To ask when your child first started moving independently?

[basketofironing]

DD is 9 months next week and I'm starting to lose patience with her refusal to even try to move independently. Please tell me I am being unreasonable in expecting her to start trying.

Backstory so don't get accused of the old drip feed- she had awful reflux as a newborn and therefore tummy time was few and far between because she'd scream the house down if we put her down.

I think we made a monster in doing this because now she still hates being on her tummy. She'll tolerate it for a few minutes but then just whinges until she is righted. She has excellent balance when sitting so very rarely falls down and has to fix herself.

I'm approaching breaking point as she has been just vile with it lately because she has started to want to be near me all the time but can't get to me and seemingly can't be bothered to try. She also starts crying when we encourage her to put weight on her legs so attempting to walk seems a distant hope right now.

Having said this (adding as an afterthought before I post) after I put her down for the night she will always roll over and will shuffle herself up to the top of the cot and often sleeps the night on her tummy with her legs tucked underneath her body. Why does she hate it in the day then??

My eldest 3 were all about 13 months ish walking, my fourth was walking and running properly at 9 months and scaling stairs and furniture a couple of weeks later. My fifth was just attempting to crawl at 9 months. My friends baby was still bum shuffling at 18 months but is a cheer leader now. They really are all different and I don't think your dd is 'late' to move at 9 months, just some other babies are early! Early movers seem to be late talkers and early talkers late movers in my experience. Health visitor conformed this was her exp also, she said the brain can only concentrate on one thing at once!

Oh MN. I do love the way some of you intentionally misinterpret posts.

Thank you to everyone who has replied in a constructive way. I do think I am being a bit first time mum-ish in expecting her to miraculously wake up one day and crawl. So thanks to everyone who's shared their experience and given me an idea of what to expect!

I'm still very confused about why vile is a pearl-clutchingly horrific turn of phrase. I'm not suggesting she is choosing to be a nightmare, I'm merely describing my perception of her mood.

Oh and thank you to those who suggested discussing with HV about her legs. It's not an immediate cry, she will put weight on her legs and can balance without much support. It's almost like she gets frustrated or just doesn't like it very much. Definitely not a pain cry but I will bring it up next time I see the HV.

Neither of mine even sat up until 9 months. Crawled at 13 ish months, walked very soon after. They are now 7 and 10 and you really wouldn't know the difference from their peers - they can all walk now!!

Rolling at 5 months, crawling at 7 months and pulling up/standing/cruising at 9 'months.

I feel cheated. It's sodding hard work now.

Babies can be right little unintentional assholes.

I should have added that I couldn't even sit up at one, was seen by a specialist and declared lazy am fine now, definitely speak with a HV if you are worried

DC1 was crawling at 4mth and cruising at 7mth.

DC2 wasn't sitting or crawling until 12mths but by 13mths he was running around!! He never got to rolling.

Don't stress. She'll find her own way. Some babies bottom-shuffle.

Good grief NCT groups send first time mothers bonkers!

She will do it in her own time! Don't forget, she is learning everything for the first time so YABU to say 'she can't be bothered to try!'

She's so very, very little! Be patient and enjoy her at this stage!

Neither of my children crawled and they didn't walk until they were 2!

You are coming across as quite fed up and frustrated with your little one.

DS didn't roll over til 7 months. I was a bit worried (as you do, first time mum). He then crawled a few days later and was walking at 10 months and running and climbing at 11 months. And he's never stopped moving since! I was jealous of the mums at playgroup with the non movers that could sit and chat while I was chasing him around.

DD2 is 10 months. Started commando crawling at 6 months, proper crawling at 8, standing up at 9 and been cruising last few weeks.

DD1 was about a month later with all these but had already mastered no, mama and dada at nearly 11 months. They all vary so much.

I think people are objecting to vile because, to my understanding anyway, it indicates intent. Someone who demonstrates "vile" behaviour is someone who wants to be unpleasant or vindictive or aggravating. Clearly a baby cannot have this intent.

On your other point DS spent at least 2 months getting onto his knees then collapsing and getting cross. Thought it would never change. 2 weeks ago at 10 months he suddenly crawled and is now pulling himself to kneeling up. Can happen anytime!

Haha you're joking right?

DS sat up at 8 months and started crawling at 14.5 months.
He is now 19 months and still not walking. He was however 2 months premature.

Sees a paediatrician every 6 months who doesn't see an issue with it all. He stood up on his own today without holding anything and walks holding with one hand now so he's not far off.

9 months is nothing!

You think you made a monster because you carried her when she was in pain as a very young baby with severe reflux ?

Are you serious?
She doesn't have an 'attitude/mood', she is a tiny baby! Yabvvvvvu to say you are 'losing your patience' with her. I genuinely don't understand? There is a chance she will be a little happier once she can move to get toys etc but it won't change her into a different baby and stop her wanting to be picked up etc. I'm guessing you are feeling fed up with a whingey baby and I do have sympathy for you for that. But don't wish the stages away, and try not to put expectations on her at such a young age.

For what it's with, my little boy (now 13m) crawled at around 9m and isn't quite walking confidently although takes steps every so often.

And FWIW, commando crawling at 4 months , proper crawling at 5 months , cruising at 6 months . At 9 months he is going through a clingy phase and when he does I just pop him on my back and get on with life .

My ds is the world's clingiest baby. He sat up at 7 months, started bum shuffling at 9 months and now at 11 months isn't showing any inclination to do anything more, although did finally figure out how to roll onto his front about 3 or 4 weeks ago.

The bum shuffling has made him slightly more independent but does mostly just mean he now shuffles to me wherever I am and cries to be picked up. Ho hum.

Please don't worry. My DD sat really early on and then bum shuffled... she missed out crawling completely. She was pulling herself up by her 1st Birthday but didn't walk until gone 14 months... and hasn't stopped running since!

I remember being convinced she would be walking by her first birthday and then feeling really anxious when it didn't happen but they all get to it eventually. It's harder too when you compare your baby with others - they all do things at different times. For example we've found potty training easy.

I am definitely more relaxed about my DS. He's 8 months and frankly I'm in no hurry for him to crawl or walk, it will be a nightmare once they are both on the move!

Oh she's really little. I wouldn't worry about it. Dd had reflux and we never did tummy time. Think she was about 11 months when she started to crawl and 14.5 months before she took a few steps.

I have a lazy 8 mth old nephew who isn't even rolling over onto his yet (unless it's onto his back when we try to force the issue lol). He knows how to sit and will do so for hours if he has a reason (other kids) but otherwise will slump into a reclined position just like his dad. Lazy sods both of them lol.

My DD crawled long before she could sit. She had reflux and hated tummy time until she could roll, I think she just wants to be in control.

Does she sleep? I would happily swap the crawling, climbing things (!) and having to stoop and hold hands for walking for my 7.5 month old's skills for not having to hold/cuddle to sleep and held the whole time for all sleeps except when being pushed in pram. Babies like all humans cant be good at everything.

My DS is 17 months and has only just started walking. He was late to roll, late to sit up, late to crawl and obviously pretty late to walk. Out of my NCT friends he is the oldest but has been the last to do everything! We did loads of tummy time too so I think that's a bit irrelevant to be honest. DS has got more than the normal amount of teeth though, so that's something...

Seriously, 9months is really young still. Some babies are later to meet milestones than others and there is nothing you can do to force it. Try and be patient, I know it's hard - now DS can walk im worried about his talking, it never ends!

My eldest could roll across the room at about 4 1/2 months, sat up at 6 months, cruised round the furniture two weeks later and walked at 7-7 1/2 months! Her twin sisters were different, one walked at 1 year 1 week, the other not until she was 16 months, tho they were both exactly the same birth weight and it's not like one was treated differently to the other.
My eldest daughter's little boy was an early walker, he was about 8 months old, as was my sister. My brother and I were over s year old. All kids are different. X