When can my baby sit?
It's a small topic - but one that I get asked about very, very often. It's about the question: When is a baby allowed to sit?
I don't want to spoil anything. But the question is actually answered very quickly and banal: a child sits when it can sit.
But it's not quite that simple. There are a few aspects to consider and things to understand.
It is certainly not a good idea to sit a child who is not yet able to sit - and to stabilise them with cushions, for example.
What is not a problem at all, on the other hand, is if you take a baby on your lap for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour and let it lean against your breast.
In the same way, the child can be raised a little from time to time - but only for a short time.
However, the most important thing for a baby is to be able to lie down and kick freely. And this is not just for physical reasons. Because nature is pretty clever: a child only straightens up when it has developed to the point where it is ready to be exposed to more sensory impressions.
And that is also my main point: if the child sits too early, takes on new perspectives too soon, it is confronted with impressions for which it is not yet ready and prepared.
Please be patient - your child can sit for another 90 years. It just needs to lie down for a few more weeks. Wait until your child is ready - and can sit without assistance. Until then, let your child lie down and look at the ceiling or at mummy's beautiful smile and daddy's pretty eyes. That's enough to keep him busy.
The conclusion is - once again - the crudest of all paediatrician wisdom: Grass doesn't grow faster if you pull on it.
Further interesting tips
Bedwetting
When it comes to bedwetting, parents are often surprised by the point at which it is first mentioned. The good news is that if the child has been wetting the bed for a longer period of time, it's good news: It often only takes patience for the issue to resolve itself.
Taking a temperature
Now it's getting curious. Bavaria's Minister President Markus Söder told the Süddeutsche Zeitung this week that he takes his temperature every day. And he's not the only one. But is that even necessary?
Devil's circle of movement
"Bird flies, fish swims, man runs" Emil Zatopek, the legendary Czech long-distance runner, once said. And the man was right! Running, racing and exercise are part of our basic genetic make-up. But they should also do it - especially children.