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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

My 6 month old wont roll.

20 replies

Holly66 · 12/01/2011 14:28

Hello, i'm new here so please be gentle and i'm sorry if i've posted this in the wrong place.
I'm a first time mummy to a 6 month old little boy called Zac. He is a very out going, friendly little man who loves playing on his mat and with anything he can get his hands on! But he wont roll, either way. I force him to have regular 10 min tummy time sessions, which I try to make as fun as possible but he has never rolled. He can roll on his side when he is on his back and enjoys doing so but can't get all the way over. When he is on his front he just bounces on his tummy until he gets tired. He has learnt to snuffle on his back across the room though! Should I be concerned or is he just a bit late? Any ideas on how to help him?

Thank you!

OP posts:

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kerrykatonaskebab · 12/01/2011 14:31

He sounds totally normal to me. You are obviously giving him lots of attention and encouragement, just relax and let him go at his own pace.

TanteRose · 12/01/2011 14:33

Relax! He will do everything when it suits him - you can't force him to do it!

Just enjoy the fact that you can put him anywhere without worrying about him moving...just wait until he starts walking, you will start wanting to use duct tape to pin him down!!

but be careful - don't leave him on the changing table, bed, etc. because one day he WILL roll and fall off...

ilovedjasondonovan · 12/01/2011 14:33

Please don't worry about milestones. My first DD didn't roll until 10 months, crawled at 10.5 months.

Second DD was crawling at 10.5 months and then decided to roll. Just the once and never did it again.

easier said than done with your first, but try not to worry, he'll do it when he's ready, just enjoy him.

BornToFolk · 12/01/2011 14:34

Hello and welcome!
Don't worry, 6 months is not late for rolling by any means. DS didn't roll until....um, I can't actually remember but it was definitely later than 6 months. He mastered sitting at 5.5 months and was happy to do that for months.

In the end, we tempted him with a remote control (toys didn't work!) In general, he was late with all that gross motor skill stuff but now, at 3 years, he's running, jumping, dancing, kicking etc etc.

Keep doing what you're doing and he'll get there in the end. Once he does start moving, you'll wonder why you ever wanted him to...

PollyMorfic · 12/01/2011 14:38

None of mine ever rolled over, or crawled for that matter. They all absolutely hated being on their fronts and had major freak-outs if placed face downwards. None of them was even vaguely mobile until around their 1st birthday, then they bottom-shuffled, and all walked late (18-20 months-ish). None of them would weight-bear at all until they were well over a year. By the third one I knew that that is just what my kids do
I'd have been really shocked if one of them had rolled/crawled/walked early.

They are all entirely normal, very active and sporty kids. Age of walking etc is highly heritable, so it might be worth finding out at what age you and your dh did these things.

As long as his muscle tone is okay, you might as well just enjoy it. Having a late walker is great - at the age when other 10-month olds were wrecking the gaff, I could put mine down in the middle of the sitting room with a pile of toys, go off and make a cup of tea, and know they'd still be exactly where I left them when they got back. What's not to like?

Quenelle · 12/01/2011 14:53

My DS didn't roll over until after he started crawling at 8mo.

Your DS is probably just interested in doing other things.

Make the most of it, once they start rolling a nappy change is never the same again.

happygilmore · 12/01/2011 15:02

My DD is nearly 8 months, sitting up but not rolling (she's done it a couple of times by accident I think, but no inclination to do it again), so sounds fine to me :)

scallopsrgreat · 12/01/2011 15:17

My DS didn't roll until he was about 8 months - he didn't see the point in it. He then went from rolling (and litereally only did it a couple of times off his own bat) to cruising in 2 weeks and was walking by 12 months. Really don't worry (easy to say now - I was worried at the time especially when a friend of mine said babies should roll at 4 months )

AngelDog · 12/01/2011 20:17

Totally normal. I know a baby who rolled once (fluke) at 3 months, didn't again until 10 months. He started crawling and walking within a week.

Enjoy the easy nappy changing while you can!

marthamay · 12/01/2011 20:20

My DS is 8.5months, crawling but still not rolling. I was worried about it but honestly, it's still such a relief that I can put him down on his back and he stays there! I know it won't last for long so I am hoping he doesn't bother rolling for a little bit longer.

mummytowillow · 12/01/2011 20:47

My daughter never rolled over! She didn't crawl, just bum shuffled, didn't pull up on furniture, we went to a paeditrician, who told us there was nothing wrong with (I knew that)!

She got up when she was 18 months and walked, and hasn't stopped since!

Stop worrying, he will be fine!

CappuccinoCarrie · 12/01/2011 20:48

DD was a compulsive roller from 12 weeks, DS never went through the rolling stage at all, they're all different, don't worry!!

rockinhippy · 12/01/2011 21:09

Don't worry they vary so much, but they all get there in the end :)....... DD never rolled, didn't bum shuffle & she didn't crawl either.....

she just got up & walked at 9 months & was running up the stairs & riffling through cupboards by 10

Numberjacker · 12/01/2011 21:33

We had a similar experience to Mummytowillow. DD never rolled or crawled. Went straight to sitting up,then bum shuffling, but never cruised. At 16m she literally stood up and ran 5 steps across the room. I was gobsmacked! Very handy though as have high change- table, even now she never ever rolls when changing her nappy on it (not that i leave her, obviously). Enjoy it whilst it lasts......

Original poster

Holly66 · 13/01/2011 09:58

Thank you for all your positive responses. Its a bit worrying when its your first but i'm going to chill out now. It doesn't help that a lot of the baby books have certain milestones set at certain months

Today he has learnt to turn around whilst on his front. I placed him on his front with me behind him so he could look into his mirror, turned around to ramage for his body lotion in my bag, turned around to again to start massaging his back and he was facing me!

I actually don't think he is bothered about rolling. I think he is too busy trying to sit and crawl.

He started saying "Mama" last week which was a total shock as I wasn't expecting that for another 3 months. Daddy said it was all in my head and that I was spending too much time alone with Zac. Anyway Daddy had to eat his words the other day when he was playing with Zac and then Zac started shouting "Mama" after i'd left the room.

Once again, thank you for all your helpful and encouraging comments. They have made me feel a lot better.

OP posts:

Quenelle · 13/01/2011 10:12

Lucky you with 'Mama'. DS is now 18mo and he still calls us both 'Daddy'.

rockinhippy · 13/01/2011 10:47

The books can drive you nuts with worry, they really can be SOOo different, so they can often be very wrong..... sounds like yours will probably skip the rolling in favour of crawling etc, & might well be an early talker instead

& tell your DP he is wrong, some of them can speak VERY early, DDs first word was Cat, shouted clearly at my Mum & Dads Cat, at only 5 months old, I would of thought I was hearing things had it not been witnessed....it was quickly followed at 6 months with Mama, shouted over & over & over again from her cot when she wanted out.....she's never shut up since & can talk for England

MaybeTomorrow · 13/01/2011 12:33

Please don't worry. DD (only child) never rolled. Sat at 6 months, crawled at 11 months and just started walking a month ago (now 19 months) but never rolled.

They are all different.

You'll go through plenty more of these developmental worries though and in the majority of cases, nothing to worry about at all as they all develop in their own time. Get used to it!

sunndydays · 13/01/2011 16:14

My dd is nearly seven months and doesn't sit or roll, she just loves to look around or concentrate on on of her toys!

mcv1 · 13/01/2011 22:01

My DD who is now 7 is one of the brightest in her class.

As a baby she never rolled over.
didnt sit up till she was 7 months.
Didnt crawl till she was 11 months.
Would not put weight on her legs at all, didnt walk till 18 months
and didnt speak till she was nearly 3 yrs old.

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