My son is 8 months old, and not sitting up yet. My daughter sat on her own when she was 6-7 months old. I do understand that every child is different and develops at their own speed, but it's hard not to compare. Should I be worried?

Since babies reach different milestones at different ages, there is a wide range of "normal" for every stage. Though the "average" baby sits at around six and a half months, some babies sit as early as four months. And some not before 9 months. Genetic factors programme your baby to sit, and to accomplish other skills, at ages that suit your child.

So what can you do to help? At an early age baby can get practise in sitting up if you prop him up in a baby seat, or a pushchair.* Another factor that might slow sitting (and other skills) is if your baby is too fat for his age. A roly-poly baby is more likely than a thinner child to fall over when trying to sit.

As long as you're giving your baby plenty of chance to practise, it's likely that he'll be sitting on his own sometime during the next two months. If he doesn't, and/or if you feel he's developing slowly in other ways, talk to your doctor.

*Alternatively some mothers have found that a baby who spends most of his time lying down, often stands before he sits. We don't know why, but assume that it might be that he is accustomed to being upright!

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