a pillow, will give them time to put those muscles to work!
Put them in their high chairs. This is similar to just sitting your baby upright, but this gives them a little extra support while working their neck muscles. If it isn’t time to eat, you can always play with them or do age-appropriate activities!
Wear your baby. If you can, put your baby with you in a baby carrier. They can ride with you while you go for a walk, do your chores, or even run errands. While you are busy walking or getting work done, your baby will want to look all around them.
Lay your baby on their back. A great way to do this without your baby getting bored is to put them on an activity mat with an arch above them. They will see exciting toys dangling and reach up to grab them. This will build their neck, back, and shoulder muscles.
Should I Worry About My Baby Not Holding Their Head Up?
Each baby develops at their own pace. Some will master skills early on, while others take a little longer to meet milestones. Although every baby has their own timeline, there is a certain time when they should be checked by their pediatrician if they are not hitting milestones.
For the most part, babies can hold their heads up independently by four months old. If your baby isn’t holding their head up just yet, there’s no immediate need for concern! If your baby is hitting five or six months and unable to hold their head up, consult your pediatrician.
Thankfully, most of the time, when a baby hasn’t met a developmental milestone, it is simply a minor delay. There are occupational programs that your baby can utilize to help them work on gaining their strength and practice their skills.
Keep Track of Your Baby’s Progress with Baby Connect
Your baby will begin holding their head up when they are physically ready. Most babies can develop strength after enough time, even if they don’t receive a lot of tummy time. Regardless of this fact, tummy time is needed for your little one to get stronger and begin exploring the world around them!
If your baby gets to be four or five months and still isn’t holding their head up, this might be the time to talk to their pediatrician. Before doing this, you should start monitoring their routine. With Baby Connect, you can track how long your baby is doing tummy time and how long they are holding their neck.
In addition to this, you can also track their height, weight, and all other important milestones. With a handy app such as this, you will never have to write their information down on stray pieces of paper that you will inevitably lose ever again – try it for free today!
