A newborn baby cannot control the work of the neck muscles. All his movements are absolutely reflexive. When the child is lifted by the arms, his head tilts back and he can damage the cervical vertebrae. Therefore, until the child begins to hold his head on his own, you need to support him by the back of his head, holding him in his arms, when feeding or bathing.
At how many months does the newborn start to raise and hold his head?
Gradually, the child begins to control his body. The first achievement of his physical development occurs in the second - third week. At this time, when laying out on the stomach, the child tries to raise his head.
Further development of the neck muscles occurs in the following order:
- In the second month (2 - 3 months) children raise their head at an acute angle (again lying on their stomach). Babies can hold this position for thirty seconds or about a minute.
- At three months (3 months) children begin to hold their heads upright. But the safety of the fragile neck muscles is still needed - it is worth continuing to support the child's head. Lying on their stomachs, babies can already raise both their head and shoulders. When the child is lifted by the hands, the body, neck and head form one line.
- At four months (4 months) there comes a time when the child independently and quite confidently begins to hold his head. He turns her in all directions, knowing the world around him. Lying on his stomach, the baby is already raising the upper body.
Naturally, all the time parameters for the development of the baby are averaged. All children are individual in their development. Therefore, you should not be upset if at exactly 12 weeks the child has not begun to confidently hold his head in any position.
Early head retention
There is no need to rush to rejoice if the child began to hold his head during the first four to six weeks. This “achievement” does not always mean rapid and early development. Most likely, the baby has high intracranial pressure.
In this case, it is simply necessary to show the child to the attending pediatrician. The doctor will prescribe treatment, necessary procedures, and a special massage.
Strengthening the neck muscles
For the development of the cervical muscles, it is strongly recommended to lay the baby on the tummy from the first days of life, immediately after the umbilical wound has healed (at about three weeks). Do not be afraid that the child will suffocate. A healthy baby will definitely turn his head to the side as a result of the triggering of the self-preservation instinct.
It is necessary to put the baby on the stomach while changing clothes, preferably before feeding or an hour after it. The procedure performed before feeding will also help relieve the baby from the accumulation of gas in the abdomen. It is necessary to lay out on the stomach on a hard surface. The soft surface does not force the baby's muscles to strain. Any table covered with a light blanket can do this.
It is necessary to teach the baby to lie on his stomach gradually. First, lay it out for one minute. Every day, the duration of stay on the stomach is increased by one minute. It is good if the baby is naked, while strengthening the neck muscles, he will also receive air baths.
In case of dissatisfaction and whims of the baby, you do not need to give up laying on the stomach. This is a necessary procedure for the physical development of the baby. Mom needs to choose a moment when the baby is in a good mood, he is cheerful and happy. Distract him with a bright toy, a song and gentle strokes on the back, legs and heels. The most important thing is not to leave the baby lying on his stomach unattended.
Do small exercises with your child to strengthen the neck muscles:
- “Face down”. Take the baby in your arms: one hand under the baby's chest, the other on the hip. In this position, raise the baby in the air.
- "Go". The exercise is performed with the help of two adults on a large ball. One holds the baby by the pelvis, the other by the hands. Together they swing the child on the ball.
- "Swing". We hold the child face down in our arms and raise alternately the head and the pelvis.
We show 3 exercises to strengthen the muscles of the neck, back. Learn to keep your head up. Alesa is 2 months and 3 weeks old. Slightly weakened tone:
3 months - poor head control
To exclude pathology in development, it is worth contacting specialists if after 12 weeks (3 months) the child does not hold his head well, tilts it to one side or throws it back.
There are several reasons why a child does not hold his head well at 3 months:
- Prematurity.
- Birth trauma.
- Child's lag in weight.
- Weak muscle tone.
In the first two cases, it is necessary to contact a pediatric neurologist who will help find out the cause of the child's poor muscle development. With a small weight of the crumbs, a consultation with a doctor specializing in breastfeeding will help. He will regulate the nutrition system, you may have to introduce a mixture into the diet. A special massage prescribed by the attending pediatrician will tone the neck muscles and help the baby to hold his head.
Another reason for contacting a neurologist will be the constant tilt of the baby's head at an angle. The most common cause of tilted head holding is torticollis. The doctor will prescribe a special massage, drug therapy, and, most likely, will advise you to buy an orthopedic pillow.
Big article: child development up to a year (by months)
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