What’s The Deal With Prop Sitting?

“Is prop sitting good/bad/neutral?”

ANSWER- In my opinion, neutral. Once they’re showing readiness signs for sitting (often around 5 months of age), placing them in sitting for brief periods before they’re getting in/out on their own is usually totally okay & can actually be really beneficial for solids readiness & safety. Here are the readiness signs I am looking for:

• Chin off their chest when sitting (and good head control when carrying them/chin tuck during pull to sit)

• Low back is no longer rounded in sitting – this relates to extension through the spine. When a baby is doing tummy time, their spinal curves are forming. The spine in utero is basically a big C. This creates the fetal position, and is what will remain in the thoracic region (mid back). This is the PRIMARY curve. Then, as they do tummy time, SECONDARY curves at the cervical (neck) and lumbar (low back) spine develop when they push up on hands, shift their weight, etc! So, when they are in a sit position like this and their low back is straight, that tells me that the extension has moved down their spine, and their spine is ready to take the force of sitting practice!

• Ideally rolling both ways (back to belly and belly to back) – which tells me that the core muscles (specifically the obliques/rotators) are active and helping assist, acting like a corset to all of the important stuff in the abdomen and contributing to core stability that will help with safe eating.

• Ideally pressing up onto hands when on their belly – this tells me that their arms are strong enough & active/ready to participate in a PROP sit with weight shifted forward and pushing through arms in a sit position.

Here is a post with videos of those readiness signs for sitting & some more information.

Note- floor time should still be the priority until they can get in/out sit on their own!!

Hope this helps!

Want More?

For developmental questions, tips and guidance related to milestones about tummy time, rolling & sitting, crawling and walking, check out KC’s developmental Masterclasses linked here.

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KC is a pediatric doctor of physical therapy, wife and mom of three! She has spent her career working with children and young adults of all ability levels, and currently specializes in birth to three years.