Once your baby has head control, he or she will start working on the next big milestone: Rolling over. Your baby will eventually learn to flip over from back to tummy and vice versa, and he or she will use this newfound skill to get around a bit. The incentive for those early rolls is often an elusive toy – or you.
When it develops
Your baby may be able to kick him- or herself over from tummy to back as early as age 2 to 3 months. It may take your baby until he or she is about 5 or 6 months old to flip from back to front, though, because stronger neck and arm muscles are needed for that maneuver.
How it develops
At about 3 months, when your baby is having tummy time he or she will lift the head and shoulders high, using the arms for support. This mini-pushup helps your baby strengthen the muscles needed to roll over. The two of you will both be amazed the first time a flip happens. (While babies often flip from front to back first, doing it the other way is perfectly normal, too.)
At 5 months, your baby will probably be able to lift his or her head, push up on both arms, and, with back arched, lift his or her chest off the ground. All these exercises help develop the muscles needed to roll over in both directions – likely by the time he or she is about 6 months old.
While some babies adopt rolling as their primary mode of ground transportation for a while, others skip it altogether and move on to sitting, lunging, and crawling. As long as your child continues to gain new skills and shows interest in getting around and exploring, don't worry.
What's next
Your baby developed leg, neck, back, and arm muscles while learning to roll over. Now those same muscles will be put to work as he or she learns to sit without help and to crawl. Most babies have mastered sitting up by 6 or 7 months; crawling comes a little later.
Your role
You can encourage your baby's new skill through play. If you notice your baby rolling over spontaneously, see if he or she will try again by wiggling a toy off to the side. Or lie down next to your baby on one side – just out of reach – and see if he or she will roll to get closer to you. Applaud the efforts and smile. Rolling over is fun, but it can also be scary for your baby at first.
Although your baby may not be able to roll over until about 3 months, it's best to keep your hand on him or her during diaper changes from the very beginning. Never leave a baby, even a newborn, unattended on a bed or any other elevated surface. You'd hate for the first rolling-over experience to result in an injury.
When to be concerned
If your baby hasn't figured out how to flip one way or the other by the time he or she is about 6 months old, and isn't showing any interest in getting around by any other means, bring it up the next time you talk to the doctor. Babies develop skills differently, some more quickly than others – and some babies never really take to rolling over. But if your child hasn't moved on to sitting and trying to scoot or crawl instead, ask the doctor about it. Keep in mind that premature babies may reach this and other milestones later than their peers.