When do babies start to roll over?
At what age does a baby roll over?
Your baby is growing and reaching important developmental milestones. Among them, rolling over, which requires well-toned muscles. In this article, we explain from what age a baby can do it alone.
As parents, you probably have a thousand and one questions about your baby's psychomotor development. Is his growth curve normal, is he growing properly? Is he big enough to turn around on his own? Is it serious if he hasn't reached this stage yet?
The age of learning to roll over
“Generally, babies roll over on their own between 4 and 8 months, when they have enough muscle tone,” says the specialist. “At around 4 months, they have good cranial tone, then at around 5 months, they have better control over their trunk and can roll over from their stomach to their back (sometimes it’s the other way around). At around 6 months, they are able to roll over from their stomach to their back or from their back to their stomach.” This stage is important because it allows your little one to develop their muscles, which will then make it easier to learn to sit up and crawl (at around 9 months). So how can you help your baby roll over properly?
How to help your baby roll over properly?
“Sometimes, parents don’t dare to put their baby on their stomach because they start crying,” says Dr. Emmanuelle Rondeleux. “You have to put them there from the first few months. First during diaper changes, then increasingly during the waking phase. If a baby doesn’t roll over well, it’s often because they don’t know how to position their arms properly. We then use noises or colored toys to attract their attention and to get them to rock a little at the pelvis. We can help them a little to bring their arms together, to get back into a good position. You have to ask yourself if their mattress isn’t too thick. If it is, the child will sink into it and have trouble turning over. Choose a mattress that is firm enough, not too thick.” The pediatrician often hears parents worry about their child rolling over while sleeping. In this case, should they be left on their stomach or turned over?
Baby turns over in his sleep: what to do?
“Of course, it is said not to put baby on his stomach to sleep. But if he turns over by himself, it means that he has enough tone to allow him to straighten up if he were to have difficulty breathing.” However, if you have the impression that baby is slow to reach this stage, at what point is it recommended to talk to your doctor?
When baby doesn't roll over
According to our specialist, if your child does not roll over on both sides at 6 months, do not hesitate to consult your doctor, and to repeat the visits at the seventh and eighth months. “You must remain vigilant until the rollover is acquired because it is a decisive step for future development. The doctor will help you understand why he is not able to do it and will tell you how to help him by observing your gestures.”