When do babies start to hold their head on their own without support?

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title says it all really...

ta

Depends what you mean really. They won't lift their heads when prone until around 4 months but should start to be able to hold it steady momentarily when held upright from about 6 weeks then dramatically lose control and roll back or forwards, although dd was particularly strong from much earlier. How's things going ?

not very well and the earlier LO can hold head steady i guess the better things may be...in terms of digestive problems etc

ps: am not english - what does prone mean?

lying flat. Can't you put him in car seat, bouncy chair or sling to keep him upright, it would be well supported. His natural head control will come.

Really, really varies, my kids all held their heads up from birth but then they are a bit weird I think (it's the only thing they did early!)

mine can not hold his head up when tilted forward at all and thus head butts continously - much to my huge huge worry as am sure not good for his brain

Then don't tilt him forward ! That and lying flat on tummy or back really what I mean by prone, he can't yet work against gravity very well ! Honestly if he can steady his head at all when upright he is fine. the rest will comea s he gets stronger. Remember their heads are overly heavy relative to the rest of their body to begin with.

btw their skulls are designed to take knocks. Mine both headbutted me so hard it made me cry at times, right across the nose and on the mouth. Once he tries to move and sit, he'll topple a lot at first, so be prepared

actually you have a point there - LO may headbutt even more the more he is getting stronger and "practicing"

do not tilt forward you say - isnt me but him!!! he does it himself only to realise he cant hold his head

and see my other thread: he headbutted storngly against someone's shoulderblade and since then been crying like crazy!

blimey that is some variation!!

Same here Wulf - dd lifted her head up when she was placed on me on her tummy at birth (eyes wide open - tongue out). She was 9 lb 13 oz and none of the other smaller babies could do this - seemed to vary a lot over the coming months. It was like being handed some kind of swamp monster! Jill