Milestones- Mini push up, sitting, crawling and walking

[Firstimemum86]

I'm wondering if anyone out there can offer some advice.

My son is now 12 weeks old and I'm trying to gauge if he is progressing as he should be- I am a first time mum so I don't have any past experience in what is normal development.

Should my baby be able to push himself up whilst on his tummy by now?

Generally I think his head control is good and the health visitor said he had good muscle tone at about seven weeks. If I put him on his tummy with a towel or pillow under his arms and prop him up myself he will hold the pose for a little while and gradually sink down until he's chewing his fists.

If I put him straight down with arms in front of slightly to the side he will just pretty much stay down and start chewing his hand and maybe, occasionally raise his head. He then starts to get agitated and I feel I have to pick him up. In both cases, with and without a pillow, he kicks his legs quite a lot which causes him to move around a bit.

Should I be concerned that he's not pushing himself up? I think he might be physically strong enough to do it but I don't know if I'm placing his arms in the right position to make it easy for him? Where should they go- out in front, side, under chest? I don't think it's occurred to him that he can use his arms and chest to push himself up, is there anyway I can make him realise that he can use his arms in this way?

Is there a way I can make being on his front more enjoyable for him? He seems to get fed up after a minute or two which makes practice hard to undertake.

I think he's been developing as he should be thus far- smiling, giggling, head control, he's starting to hold things a little too now and he's taken to staring at his arm and fist for some reason now, it's just I'm wondering if he's behind with the push up? It doesn't bother me how fast he progresses as such - some times things take longer for some people than it does other me included! I'm more concerned that I might be missing something in helping him progress? I also want to check that there are a variety of weeks at which babies reach this milestone? My other concern is that if he has a big delay in doing this, will he be delayed in the other milestones like sitting crawling walking etc?

When were your babies pushing themselves up? Do you feel that a delay in pushing up led to a delay in the next milestones? Can you offer any tips for encouraging development or is it simply they'll progress onto the next step in their own time?

All insight much appreciated ☺️

[Miloarmadillo1]

There is a list of physical milestones and range of normal for attaining them here but please chill out. Your baby is 12 weeks old and you are worrying about when he'll walk!

[Firstimemum86]

Thanks - I've seen that page, and others like it, before.

Think you've misinterpreted the tone of my thread- I am already prettied chilled out, but thanks for the suggestion to do so!

Being a first time mum (check out my very original username) my aim was to open a discussion about milestones and the real experience of other mothers and thus obtaining some answers to the questions I have relating to my son.

[skankingpiglet]

With my DD I can't remember how old when she started pushing herself up, but I don't think she was particularly amazing at it at 12wks. She sat unaided at 4.5mo which was really early, but didn't roll until 6.5mo which is really pretty late - I remember as I was really anxious about it! Everyone else's babies were (seemingly) rolling at 4mo. I think what I am saying is they all have their own specialities and interests, and there is a huge range of what is normal. DD is a nosey bugger who was only interested in what everyone else was up to, hence wanting to sit up and watch... she often didn't even want a toy, she just had this quiet dark stare!
In terms of getting your DS better at it, just give plenty of opportunity Tummy time isn't just counted as time on their tummy on a mat, time lying on your chest/shoulder counts too. My DD HATED being on the mat for a very long time, but loved being carried around looking over my shoulder. When she did do mat time, I used to put her hands under her shoulders in a press up position. It's very normal for them to slump back onto their hands after a bit, just as you (most likely, unless you are a mega gym-bunny!) would after a bunch of press ups.
In answer to your poll on the other milestones, she crawled at 8.5mo, walked at 12mo 1wk, and ran at 15mo. Pretty average

[3sugarsplease]

I'm a first time mum too and feel the way you do at times - worrying about my DC's development. But it is true that everyone's babies reach milestones at different times.

Ignore the previous poster, I understand you want to do everything to can to assist your babies development.

My DS is 19 weeks and it's only within the last 2 weeks he's been doing mini push ups and rolling over. He can sit himself up for about 30 secs before tilting over.

When your DC is doing tummy time. Dangle a toy in front of their face and gradually pull it higher, it will encourage them to 'push up'

But don't stress I'm sure your doing every right

[Rinceoir]

My DD was doing little push ups very early- around 2 months. Was rolling both ways by 4 months-spinning around the room. Sat unaided at 5 months, crawled at 6.5, cruising by 8. Didn't take her first steps until she was very nearly 15 months (I thought she would never let go of the furniture) and was running within a week. My friend's child (same age) never rolled, sat at 8 months, crawled at 12 months and walked at 15 months also.

[omama]

My ds(now 5) was pushing up at 3 months, sat at 5.5 months, rolled at 6/7 months, crawled commando style at 9 months, standing 10 months, cruising 11 months, crawled hands & knees 12 months & walked at 14.5 months. He HATED tummy time so we didnt really do much of it til he could actively roll.

My DD (12 months) was pushing up at around 3/4 months, sat up unaided at 6 months, rolled at 7 months, crawled hands & knees at 10 months & has started standing the week before her first birthday. She's not cruising or walking yet. She liked tummy time better than ds so we did more of it yet she is slightly behind him in reaching her milestones. I am not in the slightest bit concerned. Hope the responses to this thread enable you to see there is a huge variation in achievement of milestones - i really wouldn't worry, your baby sounds just fine

[Firstimemum86]

It's really great to know that, actually, there are quite a wide range of times that babies do things and they don't always meet their milestones in the same order. Also good to know that my baby isn't the only one who gets frustrated on his front!

My son is still not really enjoying tummy time being flat on the floor. He kicks his legs loads but doesn't use his arms - by kicking his legs so much he really unbalances himself. He'll get there in the end I'm sure. I've started using a cushion folded in half to put under his arms and he seems to quite like that, it gives him so good height and he's able to look round and see at quite a distance!

Thanks for all the feedback guys 😀

[minipie]

Suggestion to help with tummy time - prop a mirror in front of them so they can look at themself.

TBH I think the age babies reach their milestones has very very little to do with what parents do - it's far more about their inbuilt levels of coordination and motivation than what position we put them in.

[Firstimemum86]

Hi Guys

Just thought I'd update the post.

My little boy has rolled, back to front, when he was about 5 and 1/2 months and now we can't stop him from doing it, even when we're changing his nappy. No front to back but I am just assuming he will do it if he wants to, still not the biggest fan of being on his front, though he can do the mini push up now too.
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