At what age should an infant be able to raise its head while placed on its abdomen?

Infants typically develop the ability to raise their heads while lying on their stomachs, a milestone known as "head lifting," around the age of 3 months. At this stage of development, infants gain sufficient muscle strength and control, allowing them to lift their heads and, eventually, their chests while propped up on their forearms. This ability is important as it marks progression in muscle tone and coordination, laying the groundwork for further gross motor skills such as rolling over and crawling.

In earlier months, such as 1 month, infants generally have limited head control, mostly turning their head when lying on their back but not yet lifting their head significantly when prone. By 5 months, while many infants can hold their head up well and may even push themselves up onto their hands when lying on their stomach, the specific milestone of raising the head from the abdomen position is conventionally met by 3 months. By 6 months, infants show even more advanced control and strength.