Baby milestones: when do babies roll over?

Up until now, your baby has been quite happy not doing a whole lot. But once they hit that big rolling over milestone (usually between 4-6 months), that’s a pretty good sign that you’ll soon have a baby on the move!¹

For your baby, rolling over is the first major physical milestone, and it’s as exciting for you as it is for them. It’s also normal to have lots of questions about what age babies roll over and how you can help your little one get there.

Just remember that every baby is different, and your little wriggler will roll over when they’re ready! Whether your baby is on the move already or you’re wondering how to help your baby roll over, our handy guide is here to help, packed with helpful advice on how to support their increasing movement.

Most babies will start to roll over when they’re 4-6 months old. But every baby is different, and while some are on the move at 3 months, others are happy to wait until they reach 7 months².

Your baby probably won’t hit their rolling over milestone out of the blue. They’ll spend time building the strength and coordination they need before they roll from their tummy to their back and vice versa.

Most babies roll from their front to their back first, with rolling from their back to their front coming a little later. Let’s take a closer look at each stage, month by month.

For your baby, rolling over from their tummy to their back tends to be easier, which is why it often comes first. The first roll might happen entirely by accident when your little one pushes themselves up unevenly during tummy time, and gravity does the rest to send them onto their back⁴.

Your baby might seem quite surprised that they’ve reached this rolling over milestone! It’s a great sign that their arm and neck muscles are developing well.

If your little one has been successfully rolling from their front to their back for a while, you might wonder, ‘when do babies roll from their back to their stomach?’ It’s normal for this skill to develop a little later because your baby needs more strength and coordination to work against gravity.

By 6-7 months, most babies have mastered the art of rolling over both ways. They might even start rolling to move around, so now’s the time to start thinking about babyproofing if you haven’t already.

When your baby is rolling over, they’re developing more of the strength and coordination they’ll need to sit, crawl, and move between positions – exciting times ahead!⁴

Remember, every baby is different, and your little one might hit these rolling-over milestones at different times – or even skip rolling altogether and go straight to sitting!

Your baby is unlikely to wake up one day and decide to roll over out of the blue. Instead, there’ll be some telltale signs that they’re about ready to roll.

Look out for your baby⁵:

• Holding their head up without getting tired.
• Enjoying playing in different positions, like on their back, tummy and side.
• Pushing themselves up with their arms and kicking their legs during tummy time.
• Rolling onto their side.
• Wriggling and holding their arms and legs off the floor when they’re on their back.
• Turning their head in response to sounds.
• Reaching for toys.

There are a few things you can do to help your baby on their way to reaching their rolling over milestone, including regular tummy time and playing with toys. Take a look below.

Tummy time is just what it sounds like – giving your baby supervised time each day to lie on their tummy while they’re awake⁶. You can start tummy time for a few minutes a day from birth and build up to 10-15 minutes several times a day.

Getting your baby used to tummy time helps build the strength and muscle control they need to roll over. Not all babies take to tummy time straight away – it can take a bit of getting used to! It can help to pop a rolled-up towel under their arms, lay out some high-contrast toys or a baby-safe mirror, and lie face-to-face with your baby to help make it fun^7,1.

Playing with toys and encouraging your baby to reach for them can also help them develop their rolling skills. Try this⁴:

• While your baby is lying on their back, try getting them interested in a toy.
• Slowly move the toy across your baby’s body to their side, just out of reach.
• Encourage your little one to reach across their body for the toy to start the rolling over movement.

Remember to move the toy slowly so your baby can follow it with their eyes and head, and to practice this movement on both sides so your little one develops their strength evenly. 

If your baby needs a little extra help, you can do some guided rolling exercises together. After you’ve moved the toy across your baby’s body, you can⁴:

• Hold your baby’s leg on the opposite side from where the toy is.
• Slowly and gently guide their leg across their body so they roll onto their side and then onto their tummy.
• If you need to, untuck your baby’s arms from underneath their body. 

You can even roll over yourself to show your baby how it’s done! Just make sure you have plenty of space to play.

Hitting the rolling over milestone opens up a whole new world for you and your baby. It also means there are a few extra things you’ll need to think about to keep your little one safe and sound while they’re on a roll.

Here are our tips⁸:

• Never leave your baby unsupervised on a raised surface, like a bed or changing table, even for a second.
• Make sure the only items in reach are safe for your baby to play with.
• Keep curtain or blind cords tied up and out of the way.

If you have any questions or concerns, speak to a healthcare professional, like your GP or a health visitor.

The safest sleep position for your baby from birth is on their back⁹. But once they can roll from their back to their tummy and back again by themselves, you can let them find their own sleeping position. The first few times your baby rolls onto their tummy in their sleep, you might want to gently pop them on their back again, but don’t feel as though you have to get up during the night to check.

Remember to keep your baby’s cot free of blankets, bumpers, pillows, wedges, and anything designed to keep them in one position¹⁰.

If your baby hasn’t started rolling over, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s any reason to worry. While most babies will have reached the rolling over milestone by 6-7 months, it’s perfectly normal for others to take a little longer.

If your baby hasn’t shown any signs of rolling over by 8 months, try increasing tummy time and making sure they’re not spending more time than is necessary in pushchairs, car seats, bouncers, or swings (this can affect their motor development)^11,12.

It’s worth speaking to a healthcare professional if, at 6-8 months old, your baby¹¹:

• Isn’t rolling in either direction.
• Doesn’t hold their head and shoulders up during tummy time.
• Doesn’t reach for toys or other objects.
• Started rolling and has stopped again.
• Seems very stiff or unusually floppy¹³.

These things may be nothing to worry about, but it’s always a good idea to speak to someone if you have any concerns at all – after all, they’re there to help. You know your baby best, so follow your instincts.

It’s perfectly normal for babies to start rolling at 6-7 months old, so it’s likely nothing to worry about². If you like, you could look at our tips for helping your baby roll over, like increasing tummy time, playing with toys, and gentle exercises.

Some babies are early bloomers and start rolling over as early as 3 months². However, it’s also normal for your baby not to start rolling over until around 7 months. Every baby is different and will reach their rolling over milestone when they’re ready.

Yes, if your baby can roll from their back to their tummy and back again, it should be safe for them to roll onto their tummy when they’re sleeping⁹. You can gently put them on their back again if you like, but don’t feel as though you have to check on them regularly to do this.

Yes, it’s normal for some babies to skip the rolling over milestone and go straight to sitting independently – what little trailblazers!

When your baby is very young, you can start with just a few minutes of tummy time per day. As they get older, gradually increase tummy time until it’s at least 10-15 minutes several times per day⁶. This will help your little one get stronger so that they’re ready to roll over on their own.

It’s very normal for your baby to roll from their tummy to their back before they can roll from their back to their tummy⁴. It can just take a little longer for them to master the back-to-tummy roll because it requires some extra strength to move against gravity. This is usually nothing to worry about, but you can always speak to your healthcare professional if you have any concerns.