From rocking to rolling, and back again!

Your baby may now take part in tummy time. It may have taken some time for them to get used to playing in this position, and they might well still be getting used to it. When in this position, they will be making movements like reaching for objects, and they may even be lifting their heads more to tune into their surroundings.  

What preparing to roll will look like

At this point, your baby will be preparing to roll. At first, they may rock from side to side as they prepare themselves to roll from tummy to back. When first rolling, you can encourage them by offering them a favourite toy or interesting object to reach for.  

When your baby is playing on their tummy, you might see them push themselves up using their hands before rolling to one side. At first, this action might appear to be uneven or happen in small steps rather than in one smooth action.  

Your baby will be developing stronger muscles through their body, especially their core, which will help to support this action. They will also have increased strength in their head and neck muscles, which really help with this movement.^[1] This developing strength will extend into other gross motor actions as your baby grows, such as reaching for toys, and later, sitting and standing.^[2] 

What you'll be seeing next

Your baby will soon be rolling over completely as their muscles continue to develop. Once they have rolled from their tummy to their back, they will most likely begin to roll from their back to their tummy. 

References: 

[1] Karen Gill, M.D., Catherine Crider. (2019). When Do Babies Start to Roll Over?. Available: https://www.healthline.com/health/baby/when-do-babies-roll-over#when-does-it-start. 

[2] Alex Fedde Kalverboer, Brian Hopkins, Reint Geuze, European Network on Longitudinal Studies on Individual Development (1993). Motor development in early and later childhood : longitudinal approaches. London: Cambridge University Press.