Head Lifting and Baby’s Development

When your baby lifts her head while on her tummy, she strengthens her neck muscles and, later on, her shoulders. Your baby’s ability to lift her head indicates the beginning of motor development and body control. The ability to hold her head still, lift it and turn it to either side is the basis for the eventual ability to roll over, sit, crawl and stand. In other words, head lifting is the basis for the development of fine and gross motor skills.

In the time that passes between the first and fifth month of your baby’s life, baby goes from slowly gaining the ability to lift his head to lying on his tummy with his chest high up in the air, leaving one hand free to play with a toy. The following chart will help you understand the various stages of baby’s head lifting development.

Head-Lifting: Stage-by-Stage

1 month

Baby manages to lift her head and move it from side to side while lying on her tummy.

1-2 months

Baby manages to lift his heads off the floor while leaning on his forearms.