Demystifying Development: Mapping out the Major Milestones as they relate to Sleep

A milestone refers to really any behavior or physical skill that a baby or child gains during their growth and development. Some are smaller, what I like to call “inchstones” and some are more major. Every child develops at their own pace, which is why each milestone has a range of ages during which it is typically achieved. Motor milestones are ones that your child achieves using their bodies, like rolling, crawling, or walking. It’s so exciting for parents to watch their little ones grow and change, but often times when a baby is working hard to achieve a new milestone they will experience a disruption in their sleep. Baby rolling to their tummy and getting stuck? Or pulling to stand but can’t get back down? The good news is that these phases are temporary and the best thing you can do for your little one is to give them as much practice as possible during wake time to work on their new skill. So what exactly are the skills that tend to affect sleep the most? Let’s break it down.

SKILL: ROLLING

Rolling is a highly variable skill and can occur anywhere between 3 and 6 months. Typically, babies learn to roll from tummy to back first (around 3-5 months) and then back to tummy, but don’t be concerned if your little one does it in the opposite order! By 6-7 months old your baby should be able to roll both ways consistently on their own. (Remember, once your baby can roll you need to stop swaddling!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peFiMNWd-bo&t=25s

HOW WE PROMOTE IT

It all begins with vision. Where a baby’s eyes go, their head and then body will follow. You can use a toy for them to visually track in an arc to initiate rolling (see video above). Side-lying play is another great way to prepare a baby for rolling. When on their side, babies use both their flexor and extensor muscles and learn to better control them which will help with coordinating rolling. Around 5-6 months your baby will also begin playing with their feet – this helps to strengthen abdominal muscles, desensitize the feet for walking, and progress back to tummy rolling skills.

SKILL: SITTING

Once your child develops good head control and trunk strength through tummy time and rolling, they will be able to start prop sitting. Prop, or tripod sitting, is when your child leans forward over their legs and supports their weight with their hands on the floor in front of them. With practice, baby will begin shifting their weight back so their trunk is over their hips and their hands can be free to play with toys. Independent sitting without using their hands usually emerges between 5-8 months.

HOW WE PROMOTE IT

The strength a baby needs to sit independently is gained from consistent tummy time. Once you notice your baby has good head control and a strong trunk, you can start helping them to sit up. You can support baby around their trunk first and then at the pelvis once they have become more stable. It’s a good idea to raise toys up a bit to encourage them to lift their head and activate their extensor muscles to sit upright. One thing that won’t actually help your child to learn to sit is putting them in containers (ie: baby seats, bouncers, exersaucers etc.) that restrict their movement. These should be used sparingly for a maximum of 15 minutes at a time while you get something done, or not at all.                          

SKILL: CRAWLING

In order to crawl, a baby first must be able to transition out of sitting. They need to spend a lot of time on their bellies which will lead to pushing backwards, then pivoting in a circle, possibly belly crawling forwards and then pushing up onto hands and knees. Next usually comes some forwards and backwards rocking while on hands and knees. After practicing rocking, your baby will begin to creep forward around 9-11 months old.

HOW WE PROMOTE IT

Try placing toys outside of your baby’s reach. You can support baby on their hands and knees over your leg and help them rock back and forth. Encourage belly crawling and give baby a large open space to move about. New environments are also conducive to baby learning new skills.

SKILL: STANDING

After crawling comes pulling up to stand. This is one of the most common milestones that I hear from parents that disturbs their little one’s sleep. I specifically remember my daughter screaming from her crib for me to come help her sit back down. Babies typically pull to stand around 6-10 months.

HOW WE PROMOTE IT

Practice, practice, practice during the day! Help your child lower down to sitting in your lap first (or a small step stool) then progressing to lowering all the way down to the floor. At first it may be more of a PLOP than a controlled movement, and that’s OK! Lots of squatting down to pick up toys will help them build control and confidence to get themselves down.

Now your child is fully upright and the fun really begins! Remember, every child develops at their own pace and these age ranges are averages not absolutes. Remember that children learn by repetition so daytime practice is the key to unlocking new skills! Listen to your parental instincts and reach out for an evaluation if you feel like your child might be struggling with any of these milestones.

Bio

Dr. Brita DeStefano is a pediatric physical therapist, mother of 2, and owner of Progress Through Play. Through her concierge practice, Progress Through Play, she provides in-home and virtual physical therapy and developmental wellness services for children birth to 5 years old. She believes that ‘milestones shouldn’t be a mystery’ and that no child should fall through the cracks. She is passionate about prevention, promoting developmental wellness, and educating families on their child’s motor milestones. As a mom herself, Brita understands that parents are looking for peace of mind and she thoroughly enjoys helping them create deeper connections with their little ones through play.

Brita can be reached through her website at www.ptpdenver.com and on Instagram: @ProgressThroughPlay.