During their first few years, children change and grow a lot. It’s a great time to start keeping track of your child’s developmental milestones and watching how he or she develops. One such milestone is rolling. Babies as young as four months old begin to roll over. They’ll rock from side to side, which is the first step in rolling over. They may also roll from their stomach to their back. Babies typically roll over in both directions by the age of six months. For a month or two, babies usually roll over from tummy to back before rolling over from back to front.
The benefits of rolling over
A child who can roll onto his tummy or back on command is showing signs of developing the strength, coordination, and confidence necessary to begin crawling. Crawling necessitates strength, balance, and coordination, and your baby will appreciate all of your assistance and encouragement in achieving this crucial milestone.
Here’s how you can help your baby learn to roll over:
- Start by gently bending one of your baby’s lower legs to his chest and rotating his leg slowly and carefully inwards while lying him on his back. Your baby’s body will turn to face you, and he will be on his stomach. While doing so, simply use your other hand to help your baby as needed, and alternate legs every time. Be sure to talk to your baby while doing this activity and get (very) excited every time you turn your baby around.
- Gently bend your baby’s right leg forward under his chest while stretching his left arm above his head while lying him on his stomach. Slowly and carefully rotate your baby onto his back, using your other hand as a support, while keeping his leg bent. Always remember to switch legs each time.
- Gently turn your baby’s body onto his back or tummy while holding him on his side. Alternatively, you can leave your baby on his side and see if he can roll over onto his stomach or back on his own.
When should you do this?
Do this whenever your baby is happy and energetic, but not right after a feeding because the rolling may squash his tummy, making your baby uncomfortable.
