Help please with 8mo moving around

[Dottydoodoo]

Hello everyone. I know this post is probably going to make me sound completely bonkers, so I apologise in advance.

I've got a DS who is 8 and a half months old, and showing very little interest in crawling. I'm not worried about this at all as I know 8 months is still pretty early to crawl and that some babies never crawl at all. However, he really doesn't like spending time on his tummy despite spending all night asleep on it! he will roll happily from his back to his front, but will then roll straight back over onto his back again. He doesn't really do the push ups that they are meant to do with their arms but he straightens himself up ok, sometimes he will play with a toy for a few seconds on his front or if I get down there with him he will stay for a bit longer but not always. Sometimes he will flap his arms and legs about as if he is trying to move, and sometimes sticks his bottom up in the air and tries to burrow his head into the floor!

My concern is, that all the other movements that progress to standing up and walking all seem to involve getting onto all fours, like pulling himself up with furniture etc, and if he is never going to spend longer than a couple of seconds on his tummy, how will he ever learn to link all these moves together? I'm constantly trying to do tummy time with him but he just gets upset after a while. I've tried to hold him in an all fours position but he just puts his head on the floor and drops his arms down.

Is there anything I can do to help him? I'm not sure if he is starting to get a bit frustrated. Is there anyone with older DC who have been similar and then miraculously started to move around more? I know you don't see many adults who roll everywhere but I'm starting to think my DS could be the first!

[user1477282676]

Does he sit up on his bottom?

[Dottydoodoo]

Yes he does sit unaided, has been doing so for about three weeks now but still gets a little wobbly at times!

[welshweasel]

My DS always hated tummy time. He learnt to sit well by 6 months but only learnt to crawl at 9.5 months. He never did the tummy to all fours thing. He went from sitting to leaning forwards for a toy and eventually on to all fours from there. They all do it differently but try not to worry.

[tappitytaptap]

This sounds very similar to my DS who is the same age. He learnt to sit about 7 months, which whilst I know is not 'officially' late, was the last of my NCT group. He seems frustrated at the fact he can't move and does some odd twisting things and leaning right forward but hasn't figured out the crawling thing yet, or pulling up. I think its fine, though do have the odd moment of worry....I wonder if he will be similar to welsh's DS given his hatred of tummy time. Half my NCT group babies can crawl so far, probably not coincidentally those who enjoyed tummy time! Am sure it will come. If they are a little slower thats a little less running around for us?!

[purpleme12]

M my little girl hated tummy time too. They don't have to get on all fours to learn to move. My little girl bum shuffled. Don't worry you don't need to do anything he'll do it of his own accord

[SleepFreeZone]

My 10 month old has never sat on his bottom, he prefers to kneel, totally different to how my 4 year old developed his gross motor skills. Try not to worry.

[mmmuffins]

Mine also hates tummy time. Can only do bursts of 5-10 min with heavy distraction. She's almost 11 months and still not crawling. Im feeling a bit down about it now as the babies I know of the same age are now progressing to walking.

[Rascallsall]

We have an ancient video of my eldest trying and failing to roll at 9 months. She didn't walk until she was 16 months. Just not that bothered. Over 2 decades later she is a gym bunny and keen runner, half way through a PhD. Please don't worry, your son sounds absolutely fine.

[MsPavlichenko]

My (25) yr old son has cerebral palsy. We knew this was likely after a difficult birth.

Anyhow cut to the chase. Despite physio at 6 months he couldn't roll at all, sit unaided etc. Gross motor skills come when they come. Your wee one sounds absolutely fine to me, really !

[SleepFreeZone]

It always helped to think of how many adults (excluding disabilities of course) are still crawling around on their hands and knees? We all work eventually it's just some of us take longer to do it than others.

Having had a child that motored through his gross motor skill checklist but totally failed to progress with everything else, I hold little store in when children can crawl and walk and if it dictates their future IQ.

From memory the HV does a 2 year check and that will often indicate whether they have any concerns. They will at that point me looking at the child across the board, gross motor, fine motor, speech etc. So you have lots of time basically.

[SleepFreeZone]

*walk

[Dottydoodoo]

Thank you everyone, you have helped to put a neurotic first time mum at ease!

tappitytap I agree, far less running around and no stair gates needed yet haha!

I think a lot of the problem is that we go to a sensory group and a lot of the babies there who are the same age as DS are crawling and pulling up, climbing into boxes and all sorts, and while I know you shouldn't compare it's hard not to when this is something I have never done before. Funnily enough DS pulled himself up to a stand yesterday, it was a bit all over the place but he did it!

sleepfreezone thank you, I didn't realise the HV did that assessment at two years.

Now I'll go and find something else to worry about!