When do babies roll over? Ages, safe sleep and swaddling

Rolling is usually your baby's first way of moving themselves, and it changes how you keep them safe. Australia's Red Nose, the Australian safe sleep charity, says most babies begin to show signs of rolling from about 4 months, with some earlier and some later. Rolling from tummy to back is on the CDC's 6-month checklist, meaning 75% or more of babies can do it by then, and the AAP says that by the end of 7 months most babies can probably roll both ways.

Two safety changes come with rolling. First, a baby who might roll must never be left alone on a raised surface. Second, swaddling with the arms in has to stop once your baby shows signs of trying to roll, because a wrapped baby who ends up on their tummy can't use their arms to move.

When do babies start rolling over?

The timing varies a lot. This table brings together what Australian and US sources describe.

The 4-, 5- and 7-month rows draw on Pregnancy, Birth and Baby's pages for 4 months, 5 months and 7 months, plus the AAP. A baby who rolls at 4 months and one who first rolls at 7 months can both be developing well.

Do babies roll tummy to back or back to tummy first?

The AAP says rolling from tummy to back usually comes first, followed by back to tummy, and that doing it in the reverse order is perfectly normal.

Many babies can roll one way for a while before they manage the other. That matters for sleep (see below).

How does rolling develop, step by step?

Each step builds strength for the next:

1. Head control. On their tummy, your baby lifts their head briefly at first, then for longer.
2. Forearm push-ups. By about 4 months the CDC's 4-month checklist lists pushing up onto elbows or forearms during tummy time.
3. Straight-arm push-ups. By 6 months most push up on straight arms with the chest off the floor.
4. Rocking, kicking and swimming. The AAP says pushing up, rocking, kicking and arm "swimming" usually appear at about 5 months and are the building blocks for rolling and crawling.
5. First rolls. Rolling from tummy to back is usually the first direction, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says your baby may start to roll tummy to back at around 5 months.
6. Rolling both ways. By about 7 months many babies roll in both directions, and some start using rolling to get to toys.

How can I help my baby learn to roll?

1. Offer plenty of tummy time while your baby is awake and you're watching. Australia's Red Nose says supervised tummy time from birth builds the neck and upper-body strength that helps a baby roll back over. See our tummy time guide.
2. Put toys just out of reach. The CDC suggests placing your baby on their tummy or back with toys just out of reach to encourage rolling.
3. Spread toys in a circle. The AAP's tummy time advice says reaching in different directions helps build the muscles needed to roll, scoot and crawl.
4. Play on both sides. Approach and talk to your baby from the left and the right so they practise turning both ways.
5. Give floor time instead of seat time. The CDC suggests limiting time in swings, strollers and bouncy seats so your baby has time to move, and the AAP gives similar advice.

Celebrate the attempts, not just the rolls. Pushing up, rocking and reaching are all progress.

Is it safe for my baby to roll over in their sleep?

Keep putting your baby on their back for every sleep, day and night, until 12 months. The NICHD Safe to Sleep FAQ notes that SIDS can happen at any time in the first year. Once your baby is rolling:

• If they can roll both ways on their own, Australia's Red Nose and the AAP's safe sleep guide say you can put them down on their back and let them find their own position. You don't need to wake at night to turn them.
• If they can roll only one way, Australia's Red Nose says to gently roll them onto their back whenever you find them on their tummy or side.

The cot matters even more once your baby moves. Use a firm, flat, well-fitting mattress (never tilted or raised), a fitted sheet only, and nothing soft or loose: no pillows, bumpers, lambswool, duvets or soft toys. Australia's Red Nose says devices designed to keep a baby in one sleep position can be dangerous and are not recommended. The AAP recommends room-sharing (not bed-sharing) for at least the first 6 months. Read our safe sleep guide and sleep environment guide for the full checklist.

When should I stop swaddling a baby who is rolling?

Every major source says to stop wrapping with the arms in once your baby shows signs of trying to roll. They describe the timing slightly differently:

These come from the AAP's swaddling guidance, the NICHD FAQ and Australia's Red Nose's guidance on stopping wrapping. Australia's Red Nose does not recommend arms-in swaddle bags as an alternative. The AAP says sleep sacks that don't swaddle and let your baby move freely can be used for as long as you like. The safest approach is to act on the earliest sign. Our swaddling guide explains how to stop.

How do I keep a rolling baby safe when they're awake?

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby's 4-month page says once your baby may start trying to roll, never leave them alone on a change table or any raised surface. Its falls prevention guide adds:

• always put a rocker or bouncer on the floor, never on a table or bench, and don't carry your baby around in it
• keep cot sides up whenever your baby is in the cot
• use the 5-point harness in the pram, stroller and highchair

Floor play on a mat gives your baby room to practise. Move cords and small objects out of reach, because a rolling baby can travel further than you'd expect.

What if my baby isn't rolling yet?

Babies reach rolling at different times, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby stresses that every baby develops at their own pace. If your baby was born early, the AAP's corrected age guide gives the example that a baby born 8 weeks early is not expected to roll tummy to back at 4 months after birth, because their corrected age is only 2 months.

When to get help

• Call 999 if your baby has difficulty breathing, has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin or lips, is very drowsy, hard to wake or not responding like they normally do, or has a seizure. These signs come from the NHS urgent help guide. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby also advises calling an ambulance if your baby falls from a height of 1 metre or more and hits their head, loses consciousness, or seems unwell and vomits more than once after a head knock.
• See a doctor promptly if your baby stops doing something they could do before, such as rolling or pushing up, or if their muscles seem unusually stiff or floppy.
• Mention it to your GP or health visitor if your baby isn't trying to roll during floor play by 5 to 8 months (corrected), as Pregnancy, Birth and Baby suggests, or isn't rolling tummy to back by 6 months.

What's worth writing down?

Note the date your baby first rolls each way, and whether they roll in their sleep. That tells you when to stop arms-in wrapping and whether to turn them back during sleep. If you're worried, a short video of floor play helps your GP or health visitor see how your baby moves.