W Sitting: What's The Big Deal?

What is w sitting?

W sitting is when the child sits with their bottom between their heels and the legs folded out to each side. A quick google reveals many articles telling you to stop your child sitting like this... But why?  And is it even bad for your baby? 

W sitting is a typical sitting position that babies frequently adopt once they have learned to sit independently. It is usually one of many positions they use. Most babies can move between these positions independently and do so quickly rarely staying in one place for long (cue exhausted parent!).

Is w sitting bad for my baby?

If you Google W sitting you will trawl up articles reporting it causes everything from hip dysplasia to poor coordination… the short story, this just isn’t true! There is no research to indicate W sitting causes problems for typically developing children.

For the vast majority of babies W sitting is not problematic. So what do we need to think about when it comes to any type of sitting?  

Variety is key- Babies benefit from experiencing a broad variety of positions and movements. 

To support their development, encourage play that involves lots of different movements and positions sitting, standing, squatting and kneeling. Create a play space that encourages your baby to move and explore. 

Encourage independence- Support your baby’s development by providing opportunities for them to move between positions.

Help them learn how to move between sitting, kneeling and up into standing. These transitional movements allow them to develop independence and expand their play skills as the world they are able to explore expands!

Sit less- In 2019 the World Health Organisation released a statement “To grow up healthy children need to sit less and play more”.

Of course for our babies sitting is one of many positions they play in. For babies under 1 year these recommendations indicate not being restrained for long periods (more than an hour), encouraging lots of free floor-based play multiple times a day in a variety of ways (including tummy time) and having no sedentary screen time. 

So are there children for whom long periods of w sitting might not be a good idea?

Yep sure! Kids with neurological conditions like cerebral palsy, or orthopaedic conditions like Developmental Hip Dysplasia should get individual advice from health care practitioners about how different sitting positions might affect their skill development. There is no one-size-fits-all solution!

Short story-

• Don’t worry if your baby is using W sitting as one of many play positions that they move fluidly and independently between
• See your health care professional for individual advice if your baby has specific orthopaedic or neurological support needs.

Want more tips about how to support your baby’s development? 

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