When Should My Baby Roll Over?

When Should My Baby Roll Over?

This is the most common developmental question I see from parents. Understandably so, because it’s the first major developmental milestone your baby will do. But also, it’s not as black and white as we want to make it. 

At the four-month well check, many pediatricians ask, “Is your baby rolling yet?”

That question sends some parents into a spiral, googling (hi, is that why you’re here?) or scrolling Reddit. Rolling isn’t a single yes-or-no milestone and the internet will give you black and white answers. But the truth is it’s a process with gray areas — and understanding that makes a big difference.

At Driving Development, we focus on helping families see that gray area clearly by drowning out the noise of the black/white thinking on the internet. Rolling doesn’t happen overnight; it unfolds in stages as your baby gains control, strength, and coordination. That’s the power of the gray area. Let’s go into some foundational info first.

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There are Three Stages of Rolling. Let’s explore them below.

Accidental rolling

In the beginning, babies may roll accidentally when the weight of their head tips them over during early head control. This isn’t a true skill yet — it’s a reactive movement. As their neck strength improves, this accidental rolling usually disappears. In fact, we want it to. That means baby’s head control is getting stronger so they can counteract the lack of head control.

Log rolling

You may notice your baby rolling like one solid piece, where the head, trunk, and hips move together as a unit. This is called log rolling and it typically appears around three to six months as babies get stronger and explore movement intentionally. It doesn’t have to happen but it’s one of the ways your baby can learn to roll.

Segmental rolling

The final stage is segmental rolling, when the upper and lower body move independently — for example, when your baby starts the roll with their hip instead of the whole body at once. This level of control usually develops closer to five to seven months when they are consistently reaching for their feet. 

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Why Was My Baby Rolling and Then Stopped?

This is one of the most common questions I hear, and it almost always has very easy explanation rather than a sign of a delay. When a baby rolls for a few weeks and then stops, it’s often because they’re transitioning from accidental to intentional rolling. It could also happen closer to 5-7 months as baby becomes stronger in transitioning to the next milestone of sitting and crawling. We want a child to advance from rolling to crawling so if your child is older and stopped rolling, it’s possible their body is following the natural progression toward crawling.

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What’s Considered “Normal” For Rolling?

Rolling typically emerges between three and seven months, and anywhere in that range is developmentally appropriate.

Every baby’s body and timeline is different. The most important factors are that your baby gets frequent floor time, time out of containers, and opportunities to explore different positions.That’s where coordination and strength are built. Luckily, we exist. Thrivescreen provides daily developmental activities based on your baby’s age to help support their next goals.

When to Reach Out

If your baby isn’t showing any attempts to roll by six to seven months, or always prefers one side, it’s worth checking in. That’s where a ThriveScreen™ can help — not as a diagnosis, but as a proactive look at how your baby moves and what simple changes can support progress to make sure baby stays on time with development.