At What Age do Babies Roll Over?

You’ve heard the saying you have to crawl before you can walk, but you actually have to roll before you can even crawl. A baby’s first step towards mobility is usually a roll rather than a crawl, and it tends to happen around four months of age.

At what age do babies roll over?

While some babies will roll onto one side to sleep in their newborn days, most babies lose the ability to roll onto their sides within the first month. Don’t be alarmed if this is the case for your baby. Rolling over comes back at the four-month mark once your baby has developed sufficient upper body strength and muscle to use their arms to propel themselves up and over from the belly down position.

The first roll over tends to happen by accident, and it usually is an unintended result of one of the push-ups that your baby may do during tummy time. By six months old, most babies will have mastered rolling from stomach to back and back to stomach.

Not every baby will have a rolling-over stage. Some babies skip rolling over and go straight to trying to stand instead. However, if your baby isn’t rolling over, trying to sit upright, or trying to scoot around by seven months, you may want to talk to your pediatrician about your baby’s development.

Once a baby learns how to roll over, they may turn it into a game with themselves. Your baby may even attempt to wiggle away from a diaper change or snuggle into you while you are relaxing. With a combination of regular tummy time and age, your baby should be rolling over starting at four months old.