baby rolling

Help! My baby just started rolling over and cries out of frustration when he/she can’t roll back! What should I do? Here are 3 simple tips.

1 - Remove the Swaddle

If you haven’t already, make sure baby is no longer swaddled during naps or at night, which is safety hazard after 12 weeks or when they begin to show signs of rolling. Remove it from the first nap of the day, working up to other naps, and then night. It will take a few days for baby to get used to sleeping freely, but they can do it! Allow them some time and space to work through the newness.

2 - Babies Need Alone Time Too

Give baby plenty of opportunities to practice rolling during the day, allowing them plenty of alone time on the floor to practice this skill. If baby spends every waking moment either in a carrier, stroller, being played with/talked to, or choosing between toys…they don’t ever have a chance to explore their body and practice skills. It’s really when they’re left alone, unstimulated and slightly bored that they tend to practice skills. It’s actually really beneficial to allow baby to just lay on the floor or in a pack-n-play when not eating or sleeping, while you cook, clean, work, get ready, etc, checking in with them and talking to them every few minutes, but giving them space when they’re absorbed in learning or practicing something. So no mom guilt about not playing with your baby all day! They need and want alone time too. Babies can actually become really fussy when overstimulated by a caregiver or too many toys, and then we intervene and stimulate them more, and it gets worse. All baby may need is just a bit of personal space.

3 - Frustration Can Be Useful

If baby becomes frustrated that they can’t roll a particular direction, instead of immediately helping them, try to give them the space to work through that frustration without intervening, even during sleep times. That frustration is useful because it gives them the motivation to figure it out! I typically don’t recommend intervening for sleep wakings (even ones due to rolling probs) unless it has been 5-10 minutes of true crying or 20-30 minutes of fussing.

This is a short term struggle! Baby will become a pro at rolling back and forth before you know it :)