Sitting And Standing

Your baby is 33 weeks old this week and oh my, in a few months, he will not be considered an infant anymore!  I know that is too much to think about at this moment and well, lets not get ahead of ourselves as there is still so much to experience with our little ones. 

Your baby has been sitting up independently for a few minutes and now, he is starting to get into a sitting position on his own.  This skill takes much more effort, coordination, strength and balance from your baby because he is doing it on his own as opposed to being sat down on the floor by you.  One of the most common ways you your baby gets into the sitting position is by pushing his chest up off the ground and turning his lower body onto the side.  He will continue to push up his upper body until he is upright.  Another way your baby may attempt to get into sitting could be by pushing his chest off the ground when he is on his tummy. His knees will bend and his legs (knees still bent) will open.  Your baby continues to push himself up until he is upright, however, he has just got himself into a “W” sitting position.  It is called a “W” position because your baby’s legs are positioned to look like the letter “W.”  This position is discouraged by physical therapists, as it is not good for your baby’s hip joint development.  Babies sometimes prefer this sitting position because it gives them stability and they don’t have to rely on their trunk strength. 

Another gross motor skill you may see emerge this month is your baby pulling himself up to a standing position.  You’ve noticed how strong his legs are especially when you hold him upright and he bears his weight on his legs and bounces up and down.  Be careful, though, your baby will attempt to grab and hold onto anything he can get his hands on, so just keep a close eye on him.