How long support baby head

Sit baby upright in your lap as you play and read together. Holding baby facing outward or laid over your forearm can also help develop strong neck muscles. By this age, babies are becoming much more engaged with their surroundings.

Lay baby tummy-down and put a toy that lights up or makes noise just out of reach. When baby lifts his or her head to investigate, slowly lift the toy off the ground, which in turn will encourage baby to lift his or her head even higher. Sit baby upright as much as possible during awake time, either on your lap or in a Boppy pillow. Talking, reading and singing to baby are great ways to get baby engaged with the surroundings, making it more likely that baby will want to lift his or her head and get involved.

At this age, hold baby upright against your shoulder when carrying, which will naturally encourage baby to hold his or her head up. Your doctor can give additional exercises to perform with baby.

Next on Your Reading List. Introducing Tummy Time to Baby. Baby Growth Chart. Improved head and neck control is just one of the things you have to look forward to.

In no time at all, your baby will be crawling, walking, talking… and so much more! Not all parts of parenting are as exciting as seeing another milestone reached. Diaper duty awaits! How we wrote this article The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Read This Next.

View Sources. First Year. First Year Groups. Go to Your Baby's Age. References AAP. Preemie milestones. American Academy of Pediatrics. American Occupational Therapy Association. Important milestones.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Childhood development. Merck Manual Professional. Delay in walking. Patient UK. Six-week baby check. Introducing solid foods. Birth to five development timeline.

NHS Choices, Tools.