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Parenting

How do you teach baby to sit

37 replies

PebbleTTC · 14/01/2016 16:02

I read recently that by 6 months baby should be able to sit unaided for a few seconds but my fella isn't doing that. How do I teach him? I sit with him a few times a day and we play but he doesn't really like sitting.

He is 6 months this week

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bigbadbarry · 14/01/2016 16:04

You don't, they just do it when they are ready. Six months is an average; some will do it earlier and some later.

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MrsLeighHalfpenny · 14/01/2016 16:04

Well, most babies haven't read the same book as you, so they do things when they want to, not when the book says they should.

You don't really need to teach him, they just sort of do it. But sitting with him and propping him up will help.

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BertieBotts · 14/01/2016 16:04

You can't teach them, and it's normal for them not to do it until 8 or 9 months, some babies can do it before 6 months too. It's just a muscle strength and development thing. You just have to wait until they do it by themselves! :) Tummy time can help them develop the right muscles, I think, but I don't think it makes any difference as to speed.

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eckythumpenallthat · 14/01/2016 16:06

I don't think you can? They'll do it when they're ready. Dd didn't sit unaided till 8 months

She never rolled. She never crawled. She didn't stand aided till 19 month and didn't walk till 22 months

They all do things at completely different times and in their own little ways

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AnyFucker · 14/01/2016 16:12

6-9 months is average for a baby to learn to sit

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PebbleTTC · 14/01/2016 16:15

Thanks everyone, think I need to stop googling stuff!

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MiniLop · 14/01/2016 16:15

He will sit when he's ready - really don't worry! My DS was crawling at 7 months - the first of our ante-natal group, but wasn't sitting unaided until 8 months - the last of our group! He used to crawl around then stop and put his hand out to steady himself! Nothing to worry about at all Smile but helping him practice will help to strengthen his muscles so can only be a good thing!

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Bunbaker · 14/01/2016 16:18

"You don't, they just do it when they are ready. Six months is an average; some will do it earlier and some later"

This ^^

My niece sat at 8 months, DD sat at about 9 months. Some babies sit at 6 months, but by no means all.

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Littlef00t · 14/01/2016 20:16

Agree with pp, but my Dd loved being sat up, so I would prop her with a u-shaped cushion and between my legs etc. I guess it might have sped things up but who knows.

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Naty1 · 14/01/2016 21:17

Only thing you can do to help is practice. Dd2 is 6m on sun and really only been doing siting unaided for several min at a time this week.
Lots of variety of toys.
I also sit with her for rhyme time at lib etc.
I think shes spent more time on tummy than sat though as shes dc2.

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FlangelaLansbury · 14/01/2016 21:23

I sat DS on the floor with me on the sofa behind him, one leg either side of him. He couldn't fall as he was supported all round (cushion in front but the support was at the bum and hips so it seemed to strengthen him at the middle. After a couple of days doing that he now sits really well (still surrounded by cushions though).

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ImogenTubbs · 14/01/2016 22:57

We used to prop DD up in one end of her Moses basket and fill it with toys (mainly balls). She could sit there with lots of fun things in easy reach while I had a cuppa. She loved it!

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Baressentials · 14/01/2016 23:01

Step away from google Smile none of my dc did anything according to the timetables I read in books.
Hope this doesn;t sound patronising but enjoy the stage he is at because it passes so quickly and before you know it he will be running into school without a backward glance and you will wonder what the rush and wory was all about.

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Baressentials · 14/01/2016 23:03

fuck that did sound patronising! Sorry Flowers It didn;t sound so crap in my head Blush

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PebbleTTC · 15/01/2016 11:35

Baressentials didn't sound patronising at all don't worry!

Thanks for the replies I'm just always paranoid he isn't meeting targets

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Baressentials · 15/01/2016 11:43

Thankyou op.
Targets schmargets, enjoy your ds, he will do some stuff earlier and some stuff later. My eldest is now 16 and nobody remembers how he old he was when he sat up compared to my friends children or who wee'd on a potty first.
My youngest is 18months and I am only just learning to chill out. So much of their childhood can be wasted trying to get the next stage.
Flowers to you

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BertrandRussell · 15/01/2016 11:52

My mother said that all new babies should be issued with a t shirt saying "This Grows Up Automatically"...........

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cornishglos · 15/01/2016 14:48

I forgot to teach my baby to sit. He was never still for long enough to try - kept crawling off. He seems to have picked up the skill somewhere along the way...

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Murphyslaw21 · 16/01/2016 07:59

Hi OP

Don't worry they get there when they are ready. Don't avoid googling things as you find lots of useful tips. Just don't worry if they have not managed to do something yet.

Every baby is different and gets to these milestones in their own time.

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geekymommy · 17/01/2016 00:16

I try to get my 6 month old DS to read the book on when he's supposed to do what. He just wants to put it (and all other books) in his mouth.

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Ditsy4 · 17/01/2016 00:25

I had a coach built pram so they were supported in that and we also propped them up with cushions for a few minutes. I put my kids on blankets on the floor from quite early on and they all sat, crawled ( one didn't at all) early. They were all walking by 9 mths too. I think it was just that we put them on the floor and it helped develop muscles.

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multivac · 17/01/2016 00:32

Necessity is, quite often, the mother of developmental priorities. My twins were sitting unaided before five months. It was a case of only so many crooks of knees... only so many arms... only so many cushions.

They then stayed pretty much where they were put until moving very swiftly through cruising to walking between 10 and 13 months. Very little crawling. No point.

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cestlavielife · 17/01/2016 00:37

If he can hold his head up and isn't completely floppy he will sit in his own time. If he is sitting supported by cushions or when you hold him and you just mean he falls over if you try to sit him on his own then dont worry.

If he can't hold his head up at All on his own eg his head lolls or his back is very rounded when you put him in a sitting position then get h v to refer him to a physio for assessment.

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Rinceoir · 17/01/2016 00:40

Mine sat unaided before 5 months, crawled at 6, pulled to stand and cruised at 8 months. Then stubbornly refused to let go of furniture until she was almost 15months, when she suddenly started running. My friends daughter who is the same age, sat at 7 months and sat without making any effort to move when she pulled to stand and walked within a few days of her first birthday. They both spent lots of time on the floor and had lots of tummy time (anxious first time mums!) but each worked to their own timetable.

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Samantha28 · 17/01/2016 00:40

i try to get my 6 month old DS to read the book on when he's supposed to do what. He just wants to put it (and all other books) in his mouth

Really geeky ? < head tilt >

My 6mo is a fluent reader and is on the Gifted and Talented programme at nursery . Have you tried flash cards ?

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