Many parents often wonder when a child begins to hold their heads. After all, all the mothers remember that awe when the first time you hold your newborn baby in his arms. A small, fragile and very vulnerable little man who so needs love and the caring attitude of loved ones! He still knows almost nothing, he has a lot to learn. One of the first skills that appears in a newborn is the ability to hold the head.
When does a newborn begin to hold its head? Stages of skill development
Holding the head upright is a very important skill in owning your body. The kid does not learn this right away. This process takes place in several stages:
- Two to three weeks after birth, when the baby is placed on the tummy, it triggers a natural instinct for self-preservation, and he raises his head, laying it on a barrel. This action is a good exercise for training neck muscles. Therefore, the baby should be placed on the tummy every day, which also contributes to the passage of gaziki.
- In a month and a half, the baby begins to lift and hold the head for about a minute, lying on his stomach. In addition, when the child begins to keep the head lying down, he tries to do this and is in an upright position.
- At the age of about one month, the little one learns to use this skill when it is in horizontal and vertical positions. However, at 3 months, not all babies already know how to do this for a long time, so you need to support the head on time.
- At the age of four months, the baby already confidently uses this skill, being upright. And lying on the back, he holds not only the head, but also the upper body.
- At five months old, the peanut already fully possesses the skill described here. When the child begins to hold the head, he becomes very inquisitive and turns it to the sides, looking at everything around.
Exercises designed to teach your kid to hold his head
In order to help the child develop the ability to hold the head, you need to lay him on the tummy more often, so that he lifts his head and puts it on its side. This must be done before feeding or half an hour after it. In the event that the peasant does not like to be in this position, you should distract him by stroking the back, and gently say something. In this case, the child will first hold the head for a few seconds. Gradually, this time will increase. There are also special devices in the form of pillows and rollers, which, if necessary, are prescribed by a doctor.
When does the baby begin to hold the head? Skill check
Mom should stand in front of the lying child (approximately at a distance of half a meter). At the same time, she should attract his attention with a bright toy, a rattle or her voice. In the case when the baby begins to hold the head for several minutes, lying on his tummy, leaning on his forearms and raising the upper body, we can say that this skill is already well developed. Usually this skill is formed by three months. Lying on the tummy is very useful for kids, not only for the development of the above-mentioned skills, but also for the formation of proper posture and improve blood circulation in the brain.