At what age does the baby start raising its head? At what age does the child begin to hold his head and how to teach him? How to encourage your toddler to exercise

In the first year of life, the baby develops rapidly. One of the most important skills is the ability to hold your head. If it does not appear after 3 months, you need to seek medical help.

By 3 months, 80-85% of babies can hold their head.. They can raise it 45-90⁰ above the surface. The child confidently holds his head for 1 minute or more. At the same time, he rests on his forearms, and the pelvis and hips are firmly pressed against a hard surface.

Healthy full-term babies hold their heads from 2 months, premature babies - from 2.5-3 months. If the child does this before 1.5 months, it is necessary to undergo an examination by a neurologist and exclude an increase in intracranial pressure. In the first weeks after birth, the muscles are in increased tone. They are not developed enough to support the head.

Early retention is a variant of the norm if the baby has worn a special collar since birth (indicated for injuries, neurological problems).

Without proper care, healthy children develop the skill later. This happens if the parents do not fulfill their duties or there are mental disorders.

Stages 3 months

Skill development goes through the following stages:

• raising the head for a few seconds or minutes at the age of 2-3 weeks;
• holding the head for 1 minute or more in the position on the stomach in 2-3 months;
• independent retention in a vertical position at 2.5-3 months;
• raising the head and shoulder girdle while lying on the stomach after 3 months.

Some babies start holding their heads at 3.5-4 months. If other indicators of development correspond to age, there is no cause for concern.

You can identify developmental deviations on your own. The child, aged more than 1 month, is turned on the stomach. A rattle is ringing over the head. If there are no violations, the baby raises his head, trying to determine the source of the sound.

For the second test option, the baby is slowly seated from a prone position, into a sitting position. While holding his hands. In a healthy child, the head remains straight for 30 seconds.

1. Slight shaking of the head to the side is acceptable.
2. Next, the baby is again laid on the back.
3. Slowly pull the handles to the floor of a sitting position.

The child should hold his head for a few seconds and then roll over. These daily activities can serve as a workout.

With good care, feeding, playing with the baby, all skills are formed on time. The activity of the child is influenced by heredity and temperament.

What to do if at 3 months the baby does not begin to hold his head?

1. examination by a pediatrician and a neurologist;
2. examination of blood, urine;
3. body weight control;
4. neurosonography;
5. duplex scanning.

Gymnastics

If there are no deviations in the state of health, the doctor prescribes daily gymnastics. It includes the following exercises:

• carrying on the hands horizontally with the tummy down;
• wearing in an upright position, holding the back of the head;
• hold with a column when the chin rests on the shoulder;
• laying on the stomach;
• fitball ride.

Gymnastics is performed between feedings, when the baby is calm. The room should have an optimal temperature - 20-22 ⁰С. Regular muscle training contributes to the formation of the skill.

It allows you to strengthen the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle. It is allowed to perform from the first month of life. Exercises are carried out in a playful way, calmly talking with the baby. They have the following effect on the child:

1. Development of motor skills.
2. Muscle strengthening.
3. Balance training.
4. Development of coordination.
5. Increased blood circulation.
6. Improved breathing.

The muscles and ligaments of the baby are tender and elastic, so all movements should be soft.

Exercise helps the child develop. They are not suitable for forcing new skills. If a child is taught to hold the head from 1 month, complications may occur. Hold appears when the muscles of the back and neck are ready for this.

Massage

• With a good condition of the skin, from 2 months you can do a massage. It enhances the blood supply to the muscles, reflexively stimulates the nerve endings. Movements should be stroking, light. Before the massage, you need to wash your hands and warm them. For the procedure, baby massage oil and a diaper are prepared.
• If the child is healthy, the mother can perform the massage. In case of serious pathology, it is carried out by a specialist. With hypertonicity, unprofessional massage can strengthen it, and with hypotonicity, relax the back muscles even more. If the procedure is carried out for a long time, a specialist can teach the mother massage techniques.

Sleep position

It is important to change position during sleep. It is recommended to turn the child on the right or left side every 2-3 hours. This prevents increased muscle tone and torticollis. This position prevents food from entering the larynx. The light source is also placed alternately on the right or left. This provides active movement of the head.

swimming

Swimming has a beneficial effect on the muscular system and the musculoskeletal system.

• Bathing in the bathroom begins after the healing of the umbilical wound. For water procedures, a special inflatable circle is used. It supports the child's head and allows free movement
• In the bathroom, it is easier to hold the head and the child quickly acquires this skill. Then he implements it in other conditions.

Nutrition

The quality of breast milk affects the development of the child. A nursing mother should consume a sufficient amount of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium.

Laying out on the stomach is carried out during dressing, between feedings, before going to bed:

• The procedure strengthens the muscles, promotes the removal of gases from the intestines. If the baby is undressed, then he still gets air baths.
• The child is placed on a hard surface, covered with a diaper or blanket.
• In the first days, the procedure takes a few minutes. As the child grows, it can be placed on the stomach for 20 minutes.
• It is not necessary to support the head in a pose on the stomach. Congenital reflexes provide head rotation to the side. Thanks to this, the child breathes freely.

You can not stop classes because the baby is naughty. After a few days, he will get used to lying on his stomach.

How to encourage your toddler to exercise

Sounds can be used to stimulate movement. To do this, take a rattle, a bell, a musical toy and ring from different sides of the child. This causes the child to turn his head. Such exercises train the muscles of the neck and prevent torticollis.

As additional exercises, you can use the following exercises:

• Lifting in the air face down, with one hand under the child's chest and the other on the thigh.
• Riding a fitball with two adults (one holds the baby's hands, the second pelvis).
• Alternate head and pelvis elevation, lying face down on the forearm of an adult.

Gymnastics should not cause pain. Short-term crying is due to unusual sensations. To calm the baby, use the fetal position. To do this, the arms and legs are pressed to the body.

When to sound the alarm

Do not worry if in 2-2.5 months he does not hold his head. If at the same time there are attempts to raise it, you need to help the child with classes and massage.

According to studies, 4 months is the final period when a healthy child develops a skill.

If it is not developed, it is necessary to identify the pathology.

The following factors can lead to developmental delay:

• Birth injury.
• Decreased muscle tone.
• neurological diseases.
• Improper care, lack of exercise.
• Prematurity.
• Low body weight.

If deviations are identified, a consultation of such specialists is appointed:

1. pediatrician;
2. neurologist;
3. surgeon
4. orthopedist.

If a disease of the central nervous system is detected, drug treatment, a course of massage, and physiotherapy are carried out. With low muscle tone, gymnastics is effective.

Up to 2-3 months, the baby's head needs to be supported. This is done in a position on the hands, while holding upright, during feeding. It is important to keep your head up while swimming. Three fingers are placed on the back, and the thumb and forefinger support the head in the back of the head and lower jaw.

The head must not tilt back. The torso of a child up to 1 month old can be pressed against his chest, holding his head with one hand. The other hand supports the pelvis. Support is carried out until the child can confidently hold his head. With sudden movements and tilts, holding the head is necessary after 3 months.

Support provides the following conditions:

• Prevents injury to the cervical vertebrae.
• Controls neck muscles.
• Prevents excessive extension of the head.

In a newborn child, muscular activity is reflex. Conscious movements of the head develop by 2-3 months.

The following factors influence the formation of neck muscles:

• the position of the child during sleep, feeding;
• the quality of the mattress in the crib;
• birth injury;
• levels of calcium and vitamin D in breast milk or formula.

Sleeping position affects the formation of the spine. In the first month, he sleeps more than half of the time. For the baby, you need to choose a high-quality crib and mattress.

They should create support for the still unformed spine. Up to 2 years is not recommended to use a pillow. It can be prescribed by an orthopedist, in the presence of torticollis. In other cases, the baby is placed on a flat surface.

With hypoxia in childbirth and birth trauma, developmental delay occurs. The baby may not hold his head up to 4 months. Such children should be examined more often by a neurologist and a pediatrician. The nutrition of the child affects the strength of the muscles and the formation of bones.

Prevention

To prevent the development of torticollis or developmental delay, the following requirements must be met:

1. Lay the baby on your stomach every day.
2. Alternate the position of the head and legs in the crib.
3. Use bright toys, mobile.
4. Change the direction from which the light falls into the crib.
5. Take up swimming.
6. Play and talk with the child.
7. Feed in time.
8. To walk outside.
9. Encourage active action.

Important! Preventive measures are necessarily used for premature babies and for low body weight.

If the child does not hold the head, you need to follow the doctor's recommendations. It is necessary to eat rationally, engage in massage, gymnastics. Pathology is easily eliminated at the initial stage.

In cases where treatment is started after 2 or more months, irreversible damage may develop.

As soon as the baby is born, adults begin to be interested in doctors when newborns begin to hold their heads.

Wait up to 3 months

No wonder, because it is this basic achievement of those that the baby has to achieve in this period that will be the very first. And it will become an important proof that the baby is on the right track, and very soon he will learn to roll over on his own.

So, when do newborns start holding their heads? Pediatricians do not give exact dates, because the nature of the development of each child is individual. Of course, there are certain norms that you need to focus on, but if the baby is a little behind or a little in a hurry, there is no need to be scared.

It is believed that a newborn baby holds his head well by 3 months, and by 4 he does it quite confidently. K 2 is only able to make attempts to control his head, but he is unlikely to be able to do this without respite. By the way, doctors say that today's children begin to hold their heads much earlier than babies in the 80s - many by 9 weeks are already confidently managing it.

Don't rush things

Many mothers and fathers are looking forward to when the baby masters this skill, most want the child to be ahead of their peers in their development. And not knowing what time the newborn holds his head, they rejoice if he does this already a month and earlier.

And they do it in vain, because in this case it is necessary to see a doctor as soon as possible. After all, when newborns begin to hold their heads at such a young age, this means that they have hypertonicity or high intracranial pressure. Your baby may signal these problems to you by crying often and not sleeping much.

If the child himself does not hold his head even by 3 months, then it is also advisable to inform the doctor about this. Perhaps the baby has a very low muscle tone, or there are neurological problems. At such a young age, they are solved easier than after a year. Perhaps a massage course or vitamins prescribed by a doctor will help your child. The main thing - do not start the process. Also pay attention to whether the baby keeps his head straight. If not, check with your pediatrician - perhaps the baby has torticollis, which needs to be eliminated immediately.

Gymnastics for kids

When newborns begin to hold their heads, they no longer need positions where they are supported without fail. If your child has not yet learned to control his body, continue to help him, otherwise there is a risk of injury to the neck.

If you want to help your baby acquire this important skill, then start developing his neck muscles. Lay the baby on the tummy more often (just wait until the moment when his umbilical wound completely heals), let him first lie in this position for 30 seconds.

Gradually increase the time - you will notice how the baby tries to raise the head and, as it were, turn it to the side. This is how the reflex given to him from birth works so that the child does not suffocate while in this position. Once your baby is a month old, carry him upright more often so he learns to keep his head in line with his body, but keep holding it.

Signs of normal child development
from 1 to 12 months

By the middle of the 1st month, and sometimes even earlier, the children begin to "meaningfully" look around, stopping their eyes for longer and longer on the objects they are interested in. The first "objects" of increased attention are the faces of the closest people - mothers, fathers and those who care for the child. By the end of the 1st month, the child begins to smile quite consciously at the sight of loved ones, turn his head to the source of the sound, and briefly follow a moving object.

Most of the day the newborn spends in a dream. However, those who believe that a sleeping child does not perceive the sounds of the world are mistaken. The baby reacts to sharp, loud sounds by turning his head to the source of the sound, closing his eyes. And if they were closed, then the child closes his eyelids even more, wrinkles his forehead, an expression of fear or discontent appears on his face, breathing quickens, the baby begins to cry. In families where parents constantly speak in a raised tone, children have sleep disturbances, irritability appears, and appetite worsens. A lullaby sung by the mother, on the contrary, will help the child fall asleep peacefully, and the affectionate, friendly tone adopted in the family forms the baby's sense of security and confidence in later adult life.

At the 2nd month, the child has a significant decrease in tone in the flexor muscles of the limbs and an increase in tone in the extensor muscles. The baby's movements become more diverse - he raises his arms, spreads them to the sides, stretches, holds the toy put into his hand and pulls it into his mouth.

The kid begins to be interested in bright beautiful toys, looks at them for a long time, touches them and pushes them with his hands, but he still cannot grab them with his palm. Lying on his stomach, and then in a vertical position, the child raises his head - this is the first conscious movement that he has mastered. Soon, being in the arms of his mother, he already confidently looks around, and at first his attention is attracted by stationary objects located at a great distance. This is due to the structural features of the visual apparatus. Then the baby begins to look at closer objects, turn his head and follow the moving toy with his eyes. During this period, positive emotions predominate in children - a smile, motor animation, cooing at the sight of their mother's face, in response to affectionate treatment.

At the 3rd month, the child becomes even more active, begins to roll over first from his back to his side, and then to his stomach, confidently holding his head. The kid really likes to lie on his stomach, while he leans on his forearms, raises his head and upper body, carefully examines the objects around him, toys, makes attempts to reach them. Hand movements are varied. Lying on his back, the child quickly and accurately grasps the object placed in the palm of his hand, pulls it into his mouth. He already has his own preferences - some toys please him more than others, as a rule, these are small rattles that he can hold in his hand on his own. He distinguishes faces and voices of his own and others, understands intonation.

At 4 months, the baby improves in the ability to turn from back to stomach and from stomach to back, sits down with support by the hand. The infant's grasping reflex is completely extinguished, and it is replaced by an arbitrary grasping of objects. At first, when trying to pick up and hold a toy, the baby misses, grabs it with both hands, makes many unnecessary movements and even opens his mouth, but soon the movements become more accurate and clear. In addition to toys, a four-month-old baby begins to feel the blanket, diapers, his body and especially his hands with his hands, which he then carefully examines, holding him in his field of vision for a long time. The significance of this action - examining the hands - is that the child is forced to hold them in one position for a long time, which is impossible without a long contraction of individual muscle groups and requires a certain degree of maturity of the nervous system, visual analyzer and muscular apparatus. The kid begins to compare his tactile sensations and visually perceived images, thereby expanding his ideas about the world around him.

By 5-6 months, the baby confidently takes and holds various objects that are within his reach. Everything that falls into the hands of a child at this age, after feeling and looking, inexorably ends up in the mouth. Some parents are worried and even upset, because it seems to them that the baby has bad habits, from which it will be difficult to wean them later. But the fact is that an infant exploring the world, in addition to the sight, hearing and smell familiar to an adult, actively uses touch and taste, the importance of which for the process of cognition at this age can hardly be overestimated. Therefore, in no case should the child's exploratory interest, which is striving to "try it on the tooth," be hindered. However, parents should ensure that there are no small or sharp objects nearby that are dangerous to the baby.

When communicating with adults, a 4-5-month-old child develops a revitalization complex, which includes emotional, motor and speech reactions - a smile, energetic movements, a long hum with many vowel sounds.

The child rolls over on his side and, leaning on his arm, sits down. Lying on his back, he quickly and accurately reaches out for a toy and grabs it confidently. Speech is actively developing, the baby pronounces consonant sounds, the syllables "ba", "ma", "yes", babbles, begins to react differently to mom, dad, relatives and strangers.

At 7-8 months, as the balance reactions develop, the baby begins to sit on his own, without support, from a position on his back and on his stomach with the help of his hands. Lying on his stomach, he leans on his forearms, his head is raised, his gaze is directed forward - this is the most optimal position for crawling, which is still carried out only with the help of the hands on which the child is pulled forward, the legs are not involved in the movement. With support, the baby gets to his feet and stands for a short time, and at first he can lean "on his toes", and then on a full foot. Sitting, he plays with rattles, cubes for a long time, examines them, shifting from one hand to another, swapping places.

A child of this age gradually tries to attract the attention of adults, clearly distinguishes all family members, reaches out to them, imitates their gestures, begins to understand the meaning of the words addressed to him. In babble, intonations of pleasure and discontent are clearly distinguished. The first reaction to strangers is often negative.

By 9-10 months of age crawling on the stomach is replaced by crawling on all fours, when the cross arm and leg move at the same time - this requires good coordination of movements. The kid moves around the apartment at such a speed that it is difficult to keep track of him, grabs and pulls into his mouth everything that catches his eye, including wires of electrical appliances and equipment buttons. Given the possibilities of this age, parents need to ensure the safety of the ubiquitous baby in advance. By 10 months, the child gets up from a position on all fours, strongly pushing off the floor with his hands, stands and steps over his feet, holding on to the support with both hands. The child imitates the movements of adults with pleasure, waves his hand, takes out of the box or collects scattered toys, takes small objects with two fingers, knows the name of his favorite toys, finds them at the request of his parents, plays "patty", "magpie", "hide and seek". He repeats syllables for a long time, copies various speech intonations, expresses emotions with his voice, fulfills some of the requirements of adults, understands prohibitions, pronounces separate words - "mother", "dad", "woman".

At the 11th and 12th months children develop independent standing and gait. The kid steps over, holding on to furniture or railings with one hand, crouches, takes a toy, and gets up again. Then he releases his hand from the barrier and starts walking alone. At first, he walks with his torso tilted forward, on legs wide apart and half-bent at the hip and knee joints. As the coordination reaction improves, his gait becomes more confident, while walking he stops, turns, bends over the toy, while maintaining balance.

The kid learns parts of the body and learns to show them at the request of adults, holds a spoon in his hand and tries to eat on his own, drinks from a cup, supporting it with both hands, nods his head in affirmation or denial, is happy to follow simple instructions from his parents: find a toy, call his grandmother , bring your own shoes.

In his vocabulary, as a rule, there are already a few words. However, you should not be upset if your baby still does not pronounce individual words, since speech is one of the most complex higher mental functions and its development is very individual. Boys usually begin to speak a few months later than girls, which is associated with the formation and maturation of their nervous system. Speech delay is often observed in children whose parents belong to different language groups and each communicate with the child in their own language. Members of such families are advised, in the interests of the baby, to choose a single language of communication until the child fully masters it, and only then teach him the second. In most children, speech in short phrases appears from a year to two, and then its complication and improvement occurs.

In this article, we will talk about when the baby begins to hold his head on his own and whether to worry if at three months the baby does not hold his head.

In newborns, the muscular system is poorly developed. The most developed muscles during this period are:

1. muscles of the tongue and lips that provide sucking;
2. diaphragm muscles responsible for breathing;
3. back and neck muscles.

Until the child learns to hold his head firmly and confidently, you need to be extremely careful not to damage the neck when performing various manipulations. During water procedures, dressing, feeding and moving in space, it is imperative to support the back of the head. In the spinal column are blood vessels through which the brain receives food. Excessive flexion and extension of the neck can harm the vessels, and hence the brain.

You need to take care of the neck until the age of three or four months, after which the muscles will get stronger, and the baby can easily hold his head on his own.

At what age does a baby start holding its head?

Standard times:

• First three weeks. For the first twenty days, the child's head seems to hang on the body. This is a very crucial period when you need to be extremely careful when handling a newborn so as not to damage the cervical vertebrae.
• Three to six weeks. From the third week, a newborn baby begins to gradually master the movements of his body. While laying the baby on his tummy, he will make an attempt to raise his head. Many mothers think that the child can suffocate in this position, but following the instinct of self-preservation, the baby lays his head on his side. For the development of the muscle tone of the neck, it is useful to carry the child in your arms, in the position on the tummy, laying him on your arm. It is necessary to lay the newborn on the tummy from the moment when the umbilical wound finally heals.
• Sixth week. Closer to the second month, being on the tummy, the baby manages to raise his head for only a few seconds, after which he gets tired and lowers it. And the older the child becomes, the longer he manages to hold his head. So that the baby is not bored lying on his tummy, lay out bright toys in front of him, shifting them in different directions so that he makes attempts to see them. Recall that a child lying on his stomach should not be left unattended!
• Third month. Having reached three months, lying on his back, clutching his mother's fingers, the child pulls himself up and keeps his head in line with his back. But, despite this, you need to continue to secure your head. When doing pull-ups, say rhymes that will simultaneously develop a sense of rhythm and hearing in the child.
• Fourth month. In the fourth month, thanks to the finally strengthened neck muscles, the baby not only holds his head on his own, but also turns it in all directions. At this age, having laid the child on his stomach, parents will be happy to find that the child confidently raises his head up, and with it part of the torso.

These dates give a general idea of ​​the development of the child. They may vary slightly depending on the individual characteristics of the baby. Do not panic if at exactly three months, the child does not hold his head confidently.

How to teach a child to hold his head. 8 simple exercises

It is very important for parents of a newborn to help their baby perform such complex actions. Only thanks to them the child will be able to make confident movements:

1. After the umbilical wound has healed, you can perform the following exercise. Before feeding, put the baby on the changing table on the tummy. The baby begins to intuitively tilt his head to the side to get acquainted with the situation. To stir up the curiosity of the child, place bright and shiny objects near him: the baby will be happy to look at them. Naturally, for this purpose, the baby will have to make efforts and raise his head. Such an exercise will give good results in the near future.
2. To strengthen and help the muscles to form properly, it is important to massage the whole body daily. The whole procedure is based on methodical movements performed with light movements and strokes. The more often and more correctly the massage is performed, the faster the baby will be able to raise his head. It is better to entrust the first massage sessions to a specialist, and after that you will be able to carry out the procedure yourself.
3. When the baby lies on the tummy, it should be slowly rocked in different directions. This method helps to strengthen the muscles and develop coordination. When the baby focuses in one position, he experiences muscle tension, raising his head, holding it in one position. You can see the effectiveness of this exercise quickly enough.
4. Putting the baby to sleep, it is advisable to turn it to the right, then to the left. If always laid in the same position, then the habit of keeping the head in only one position develops. In the daytime, it is very important to change places and point your head in different directions so that it is easier for the baby to see the environment.
5. Fitball allows you to strengthen muscles and develop coordination. The kid, lying on his tummy, on the ball, when an adult holds him by the armpits, turns his head in different directions, trying to hold it for a while. This perfectly strengthens the muscles of the child and stimulates his physical development.
6. When the child was in his mother's tummy, he was constantly in contact with water, this atmosphere is familiar to him. Exercising in the bath is a great way to strengthen your muscles and have fun. To do this, it is advisable to purchase a special circle around the neck and put the baby on the tummy, holding it. In the water, he will freely move his legs and arms, which will certainly please your baby. In addition, the swimming technique with a circle will give an impetus, and over time the child will automatically hold his head without the use of certain devices.
7. Put a special mattress for gymnastic exercises in the bath. Lay the child on the back. Raise the arms and legs alternately, turn the baby in different directions. This has a positive effect on muscle strengthening.
8. Lay the child on his back, gently lift him by the arms and shoulders. Without noticing it, the child begins to hold his head. Manipulations should be calm, smooth.

Take your time: the child begins to hold his head at a time when his body is ready for such stresses. Naturally, a lot depends on the state of health and health, so watch the baby. In addition, strong loads can only harm, creating serious problems with the spine or neck.

The structure of the baby's skeleton is fragile, so all movements are performed without sudden movements and in a calm environment.

Remember that only regular exercises will allow you to achieve the desired result in a short period. Practice with your baby daily so that the effectiveness of the exercises is not long in coming.

When does a baby start holding his head before 3 months of age?

Many parents proudly report that their baby is able to hold his head as early as the third or sixth week. But, unfortunately, this phenomenon indicates hypertonicity of the muscles of the body. Otherwise, it is called muscle strain.

The newborn has constantly tense arms, legs and chin, which he firmly presses to the body. Such a child is always in a restless state, as a result of which he sleeps in fits and starts, and constantly wakes up. With hypertonicity, it is required to undergo a course of therapeutic massage, which should be prescribed by a neuropathologist, after examining the baby. Usually, this phenomenon disappears on its own by three months, but if the time is delayed, the child must be shown to the doctor.

If you do not pay attention to muscle hypertonicity in a newborn in time, then in the future the child will walk on tiptoe, his hands and feet will tremble while crying, and in general, the baby will be extremely irritable and restless.

The child does not hold his head well at three months

If the baby begins to hold his head after three months of age or holds his head at an angle, then this should cause concern to parents. The reasons may be hidden in the following:

• neurological problems associated with difficult childbirth;
• underdevelopment of muscles, due to the fact that the child was not laid out on the stomach;
• underweight, developmental delay;
• curvature of the neck muscles - paresis.

Parents should help the child develop, as he is born absolutely not adapted to the outside world. Thanks to adults, the child develops physically and learns the world around him.

Well strengthens the muscles of the neck - swimming on the stomach. For this purpose, you need to purchase a special circle. With it, the baby will keep his head above the water, developing motor skills, and at the same time the back muscles. While the child is small, an ordinary bath is enough for him to swim.

• Hold, don't hold
• When the child starts holding his head
• If the child does not hold his head
• How to help your baby hold his head
• If the child holds his head, and should not have

"Hold your head!" - the nurse strictly instructs young mothers in the maternity hospital, handing over newborns to them. “Probably, if you don’t hold your head, something terrible will happen!” - mothers think, fixing the back of the baby's head with a stranglehold ...

When will the child himself begin to hold his head, and what threatens maternal negligence to a newborn?

Hold, don't hold

The neck muscles of a newborn baby are still weak, and the head is disproportionately large compared to the rest of the body. However, a newborn is not at all as fragile a creature as parents often think; if he survived the advancement along the birth canal, then he will somehow survive on his mother’s arms. A baby can fix his head in a certain position from birth, however, not for long. If you hold the child in your arms, the head may spontaneously fall - to one side or even tip over, which is especially frightening for parents, as it is accompanied by a sharp cry of the child.

"Did he break his neck?" - mothers are worried, checking if the child is paralyzed. No, it didn't paralyze him, although he certainly felt uncomfortable and perhaps the sudden movement hurt him.

If you keep firmly fixing the child's head with your hand, then you prevent him from exercising the muscles of the neck, slowing down his development. Therefore, you do not need to hold the child's head all the time, you just need to hold it slightly, not allowing it to be thrown back sharply.

When should you hold your baby's head?

1. When moving, when you get up, sit down, turn sharply with the child in your arms.
2. During feeding, because the baby simply will not be able to keep his head in one position for a long time without your help.

” From time to time, young mothers scare each other with stories about the “death nod”. Like, one mother did not hold the child's head and ...

In fact, this is a frightening term from the field of road injuries: during emergency braking and, even more so, in an accident, a child, even in a car seat, moves forward by inertia and a sharp movement of the head can damage the cervical vertebrae. This is why many manufacturers recommend positioning infant carriers so that the newborn is facing backwards. In everyday life, it is almost impossible to achieve such an acceleration of movement.

When the child starts holding his head

Of course, all the terms in question are the “arithmetic mean” in which a rare baby will fit. Most are a week ahead or behind these dates, so look at them solely as a guide.

8 weeks

At 8 weeks, the mother for the first time begins to notice that the child can already consciously control the movements of the head when she holds him in her arms: tilt her to one side, forward and straighten. However, complete control is still far away.

3 months

This is exactly the period that is usually considered the norm for holding the head. At this age, the baby, lying on his stomach, can raise his shoulders and head and hold them for about 30 seconds. If you pull a child lying on his back by the arms, then, rising, he will keep his head in line with the body. Finally, the baby can do without head support when he is in your arms.

4 months

Lying on the tummy, the baby can lift not only the shoulders and head, but also the upper body and hold in this position for about a minute. He reaches for the toy, turning his head, and feels comfortable.

5-6 months

The child freely holds his head in any position, can turn it, sitting in his mother's arms and looking around.

If the child does not hold his head

” Up to three months, it is difficult for parents to confidently judge whether the child has enough control over their movements or not. Even a harmoniously developing baby can sometimes lose balance and throw its head back sharply.

However, if at three months the baby, lying on his stomach, cannot raise his head even for a few seconds, you should show him to the district pediatrician or neuropathologist as soon as possible. The cause of the problem may be…

Prematurity or extremely low birth weight. Most likely, such a baby will catch up with peers a little later.

Birth trauma that caused neurological problems, or diseases that prevented the baby from fully developing even before birth. Only a doctor can determine the diagnosis and treatment regimen.

"Manual" child. Sometimes, with hyper-responsible parents, the baby does not have a single chance to train the muscles of the neck - the head is always rigidly fixed in line with the body. Because of this, the neck muscles are weakened and need massage and exercise.

How to help your baby hold his head

Generally speaking, no special effort is required for this, but there are still some useful exercises that will benefit a healthy baby.

Toy Tracking

Position a bright, attractive toy in front of the child when he is lying on his stomach. Gently lift the child's head by the forehead - literally a few centimeters, so that he catches the toy with his eyes. Feeling the independent movement of the head, gently release the baby. Two or three repetitions in a row are enough.

Lifting by the handles

Having laid the child on his back (preferably with a small pillow under his head), gently pull him by the arms towards you. As soon as the head begins to tip back, gently lower it. Two or three repetitions in a row several times a day are enough

If the child holds his head, and should not have

Sometimes parents underestimate the danger of the exact opposite situation - the child holds his head as early as a month. Sometimes this really speaks of the excellent physical shape of the baby, but more often this is a manifestation of pathology - muscle hypertonicity: they seem to be constantly cramped.

” Most often, this is not the only sign that the baby has health problems; the child may sleep poorly, anxiously, often cry (at first glance, for no reason), actively spit up, and so on.

The only thing that can be advised in this situation is to seek medical help as soon as possible, even if you are not sure that you really see all these signs, but have become a victim of parental anxiety.

Controlling the position of the head is an important stage in the development of the baby, not only physical, but also intellectual. After all, now he can look at the world around him, watch his mother, follow the toys with his eyes ... so don't let this moment take its course, be sure to watch the newborn!