When Should I Worry About My Baby W-Sitting?
"When should I start correcting W-sitting?"
Answer: I've shared a bunch about W-sitting on my page, but generally speaking, there are a few things I consider when thinking about W-sitting:
First, are they hitting milestones on time? If so, move to the next!
Do they use a variety of positions to play, or rely solely on W-sitting (70% of the time or more)? The thing is, w-sitting can be absolutely normal if used in conjunction with other play positions. Children very frequently move through play positions like side sitting, short sitting, criss-cross sitting, tall kneels, w-sitting, etc. as they get closer to the object they want and navigate play.
The concern for me becomes when W-sitting is the primary or ONLY position a child can play in, which typically shows me that there may be some underlying weakness, either through the core or hips. In this case, I would suggest gently cueing them and have every person that's with them use the same phrase. "Feet first", "legs straight" are great cues! They may need gentle physical cues, in the beginning, to figure out what you mean, and that's okay!
The last thing to consider is that w-sitting is typically more common in younger babies, especially when moving from crawling to sitting. The OLDER a child gets, the more I'd like to see less and less w-sitting. But again, consider the information above, and don't ever be afraid to request a PT evaluation if you have any concerns about persistent w-sitting or anything else for that matter!
Hope that helps!
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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.
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.
