Everyone recognizes the importance of tummy time in the first few months of a baby’s life, but many parents are not sure about how and when to practice or even why baby needs it. This article seeks to explain everything you need to know about head-lifting and the physical milestones that follow.
3-4 months
This stage marks significant improvement. While lying on her tummy and leaning on her forearms, baby can lift her head to 45 degrees and hold this position. While lying on her back, she can bring her arms forward to the mid-line. 4 months Baby manages to lift his head and chest while leaning on his elbows.
4-5 months
Baby leans on her hands with her chest lifted up off the floor.
Any advice and information provided in this website is given as suggestions only and should not be taken as a professional medical diagnosis or opinion. We recommend you also consult your healthcare provider, and urge you to contact them immediately if your question is urgent.
Head Lifting and Baby’s Development
When your baby lifts her head while on her tummy, she strengthens her neck muscles and, later on, her shoulders. Your baby’s ability to lift her head indicates the beginning of motor development and body control. The ability to hold her head still, lift it and turn it to either side is the basis for the eventual ability to roll over, sit, crawl and stand. In other words, head lifting is the basis for the development of fine and gross motor skills. In the time that passes between the first and fifth month of your baby’s life, baby goes from slowly gaining the ability to lift his head to lying on his tummy with his chest high up in the air, leaving one hand free to play with a toy. The following chart will help you understand the various stages of baby’s head lifting development.Head-Lifting: Stage-by-Stage
1 month Baby manages to lift her head and move it from side to side while lying on her tummy. 1-2 months Baby manages to lift his heads off the floor while leaning on his forearms.
3-4 months
This stage marks significant improvement. While lying on her tummy and leaning on her forearms, baby can lift her head to 45 degrees and hold this position. While lying on her back, she can bring her arms forward to the mid-line. 4 months Baby manages to lift his head and chest while leaning on his elbows.
4-5 months
Baby leans on her hands with her chest lifted up off the floor.
Any advice and information provided in this website is given as suggestions only and should not be taken as a professional medical diagnosis or opinion. We recommend you also consult your healthcare provider, and urge you to contact them immediately if your question is urgent.