to feel inadequate?!

[Inka2010]

My DD has just turned 9 months (yesterday) and had her review with the HV, who is lovely. She told me to start doing things with her such as clapping, reading books, waving hello and goodbye. I then looked on the internet for "games to play with a 9 month old baby" and found all sorts of information about developmental play eg teaching them how to push and pull, respond to questions, point, undo things, recognise objects etc.

My DD is a very happy baby, she loves other people and I talk and play with her during the day eg roll balls back and forth, and she loves physical games such as letting her fall through my legs. But mainly she just loves putting things in her mouth!

But I would be interested to know about other people's babies at this age as she can't do any of the things the HV mentioned like clapping or waving. Also although she can sit up really well she can't crawl yet (although she is a big baby, off the chart in terms of her height and over the 98th percentile for weight).

The guilt that motherhood brings!

Hey, don't stress honestly! They are so unpredictable at that age.

DS was never a perform o order sort of child and still isn't, but I'd defy you to meet a more charming sociable, intelligent very nearly 4 year old.*
shame on your HV for not giving you more reassurance about your skills.

**may be demonstrating a slight bias there..

Also DS never crawled and didn't walk until about 15 months, then took off one day from his pushchair and never used it again (I never really thought that happened by the way)
Same thing with talking - he was a very late starter and then hasn't shut up for the last 2 years [grin}

I found that most big babies tend to take their time with things like this, and then all of a sudden they just get it and do it very quickly.

my son had quite a heavy head and is also in the 98th percentile height wise and heavy, although only 75th percentile for weight.

i found myself worrying that he wasn't up to speed, but now he's 2.2yrs old and he's caught up and more.
Once they get more mobile they learn so quickly its scary, so i wouldn't worry about it, shes happy and healthy just let her be and she'l be fine.

Thanks guys. Yes her head was in the 98th% aswell - I never thought about the problems of having a big head, but I guess it's more difficult for her to lift up for long periods/control. She does tend to let it flop sometimes and bangs her head on the floor a lot!

That's one of the problems with the internet ....too much info !
Makes you feel inadequate ,wonder how they managed back in the day without it ?

beware of well meaning hv and their never ending schedules, i think they often do harm by freaking parents out/ making us push our little'uns. babies take their own sweet time!

don't worry about this, she will do it in her own time. i dont think mine did those things exactly by 9 months, more like somewhere between 9 and 12 months.. probably closer to 12 months tbh. it's not worth stressing about at this stage, if she became a lot older and couldnt do these things yet, then maybe worry then but not @ 9 months. you sound like you're doing fine with your dd so no need to be guilty