6 month baby development

[Cscsbsmum]

My baby boy will be 6 months in 2 weeks time. He is a big baby (and has a big head!) I’m a bit worried about his development. He can sit with a lot of support but his head droops forward when he gets tired. He cannot roll yet and doesn’t even seem interested. He hardly bears weight when I try to hold him in standing position (although if he is crying and angry he can). He can hold his head fairly strong when I am holding him or he is sitting on my lap. He reaches out for toys and can hold toys with 2 hands. He puts everything in his mouth. I’ve also noticed his mouth hangs open quite a lot! He doesn’t like tummy time but we persevere for a few minutes several times a day- he can hold his head up for a bit, but then just puts his head down and cries to be “rescued”. He doesn’t really push on down on his palms during tummy time. He used to babble quite a bit but hasn’t really babbled at all in last few weeks. So basically he isn’t doing an awful lot! However he is very content, sociable and smiley. He sleeps 12 hours at night and has a few short daytime naps. I’m unsure if he is delayed with gross motor skills, or if he is just lazy/content, and if his size is making moving/sitting/head control difficult. Heath visitor was out last week and mentioned he was a bit behind but didn’t seem too concerned, however I can’t stop worrying about his development. Thanks in advance.

@Cscsbsmum this was on the bounty email that I got today:

Talking
Some babies are saying ‘mama’ and/or ‘dada’ around nine months, and the average age for a first word is 10-11 months. However, lots of babies/toddlers don’t take much of an interest in talking until after their first birthday, some nearer to 18 months. As long as you’re talking to them lots and they seem to understand you, don’t worry – talking will come.

Aww just saw your message.. thank you 😊 I thought it may be a typical baby behaviour.. I'm trying not to worry too much anymore.. Babies are strange they talk lots and lots one day and then the next day they don't want to talk at all; they roll one day all day and then don't want to do it the next day; they finish all their milk one day and then the next day you almost force them to finish their bottle 🙈 They do things when they're ready and they want to.. As long as they are happy, making eye contact and communicating one way or another and have good muscle tone they will reach the other milestones eventually 🙏🏻😊

Hi, thought I’d update. DS is now just over 9 months. He can sit well independently but making no signs of wanting to move. He goes crazy if put on his tummy, and has yet to roll from his back to his tummy. He doesn’t seem near being able to pull up on furniture. A few weeks ago he made a few consonant babbling sounds but seems to have stopped again. Same with waving. No pointing or clapping yet and he doesn’t seem to respond to his name (he will sometimes turn but I think it’s just to the voice as it’s not consistent with his name). He doesn’t seem to copy noises we make to have a “conversation”. I’m trying really hard with him but progress is really slow. How’s everyone else getting on?

Hi thanks for updating. He may not crawl and walk straight away if he still hates being put on his tummy. And 9 months is still early for walking unfortunately. As for responding to name and clapping I've read of babies doing these early and late like nearer their first birthday. Babies may be unable to something today but wake up tomorrow and do it.. it baffles me..

My daughter was making good progress with rolling and moving around her tummy (not crawling just sort of rotating) but had a slight fever a few days ago and is not soo interested anymore as she's still not feeling that great I think. She's also trying to sit up and can only sit up without support when she's focussed on the tv. Any other time she bends forward too much or moves too much and can't quite balance yet. She's been focussing a lot on the physical things and has not been babbling as much as before which worries me some days.. I'd like her to babble more.. she responds to sound too but not responding deliberately to her name but I think it's too soon for that.. she's still a content smiley baby as long as she's feeling well..

It's soo hard not to worry when you're a first time mum and you just want them to be able to do everything..

How old is your daughter? Sounds like she is definitely making progress! Such a shame when they are ill, definitely sets them back. I’m not even a first time mum, I have a 5 year old daughter. Somehow I’ve worried so much more this time! My daughter was slower physically but made up for it with language and communication, whereas my wee boy is a bit behind with everything, hence the worrying. Think a bit of knowledge doesn’t help too so probably know too much this time whereas last time I was blissfully ignorant!

Hiii, thanks for update. I agree with Yazee that it might early to worry about waving or clapping. Does your DS understands and enjoys peekaboo?

My dd is over 7 months now. She has learned to roll over from back to tummy at 6months, and tummy to back just few days ago. She cannot sit up or crawl. What is worrying me is that she does not look up when I am talking to her. But she looks when I sing to her or makes strange voices with my mouth. She is still little bit behind all the areas, but still hoping she will catch up slowly.

He enjoys peekaboo if we play it and hide or hide objects but he doesn’t do it himself with a blanket etc. DS will sometimes look up when we talk but often not, especially if he has toys?

Mishimab, I don’t think she sounds behind physically. And if she responds when you make noises etc that’s good. Is she babbling?

Yes, she babbles, but not in conversation sense or in response to what i said.
Thank you very much for the reassurance! Most 7-month-olds at my baby group are now crawling or sitting unaided, while my baby just learned to roll over. I know its stupid to compare, its hard not to :(

My baby also does not look up at me when she is occupied with toys. (without toys too) Sometimes I feel like I am invisible to her. But when my nephews come over she laughs at just sight of them, which makes me relieved little bit. Maybe she connects with children more :)

My son looks up for my daughter and not me too. I suppose she is more interesting and fun to him! Haha.

My daughter will be 24 weeks tomorrow. She's been coughing since last night :( First the fever and now this cough :( she's not interested in rolling, tummy time, sitting up or anything today because of the cough :( I'm soo upset I don't know how to help her :( She seems to cough more when sleeping is this normal guys ? Do you guys recommend anything for a cough ? She doesn't have a fever or anything it's just a cough. Not sure how she got it as well as the house is always warm and I've only taken her out to the gp last week. Her fever last week only lasted 24 hours and she was okish just a bit irritated since then but then she started coughing last night after putting her to sleep.

Aw poor wee lamb. Just lots of cuddles I’d say. And alternate between calpol and nurofen if fever is bad (I know they say not to but I had DS at out of hours in Boxing Day as couldn’t get his temp below 40degrees and doctor said I could give him calpol and then nurofen 2 hours later as long as he didn’t get more than 4 doses of calpol and 3 doses of nurofen in 24 hours.

Thank you. Hope it gets better quick. Luckily no fever just a cough but even that is scary :(

Hi how is your LO doing on language? My DS going to be 6 month next week but no babbling just blows raspberries sometimes and squeals occasionally. I am really worried. He can roll over to his tummy but can’t roll back, sits independently for few seconds , reach out for toys and etc, puts everything in his mouth. Please let me know how is your LO doing. Thank you

Apologies, I have only just seen this. Pleased to say my little one is walking around 🙌 He learned to crawl last week (at 20 months old!) but toddles confidently around our house and managed short outdoor walks with a hand. He has been discharged from physio. His speech isn’t great. He can say mama, dada, nana. He tries to say lots of words and we understand a lot but other people wouldn’t. He says “bu” for bus, “pa” for park, “da” for gran, “tees” for keys, “tee” for cheese, “mo” for more. He only says the first syllable of a word and omits the consonant sound at the end (eg “ba” for bath). His understanding of language is excellent- he knows everything we say and follows instructions, eg go and get your bib, put your shoes in the cupboard, etc. He also tries rest hard to communicate, eg will keep saying “baba” then when I don’t understand he will take my hand and take me to the bib cupboard and point at it saying “baba” again. I’m not sure how normal this level of speech is and I am waiting until next appointment with health visitor to ask. I think it’s reassuring that he wants to communicate and clearly understands language, however want to check that his actual speech sounds are ok for his age.

@Cscsbsmum Glad your son is doing well :) Thought I’d do an update as well just in case anybody is looking at this thread. My little girl will be 18 months in 2 weeks. She army crawled when she was 8 months and then crawled the normal way when she was about 10 months. She started walking when she was 14.5 months. Her understanding of language is good and she follows simple instructions and can say simple words. She started saying dad when she wasn’t even 1 but she was about 14 months when she started calling me mum. She can say many other simple words but is not good with pronouncing all letters yet. She can now also form 2 word sentences like “mummy come”.

I think she’s progressing well so I haven’t been in touch with HV or anybody to ask. My only concern at the moment is her temper tantrums at times. She sometimes throws herself on the floor, like let’s herself go, and sometimes bangs her head on her high chair or the wall. It’s nothing too bad though so I’m trying not to give it too much thought.

I hope all our babies grow up to be healthy and good human beings :)

Hi @Cscsbsmum

Sorry I know this is an old thread, just wondering how your little one is doing? X

Hello! He will be 3 next month and has really come on. He’s been late for most milestones but definitely getting there. He can now walk and run and is talking in sentences (sometimes difficult to understand as often misses the lat syllable of words). He still isn’t jumping (was on 27 month questionnaire) so the HV phones every few months to ask about that! But I am much less worried about him 😍

Hi,

Thank you for the update, he sounds like he is doing fab! Just wondering is he under speech and language. My lil boy is 6 months next week and exactly same as yours at 6 months, my HV also said he is 'a bit behind'. He is a very big baby, in 98th percentile for length and weight. He just will not weight bear on his arms, he loves tummy time though and tries to move just kicking his legs but he looks like a stranded beetle! He will not push up and lift his chest off floor, no where near sitting either, also not much of a babbler but coos alot. Head flops at times as well. X

Although he is rolling from back to front, but thats because I have been doing physio with him from 4 months and rolling him daily. He cant roll from tummy to back x

If he is rolling that’s great! I think my son was about 10 months before he rolled!! 😱 I’m sure about 7 months for sitting so try not to worry (easier said than done!). He’s not under speech and language but does have two funded nursery sessions a week to support with speech and language development (although I’m not sure they help much with speech but definitely with socialisation!) our speech and language service now operate a parents advice line so I have phoned that a few times and they suggested some strategies, but nothing I wasn’t really already doing. Seeing improvements all the time though. Hope you start to worry a bit less as your little one makes progress. I do regret worrying so much throughout his first few years.

Thank you 😊 and so happy for you with yours! He only rolls 1 way though on his back! I'm not overly worried about him, well I wasn't until the HV visited 🙄 sometimes they do more harm than good! Did you find your DS had his hands in his fists alot? I did read sometimes bigger babys are more delayed with gross motor x

No he didn’t do the fist thing. But he was very big which I did thing affected his development. He’s average sized now though. You’re right, HV can make you worry more- although in my case the HV wasn’t as worried as I was 🙈

@Cscsbsmum thank you for the 3 year dedication on this post I just wanted to let you know how much it’s helped my mind at ease x

@Cscsbsmum hello OP. I wonder how is your son doing now?