5 month old only using one arm to push up

[neutronflow]

Dd is just a few days shy of five months old. She smiles, she laughs, she squeals with delight, babbles and so on, has great head control, sits with support (and unaided for a few seconds now) and has strong legs; she has just started reaching out for toys (and for the cats who luckily have the sense to run off very quickly) with both hands (she doesn't always get the things she reaches out for unless they are near her centre but she's getting there). Weight & height fine and generally quite settled these days (now we're over the evening crying!)

BUT when she does tummy time (and I've only just started doing it with her these last two or three weeks tbh because up until then she just screamed) she only pushes up with her right arm. Her left stays behind her. Even if I put it in front of her she doesn't seem to know how to use it and it ends up back behind her. Also, if she is on her back, she only rolls onto her left side — never onto her right.

She was born at term, needed oxygen but no real problems (slight dip in blood sugar but only borderline and fine after 6 hours of me breastfeeding her constantly!) and doc said all was well at her six week checkup (seemed to just test reflexes and hips mind you).

I do know it's not usual for babies to have a hand preference?

I'm going to speak to my Health Visitor next week when I get dd weighed but I just wondered if anyone had experienced this before and what happened?

TIA.

Quick bump before I go to bed.

Morning bump … anyone else experienced their lo doing this?

I don't know, but didn't want you to be left unanswered. Does she use her arm in other ways? Does the tone feel the same in both arms or does one feel much floppier? To be honest I would ask the GP who can do a quick check for peace of mind. It's more than likely just a quirky bit of development.

Ah thank you so much for replying! I appreciate it.

She uses her hands on both sides to grasp objects but maybe her left arm does feel a little bit floppy compared to the right? Nothing major but maybe a tad.

I'm going to mention it to the HV when I see her early next week. I just wondered if anyone else had an lo whose muscles seemed to develop this way or who only really used one arm during tummy time.

I don't remember eldest doing this but equally he hated tummy time so much so we did it so rarely that I didn't get chance to notice anything like this.

DS definitely could only roll over one way for ages. But I don't remember him specifically only using one arm to push up.

Thanks — it does seem an odd quirk to me. I think I was just wondering really if it was common (before I go and bother the Health Visitor). But probably not in that case.

What was her Agpar score OP?

That's a good question — I actually don't know. It was one thing when she was born then changed quite soon after for the better I think. But beyond her blood sugar there was nothing that caused them any concern. I presume it would be on her notes but I don't have them; they went back to the hospital. I could ask the Health Visitor when I see her next week I guess?

OP, this is just like my DS, never used his left arm, preferred laying on his right side and developed plagiocephaly. HV referred to a paediatrician, and he had a MRI scan (failed) and physio. He grew out of it pretty quickly though

Thanks — I've called the HV now and left a message so hopefully can have a chat with her this week.

Health Visitor called back. She said not to worry yet but made me an appointment in a fortnight. So we'll see. (I could go to the clinic earlier if I was really worried but it would be a different member of staff.)

Well I saw the HV and she says dd seems to be developing well, lots of smiling and making various noises, turning to noise, watching people walk around, reaches for objects in midline with both hands and brings to mouth, starting to sit with support and so on BUT she agrees with me that her left arm seems stiffer than her right and is referring us to physio to see what they say.

Well, my referral came through, though they've triaged dd to OT rather than physio, but it's not until December. So I guess they can't be too worried?

Just looking an update on this OP- was everything ok in the end? My 5 month old DD is doing something similar during tummy time although it's the opposite side- she is only pushing up with her left arm

Gil84 how is your daughter now? My daughter who is now just over 4 months is doing the same. She is only pushing up with her right hand.. She uses both hands for other things though. Will she eventually learn to push up with the other hand too or should I get her checked by a doctor just in case.

Neutronflow it would have been amazing if you updated us.

@Yazeee @neutronflow @Gil84 @Hotpinkangel19 @SunshineHQ @MrsOverTheRoad
hy all
hope your kids are perfectly fine
plz update about your babies
my Lo is using one right arm during tummy time and retain her left hand behind all the time
is that ok
first time mom and it’s making me worried
thanks

Oh gosh it’s such a long time since I posted here and tbh I’d forgotten all about this. But I saw the @ as it came through to my email. Dd is six now. She doesn’t have any physical issues and learnt to push up with her other hand fine in the end. She was a little delayed with a few other movement milestones, nothing out of the ordinary just on the later side of typical.

She is autistic (would likely be called ‘high functioning’ if we still used that label), diagnosed almost a year ago, and I do wonder if some of this was more of a sensory thing for her. We’ll never know.

But yeah no physical issues, just One Of Those Things. Hope that helps.