Is Your Baby Sitting But Not Rolling Over? Here’s Why
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Hello, proactive parents! I'm Dr. Lauren Baker, a pediatric physical therapist, and I'm here to share some wisdom on a common question I receive: "Why is my baby sitting but not rolling over?"
If you've found yourself wondering this, you're in the right place. I've dedicated my career to assisting proactive parents like you in supporting your baby’s movement milestones with ease and confidence.
The journey from tummy time to sitting up is an exciting adventure, filled with significant milestones that each play a crucial role in your baby's growth. But what happens when your baby masters sitting up before conquering the art of rolling over?
Let's dive in together and try to figure out a few reasons why this might be.
The Significance of Rolling Over
Rolling over is a milestone that typically occurs between 3 to 6 months, most commonly between 4 to 6 months.
It's not just about moving from back to belly or vice versa; it's a complex coordination of muscles, balance, and movement across different planes. This skill is foundational, setting the stage for future movements and milestones, including crawling (in my opinion, the hardest of them all!).
If babies do not have all of the things they need in order to roll over, such as struggling with tummy time, not being introduced to sidelying play (don’t worry almost no one tells parents about it unless they have a pediatric PT as a friend or family member!), or they have tension in their body — they could be at risk of not rolling over OR not rolling over in all four directions.
The Transition to Sitting Up
Sitting up, usually achieved between 6-9 months, signifies a new level of independence and strength for your baby. Often babies enjoy being upright, so they are highly motivated to master this milestone.
Other things, like babies being in sit me ups or seated containers like bumbos can get babies extra comfortable in the sitting position, which can actually make them less inclined to do the hard work involved with rolling or other movement patterns compared to their peers who spent more time on the floor.
It’s recommended that babies only spend up to 15 minutes in a seated device or any container that does not allow a baby to move freely on the floor (pack n plays or baby gated areas don’t count since babies can roll or move freely).
Sitting, especially in the beginning involves a different set of skills and muscle groups than rolling. Babies are primarily focusing on stability and balance, trying to simply stay upright against gravity and their legs in ring sit act as kickstands to assist in keeping them up.
Since babies tend to enjoy being in an upright position, most of the time babies struggle more with rolling than they do learning to sit. Especially because rolling is a much more dynamic motion that requires flexibility, strength, and coordination.
The Milestone Mix-Up: Sitting Without Rolling
Many parents notice their babies hitting the sitting milestone without mastering rolling over, which typically precedes it. When this happens, parents might wonder if it’s okay that their babies skipped or did not fully master rolling. The truth is, babies who skip rolling are often struggling with an underlying blockage to their movement patterns.
Rolling is much harder than sitting 99% of the time for babies. It requires mobility, strength, coordination, and is honestly a beautiful symphony of movement when they can do it well. But because it requires them to master a lot of moving pieces and building blocks, instead of just staying upright, they tend to go toward the path of least resistance: sitting.
The Role of Movement Planes in Rolling
Rolling is not just about moving from point A to point B; it involves a sophisticated dance across multiple planes of movement. This complexity makes rolling a challenging milestone for some babies, especially if their movement in one or multiple planes is restricted.
Human movement, including your baby's developmental milestones, occurs across three primary planes:
Sagittal Plane: Involves forward and backward movements, like walking or going up/down stairs
Frontal/Coronal Plane: Encompasses side-to-side movements or the I’m a little teapot motion
Transverse Plane: This is where rotation happens and usually it requires one half of the body to move on another half of the body, which makes it even more complex
Rolling is unique because it predominantly occurs in the rotational (transverse) plane, making it more complex and challenging for some babies. Sitting for example, is in the sagittal plane mostly as babies often either go forward or backwards when they are first learning to sit.
As sitting evolves, it can incorporate all three planes, but if rolling was skipped or a struggle you might find that more advanced sitting skills can become impacted like going from sitting into all fours (which requires rotation like rolling!).
For the most comprehensive information on this topic, please watch the video below as it includes picture examples and walks you through how you would use the book Tummy Time and Learning to Roll as a resource to help babies struggling with rolling.
TIMESTAMPS:
1:30 what ages babies roll over
2:40 what plane of movement rolling occurs in (this is important to understand why babies would skip rolling)
3:50 why rotation is the hardest plane of movement
4:30 why sitting is easier than rolling
6:43 does the baby have a mobility block in the rotational plane? and how to use Tummy Time and Learning to Roll book to figure this out
9:45 Neck mobility screens and exercises
10:40 upper trunk mobility screen and exercises
11:40 weakness in upper trunk, chest, and arm/shoulders and why tummy time is important regardless of age
13:20 most important aspect if a baby is sitting but not rolling
15:00 why having the right amount of flexibility and strength is important for everyone including babies
17:33 container use considerations, what not to use, and what to do instead
19:23 happy sitters and future consequences and how rolling helps crawling
23:40 jump ahead past break
25:21 top four things you want to focus on if a baby is sitting but not rolling
ALTERNATIVE CONTAINER IDEAS:
Upseat
Ingenuity Seat
PT Approved Equipment/Containers for Babies
TOY IDEAS:
Best Toys for Babies Learning to Roll
Best Toys for Babies
Tummy Time Toys
Identifying the Challenge: Mobility or Strength?
When a baby sits without rolling, it prompts us to investigate whether the challenge lies in mobility or strength.
Mobility First
Mobility issues often hinder the ability to roll over. A tight muscle or restricted movement in one direction can be enough to make rolling a challenge. I recommend starting with mobility screens to ensure your baby can move freely in all directions and if not, figure out which directions are more difficult and might be limiting their movement.
The mobility screens to look at include:
Neck flexibility
Arm flexibility
Upper Trunk flexibility
Lower Trunk flexibility
Upper and Lower Trunk combined flexibility
All mobility exercises recommended for rolling are linked in the mobility screen sections of the Tummy Time and Learning to Roll book, included in 240 color photographs and a free online video course that comes with the book.
Building Strength
After addressing mobility, the next step is building the strength necessary for rolling. This includes strengthening the neck, shoulders, back, and core muscles to support the complex movements involved in rolling over. Ensuring your baby has the muscular support to perform rolling movements is crucial. The book outlines exercises that target the necessary muscles for rolling, including the neck, shoulders, and core.
Typical exercises for babies to improve rolling include focusing on:
Core strength
Neck strength
Ability to tolerate Tummy Time
Sidelying Play
Arm strength
All strength exercises recommended for rolling are linked in the exercise sections of the book, included in 240 color photographs and a free online video course that comes with the book.
Practical Tips for Encouraging Rolling and Sitting
Let's put theory into practice with some actionable steps to support your baby's journey to rolling over:
1. Limit Container Use
Avoid over-reliance on devices that restrict movement, such as bouncers or seats. These can hinder the natural exploration and strengthening needed for rolling. Limit container use for maximum 15 minutes at a time up to 2 hours per day.
Floor play or “yes space,” play such as a baby gated area or pack n play can help babies explore safely. Floor play helps babies develop muscles more than containers, in fact, most containers restrict movement or promote non-optimal movement patterns.
2. Engage in Targeted Play
Incorporate exercises and play that encourage rotation and lateral movement. The strategies in my book, Tummy Time and Learning to Roll: A Baby Development Book for Ambitious Parents and Pediatric Healthcare Providers to Help Babies Learn to Roll Independently are designed to be fun and engaging, making tummy time a more fun experience for both you and your baby.
3. Seek Professional Insight
If rolling remains elusive by six months, a consultation with a pediatric physical therapist can provide personalized guidance tailored to your baby's unique needs.
4. Embrace the Journey
Remember, every baby's developmental path is unique. Celebrating small victories and maintaining a positive, proactive approach will make the journey more rewarding.
Why Does It Matter?
Understanding and addressing the reasons behind a baby sitting but not rolling is more than just about hitting milestones.
It's about ensuring a well-rounded development that lays the groundwork for future skills like crawling, walking, and beyond. Moreover, it highlights the importance of movement diversity from an early age, encouraging a range of motions that promote strength, coordination, and balance.
If a baby does not roll in all four directions, they are limited by something and typically it can be easily solved with some strategic exercises.
If babies are blocked in rotation and skip rolling they are at risk of skipping crawling as getting in and out of sitting and into all fours requires rotation and side bending both motions that are utilized in rolling (and often the reasons why rolling is not occurring).
Babies who skip crawling are at risk for having difficulty with pre-academic skills such as reading and writing as the foundational movement patterns needed for those skills are first developed in the all fours position.
Curious About Learning More on Tummy Time, Rolling, or Both?
The absolute best book for parents on tummy time and rolling is: Tummy Time and Learning to Roll: A Baby Development Book for Ambitious Parents and Pediatric Healthcare Providers to Help Babies Learn to Roll Independently.
The book comes with a free online video course to help parents fully understand how to complete the different exercises, printable checklists to know exactly where your baby is at, and when to reach out for additional help.
This book was written by Dr. Lauren Baker, PT, DPT, ATC, MTC, who is a Pediatric Physical Therapist in Boise, Idaho, trained in helping parents learn how to help their babies move and master their milestones.
She loves teaching parents how to see how their babies are moving as well as how to influence those movements though play positions and exercises to help babies move with confidence and ease.
Tummy Time and Learning to Roll is the first book in the Proactive Play series written by Pediatric Physical Therapist Dr. Lauren Baker in order to help Ambitious Parents and Pediatric Healthcare Providers learn how to help babies master tummy time and learn to roll. It is meant to help ambitious parents understand baby development from birth to six months (tummy time to rolling).
This book is a mix of easy-to-follow and more in-depth information than is typically found in baby development books because Dr. Baker believes parents deserve to have all the information at their fingertips.
This book breaks down each piece of movement in checklists so that parents know what their babies need for tummy time and rolling. It also covers what areas might limit a child with rolling, why it is so important, and when to seek help from a pediatric PT.
This book comes with colored photos and easy-to-follow demonstration videos that can help parents implement safe, strategic play-based exercises with their babies in 20 minutes per day.
A Great Resource For:
Parents and Pediatric Healthcare Providers of babies 0-6 months
Parents of babies who are struggling with tummy time, rolling back to belly, belly to back, or only to one side
Access to simple, easy-to-follow videos of play positions and exercises
Learning the four pillars of movement needed in order to master rolling
240+ Color Photo Examples of:
Tummy Time, Sidelying, and Back Play
Developmental Toys and Equipment
Hand Placement and Strategic Play Positions
Common Areas of Restriction or Weakness
When To Reach Out For Help
What If You Want Extra Help?
If you have concerns about their movement, remember, you can always reach out to a pediatric physical therapist. It's your right as a parent to advocate for your child's development.
Sometimes, a few tips and tricks are all you need to get your baby moving better. We're here to support you and release those mama worries. If you are looking for in home pediatric physical therapy, check our listing of therapists.
For those eager to learn more or seeking personalized guidance, I offer online video parent consultations internationally which can be scheduled by clicking here. I am dedicated to answering questions and providing tailored play activities for each unique developmental journey.
When Should Babies Receive Pediatric Physical Therapy?
Parents can call and schedule with a Pediatric Physical Therapist at any time, for any concern in all fifty states without a referral from their Pediatrician.
Pediatric Physical Therapy is medically indicated in all babies who are not rolling in all four directions by six months (back to belly over their right arm AND left arm + belly to back over their right arm AND left arm).
Pediatric Physical Therapy is medically indicated if you notice a flat spot on the back of an infants head (possible plagiocephaly), a tilt of their head consistently to one side (ear to shoulder - possible torticollis), or a rotation preference of their neck (consistently look only to the right or left - possible torticollis).
Many Pediatric Physical Therapists including Dr. Baker, can successfully treat flat spots (Plagiocephaly) without a helmet with a combination of therapy and positioning strategies if seen prior to 4 months (0-3 months is ideal). Dr. Baker uses the Baby Begin Method of repositioning.
Flat spots can be due to in-utero positioning, rotational preference (right sided flatness most common) and babies are at an increased risk for flatness if they are male, were breech, multiple birth, premature, have difficulty with tummy time, or are in containers > 2 hr/day.
Final Thoughts
As we've explored, sitting without rolling is a common scenario that, with the right strategies, can be addressed effectively. By understanding the intricacies of baby movement, focusing on mobility and strength, and applying targeted exercises, you can support your baby in mastering both sitting and rolling.
If you're navigating this developmental puzzle, know that you're not alone. I'm here to support you every step of the way, because I believe parents can influence how their children move when they are armed with knowledge, strategies, and a whole lot of heart.
Together, we can ensure your little one achieves their milestones with confidence and joy.
Thank you for joining me in this exploration of baby movement. Your dedication to your baby's development inspires me every day. Here's to many more milestones achieved and happy, healthy development for all our little ones!
Note: Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise regimen with your baby. This information is meant to inform and support, not replace, professional medical advice.
