How to Train a Newborn to Lift Their Head?

Update Date: 2024-06-06 Source: Network

Exercising Newborns to Raise Their Heads

Newborns have very soft necks, so when holding them, it is necessary to support their necks. As the child grows, their neck gradually becomes stronger, allowing them to raise their heads, but the duration is not very long. Parents can appropriately exercise their children, but they should adjust the intensity according to the child's age to avoid injuring their necks. So, how do we exercise newborns to raise their heads? Let's take a look below.

1. How to Exercise Newborns to Raise Their Heads?

1. When the baby is over a month old, you can help them practice raising their heads. First, avoid doing it immediately after the baby has finished drinking milk to prevent vomiting. When the baby is in a particularly good mood, you can let them practice raising their heads using noisy toys to attract their attention.

2. Use brightly colored toys to attract the baby's attention and get them to raise their heads. Their eyes will follow the toys, and their heads will move accordingly, naturally raising their heads. However, keep in mind that their heads are still quite heavy and cannot be supported for long periods, so don't overdo the practice.

3. Control the duration of each practice session to within 5 minutes. Otherwise, the baby may become tired as their body cannot fully support their head. Parents should not force the baby to raise their head, as they will naturally learn to do it as they grow. There is no need to rush the process.

2. When Can Normal Newborns Raise Their Heads?

Babies aged 1 to 2 months can raise their heads 45 degrees when lying on their stomachs, supporting themselves for approximately 30 seconds. By three months, babies can stably hold their heads up when practicing lying on their stomachs, raising their heads to a 45-degree angle. At four months, they can fully lift their upper bodies when lying on their stomachs, raising their heads to a 90-degree angle with the ground. When held upright, their heads will be stable, upright, and their backs straight.

The correct way to exercise a baby's head-raising ability is to place them on their stomach on a bed, with their arms bent in front of them and palms facing down to support their bodies. The mother can use a brightly colored and noisy toy to attract the baby's attention while calling their name. It is important to note that after feeding, it is not advisable to immediately let the baby practice head-raising to prevent vomiting. During the exercise, talk to and praise the baby, such as saying, "Good job, baby!" or "Take a break if you're tired."

3. How to Judge if a Baby Can Raise Their Head?

1. When a baby is held upright, they should be able to support their head without shaking, or when they are lying on their stomach, they should be able to raise their head for a brief period and move it freely to look left and right.

2. After the baby has learned to raise their head, grasp their hands and lift them up so that their back forms a 45-degree angle with the ground. At this point, the baby's head should be able to stay steady and aligned with their body.

3. Raising a baby's head not only indicates the development of their upper body muscle strength and coordination but also serves as a training exercise for future skills such as rolling over, sitting, and crawling.