Developmental milestones: head control

When will my baby hold their head up?

By three to four months your baby can hold their head steady when they're being supported to sit (Sharma et al 2022). From around six months, they will be able to support themselves while sitting up and have much better control over their head movements and hand to eye coordination (Sharma et al 2022). Bear in mind though that babies develop skills differently, and some babies may take longer to sit confidently.

How will my baby develop head control?

Your baby will take it slowly. They'll gradually develop head control over their first six months or so.

Newborn

Your baby's neck muscles are fairly weak when they're born. If you pull them up gently by their hands into a sitting position their head will flop back because their neck muscles can’t support it (Adleman 2023, Sharma et al 2022).

For the first few months, they'll rely on you using your hands to support their head and neck when you hold them. Perhaps it's nature's way of making sure you spend lots of time looking at each other face-to-face. As you cradle them in your arms, enjoy the chance to gaze into their eyes. It'll help you bond and will make them feel safe and secure (Sharma et al 2022).

One month to two months

By the end of your baby's first month, they may be able to turn their head sideways to look at something interesting while lying on their back (Sharma et al 2022).

When they are six to eight weeks, they may be able to raise their head a little while lying on their back (Adleman 2023 ).

By the end of their second month, they may be able to raise their head when they're lying on their tummy (Sharma et al 2022). By the time they are three months old, your baby may be able to support themselves with their forearms too (Sharma et al 2022).

Your baby will probably be strong enough to hold up their head in a car seat or sling. But, you may find they're still too wobbly for a lightweight stroller or a backpack. Wait until they can hold their head up steadily without any support from you to use these, probably at about six months (Sharma et al 2022).

Three months to four months

Your baby's head control will become much stronger and more coordinated during this time. When you support your baby to sit or hold them against your shoulder, they'll keep their head upright and steady all by themselves (CDC 2023, Sharma et al 2022).

Your baby should be able to do mini push-ups when lying on their front (Sharma et al 2022).

Five months to six months

By six months, your baby will have much more control over their head movements when sitting. They'll be able to hold their head up and turn their head to look around at what they want to see (Sharma et al 2022).

When lying on their back, your baby may hold out their arms to you and raise their head asking to be pulled up and held (Sharma et al 2022). Their head shouldn't lag behind their body as you pull them up to sit (Tidy 2023) or they start to pull themselves up (Sharma et al 2022).

How can I help my baby to hold their head up?

You don't have to do much to encourage your baby to develop head control. But you do have to be careful to support their head in the first months. Cradle your baby's neck and head in the palm of your hand when you pick them up.

Giving your baby tummy time from day one will start helping them to develop the muscles they need to lift their head up and hold it there and then to start rolling over (AAP 2023, NHS 2023). Tummy time encourages your baby to move their arms and legs, and build up the muscles in their neck and upper body ready for sitting and crawling (NHS 2023, Sharma et al 2022).

Some babies don’t like being on their tummy at first. Being in this new position can be a strange experience for them. If this happens, you could try:

• lying your baby against your lap or your chest
• placing some toys within easy reach
• talking, singing or playing with your baby
• propping them up a bit with a small, rolled-up towel under their arms
  (NHS nd)

Never leave your baby on their own during tummy time.

From three months to six months, you can prop your baby up on the sofa or on the bed. This will give them a better view of what's going on. If you want to sit your baby up, make sure they're in the middle of the bed or sofa and away from the edge. Stay with them all the time. Give them plenty of head and neck support.

Pillows are useful for support, but you could also sit them on your lap with the back of their head against your tummy. Sit them up in different spots around your home so their view changes and they can look at different things.

Once my baby can hold their head up, what comes next?

Once your baby has good head control, they can move on to sitting up, rolling over and crawling.

Your baby also needs good head control before they start eating solid foods. They’ll need to be able to sit up and hold their head steady to eat properly (NHS 2022a).

My baby is three months. Should I worry that they can't hold their head up yet?

At your baby's six-week check your health visitor or doctor will check head control as well as their posture and other movements (Adleman 2023). If there are any concerns, your health visitor or doctor will probably suggest a follow-up appointment.

Babies develop skills differently, some more quickly than others, and head control is no different. If your baby doesn’t have good head control by the time they're six months, speak to your doctor or health visitor (Tidy 2023).

Bear in mind if your baby was born early (before 37 weeks of pregnancy), or with a condition linked with developmental delays, such as Down's syndrome, they may reach this and other milestones a little later than other babies (AAP 2020, NHS 2022b, NICE 2017). Talk to your doctor or health visitor if you’re worried.

Find out when your baby may reach these physical milestones:

• Crawling
• Rolling over
• Sitting
• Standing
• Walking