Starting from the newborn period and up to a year, children develop at a rapid pace. Every month they master new skills and acquire useful skills. These include coups.
The baby lies on his back, does not roll over, legs are bent, pressed to the body
First attempts to roll over
Upon reaching 3 months, babies make their first independent attempts to see the world in an upright position. At this point, they can lift and hold their head well, as well as lift their chest and shoulders, resting on their elbows when lying on their stomach.
Spending time lying on their stomach is very beneficial for babies from a physiological point of view - it helps develop the muscles of the arms, neck and back, stimulates blood circulation and improves the functioning of the digestive system. This technique stimulates the baby's desire to roll over. A new picture of the world, different from the one he observed in the first months of his life, when he was lying on his back, should really please and interest him. This will force the baby to make attempts to change its position more often. The baby does not roll over right away. Development occurs gradually as the muscles strengthen. The first step in this direction is to independently turn on your side. The child turns his head towards the object or toy of interest, pulls his arms towards it, followed by his legs and torso.
Having mastered this step, the baby strives to take the next one - to make a complete revolution from back to tummy. To do this, just turn your head, cross one leg over the other and help yourself turn your body over with your shoulders and arms. By the age of 4 months, most children can repeat simple movements.
Important! A revolution can happen completely unexpectedly for parents, so you should take measures in advance and secure places for games and pastime with high enough sides to avoid unpleasant consequences.
Reasons for the absence of a revolution at 4 months
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All children are different, for each the moment of revolution comes at its own time. The fact that a child at 4 months does not roll over onto his stomach may indicate that the baby is not ready for this step.
Note! Premature babies develop differently and take longer to learn the skills of turning and turning.
Main reasons
The reasons why a child does not roll over from back to tummy on his own may be personality traits, the degree of activity and interest of the child. Weight and temperament matter. A well-fed and calm baby is less active; in the absence of incentive, he will not strive to change the position of his body in space and bother himself; he will be active, flexible and energetic. Such a toddler is rarely at rest and tries in every way to gain freedom of movement to make new discoveries.
The baby arches his back, raises his body and legs, lying on his stomach
Cause of developmental delay
Physiological reasons why a 4-month-old baby does not roll over:
- neurological abnormalities, in particular, uneven muscle tone;
- asymmetrical development of the hip joints;
- injuries received during passage through the birth canal;
- other complications such as consequences of intrauterine infection, hypoxia or asphyxia.
Detection of deviations of this kind occurs in the first days after birth in the maternity hospital and in subsequent months during routine visits to specialists. With early diagnosis and timely treatment, the situation changes for the better.
Reasons for the lag
As for congenital diseases, due to which children do not roll over, they are recognized by specialists in the maternity hospital. If the baby does not have the pathology recorded in the card, there is no need to worry unnecessarily.
Below are the reasons why a toddler may not roll over at 4 months.
- An overweight child is slow to master physical skills. If your 4 month old baby weighs 6kg, don't be surprised if he doesn't want to roll over.
- Hereditary predisposition indicates an underdeveloped neuromuscular system. Such children need free swaddling, periodic massage, and gymnastics. Strengthening the muscles at 3 months of age will help to roll over.
- Different temperaments - calm, slow babies are physically inactive.
- Features of development. Some children do not roll over from their back to their stomach, but immediately learn to crawl and sit.
- A premature baby is developmentally delayed, but this is not considered a pathology. After all, the baby’s organs have not yet matured compared to their peers.
- Rickets is characterized by a lack of calcium in the body. Such children sweat a lot and suffer from poor appetite. Their large fontanel is slowly overgrown. Weak muscle and skeletal systems negatively affect physical activity.
- Iron deficiency anemia leads to developmental delays. The disease occurs in a latent form. Anemia can be recognized by pale skin, tearfulness, and poor weight gain.
If a child does not roll over at 4–5 months, this does not indicate health problems. It is important to monitor your skills and abilities. Notice whether the baby responds to sounds. Does he turn his head in their direction? Does your eyes search for the source of the music? What matters is whether the baby, lying on his back, can raise and hold his head vertically.
Is it scary
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Children's development occurs gradually and consistently; new achievements are impossible without consolidating the good results that preceded them. The ability to perform revolutions is acquired when the motor muscles are sufficiently strengthened for this. If this does not happen, and the baby has not yet turned over at 4 months, in the absence of any pathology in the child, you should be patient and wait until he reaches 7 months of age.
Nature also provides the opportunity to skip one step in development and move on to the next. In this case, the baby may bypass the stage of turning over and begin to make attempts to sit up, then crawl.
Dr. Komarovsky states that it is worth paying attention to the presence or absence of progress, and not to norms and deadlines. If a child at 4 months has not been able to learn to turn on his side and roll over on his stomach, and at 6 months he has not begun to master the following steps, it is worth consulting with a pediatrician.
General exercises to strengthen muscles
If the child has already reached 4 months, but has not yet begun to roll over onto his stomach from his back, then there is no reason to worry. At this age, with babies it is necessary to do a set of special exercises quite often that will help the baby roll over. All of them are aimed at stimulating his musculoskeletal system.
At the same time, there is absolutely no reason to panic. After all, every baby’s body develops individually, and there is no clear age limit for such changes.
Ideally, parents should begin more active activities with their three-month-old baby so that he can begin to roll over on his own as early as possible. To do this you need to do several simple exercises. The main thing is to be able to attract the child, to arouse his interest in something. It is for this purpose that you should first rattle it with your favorite rattle, and then place it near the child. To find the desired object, the baby will try to turn around and turn on its side, while performing characteristic movements of the arms and legs. In some cases, the child initially learns to roll over only in one direction. Then the toy he is interested in should be placed on the opposite side.
Of course, there is another way, without the participation of toys. At the same time, it is still necessary to capture children's attention in any way. For example, a mother can sit on the side of the crib and call the child. He will definitely react to his mother’s voice and try to see her. First, he will try to turn his head, and the whole body will follow, gradually turning over onto his stomach from his back. Both parents can participate in this game. In this case, they sit on opposite sides of the baby and take turns calling him. Then the baby will sooner learn to roll over in each direction.
If a child at 4 months does not roll over, despite any efforts, then, apparently, he simply does not have enough muscle in his legs and arms. Then he will need special exercises to strengthen his muscles.
What to do
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Parents interested in the timely development of their child can always help him prepare for upheavals. To do this, you will need to regularly devote time to simple techniques.
Performing a baby massage before gymnastics
It is useful to do a simple baby massage, which will help “turn over” a stubborn baby if by 4 months the baby does not roll over on his own from his back to his tummy. Performing a massage involves lightly stroking the baby's arms and legs from the hand or foot towards the body, as well as the baby's body from bottom to top. You can also add gentle rubbing of the baby’s feet and hands.
To develop and strengthen muscles, you need to train them more often. Playing on your side, both right and left, will strengthen your neck, arms and torso. It is also useful to lay the little one on his tummy - preferably several times a day.
Additional Information. Massage helps the baby start to roll over, sit up, stand up and walk in time, and also affects intellectual development - from touching the child’s skin and muscles are activated, impulses are sent to the brain, stimulating it.
How to help master the revolution
The best way to teach your baby to roll over is to show how it is done by guiding and pushing the child to roll over. To do this, you will need a rattle or a bright toy that attracts attention and makes you want to grab it. It is necessary to place the child on a comfortable and safe horizontal surface and attract attention by moving the toy (rattle) in the direction of the revolution. The baby should be carefully pulled up by the handle, laying him on his side. The toddler will reach for the toy. If the baby does not try to roll over, you can “throw” his bent leg over the other so that with his knee he reaches the horizontal surface on the opposite side. A coup will follow. This will very clearly demonstrate to the baby what his body is capable of.
Exercises for turning from back to stomach
Children's gymnastics carried out with the baby will push him to make a revolution as soon as possible if the child at 4 months does not yet roll over, preferring to lie on his back. It consists of simple exercises that are carried out in a favorable environment when the little one is in a good mood. The essence of the exercises is to alternately use different parts of the child’s body in order to make a revolution.
Doing simple exercises
All exercises begin from a position lying on your back. There is a certain sequence in performing the exercises; first, a turn on the side is practiced, then a complete revolution:
- The baby's head rises slightly and carefully turns in the direction of the revolution. After turning your head to the side, your shoulders and pelvis will follow.
- The child's arm is retracted towards the inversion, followed by the torso and pelvis.
- Both legs of the baby simultaneously bend at the knees and tilt towards the inversion. They are followed by the pelvis and the upper half of the torso.
- One of the baby’s legs is bent at the knee, slightly pressed against the stomach and pulled behind the other, causing the pelvis and torso to rotate.
- A diaper is used, the edge of which is raised to ensure a soft natural roll of the baby onto his side and then onto his stomach.
The turn should be practiced in both directions so that the development is more harmonious.
How to teach a 4 month old baby to roll over
Before starting classes, you need to objectively assess the child’s physical fitness.
If he doesn't hold his head well, don't rush things. You can start the exercises if the baby holds his head well while lying on his tummy, and he really likes the process. This will be an additional incentive to quickly master the skills of a coup. After all, a new body position will allow you to see the world in a new way, form a different idea about it, and receive interesting information.
Preparation
Massage remains the most important and effective preparation for rolling onto your side and back. Therefore, do not be lazy and regularly start exercises with it. Moreover, this does not require hand strength or specific skills. At such a tender age, massage consists of a series of stroking, bending and straightening the arms and legs. Parents can cope with this without resorting to the help of a specialist.
Irina, mother of 5-month-old Igor: “My son began to roll over immediately after the massage course. Somehow I didn’t even think about revolutions; I knew that it should be between 3-5 months. And then, after the 9th massage, when dad turned on the TV loudly, Igorek, who was lying on the sofa, turned on his side, and then, on his stomach and stretched out in his arms like a gopher!”
Turning the legs
Laying the baby on a hard surface on his back (preferably on the floor with a blanket spread out), bend his legs at the knees and turn them to the side. The rotation of the legs will be followed by the pelvis and then the upper body.
Side turn training
Place your baby on his back and place your hands under his feet, allowing him to rest his legs. Give your baby a finger to grasp, but do not pull towards you. Let the baby do it himself. Having thus turned on his side, he can lie like that for some time. To do this, place a pillow under the backrest. This will strengthen the skill of lying on your side.
Turn onto your stomach
Take a bright toy or musical instrument (bell, tambourine) and attract the child’s attention with it. And then put it on the side of him, but so that the toy remains in sight. Wanting to get the thing he likes, the baby will try with all his might to roll over on his side and reach for it.
If he is close to his goal, then just watch, encouraging the child. If the coup doesn't work, get a little help. To do this, it is enough to fix one of the baby’s legs, pressing it lightly. You need to move the second leg along the axis, throwing it to turn it over. But don’t try to do everything for your child. You just have to give a hint, show the direction and scope of work. And he must finish the movement, bring it to the end, on his own. Don’t dream that one time will be enough to master the material. Small legs will not be so obedient. You will need to repeat the lesson several times.
At the same time, each time you need to slightly reduce the dosage of parental help and rehearse turns in different directions.
Rifles
Spread a blanket on the floor and a sheet on top. Place your baby's back on the sheet. Place cushions around the edges to prevent it from rolling onto the hard floor. On the side opposite from the pillows, lift the edge of the sheet on which the baby is lying and, rocking, slowly pull it up, saying:
Oh gu-gu, oh gu-gu, Don't spin around in the meadow. There's a puddle in the meadow. Your head will spin. You'll fall straight into a puddle, and you'll come to dinner wet!
Wait until the baby turns over from back to stomach under the influence of gravity. Let him lie on his tummy, and then repeat the game with turning over to the other side.
Using these tips, parents will be able to quickly eliminate the baby’s delay in physical development and teach him to roll over. Then, when the child masters this technique, the coup will be easy for him.
Positive dynamics in mastering the revolution
The skill of turning from back to tummy will be successfully mastered by the child under certain conditions. They can be divided into 2 groups: internal, depending on the baby, and external, which are created around him.
Internal conditions include:
- presence of desire to roll over;
- sufficient physical development, implying the ability to lift the head well and hold it confidently, and also, while on the stomach, raise the arms and legs.
External factors include:
- providing incentive for coups;
- the presence of a safe and solid horizontal surface;
- a favorable environment, supported by a good mood of the one who works with the baby
The baby masters the skill of turning from back to stomach when he is ready for this. Parents can help the baby by creating favorable conditions, performing massage and exercises. Despite the efforts and worries of adults, contrary to their expectations, the child chooses the time for revolutions himself.
Baby rolls over from back to tummy
Physical development of a 5-month-old baby
By this time, the child is able to overcome body weight. Leaning on his outstretched arms, he sways, pushing off with his legs. Lying on your back, raises your head and shoulders. These movements indicate a rapid desire to get up.
If you support the child under the armpits, he stands steadily on his legs for 2–3 minutes. Some babies independently master turning over from back to stomach and back.
If a 5-month-old baby does not roll over, do not worry ahead of time; each baby has its own pace of physical activity. Most children will only need to increase their practice time.
