Oh my! So much fuss about this sitting posture!
Let’s bring some order and clarity—maybe it will help you understand this pattern,
its benefits, and its risks. And along the way, it might even improve your communication with doctors.
The reality is that when spontaneous sitting emerges in a baby (around 9 months), they have different options.
(Note: I’m not talking about propping a baby up in a sitting position on the floor at 5 months if they can hold their torso, nor about lap sitting, which is a wonderful earlier stage.)
What do I mean by “options”?
The baby can sit in at least four different ways:
- Bi-ischial sitting
- Mermaid position (one leg in external rotation, the other in internal rotation, allowing for quick transition to crawling—very dynamic)
- Half-kneeling position (with one foot supported)
- W-sitting
Each of these has its own advantages.
The mermaid position allows a quick shift into quadruped, making it highly dynamic.
W-sitting, on the other hand, provides a lot of trunk stability. By lowering the center of gravity, it stabilizes the pelvis and trunk, which in turn can lead to better hand function.
That’s why it’s an ideal position for stacking blocks or playing with hands, especially when precision is required.
For this reason, children with hypotonia or certain stability difficulties tend to choose this position more often.
But that’s not a problem—it actually gives them an advantage.
Interesting, right? Seeing it as a problem or an advantage?
Yes, it’s a very anterointernal pattern. So what?
Does it cause hip problems?
No, I don’t think so.
It certainly doesn’t cause dysplasia. A recent systematic review on the topic confirms this. You can find it here.
Will it prevent proper femoral anteversion maturation?
Maybe… but only if there hasn’t been enough time spent in prone position with extension and contralateral patterns.
- If the baby has spent enough time in prone,
- If there is enough muscle tone,
- If physiological posture and movement patterns are present,
Then everything will be fine.
Remember that this sitting position has great advantages for fine motor development.
Try sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out and no support—you’ll see how difficult it is to play cards or build towers that way.
So, what’s the real issue?
If there is one, it would be that the child doesn’t have any other sitting options.
W-sitting doesn’t allow for easy weight shifting or pelvic dissociation, so it’s not very helpful for developing locomotion.
But that’s not its purpose.
Let’s stop demonizing it so much!
That said, do encourage other types of sitting that allow for side exits and transitions to quadruped.
And how do you do this?
That’s another story.
Hugs!
See you on the journey!
P.S. If you want to learn more about baby motor development and its connection to cognition, check out the book:
“Trastornos del Neurodesarrollo,” published by Elsevier recently.
Fresh off the press!
This book is going to be a game-changer!
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