12-month baby and milestones

[umscho]

Hi everyone!
My little boy turned 1 today, and I can't help but worry that he's behind and that I'm doing everything wrong.

During his 9 month check, our health visitor told us that he was behind for most of his milestones but that it was nothing to worry about as he had just turned 9 months, but he still hasn't achieved many of those.

I'm a SAHM so he doesn't go to nursery. He vary rarely interacts with babies, beside the neighbour's little girl and his cousins, very occasionally. I worry that it the lack of social interaction might be a factor. I'm going to start going to the children centre with him.

He can't talk just yet besides saying "mama" "mumumum". But he still doesn't associate the word with me.

He's not walking, he just recently started crawling properly without dragging with his hands.
He can't stand unassisted. He has to hold onto/against something.
He can use his stroller walker though.
He can't clap, wave or blow kisses.
He doesn't play games like pat a cake.
He doesn't pass a ball back and forth, but he will kick it.
He doesn't imitate sounds and doesn't point.
He's got very good eye contact though and he recognises his name.
He still doesn't play with his toys properly besides pressing the buttons on his stroller and rolling the rolling pin thing, he will try and put those jumbo baby crayolas in his mouth, we got him a toy hammer with balls but he will just throw the hammer or put it in his mouth.

Is it worrying?
Thank you

Hi @umscho
First quick question, is this your first baby? If so I think that maybe that is where a lot of your anxieties lie. I have 2 DC, DD who will be 3 next month and DS who turned 1 last Tuesday so very similar age to yours. My DD progressed pretty 'normally' and there are no concerns with her, she's going to a wee pre-school, talking, potty trained etc and so far my DS is basically following her trajectory (if a little behind but every child is different) so I am hoping he too will meet all his milestones in his own time. For context see my list below as to where my DS is compared to yours and where DD was at this stage too:

I don't even get a muma, it's all dada but again not associated properly
Not walking (close but not yet)
Can't stand unassisted (has once or twice but not really) mainly furniture surfing
He can clap but hasn't waved yet and I don't ever remember my DD blowing kisses this young
Definitely doesn't play games like Pat a cake, again I think he's much too young for this
Haven't really tried much with a ball? I think he does pass it back to DH but this isn't a definite regular thing
He does imitate some sounds but not pointing yet
Great eye contact and also knows his own name
Puts EVERYTHING into his mouth and mainly just throws his toys around the place

In summary from my own personal experience your DS sounds absolutely fine! I am in no way concerned about my DS (neither is my health visitor) and he sounds at a very similar stage to yours. You sound like a wonderful, diligent mother who is doing everything right and in my opinion you should be giving yourself a big pat on the back for keeping a small human alive and healthy for a full year and spending his birthday looking over pictures of his first year and congratulating yourself. Certainly not worrying about this. He's young and in my experience it will only be in the next year you will really start to see developmental milestones being met 🥰

Sorry also to add my DD didn't go to nursery and was the only granddaughter on both sides of the family and she was born during Covid so she spent her first year being the absolute centre of attention and having no real concept of other children. These days at pre-school she's busy telling other children what to do 😂 although I would definitely encourage mother and toddler groups for your own sanity as much as anything else

@umscho how is your son doing how?