When did your baby sit on their own?

[TheDivineMrsM]

DD is 7 months. She "tripod sits" - she'll hold herself in a sitting position by propping herself up with her hands. She can sit for short periods of time w/o propping, but falls over. (I am always there to make sure she doesn't hurt herself!) She cannot get in to a sitting position by herself. 

I know babies do things when they're ready, but at what point should I be concerned? 

[teraze]

My DS is 8 months and he's been sitting like a champ the past 3-4 weeks.  He still falls over (a lot!) but there's no question he can sit up (he sits up and plays with toys, claps, etc.).  If your DD is tripod sitting it seems she'll likely sit up on her own any day.  How fun!  :)

If my DS is sitting on the floor playing (we have wood with area rugs) I watch the time and if it's more than a few minutes, I put "just in case" pillows around him...

[dejagerw]

Getting into a sitting position on their own comes later than sitting well. Babies have to be somewhat mobile to get to sitting from laying down. Both my boys learned to sit early. 4 months tripod sitting, 5 months sitting well on their own. I believe DS1 could get into a sitting position at 6 months. But, he was crawling then. DS2 can't crawl yet, (he's 6 months). He also can't get to a sitting position on his own.

[Deepfeet]

DS started sitting on his own (tripod) at 4 months, 2 weeks later he could use his hands to grab for toys and lunge for objects. Now at 5 months he's figured out how to lean to one side and roll over onto his tummy so he can get closer to certain toys out of reach.

I'm no expert but I don't think you have anything to worry about. Let DD take her time to figure out what her body can do. Maybe she's still having a blast on her back/tummy and isn't interested in sitting up yet (I've heard of some babies who sat well and then just sat for months - didn't feel the need to crawl, even when objects were placed out of reach. EVENTUALLY they crawled, but they were on the later side, and seemingly by choice).

I don't know WHEN a parent should worry, but I think we parents get a feeling or a hunch when something's not quite right... If you're really feeling concerned, maybe have DD checked over - for peace of mind if nothing else.

[bdoody11]

DD#2 was sitting independently by 6 months. Thankfully, unlike DD#1, she sat before she crawled. DD#1 crawled at 7 months, but didn't sit independently until 9 months. My doctor never commented on it so there must be a wide range of normal.

[Monarchgrrl]

Mine seems to not "work" on things at all. She'll just wait and wait until she somehow knows she can do it. She was sitting tripod-like at around 5 months and she started sitting hands-free right on her 6 month birthday. The day before, she couldn't do it. LOL! She's now 8 months and not crawling. She never really practiced rolling over either. She just waited until she could do it and then did it.

[P.J.]

7 months.

I'm sorry I can't produce the link for you right now (I am usually here on a 5 minutes-between-doing-other-things-basis), but you should really check the WHO charts for baby development. There is always a huge range for every milestone. Alternatively, you could ask your pediatrician at the next visit.

[Calliope84]

Tripod at 3 months, sitting alone at 4 months and getting from crawling to sitting by 6 months.  She isn't saying too much yet at 7 months, while I bet other babies are jabbering away... I think your babe is right on target! They all do things at different times.

[PatioGardener]

Mine never tripod sat. He started to sit independently at 8.5 months, after he started to crawl.

[mckittre]

Both of mine started sitting around 5 to 51/2 months, with no tripod sitting phase (they immediately started out playing with toys while sitting, slowly increasing the time they could do so before toppling).  My son couldn't go from crawling to sitting until 8 months.  My daughter is only 6 months, and can't do it yet (can't crawl yet either). 

[eleonrauis]

DS1 at 6mos, DS2 at 7 mos.  Neither sat real well until they could get into that position on their own and both started crawling within a couple weeks of sitting.  I agree with the PP about the WHO chart and there being a wide range of normal for all milestones.

[LynnS6]

Forum crashing here because my kids are older.

Our ds sat independently at 9 months, which is the tail end of typical. Dd was 8 months. I think the age to be 'worried' is 10+ months. The other thing is that it can go really quickly. I've got pictures of ds at 8 months lying under the Christmas tree, and a 3 weeks later, he was getting into a sit and sitting very well.

Ds went from sitting, to crawling, to pulling up within a matter of weeks. He's always been the kind of kid who won't try something until he knows he can do it. He turned out to have a bit of motor planning issue that was treated when he got occupational therapy for sensory issues. However, our whole family was 'late' to sit (dd was 8 months, which ain't early) and most of us are fine physically. OK, we're not elite athletes, but we can do what we need to. And just because your 7 mo old isn't sitting now, means very little about future development.

[Mabeybaby]

My daugther started sitting at the age of 6 months, but she was wery fast, she did take her frírst steps already at 9 months.

[Nicole730]

DS was 7 months (I felt like he was "late", for some reason 6 months is what I had in my head)

DD was 4 months (which I thought was really early)

[my2girlz]

All 4 of mine were sitting independently between 4 and 5 months. I don't remember when they could get into the position by themselves. Probably not until they were crawling though. My youngest is 7.5 months and is super close to crawling and is trying to pull herself up.

[anjsmama]

So true about some kids! My DS has always been this way. He didn't roll over until 5 months - but once he started rolling, he used it as his mode of transportation. He'd literally barrel roll across the floor to toys and/or mom. He didn't crawl until 10 months, but when he started it was at full speed. He didn't walk AT ALL (no cruising) until 11 1/2 months, but he RAN down the aisle at my wedding at 12 months.  My DD is just the opposite. She loves to practice doing things. She also has "started" doing things in some capacity at much earlier ages than my DS did. She started tripod sitting at 4 months, and sitting well (hands-free) at 5 months. She's 5 months & 2 weeks and she sits and plays with toys and things and I don't have to worry about her falling. DS wasn't capable of that until 7 (maybe even 8?) months, and didn't get to a seated position on his own until 9 months. DD is very close to putting herself in a seated position. Kids are just so different. I really wouldn't worry unless your DD isn't sitting/remaining sitting/getting seated confidently at 9 months. 

Originally Posted by Monarchgrrl 

Mine seems to not "work" on things at all. She'll just wait and wait until she somehow knows she can do it. She was sitting tripod-like at around 5 months and she started sitting hands-free right on her 6 month birthday. The day before, she couldn't do it. LOL! She's now 8 months and not crawling. She never really practiced rolling over either. She just waited until she could do it and then did it.

[Parker'smommy]

Mine didn't start unassisted for brief moments until 7 1/2 months! She has been "behind or late" on all milestones. But since she always seems to get them eventually, her Pediatrician is concerned right now. She is now 10 months old and can sit like a champ....lean over and grab something far away and get herself back up. She still doesn't crawl though. She can scoot backwards, but it is not purposely, and it makes her mad....lol. She can get her tummy off the floor and get her legs up on her toes and her arms totally outstretched.......but doesn't move. Poor thing. She is super frustrated. She rolls very little too. 

So, I wouldn't worry if I were you. The range of "normal" is SO BROAD. Kids can walk as early at 6 months and as late as 18 months and there be no concerns for development. I would just make sure you give baby lots of time on the floor to let her practice!

Good luck!

[gypsy86]

I'm kinda crashing here too because my DD was NOT typical. She could sit unassisted around 10 months. did very little tripod sitting before that unless i propped her up AND put things around her. She could sit in a shopping cart, but not by herself on the floor. She army crawled around 10 months, hands and knees 2 weeks before she turned 1. She walked at 20 months. Our family Dr has been making extra well-baby checks to make sure DD is continually progressing because she was so late on so many milestones, but she's always still making progress so i no longer worry ... but we are still going back for another check today actually. So in light of my DD, i'd reccomend not worrying about milestones unless your child is well past the age range he or she should be. kids learn at their own pace and choose which goals THEY want to accomplish with no regard to what you are waiting for.

[DanceGina]

DS sat at 4.5 months, crawled at 6.5 months, walked at 11 months.  He has been way ahead for all the milestones, EXCEPT he WILL NOT SLEEP.  He also spent the first 4 months of his life howling.  So, if your daughter is a calm and easy baby, brag about that and don't worry about the sitting! 

[elannem]

Don't worry about when your daughter sits and instead focus on the quality of how she is learning to do it.  I'm a Feldenkrais practitioner (a movement modality) and I have worked with a number of children.  There is a large range of age for when baby's do things, and what is most important is that you give her space and time to find her developmental milestones in her own way and at her own timing.  One of the greatest interferences is when parents prop their babies into positions they are not ready to support themselves.  Although this is tempting it creates a situation where the muscles that should support the action are not ready to support it so other muscle groups take over creating dysfunctional movement patterns. This goes for helping them to stand and "walking" them too.  She needs to find her own way into and out of sitting, and if she has been doing other things like rolling over, creeping and crawling she will find her way.  Another drawback to propping babies into positions they are not yet ready for is that on some level it gives them the message that what they can do is not good enough and what they can't yet do is expected of them.  Enjoy the process with her.