6 month baby development

[Cscsbsmum]

My baby boy will be 6 months in 2 weeks time. He is a big baby (and has a big head!) I’m a bit worried about his development. He can sit with a lot of support but his head droops forward when he gets tired. He cannot roll yet and doesn’t even seem interested. He hardly bears weight when I try to hold him in standing position (although if he is crying and angry he can). He can hold his head fairly strong when I am holding him or he is sitting on my lap. He reaches out for toys and can hold toys with 2 hands. He puts everything in his mouth. I’ve also noticed his mouth hangs open quite a lot! He doesn’t like tummy time but we persevere for a few minutes several times a day- he can hold his head up for a bit, but then just puts his head down and cries to be “rescued”. He doesn’t really push on down on his palms during tummy time. He used to babble quite a bit but hasn’t really babbled at all in last few weeks. So basically he isn’t doing an awful lot! However he is very content, sociable and smiley. He sleeps 12 hours at night and has a few short daytime naps. I’m unsure if he is delayed with gross motor skills, or if he is just lazy/content, and if his size is making moving/sitting/head control difficult. Heath visitor was out last week and mentioned he was a bit behind but didn’t seem too concerned, however I can’t stop worrying about his development. Thanks in advance.

[Cscsbsmum]

Thanks for your reply. I think it’s the combination of the lack of rolling/sitting/babbling that’s worrying me. My first child was later with all gross motor skills so I suspect he will just be the same but somehow I’m much more worried this time around!

[Cscsbsmum]

Thanks, you’re probably right that it’s playing on my mind. DD didn’t crawl at all, bottom shuffled at 12 months and walked at 16 months, and apparently my husband didn’t walk until he was 2 so I suppose that’s why I’m worrying. Really need to appreciate all the things he can do and try stop worrying!

[ACJD]

My 6mo boy isn't rolling either. He rolls onto side but has never fully rolled onto tummy. He has good head control too and can sit up supported. I too am worried bout him as his sister rolled way earlier than 6mo and was sitting unaided by 6mo. But then again I could dedicate all the time in the world to her. Now I have my boy and a 14month age gap I havent the same time to dedicate to floor time with him, and when I do my 21mo crawls all over us both!!

[Cscsbsmum]

Yeah I think you’re right about the fact we can’t dedicate the same amount of time to them! Not sure about yours but my 2nd baby is certainly more content so maybe we need to be grateful for that! Haha. On a positive note my baby rolled last week and has managed it quite a few times since (only back to front so far). However now his sitting seems to have gone backwards and he is needing lots of support! Probably because he is now focussing on the rolling!

[Lolacat1234]

Is he a big boy? My son was so different to my daughter at 6 months, he barely rolled at all and was much more content to sit and mastered that before rolling, to the point where I never even noticed it being a milestone! He just kind of skipped it! My daughter on the other hand hates sitting, all she wants to do is get down on her tummy and roll around lol. What I'm trying to say is don't worry they all do things differently xx

[Cscsbsmum]

Thank you, I’m trying really hard not to worry but I can’t seem to stop myself from focusing on all the stuff he can’t do. He is a big boy- everyone comments on the size of him! It’s not that I’m bothered if he’s last to meet all these milestones- I just wish I knew that he definitely will meet them so I know not to worry. Suppose the worry is just natural part of being a parent!

[Yazeee]

Hi Cscsbsmum just wondering how your son is doing now. Hope all is well.

[Cscsbsmum]

Hi,

My little boy is almost 8 months now. He started rolling about 6 months but only from his tummy to his back. He has still never rolled into his tummy. He still hates tummy time and I can no longer encourage it as he just rolls back over! He will now bear weight when I hold him under arms. He is not yet completely independent when sitting but can manage a few seconds before toppling. I don’t think he is far off. Still worried as progress is very slow- def no signs of crawling, showing no inclination to move, etc. Also not yet making any consonant sounds- will make ooh/ah noises and squeals. What do you think?

[Yazeee]

What does your health visitor say? Did you take him to the doctor for a check up? I have a little girl who's going to be 4 months in a week and I think she too is lazy physically.. she only just started lifting her head up the past week. She hasn't rolled, hates tummy time and won't use her arms and hands to push up.. I think she's too young to bear any weight on her legs so haven't tried that.

[Cscsbsmum]

Sounds exactly like my little boy at that age. Health visitor hasn’t seen him since 6 months (and that was extra because I was worried). At that time she agreed he was probably just lazy (and that being bigger would make it harder for him). She is back out in a few weeks because I have requested another check.

[Yazeee]

Keep me updated please. Hope all goes well.

[mishimab]

My 5 and half month old is exactly same your baby. She has not rolled yet and cannot bear weight on her feet. I am also worried all the time and any update would be appreciated. Please keep us updated
!

[Cscsbsmum]

Of course I’ll keep you updated. He is very close to independent sitting now so fingers crossed he will have mastered that before health visitor comes!

[Harrysmummy246]

Ds is now 2.5

He's been late with every physical milestone (and still can't jump, which given it's 2 questions on the 2y check questionnaire, he's definitely late). Didn't walk til well past a year, did a weird half bum shuffle half crawl etc

But he is getting there in his own time and he's shooting so far ahead with language, and counting. We see progress, and to be honest, we sometimes feel we were actually lucky to have that bit longer with an immobile child! It's so much trickier to do anything when you have a little 'helper'

[Yazeee]

Cscsbsmum thank you 🙏🏻

Harrysmummy246 thanks for the info about your exprience. It's very reassuring. I feel like my wee daughter is also developing faster with all the social skills. She made eye contact straight away, was socially smiling by 5 weeks, giggled very early, followed objects very quickly, started grabbing toys quite early too. She responds to sound and shows a real interest when we talk to her and babbles quite a bit normally. She loves music and tv (I know it's not a child's best friend at this age 🙈) So maybe we're being paranoid over nothing but it's real hard not to worry.

[Cscsbsmum]

Thank you harrysmummmy246, that is reassuring. Everyone keeps saying they are usually better in one area but what worries me is my baby isn’t really babbling either (he does make vowel sounds but no consonants yet). If I felt he was putting all his effort into that then that would explain the lack of physical development! Maybe he is just super chilled!

[Harrysmummy246]

DS was officially behind on language at 15 mo when we had HV check. By 2y3mo, wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ahead.....

Seriously he talks all the time, his vocabulary is beyond counting and he's regularly stringing together 7 word sentences.

[Cscsbsmum]

Thank you, that’s really helpful. If it were someone else’s child I would tell them not to worry, every child develops at own rate, one day they just take off, etc etc but different when it’s your own 🙈

[Yazeee]

Cscsbsmum how are you getting on? Have you seen the health visitor yet? Hope your wee one is good?

My daughter has started trying with tummy time again but is only pushing up with her right hand 🙄 Did your son do the same? My health visitor will be visiting next week so I thought I'll ask here until then ? Xx

[Cscsbsmum]

Hi he didn’t really push up at all. Health visitor coming our next week. He’s still not really doing any more and is now miserable most of the day. Not sure if he is just a bit fed up and frustrated 😩

[Cscsbsmum]

So health visitor was out today. She was happy enough with him physically (he can sit but can only roll one way, can’t crawl and cant pull up). However he didn’t quite “pass” the language checklist. HV was very realistic and said he was making plenty of noise so to continue to work on the sounds and it should come. Now more worried about language than motor skills! 😩🙈

[Yazeee]

Sounds like he's making progress physically which is good 😊 not sure what the language skills should be like at 8 months though.. I thought as long as a baby was making noises and responding and trying to communicate one way or another then they are surely fine and language will come with time. So I'd say don't worry about the language too much as long as he's happy and communicating and responding well. As @Harrysmummy246 has said they can be behind to begin with but it could change anytime.

My wee girl has also progressed quite a bit over the last few weeks 😊 Her head control have got better, she's started pushing up with the left hand too over the last week and she rolled from back to tummy all day on Sunday 😊 Babies are strange though! She rolled all day on Sunday and then yesterday she didn't want to roll at all and I have been making her do it today so that she doesn't forget.. she would rather not do it though and is only doing it because I'm making her. On Sunday though all she wanted to do was roll... makes me crazy!

[Cscsbsmum]

Aw I’m so glad to hear she is doing better too. They certainly like to keep us on our toes, don’t they? Funny when my little boy rolled he did it for a day then stopped for a few days before picking it up again.