When the child begins to hold his head: a calendar of skills, games and exercises for the physical development of the baby. When a newborn baby starts to hold his head on his own and how to help the baby

28.08.2019

Every mother dreams that her child will never get sick and develop correctly. And, barely recovering from childbirth, she asks questions: when will the baby be able to hold his head on his own or how to teach the baby to hold his head, strengthening the muscles of his neck.

Since the cervical muscles of a newborn are rather weak, their head must be supported so that it does not damage the cervical vertebrae by throwing it back.

Having reached 14 days of age, the baby makes attempts to raise his head on his own, as soon as he is on his stomach. At first, the baby gets tired quickly, but literally in a month, he will be able to hold the head for about a minute.

Sometimes a child of one month old independently and confidently holds his head. Such a deviation from the norm may indicate the presence of any disease.

Being in an upright position (like a soldier) in the arms of the mother, the baby holds the head at the age of one and a half months. But still, do not overstrain weak children's muscles and do not leave the head unsupported for a long time.

Four-month-old babies hold their head in an upright position, quite confidently.

A six-month-old child not only holds his head without the help of his mother, but also quite confidently turns it from side to side, reacting to his favorite toy or the voices of his parents. If the baby is six months old, but he still does not hold his head on his own, you should show him to the doctor.

Reasons why the baby does not hold his head

poor or unbalanced diet;
premature birth;
trauma during childbirth;
neurological problems;
lack of training with laying out on the stomach.

Video how to teach a child to hold his head

How to teach a child to hold his head on his own?

To help your baby cope with this difficult task, it is enough to use the following tips:

As soon as the baby reaches 14 days of age, it should be laid out on the stomach, one hour after each meal. He will try to raise his head and lie down on his cheek. Such exercises help to strengthen the neck muscles.
You need to keep track of the position in which the child is. If he does not change his body position for a long time, he must be turned so that the baby does not fall asleep all the time in one position.
You need to gently rub and stroke the child's body, starting from the neck and going down to the heels, paying attention to each muscle. Everyday will strengthen and develop its muscles.
A nursing mother should eat correctly and in a balanced way in order to provide the child's body with all the necessary and microelements. If the baby is not, you need to include in his diet everything that is necessary for full development.
You can purchase a special circle and, starting from the age of one month, keep your child swimming. To do this, you can use an ordinary home bath.
A two month old baby should be carried in an upright position, gently holding its head. You can weaken your hand a little and give him a second opportunity to hold the head without support.
You can use an airplane - mother's hand is under the tummy, her face is directed to the floor, and the other hand holds her head straight.
When the child begins to more confidently turn his head left and right, you need to show him the toys, leading them from side to side. The kid will turn to the object of interest, thereby strengthening the neck muscles.

If you are wondering how to teach a child to hold his head, use the tips listed above and the result will not be long in coming.

It should be remembered that if you devote all your time to a child and engage in his physical development, he will grow up to be a strong and strong baby.

Attention! The use of any medicines and dietary supplements, as well as the use of any therapeutic techniques, is possible only with the permission of a doctor.

Hello everyone!

Today we will talk about how to teach a child to hold his head.

And I want to start with when the child starts to hold his head.

It's no secret that a newborn baby learns to control his body gradually. And the first achievements in his physical development come already on. And they consist in the fact that when laid out on the stomach, the crumb tries to raise its head.

5. The diet of the baby should include all the nutrients that contribute to normal growth and development. If a mother is breastfeeding, she should monitor her diet.

7. When the baby learns to turn his head in different directions, play with him, showing the toy and moving it to the right and left, in order to further stimulate his head movement.

What to do if a child at 3 months has poor head support?

To exclude possible pathologies in development, it is worth contacting a specialist for advice.

For what reasons can a child hold his head poorly at three months?

1. Birth trauma.
2. .
3. Weak muscle tone.
4. Lagging in weight.

If you notice that the child is constantly tilting his head at the same angle, this is also a reason to see a doctor.

We talked about when children start holding their heads and how to teach a child to hold their heads. If you have something to add, write in the comments. And try not to rush things, don't worry again, because the child needs time to master this skill.

Happiness for any family is the birth of a new life. But this is not only joy, but also hard work, patience, care for the child to develop correctly. A child who has just been born is severely limited in movement. The development of movement skills occurs in the first year of life. These include the baby's ability to hold the head.

The question of which month the baby begins to hold his head without support worries every mother from the first month of her baby's birth.

During this period, children are still very weak. They cannot turn their heads, wave their arms and legs. The child can only be stroked, he is very sensitive to the tactile touches of his mother's hands. This statement is easily verified: if a stranger takes the baby in his arms, then, as a rule, he immediately begins to cry, as he loses contact with his mother.

At this stage of life, any person still has only reflex movements. And if children are taken by the handles and lifted a little, they instinctively throw their heads back. Over time, everything will change.

First months

In the first month of life, the baby is already trying to turn the head, raise it and even hold it for a few seconds. For healthy children, the norm is at least 10 seconds. The head can swing from one side to the other - this is normal, parents should not be afraid. The angle that should form between the pad and the chin is 45 degrees.

By the end of the second month, the baby usually begins to hold the head straight in a sitting position for at least 5 seconds. You can check this if you sit the child, holding it slightly by the shoulders. And do not be afraid when the head is very balanced - this is normal.

The child is very curious and tries to consider everything, therefore he actively turns his head, it is natural that he is also constantly looking for his mother. Communication with her for him at this stage of life is very important.

The baby can already be taken outside in a stroller. On walks, you should still be very careful, go around all the bumps and pits so that the baby is not uncomfortable, because his muscles are still weak. Observe the baby, he should already fix his gaze on his mother and all the people who are bending over his crib, he should also look at faces. All this indicates that the child is developing correctly.

Third to fourth month

By the end of the third - the beginning of the fourth month, the baby already independently raises his head when he lies on his stomach. It is during this period that it is necessary to begin to actively help the baby - to teach him to raise his head. When the baby lifts his head, he usually rests on his forearms, and his pelvis and hips are flat on the crib.

How much should the head tilt angle be? More than 45 degrees, and can reach 90. The child should hold the head for at least a minute. In a sitting position, children should already be able to hold their head for at least half a minute, although not very stable, it is possible that the head will wiggle.
If you lift the child up by the handles, then his head should be at the same level with the spine for some time, and after a couple of seconds it should drop.

The normal development of children at three to four months is when they constantly try to keep their head upright, with each change in the position of the calf.

Five to six months

By the end of the fifth or sixth month, the child begins to hold his head well, tilt it and turn it in all directions. It's easy to attract his attention - with a toy or a sound. He immediately tries to turn his head and smile.

How to help

Of course, nature did everything right, and the baby himself will start to raise his head, but extra help will not hurt.

First of all, you need to strengthen your neck muscles. To do this, immediately after the umbilical wound has healed, you need to put the baby on the tummy. There is no need to fear that the child in this position may suffocate. The instinct of self-preservation will certainly work, and he will begin to turn his head to the side.

Putting the baby on the tummy is recommended during dressing and before feeding, especially since it helps to rid the child's body of excess gas. The period after how much you can lay the child on his stomach after eating is 30 minutes.
It is recommended to turn children over on a tummy only on a hard surface. If it is soft, the child will not strain, and therefore will not try to turn the head.
Do not overdo it from the first month - everything should be gradual. First, the baby is placed on his tummy for one minute, then the time spent in this position is increased by one more minute, and so on. If the child begins to be capricious during the procedure, then you should not give up, because this is very important for his physical development. The kid can be distracted by a soft toy, stroking him on the back and legs. Just always be there, the baby should never be left alone.

Similar to the above procedure and carrying children with their tummy down. The parent grabs the baby's tummy with one hand, and holds the head with the other. Children do not like to look at the floor for a long time, so after a couple of minutes the baby will definitely start turning his head to inspect all the surrounding objects.
After the baby ceases to be afraid of such a procedure, you can already try to hold it upright, but be sure to hold the baby by the back of the head.
If possible, take your child to the pool. Water is a great way not only to teach your baby to hold the head, but also to strengthen his muscles and temper the body as a whole. An adult needs to be constantly nearby and monitor the safety of the baby.

Don't forget about proper nutrition! The baby receives all the nutrients exclusively from breast milk, therefore, the mother should eat properly, lead a healthy lifestyle and play sports.

Violation of the norm

Under any circumstances, you should not panic if by the end of the 12th month the child has not begun to hold his head. Each organism is individual and develops in different ways, all time intervals are averaged.

And vice versa, if during the first 1-1.5 months the baby has already begun to hold his head, do not be too happy. It is not necessary that this indicates the early development of the child, it is possible that he has very high intracranial pressure, and this condition of the baby is subject to treatment.

Always bring children for regular examination by a pediatrician at a medical institution; the baby's health must be monitored constantly.

If it is not possible to teach the child or he does not want or cannot hold his head at three months of age, tilts it to the side or throws it back, then perhaps the reason for this is prematurity or birth trauma. Perhaps this is due to weak muscle tone or insufficient weight. If the reason is the latter, then the mother's nutrition will have to be adjusted. It is possible that the milk lacks vitamins and nutrients for the normal development of the baby.
A neck massage may be needed to tone the baby's muscles. However, all the reasons should be identified by a doctor, in this case a neurologist, you should not self-medicate. Naturally, tilting the baby's head to the side should disturb the parents. Perhaps this is torticollis, then you will definitely need a special massage or therapy.

Finally

Parents should not hope that nature will do everything for the child or help any methods so that he immediately begins to hold his head. There is no need to rush and be nervous. Be sure to consult a doctor, and you will not notice how the child turns, finds mom and dad's face and says the first word.

If at birth there were already any problems with the baby's health, do not delay the treatment, all problems should, if possible, be solved before the child turns one year old.

Vital skills develop in babies in stages. Before the baby takes the first steps, he must go through a huge path of his own development.

The time when the child begins to hold his head is the first important moment that triggers the further development and strengthening of the back muscles.

How does a baby learn to hold his head?

Such a serious skill of mastering and controlling one's own body, like holding the head independently, does not come to the baby right away.

The child begins to make the first attempts to raise his head in 2-3 weeks of life. It takes such a rise for a couple of seconds, but the mastery of the skill has been launched and will only get stronger further.
From two to three months, the baby begins to keep his head lying on his stomach. His strength is still enough to hold his head for 30-60 seconds.
At three months, the baby begins to hold his head upright on its own. Although this moment may come a couple of weeks earlier. Often, even two-month-old crumbs successfully and confidently hold their heads in the "column" position. By the end of the third month, the baby can lift both his head and shoulders while lying on his stomach.
At four months, lying on his stomach, the child raises the upper body, and being in the arms of an adult confidently holds his head, turns it from side to side, examining the things around him with interest.

First month of life

To a frequent question from parents about how to teach a child to hold his head in a month, you can read a lot of tips. This is a frequent recommendation to lay the child on his stomach, and swimming with a circle in a large bath, and regular gymnastics.

But, as a specialist who works a lot with babies, I can confidently say that there is no need to speed up the development of the child.

He succeeds for a short time, but it is the safest and most natural exercise, unlike the newfangled trends with baby swimming, or swimming with a circle around his neck.

It is not necessary to constantly support the child's head. It is important to provide only a safety net so that the head does not tilt back.

Second month of life

Most often, it is by the end of the second month that the child begins to hold his head more confidently, and the parents get rid of the fear that the child can be injured or broken.

A child who holds his head well before 1.5 months is rare. And this can be a wake-up call for parents.

At a routine examination of the baby, it is imperative to inform the doctor about this, since this may not always be a sign of normal development - with increased intracranial pressure in children, the ability to hold the head is one of the characteristic symptoms.

Parents will be able to rejoice at such an early achievement of the crumbs after the doctor has ruled out the pathology.

There is no need to get upset if the child at 2 months does not hold his head. As already mentioned, babies at this age often master this skill, but if this has not happened to the baby yet, it’s not scary.

In most cases, mothers note that at 2 months, the child makes the first attempts to keep his head flush with the body.

Anna writes:

“My daughter is 2 months and 3 days old. She does not hold her head yet, but it seems to me that this will happen soon. If earlier I sat her down, pulling her by the handles from a supine position, and her head threw back, now she is clearly trying to raise her.

You can clearly see how she begins to confidently hold her head. "

Doesn't hold his head at 3 months

Judging by the reviews of young mothers on the forums, it quite often happens that at 3 months the baby's cervical muscles are weak and he does not hold his head. Parents then start to panic and seek advice and support from the relevant audience.

For example, Olga writes:

“Today we are 3 months old, and my son does not want to hold his head down yet. This is not to say that he cannot do this at all - for 20-30 seconds he tries to stand up straight, like a soldier.

But his efforts are not enough for a long time. The neck is still weak, what to do in this case? How can I help my son? After all, he should already be holding his head! "

Important! The neck muscles have not yet fully strengthened, but this does not mean that the child needs to be constantly insured. Just don't let your head tilt back, but leave room for training and development.

How do you know if everything is okay?

At 3 months, as a rule, the system of the cervical vertebrae and muscles becomes so strong that now, in a prone position or in an upright position, the toddler can confidently hold his head.

Of course, he is still far from an adult, he cannot do this for a long time, therefore, parents should not yet deprive the child of "insurance".

Still, the baby is still too weak, and the individual characteristics of its development may vary slightly within the normal range. One baby can control the head at 2.5 months, and the other at 3.5 has just mastered this skill.

It is possible to make sure that the child is really not holding his head well at 3 months by passing a simple test. You can find out about him at any thematic forum dedicated to the development of babies. The scheme for its implementation is quite simple:

It is necessary to gently seat the baby, gently pulling him by the handles from a position lying on his back.
For at least 30 seconds, his head should remain straight, slight swaying is permissible - the child's neck muscles are in unusual tension.
Then, having laid the baby on his back, it is necessary to raise him again, allowing him to hang between a sitting and lying position.
If you keep your head on the ridge line for at least a couple of seconds, this is also a variant of the norm, despite the fact that after that the baby immediately overturns it.

By the way, the same set of exercises will become an assistant for parents who do not know how to teach a child to hold his head. Repeating it throughout the day, the result will be noticeable in just a few days.

Why doesn't the baby hold his head by 4 months?

Today, most experts agree that 4 months is the deadline for a baby to learn to confidently hold its head. If this has not happened by this period, it is likely that one of the most common reasons can take place:

childbirth was difficult, pathological;
the presence of neurological diseases in the baby;
the child is overprotected, constantly supporting his head and not giving room for independent training.

If a baby is not holding his head at 4 months, there are few options for action. First of all, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician and other narrow-profile specialists - a neurologist, a surgeon.

If the deviation from the central nervous system is confirmed, the child will be prescribed a course of drug therapy, therapeutic massage and other procedures.

By six months

By the age of 5-6 months, all healthy babies no longer only know how to hold their head, turn it in all directions, but also begin to master new skills: roll over from back to stomach, from stomach to back, try to crawl and even get up from a prone position.

Some especially active crumbs make their first attempts and begin to stand up on their feet.

Starting from the first month of life, parents often want to help their child overcome all inability as quickly as possible, constantly training and educating him.

However, a baby developing in accordance with all normal indicators does not need additional stimulation.

From the parents, he only needs care, affection and warmth, especially when the child begins to hold his head.

Komarovsky, a well-known pediatrician for children, often says that nothing happens without time. And if the baby lags behind his peers a little, this does not yet indicate pathology.

Is it possible to teach a child to hold his head on his own, if it is time for all age indicators, but this skill still does not lend itself to the baby. Doctors also pay special attention to this event, drawing conclusions about the state of the muscular and nervous system of the newborn. Can you speed up the process and when should you start worrying?

A healthy newborn makes the first attempts as early as two or three weeks from a prone position. If you lift it by the handles, your head dangles. However, at the reflex level, the child is able to turn to one side so as not to suffocate. However, babies under six weeks of age cannot support their head on their own; it must be supported.

Normally, the tension of the muscular system decreases in a month and a half. Many children have already learned how to raise their heads, maintaining their position for up to a minute. But, as a rule, uneven and at an angle. Gradually, the muscles get stronger, the three-month-old child already quite confidently holds not only from the position on the stomach, but also vertically. Four-month-old children can no longer be supported by the back of their heads when resting on their mother's hip or in a sling, they are actively interested in the world around them, spinning around.

If the child does not raise his head for more than three months or holds it to one side, then this is a reason to see a doctor. When the baby begins to master the skill, monitor the uniformity of the development of the neck muscles. Especially if there were birth injuries, abnormal presentation of the fetus or another predisposition to torticollis. Ideally, the baby should keep his head straight without tilting it to the shoulder. If you start treating torticollis on time, it quickly goes away, a special orthopedic pillow and massage are enough.

Can you help your child learn to hold his head?

All children are unique and develop according to their own natural scenario. However, if the baby is not mastering the skill well, you can help him with certain actions that will be beneficial for his muscular system.

From birth, lay the newborn on a tummy on a hard surface. Stimulate him to start turning his head on his own, lay out black and white pictures, bright rattles, safe toys around.
A simple stroking massage done by a close friend will be very effective. Thus, you acquaint the child with his own body, relieve tone, strengthen the muscles.
Pay special attention to swimming in the bathroom. Water is the environment in which newborns begin to feel confident and familiar. Swimming is good physical education for the little ones. Get a special circle with which your baby will hold his head while swimming.
Fitball exercises are useful: gently swing the child on his tummy in different directions. Such simple movements develop coordination and strengthen muscles.
When the baby learns to hold his head for at least 5 seconds, more often take him in your arms, holding the back of his head with your fingers. It is useful to wear in a horizontal position with the tummy down, holding the neck with one hand.
If the child keeps his head to one side, then regularly move it from one end of the bed to the other (standing against the wall). So the baby will observe what is happening in the room, first on the right, then on the left.

Do not rush the baby, be patient and attentive. When a child is just starting to hold his head, he really needs your help and approval. At three or four months, be sure to show yourself to an orthopedist and a neurologist, they will issue their conclusion.