Babies' Firsts: When Babies Begin to Stand

A few weeks ago, we asked our readers to share information about when their babies learned to stand (click here to go to the original post). Specifically, we asked:

• How old was your baby when he or she first tried to pull up to stand? 
• What did you baby use to pull up on (for example, furniture, toys, etc)
• How long did it take for him or her to stand alone, without holding onto something?

Today, for part 2 of this Babies’ Firsts topic, we want to share what the research shows about how and

when babies learn to stand!

As we've mentioned many times, babies develop and master new skills at different ages. The children of our staff at the Human Lactation Center illustrate this fact perfectly! My oldest daughter, Olivia, didn't stand until about 11 months, but my younger daughter, Charlotte, first stood at 6 ½ months. Jen G’s daughter Lily stood at around 9 months and our newest edition, Karolina’s son David first pulled to stand at 7 months.  

Our experience with our children perfectly represents what has been shown in the developmental research! Studies show that 50 percent of babies can pull themselves up to standing with support at 8 months and 90 percent of babies can by 10 months old. 

When learning to stand, your baby will need to use his arms to hold himself up on something and may be standing wide legged on his tip toes until he gets into the swing of things. During this time your baby will begin to use less arm support and may begin to shift his weight from side to side. He will need to get used to moving and controlling his body in this new position.  Soon he will be able to rotate his body around and use one arm for grabbing objects. He will also be able to reach down from a standing position to grab items off the floor.

By 13 months 90 percent of babies will be able to stand without support but still need to practice staying balanced. They will begin cruising around, that is holding on to furniture and moving sideways. Very soon after cruising, babies will begin taking unassisted steps.  They may still fall often, but don’t worry, their brains are hardwired to keep practicing until they get it right!

When your baby starts showing interest in pulling up to stand, it is very important to make sure he practices in a safe environment. Pulling up on things that move easily could be dangerous, so we encourage you to get down on his level and look for unexpected dangers. For example, when Charlotte started to pull up, she crawled over to her sister’s dollhouse and, before I could get over to her, she had tried to pull up on it. The plastic dollhouse was not sturdy enough to hold her weight and it scooted across the floor while she fell forward. Luckily, it scooted quickly so she did not hit her face on the pointed roof, but she could have easily gotten hurt. Small furniture, laundry baskets, and anything with wheels should be kept out of reach until your baby gets better at standing on his own.  At 14.5 months old, 90 percent of babies can independently squat from standing and shortly after they will be able to stand up directly from the floor without having to pull themselves up on something.

Pulling up to stand is a big milestone! If your baby is just learning to stand, Congratulations! Soon he’ll be running around you’ll be trying to catch up!

Babies' Firsts: Standing

It's been quite a while since we've done a Babies' Firsts post (click here to see previous posts in this series). In these 2-part posts, we start by asking or readers to share their experiences watching their babies achieve various milestones. Then, 1 to 2 weeks later, we share what the research shows about the milestone and explain how it may effect a baby's behavior.

Today, we want to hear how your baby learned to stand! To share your experience with us, post a comment with your answers to the following questions:

• How old was your baby when he or she first tried to pull up to stand?
• What did you baby use to pull up on (for example, furniture, toys, etc)
• How long did it take for him or her to stand alone, without holding onto something?

We look forward to seeing your comments and will be back next week with the follow-up post!

Does "Back to Sleep" Delay Babies' Rolling Over?

By Jennifer Goldbronn, RD, MAS

The Back to Sleep Campaign, now known as the Safe to Sleep Campaign, educates parents about ways to decrease SIDS risk, including putting babies on their backs to sleep.

There has been some controversy in the past that this campaign has actually decreased the total time babies spend on their tummies not just during sleep but while they are awake.  There was some concern that less time on the tummy would delay some motor skills such as rolling over, sitting up or crawling. What followed was a campaign to promote “tummy time” during awake time.

Studies then followed looking at whether or not specific developmental milestones were delayed since inception of the Back to Sleep Campaign.

Some studies found slight delays but results were still within developmental norms.  Other studies showed that the age of rolling tummy to back was older and that babies were reversing which milestone they hit first, rolling back to front first instead of front to back. For information on the age at which babies roll over, click here.

Thus, a new study aimed to see if there really was a difference in the developmental milestone (rolling over) before the Back to Sleep Campaign compared to now, 20 years later. Current data were compared to the AIMS (Alberta Infant Motor Skills) data set, a measure of normal infant motor abilities, collected 20 years ago. The current data set used the same assessment guidelines and age ranges as the AIMS data set, and the proportion of infants passing each of four items (immature and mature front to back rolling and immature and mature back to front rolling) by 36 weeks of age was assessed.

What did they find? Infants in both groups achieved the milestone of rolling over at almost the same age. The order with which the infants reached the four milestones (passing each item) was the same in both the pre-campaign and post-campaign groups. The age at which 50% of infants could perform each milestone was also the same in both groups.

The results of this study show no significant effect of the Back to Sleep Campaign messaging on infants’ ability to reach the "rolling over" milestone. The authors of the current study will continue to assess the effects of the Back to Sleep Campaign on other motor skills such as crawling, sitting and walking. Stay tuned for the results!

For more information about making tummy time easier for your baby, click here.

We also clarified some common misconceptions about tummy time in this subsequent post.

Reference

Darrah J, Bartlett DJ. Infant rolling abilities- the same or different 20 years after the back to sleep campaign? Early Hum Dev. (2012) [Epub ahead of print]

Babies' Firsts: The Science Behind Rolling Over

A few weeks ago, as part of our Babies’ Firsts series, we had the following questions for our readers:

1. How old was your baby when he or she rolled over for the first time?
2.  Did your baby roll from back-to-tummy or tummy-to-back first and how long did it take before he or she could roll both ways?
3. What kind of adjustments or modifications did you have to make in your baby's environment to accommodate his or her new skill?

First, we’d like to thank everyone who commented! Your stories show that every baby is different and that even siblings who grow up in the same environment achieve milestones, like rolling over, at their own pace. Today, I’ll share the story about when my youngest daughter, Charlotte, learned to roll over and then explain what research shows about how and when babies tend to develop this important skill.

Charlotte’s Story
Charlotte is 7 months old now and she’s been rolling over for 3 ½ months. She first rolled from her back to her tummy while we were playing together on the floor. Although we had been having “tummy time” a few times each day, she never seemed to like it, so when she first rolled over, she promptly started crying. I helped her roll back onto her back, but within just a few minutes she was back on her tummy again. It went on like this for a few weeks until she learned to roll from her tummy to her back.

We had to make quite a few changes when Charlotte started rolling over. We had to be much better about keeping the floor clean and making sure that her big sister, Olivia, picked up her toys. We also had to start keeping all the dog toys out of reach and I bought a foam play mat to make our hard floor a little softer for her. All of the effort came in handy, because before long she was army crawling all over the house (but that story is for another post!).

Rolling Over Research
Everyone knows that there are 2 ways babies must learn to roll, from back-to-tummy and tummy-to-back, but many people (including me, until today) may not know that within each of these rolling methods there are 2 types, with and without rotation. Here is information about each type:

Prone to supine (tummy-to-back)

• Without rotation – Rolling from tummy-to-back without rotation means that the shoulder and pelvis are aligned, body is extended, and the movement starts from the head.  It can start as early as 1 month of age, but only about 10% of babies can roll this way by 3 months; 50% and 90% achieve it by 6 and 8 ½ months, respectively.    
• With rotation – Rolling from back-to-tummy with rotation is characterized by a shoulder and pelvis that are not aligned, movement originating from the shoulder, pelvis, or head, and rotation in the body.  Because the rotation is a more complicated movement, this type of rolling typically starts around 4 months with 50% achieving it by 7 months and 90% by about 9 months.

Supine to prone (back-to-tummy)

• Without rotation – When a baby rolls from back-to-tummy without rotation, his head will be up, his body will be stretched and his shoulder will be in line with his pelvis. The movement will begin from the head, shoulder or hip, and his body will move as one unit. Fifty percent of babies can roll this way by about 5.5 months and 90% reach this milestone by 9 months.
• With rotation – Rolling this way requires the baby to lift his head and stretch his body and the movement starts from the head, shoulder, or hip, but the shoulder and pelvis will not be aligned, the baby’s body will rotate, and the legs will move separately from the rest of the body. Just as with tummy-to-back, rolling with rotation is mastered a little later than rolling without; 50% achieve it by 7 months and 90% by 9 months.

So, the take-away message: The age at which babies master rolling over varies greatly! If you think about it, it makes sense given that rolling over requires the coordination and use of many muscle groups.  Regardless of the age of your baby, rolling over means that you have some baby-proofing to do! For more information, refer to Baby Proofing Part 1 (for birth to 6 months) and Part 2 (for 6-12 months).

Reference:
Piper M, Darrah J. Motor Assessment of the Developing Infant. Philadelphia PA:W.B. Saunders Company 1994.

Questions for our Readers: Rolling Over

Back in April, we started a new series where we ask our readers to share their experiences watching their babies achieve various milestones. In the first post, we asked for stories about one of the first (and, in my opinion, most exciting) major milestones, smiling!

For the second installment of our Babies’ Firsts series, we want to know about rolling over! Specifically, we’d like to know:

1. How old was your baby when he or she rolled over for the first time?
   
2. Did your baby roll from back-to-tummy or tummy-to-back first and how long did it take before he or she could roll both ways?
   
3. What kind of adjustments or modifications did you have to make in your baby's environment to accommodate his or her new skill?

So, if you’d like to share what it was like when your baby started rolling over, please send us a comment! Keep in mind that all babies are different. We are not trying to encourage competition about whose baby rolled over earliest; we simply want to provide an opportunity for parents to share their experiences with each other. Next time, we’ll describe what the research shows about how and when babies start rolling over and share tips to help parents make sure that their newly mobile little one stays safe.

Baby Proofing by Baby’s Stages -Part 1: Birth-6 months

By Jennifer Goldbronn, RD

Knowing about your baby’s developmental stages can help you baby-proof your home effectively. By anticipating how your baby’s development will affect his ability to explore his surroundings, you can be ready for almost anything! Now let’s get down to your baby’s level (physically, at least) and see what potential dangers lurk around your baby’s environment. Remember, baby-proofing alone does not ensure your child will be completely safe; so never leave your baby unattended.

Birth-4 weeks
At this age, baby-proofing your house may seem unnecessary since your new arrival isn’t very mobile yet. However, it is always better to be prepared before your baby reaches the next stage of development. You will be amazed how quickly your baby will grow and begin to explore. The best way to begin the baby-proofing process is to get down to your baby’s level. Crawl around your home and you will quickly find dangerous places where little bodies could get injured or unsafe objects that little fingers could grab. Your baby may not be able to move much yet, but it won’t be long before he is up and walking and finding ways to get into things. Here are a few more safety tips to keep in mind:

• Never leave your baby unattended! Newborns are born with the ability to move their arms and legs in a swimming motion and lift their heads when placed on their stomachs. Do not assume that a newborn is safe while lying on a changing table or bed (even king size beds)!


• When your baby is on the changing table make sure to use the safety belt to avoid accidents.


• Be sure to remove all blankets and pillows if your baby is lying on a bed. Also, an adult should always be close by in the same room.


• Babies begin to explore objects by mouth as soon as 1 month old. Remember to check the objects near your baby to make sure they are safe, soft and no smaller than a toilet paper roll in diameter.


• Before buying a crib, review the following crib safety tips published by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).


• Use caution when buying used baby items or using hand-me-downs. The CPSC has also launched a campaign to keep dangerous used children’s products out of thrift and consignment stores and off the internet, click here for more information.

6-8 weeks
By 6-8 weeks of age, your baby’s neck is growing stronger, and he is able to hold his head up for longer amounts of time. His ability to reach for and grasp objects consistently is right around the corner! With so many possibilities for movement, it is still very important to never leave your baby unattended. Never leave a young baby on an adult bed, couch, or other high surface. You won’t believe how far they can move, long before they can roll or crawl!

4-5 months
By 4 or 5 months of age, babies are learning to sit with support and to use their hands to balance while sitting. They may also start rolling over and can quickly figure out how to use rolling to transport them from one area of a room to another. Babies start to reach for objects and learn how to transfer them from one hand to the other. Babies always seem to find your cell phone or the remote control to the TV around this age, and they will suck and chew on them until you can't make a call or are unable to change the channel! All of this means that your baby’s ability to explore his surroundings just got a lot easier.

• Keep breakables up and out of your baby’s ever-extending reach


• Shorten or remove any cords, especially around window blinds


• Block the fireplace and use gates near stairs or other unsafe areas


• Think twice when putting baby down. Your baby can easily roll off of any elevated surface at this age.

Your baby’s first 6 months will fly by (if they haven’t already). Now it’s time to prepare for the second half of your baby’s first year. Next time we’ll explore how to continue the baby-proofing process as your older baby develops and becomes even more mobile.

Next time: Part 2: Baby Proofing by Baby’s Stages - 6-12 months

Reader Question: Why Does My Older Baby Hate Her Highchair?

Recently, we received the following questions from a reader:

My 11 month old won't sit in her highchair anymore. She just screams until I let her sit in my lap. Ideas?

It sounds like this mother has a very smart baby who may be trying to "tell" her mother that she wants to be near her while she eats. This baby also may have had a negative experience that she associates with the highchair. Whichever of these is the case, this baby has created a "script" in her mind of what to expect when she is put into the highchair based on her prior experience.

Babies use "scripts" to help them make sense of the world around them. Just as newborns get so excited when they can "predict" when their parents will smile or tickle their tummies, older babies feel happy and secure when they can predict what will happen during more complex activities like mealtime or bath time.

It's possible that this 11-month-old wants her mother to hold her while she eats, and she has learned that when she screams, her mother will pick her up. In the baby's mind, she creates the following script: sit in highchair - scream - mom picks me up - I'm happy. Mealtime is an important time to practice social skills and most babies want to be close to their family members while they eat. Sitting very close to the baby during meals might help. Perhaps this mother has put her baby in the high chair before everyone is ready to sit down to eat and she is confused and overstimulated by all the activity around her. Watching for baby's cues will help. Offering family meals at regular times during the day and keeping them pleasant is important. Perhaps waiting to put the baby in the highchair or having someone sit close to her while she waits will help. As she gets older and new mealtime routines get established, she'll be much more content in the highchair.

On the other hand, if the baby has had a negative experience in the highchair, she may continue to associate the highchair with that bad experience. She may have sat in the highchair and accidentally been pinched by the tray one time, and now every time she gets in the highchair she believes she may be pinched again. There may have been a time when a loud noise or something else had frightened her when she was in the highchair and now, she is frightened every time she gets into the highchair.

There is a solution though! Parents can create a new "script" for their babies by consistently creating a positive experience in the highchair. One way to do this is to let the baby play with a very special toy only when in the highchair. This positive association will build a new script in the baby's mind: Sit in highchair - get to play with special toy - I'm happy. Or her parents might sit close to her for a few minutes for some special one-on-one time or a game right after she is put in the chair. Changing babies' negative scripts takes time and patience. The key is not to go back to the old script while making the new activity as pleasant as possible. Parents may need to reassure and calm their babies with repetitive sounds and a soft touch. Fortunately, most babies will respond fairly quickly when parents are consistent and calm.

Other highchair hints:

• Is the highchair comfortable now that your baby is growing? It may need some adjustment. For toddlers, parents must consider if their babies have outgrown the highchair. There are booster seats with safety straps, or you can remove the tray and push her right up to the table with the rest of the family (as long as the child may be securely strapped into the chair without the tray). Be sure to pay attention to the guidelines that come along with the various chairs and seats.

• How much time does your baby spend in the highchair? Her body is learning new skills (like pulling up to stand) and the drive to practice is strong at this age. I can remember my very active daughter at this age being able to sit in the highchair for maybe 5-10 minutes at a meal. I would have the meal all plated up, put her in the seat, and put the food down. Sometimes she ate quickly, sometimes she would eat only a few bites, then she would start playing which meant she was done.

• This too shall pass. As babies get older, they are able to sit independently in highchairs for longer periods of time. In my family, we didn't always use a highchair. I have fond memories (and pictures) of my (now, almost 3-year old) daughter sitting on her Daddy's lap sharing his dinner. Then she would switch to my lap and have some of mine. Today, she sits in a big girl chair at the table without a problem. Though she still likes to eat off our plates...after she's finished what's on hers.

Next time: More Readers' Questions

Infant Development from 6 to 7 months: New Wonders, New Skills, and New Fears

By six months, babies have become more predictable and are sleeping longer stretches, making caring for them much easier for their beleaguered parents. With more control over their own bodies, 6-month-olds become eager to explore their worlds and practice their ever expanding motor skills, sometimes finding themselves frustrated and a little fussy. Despite the ups and downs, many parents find this age to be one of their favorites.

Social Development

Babies who are 6 to 7 months old are highly social and interactive with those they find familiar. They will squeal and smile, flirt and flail their arms and legs, hoping for a joyful response and approval from their parents. Sometimes the squeals will turn to shrieks if babies are not given the attention they crave. Now, before you start thinking that responding to your baby will spoil him, imagine how it would feel to suddenly realize that you have the power to communicate with those you love (like figuring out Skype for the first time). Wouldn’t you want to tell them how much you cared and how much you wanted to be with them? And wouldn’t you “turn up the volume” if you thought that they couldn’t hear you? That’s all that your baby is trying to do.

Interestingly, babies at this age also become wary of strangers, recognizing that some of the faces that they see are unfamiliar. While unfamiliar faces were of interest in the past, they now are a little unnerving. Around this time, you’ll want to take introductions a little slower, no more passing the baby from adult to adult as you did when she was younger. Let baby take her own time to get to know new people. If you are patient, you'll find that she is happy to accept new relationships that are not forced on her too quickly. By the second half of the first year, babies start to figure out that they want to stay closest to their parents and those they see each day. Separations that used to be easy are now a little rocky and may be filled with tears.

Cognitive Development

Along with their new found social skills, 6-month-olds become little scientists, experimenting with the world around them as much as possible. While it is controversial when “object permanence” emerges, many babies around this age will start to enjoy games where things apparently disappear then reappear. "Object permanence" refers to the understanding that objects that you can't see still exist. Very young babies will lose interest in things that are out of their sight and don't look for them. Older babies enjoy peek-a-boo and seeing objects that come out of hiding places, like an old-fashioned jack-in-the-box toy or a ball that rolls in one end of a tube and out the other. As they gain control over their arms and hands, babies explore objects with their fingers as well as their eyes and many will put everything they can into their mouths. Sucking on toys and tasting blankets become major pastimes. Obviously, care must be taken that only the right things end up getting investigated in this way. Building on earlier learning about “cause and effect,” 6- to 7-month-olds will start to vocalize in more consistent ways, hoping to get the same response. While using words is still to come, babies will babble using consonants and vowels, returning to sounds that seemed to get the desired response.

Physical Development

The rapid gains in motor skills over the last couple of months accelerate. As baby learns to sit for longer and longer periods without support, his hands become free for reaching and grasping toys in his reach, first with his whole hand and then with just his fingers. Moving forward becomes an important goal and babies will work hard to creep along on their bellies and eventually to pull themselves up on their hands and knees. Many babies find themselves crawling backward at first, often becoming a source of entertainment for older siblings. Practicing these new feats may be a 24-hour a day job and night waking may increase for a short time.

If you haven’t already completely baby-proofed, now is the time. Take it to a new level. Babies progress so quickly over the next few months, you should "proof" your house now as if your baby could stand and walk. It is vital that you make sure that baby can’t get hold of anything dangerous, because his instinct will be to poke, hold, and taste everything.

Next time: 8-10 months: Babies are learning to stand and may pull up on furniture; the view from the top is very exciting!

For Babies, A Little Playtime is a Great Workout!

Everyone knows adults and kids need physical activity to stay healthy and strong, but what about infants? It might surprise you, but it is very important for infants to get some kind of physical activity every day.

Babies need to get out of their swings, bouncy seats, car seats, and walkers and be able to move their bodies freely. They need time to play on their tummies and on their backs. Moving freely helps them build the muscles they need to work on motor skills such as rolling over, crawling, and walking. Young infants can be encouraged to move their arms and legs by showing them a colorful toy. They’ll show their interest by squirming, kicking their legs, and moving their arms. Older infants can crawl after toys and roll a ball back to you. They will also want to work on their fine motor skills (fingers, hands) by picking up objects and putting them in boxes or giving them to you.

Since you are your child’s first teacher, it is important to set aside time each day for your baby to play with you. Playtime increases learning skills needed later for talking and reading. Babies love to be able to predict what will happen to them. Your baby will want you to do the same thing over and over again when she plays with you. So go ahead and make the car sound over and over again when you push the toy car along the floor. Your baby will love it!

Playing will also help your baby sleep better at night. Keep in mind that it doesn’t take much physical activity to make a baby tired. Even just a few minutes playing on the floor can tire a newborn. As babies get older, they can spend more time playing and they will be interested in learning about new toys and games. Watch for signs that your baby is tiring so that he doesn’t get over stimulated or overtired. He might look or turn away, arch his back, or yawn. With the right amount of stimulation, your baby will be happy and ready for a good night’s sleep at bedtime!

Here is a list of toys that are safe for babies to play with:
Soft blocks
Rattles
Plastic bowls and spoons
Soft plush toys
Soft books

Remember: If a toy is small enough to fit inside a toilet paper roll, it is not safe for your baby to play with.

Next time: Yes, You Can Breastfeed After a C-Section!