Can you make me feel better about my non rolling seventh month old please?

[Peterbishopssarcasticsmile]

I had a thread about this before I think but can't find it or maybe I hallucinated it as I'm very sleep deprived.
Basically my seventh month old won't roll. He CAN roll, he's done it both ways a few times but only once or twice under his own steam - we have to really encourage him with toys and stuff and even then half the time he just rolls half way and then rolls back - it's like he doesn't like the sensation.

My best friends baby is younger and flipping all over the place, basically repeat rolling across the room, rolling circuits around the cot etc and it's starting to make me worry that he doesn't seem interested at all

He can sit really well unaided once I've got him in position, on the mat or in a high chair and has really strong legs, he can stand in his bouncer or when I'm holding his arms but not really supporting him. When I put him in the cot he hardly.moves around apart from bloody leg thrashing through the night, and stays put quite happily on his back.

When he's on his back on the mat etc he prefers to obsessively focus on trying to eat his feet, and when he's on his front he's more interested in lifting all his limbs up and balancing on his tummy or scooting backwards. He twists all over the place on the changing mat to try and grab nappies, wipes etc but doesn't actually roll

I know comparison is the thief of joy but our group WhatsApp chat is full of videos of friends babies moving all over the place and making sympathetic overtones to me or telling me to contact my health visitor

My gut feeling is that all is fine but I'm really really tired and this morning it's just getting to me. SHOULD I be worried now he's a little older?

You should not be worried. No way. He sounds like he is doing great. Neither of mine rolled - ever as babies. Thought it was weird at the time cos as you say seemed like everyone else’s babies were constantly doing it. As long as there are other things he is doing (sounds like it) I would not be at all worried

I’m a nursery teacher and I have 14 gorgeous nieces and nephews. All are sooooo different and I love them all.

My niece recently started walking at 9 months.
My nephew recently started walking at 18months.
You must stop comparing to your friends children otherwise you’ll get more stressed, sad, worried.

You should mute or leave WhatsApp/social media for a while and just enjoy those precious first few years before your little boy is at nursery/school!!!

Sending this with love and please be kind to yourself. 💗Xxxx

OP this is me! My 6.5 month old has no interest in rolling. He can roll to his side easily to grab stuff but won't go all the way. My best friends baby is 6 weeks ahead and has been rolling for ages. It does get me down a bit but I try to rememebr every baby is different and also he's my second and my first was slow at everything too.

I know it's hard not to compare though

You can private message me if you would like to chat, our babies sound very similar!

I could have written this exact post 4 months ago when my DS was 7 months old! I saw him roll once and then he never bothered to do it again. I was so worried about it and used to use all the tricks in the book to get him to do it, but they didn't work. One thing I'd tell my 4 month ago self is not to bloody worry! Just let him do his own thing in his own time, and stop comparing. He is now 11 months and crawls at the speed of light and is pulling up on everything and cruising around. So I know it's hard but please try not to worry, your DS is perfect and is just choosing his own (non-rolling) path!

My eldest never rolled as a baby. He just didn't seem interested but sat, pulled himself up, crawled and walked at a totally normal age.

He's a very bright 20 year old at university and is totally capable of rolling now

I could've written your post 10 days ago but all of a sudden my (just) 8 month old rolls everywhere if we are trying to change him. If we are not changing him he is quite happy to lay on his back or front and twist but not actually roll. This has all coincided with him suddenly figuring out how to crawl forwards rather than push backwards/sidewards/anywayupwards.

My DD (now 15) didn't start rolling regularly until she was eight months old, but she was walking unaided before eleven months. Try not to worry.

My first rolled at 18 weeks, then didn’t stop! My second was 7 months, did it maybe twice then didn’t really see the point and only does it accidentally now. She’s sitting up, starting to crawl etc at nearly 9 months.

Don’t panic, they’re all different and although I’m pretty sure there’s no study to prove it I’d bet my house on there being no correlation between age/frequency of rolling and future health or success

My eldest rolled a bit, but learnt to roll after he could sit unaided. He was huge and didn't bother crawling so just sort of rolled and chucked himself around inelegantly. He gave up at ten months and decided it was easier to walk.

Youngest rolled and crawled a lot. He didn't walk until 14months as crawling and rolling was a perfectly decent way to get around.

They are all different any meet different milestones at different times. Don't worry about it. (Which is so much easier to say when its not your baby!)

My first rolled at 3 months, and was walking by 11 months. HOWEVER, she didn't really properly start talking until 2 and half and it's only in the last couple months (she's just over 3) that strangers have been able to understand what she is saying. Point is, they all develop differently. Not rolling at 7 months is perfectly fine, it obviously just doesn't really interest your baby. You do not need to worry!!

Just repeating what others have said in that they all dance to their own tune. My first walked by 11 months, my second by 9 months. However both have had intensive speech therapy, I'm talking weekly sessions for a year. My nephew didn't walk until 19 months but could speak in full sentences and count to 10 when most babies his age could only say Mum, Dad and No. now at age 5, there is no difference between my DD and nephew in physical ability or speech. Focus on activities he enjoys, use milestone guides as exactly that - a guide, and trust your gut.

Please.don't worry. My twins reached all milestones at different times. The one that was slowest with physical things is by far sportier now as an adult. One of them barely rolled at all, I think he was just a bit too chubby!

My eldest didn’t roll back to front at all until 8 months. He then crawled at 8.5 months, cruised at 9.25 and took his first steps at 10 months.

DS2 is almost 14 months and I have never seen him roll over completely. The rest of his gross motor skills are normal - he bum shuffles, pulls to stand and cruises bloody everywhere, so I expect he'll be walking soon enough. Some babies just aren't that interested in rolling.

DS1 rolled at about 9 months and was a bit slow on all his gross motor things, he's a naturally cautious kid. Walked at 19 months. You really have nothing to worry about, enjoy him staying in one place!

My DD never rolled! She crawled from sitting at 9 months and walked at 11 months. It was about a year old when she rolled from back to front for the first time in order to stand up! They all follow their own path, but they all get to the same place in the end. I worried sick about it at the time. All my NCT friends' babies were rolling all over and she just sat there, it's hard not to feel upset or worried. Then suddenly out of nowhere she was the first to walk, and then the first to talk. Honestly don't worry!

Thank you so much I think I'm going to mute the chat
They keep sending so many videos of nearly crawling and rolling and asking how my one is getting on it sounds silly but it's wearing me down a bit

Hi, OP. I have three DC, now aged 25/23/21. None of mine rolled. DS1 started walking at 16 months, DD started walking at 11 months and DS2 who I did worry about, only walked at 18/19 months, but has since done the Njymeggen March where you march in time with your group, 25 miles per day for four consecutive days.

So, please don't worry about your DC not rolling . I understand why you are but when we're young parents we can't help ourselves and waste so much unnecessary energy worrying about stuff.

Enjoy it while it lasts. Once they start rolling around you have to implement next level baby proofing.

Anyways, they can roll. They just choose not to by the sounds of it.

19mo DD. Sat up (once placed in that position) at 5 months but did NOTHING else (aside from whinge about being stationary) until 10 months old when she pulled herself up on the coffee table and cruised. Once she walked confidently at 12 months she was off; learnt to climb, run, crawl, bottom shuffle and jump within weeks.

I didn’t believe it at the time, when I was dealing with a frustrated, stationary, overtired non napper, but honestly it does all even out. Nursery tell me that she’s now advanced in gross and fine motor skills and the other day my MIL found her clinging to her curtain rail!

Mine was the same. Had rolled either way about once by 6 months. Now a walking, talking, howling, scrambling, climbing 2.5 year old. He'll be fine.

Try not to compare your baby to other babies. They all focus on different skills. My son could barely even crawl at 12 months. I was worried but he can do everything now. I think he was more interested in learning to talk than walk. If you’re still worried by the time he’s 1, take him to the physio for an assessment but he’s probably totally fine!

Please don’t worry they’re all do different. Ds could sit unaided at 5 months and could crawl up the stairs at around 8 months and was easily walking by 12 months. Dd on the other hand was totally different. Couldn’t sit until about 8 months, could only crawl properly by 12 months and didn’t walk unaided until at least 15 months. They’re 7 and 4 now and you’d never tell there was any difference between them.

I remember feeling just like you, desperately trying not to compare DD to others, but she never rolled. She didn’t even attempt. She hates tummy time and was just happy watching her friends get on with it.

She didn’t walk until she was 19 months. I remember being at a family wedding and feeling sad that she couldn’t toddle around and move to the music. She just sat and wiggled!

DD is now 12, she has spend the entirety of lockdown improving her stretching as dancing is her favourite thing. She’s never still and don’t even get me started on tik tok moves.

Basically, what I’m trying to say is that as frustrating as it is now, he’ll get there!

My DD never rolled! She crawled from sitting at 9 months and walked at 11 months.

This!! Well, virtually. My DS rolled onto his stomach twice, decided he didn't like it and never did it again. He hated tummy time with a passion from birth and crawled from sitting. Walked just before his first birthday and that was that. Some babies just hate being on their stomach.

Comparison is the thief of joy and all babies develop different skills at different times. My friends DD could hold a conversation (no joke) at 14 months but didn't even attempt walking till she was nearly 2. Mine walked early, babbled till he was 2 and then his language skills just clicked and he is an incredible communicator now at 3.