8 month old not progressing and I feel like a failure

[Moonshine160]

I know this might sound a bit dramatic but I’ve had a really difficult week with my beautiful DS and I’m starting to feel like I’m failing or that I’m doing something wrong. He is 8 months tomorrow and he cannot sit unsupported or roll. He doesn’t even try to do these things when encouraged. When he was 7 months he started rolling from his front to his back and he will still do this but sometimes gets stuck on his side and needs help. I try and give him lots of tummy time but he isn’t keen and prefers to be on his back. If we sit him on the floor he will immediately fall backwards or to the side. I might just have milestone anxiety and I’m trying so hard not to compare but I don’t know of any other friends babies of the same age who cannot sit or roll. I cannot envisage him crawling, I feel like I’m doing something wrong or somehow not encouraging him enough.
He is currently going through a developmental leap, has more teeth coming through and has a cold so this week has been very testing. Weaning is also not going well, he will pick food up from his tray and put it to his mouth but won’t eat anything. Everything I make gets spat out or thrown on the floor. He would only accept being spoon fed purées or very finely mashed up food but isn’t even accepting these now since he’s had a cold.
When he was around 4 months old the GP picked up that he has a slightly curved spine so he was referred to hospital and has been under the care of a paediatrician. He’s had x rays and scans and the curve isn’t abnormal and we’ve been told it shouldn’t impact his physical development, so that’s been ruled out.
Not sure why I’m posting this other than to have a rant, I guess I’m after reassurance or advice. He is a very happy and sociable boy, I love him to bits, but I can’t imagine him ever sitting on his own or crawling and I’m worried.

He is only 8 months, I thinking the sitting milestone is 9? my dd was 8 months to sit and i think she only ever rolled once!

The best way to get answers or reassurance would be to get back in front of your paediatrician, and possibly get a referral to your community paediatric physio.

My dd2 is 8 months and doesn't roll.
She is a crawler /shuffler though, but absolutely no interest in rolling, and I gave her tummy time probably a grand total of three hours her whole life 😅
With regards to the eating, my dd1 didn't really eat food. Especially not puree. She probably only started eating when she was just shy of a year, and even then it would be bread sticks and smoked salmon, and only enough to quantify as a snack. Girl had and still does have expensive taste.... But shes still growing and appears healthy enough!
I'd focus more on enjoy your time with him, things will fall into place, just so long as you feel you are doing what you need to without stressing over it - they do pick up on that!

My son was very late to roll and sit up. But once he could do one, the other came pretty quickly. We are forever told not to compare but it’s only human nature and when your child seems to be the last to do everything, it does get to you. I’ve been there and I know how you feel. Try to keep heart and I’m sure he’ll be doing it in no time

I know it's hard. My son didn't roll til around 8 months! But then he suddenly got it and was crawling at 9 months! Turns out he's hypermobile (not a big deal, my husband was too, and my mother in law). If you're worried, you could take him to a physiotherapist, if only to put your mind at ease?

Hi, my son was 10 months when he sat up and same for rolling, he didn’t really like tummy time so I let him do it in his own time and he did, you find your DS will do something’s quicker than others and vice versa. Regards to eating in the early days I remember when I had moved him onto proper meals if he was ill I always went back to purees, also in the first year milk is still the most important as it is full of nutrients and vitamins, so for now if he prefers purees let him have those and the older he gets try and introduce other bits. It’s so hard not to compare to others but children are so different to each other like we are. You are doing a great job and the fact you are posting on here shows how much you care.

My DD has only just started sitting up at almost 11 months but I've asked to get her referred to paediatrician because she's missed a few milestones.

Keeping a diary of her achievements has really helped me to see that she has been making progress. I was getting frustrated feeling like she wasn't getting anywhere but I've started noting every tiny achievement and it really does highlight that she is learning

DS1 didn't sit til 9m. Every baby truly is on their own time scale.

Have a look at the Mama OT website for some ideas on encouraging movement. Take socks off the baby when you're inside, and make sure he gets plenty of floor time even if he won't take tummy time.

By the time he's 12 he's going to be able to sit, roll and walk. Sometime between now and then it will all kick in.