Really worried about 7.5 month old not being able to sit alone-Advise

[SarahHarris]

I am really worried about my 7.5 month old ds not being able to sit alone.

Had health visitor round today for review. She asked about him sitting up on his own and told her that he is not able as yet. Now have to go to clinic in 4 weeks to review and if not able to sit alone have to be referred to doctor and maybe pediatrican.

Any advise?

Worried mum.

x

My DD only managed this on her own at just over seven months, even though she had been commando crawling for a few weeks before that.

chances are he will be doing it before the review; try not to worry too much

I would have thought that was ok ? I know other babies who cannot sit unaided at 8 months, and no fuss was made about this. Do you sit him up surrounded by cushions etc ?

DS2 could not sit up unaided at 7 months. Not sure you need to be worried if everything else feels normal.

My DS didn't sit up unaided until he was 10 months old. He also didn't walk until he was 18 months old. I think it was because he is very tall and it was just a bit tricky.

Try not to worry. some HV's are a bit.... erm... enthusiastic?

My ds didn't sit up on his own until he was nearly 9 months old. He did a sort of commando crawl though from 7 months old.

I think a review in 4 weeks is fine just to be sure but in all likelihood your ds will be sitting up by then or shortly afterwards.

The main problem I found with ds not sitting up at this age was the bending over the bath to hold him up like a newborn - it killed my back !! Other than that it dodn't cause me any other problems and it didn't cause ds any problems at all

My DD could not sit unaided until much later. She stood at about 8mths but could not sit so used to go down like a falling tree. I think she was about 9 or 9 mths before she was sitting.

I was told that they sit up when they are ready and that I should not sit her up beforehand as it is not good for the spine.

Your HV is talking through her hat, what a shame that she is causing you worry when there is very likely no reason to be concerned.

my ds is 8.5 months and only just mastered it. I still place cushions around him just in case.

Thanks for all your advise.

I did'nt feel worried until the HV came round today. She has told me to surround him with cushions and sit him up as much as possible, which i thought i was doing.
I have a 3 yr old dd as well so my time feels limited.

I know that HV's can sometimes be by the book so haven't taken him to be weighed since October last year.

He was 11lb 14oz when born and today weighs 20lb 11oz so maybe he his just to big to support and balance his weight.

Trying not to worry to much but when you have other parents saying, oh my child sat up at 5 months and my child sat up at 6 months it makes you wonder why yours isn't.

x

Neither of mine sat up unaided until sometime between 8-9months maybe even later, too busy trying to crawl. As long as you lo is meeting or getting near some of the other milestones, I wouldn't worry. Concur with winestein's assessment of HV's 'enthusiasm'!

Hi there. My dd2 who is 9.5 months, has really only been sitting properly for the last 2 weeks. And even then, she is happier lying on her side or back, flapping her arms around like a nutter.

I think it varies hugely.

Try not to worry, although I know this is easier said than done.

DD didn't sit unaided until her first cold at 10mths slowed her down. Rolling, crawling & pulling herself up fine before then so I wasn't bothered, although HV very 'concerned'!
You know your child best & they will generally do what they want when they want to - everything else ok? If so, don't worry

DS3 is headinly rapidly towards 8.5 months and can sort of sit alone (for all of about 30 seconds)....but is more interested in trying to crawl/rolling around the floor.

GP the other day reckons he could be walking in a month - but personally I'm not sure how a baby that can't balance sat on his bottom is going to be able to balance on 2 feet.

Really wouldn't worry about it.

DS didn't sit until just under 9 months. I'm gobsmacked tbh that HV would be contemplating for referring if not sitting by 8.5 months.

FAQ
Our DD was standing before she could sit, and walking around the furniture. Don't ask me how, but she managed it. That was at 10 mths, and everyone said that she would be walking before her first birthday. She was, but only just.

Sarah
I would not sit him up surrounded by cushions. The advice I was given (and it can be different here in Germany) was that it was not good to prob the baby up in a sitting position as it is not good for their backs. Perhaps the advice is different in UK.

Thanks v much to all of you.

He can roll over from front to back and maybe he likes it that way and just finds sitting boring.

I hope he is sitting unaided before 4th March so i can ring her and tell her where to stick her referral.

Thanks again.
x

my DS is only now really sitting unaided for any length of time, but has been commando crawling for over 2 months and is clearly very strong. a lot of this I think is because he's not actually very interested in sitting - he wants to move! (he's 11 months tomorrow)

he's another tall boy (over 98th centile) but under the 50th for weight despite being 10 lbs 5 at birth. so there seems to be a pattern of heavy/long babies not sitting here....certainly all the little diddy babies I see can sit up easily but I am not bothered about DS because I can see he is fine physically.

ALSO you say you have a 3 yr old - so do I; with her I was always fussing and getting her to sit up etc., now there isn't time to hassle DS in the same way

do try not to let the bloody HV panic you

I'm just a mum ('just') but my instinct tells me that your HV is a bit OTT.

By 'sit alone' I presume you mean if you plonk him in a sitting position, rather than him sitting himslef up? If the second then she's nuts. If the first then, yes, it's a little late but within the norms of development.

And if he's not sitting unsupported then that is because he is not ready to do so. Propping him up and 'forcing' him to sit unsupported is not going to help him learn, but just put his unready body under unnecessary stress.

But don't worry, you're an experienced mother, just go with the flow. Anyway, 4w is a long time in the life of a 7m old. Lots may have changed by then.

really kinder......OMG I just laughed it off when he said it.......DS2 walked at 10 months so an early walker wouldn't surprise me per se - but DS2 was sitting, rolling, crawling before he walked - eeeeek

FAQ
It was actually a nightmare because she was not able to do the normal plopping back down to sitting when she did not want to stand anymore, so she would just let go and topple over backwards. We used to have cushions and pillows all around her and still have to dash over to catch her before she hit her head on on the floor. DH used to shout "Tiiiimbeeeer" as a warning sign.

Try not to worry, my HV is also of the over enthusiastic kind. Your DS will get the hang of it eventually. Mine could crawl etc before he learnt to sit properly.

My HV wanted to refer DT1 about her wide apart eyes until she saw DT2 and the older two DCs who all have the same eyes. She then wanted to refer DT2 for being unable to weight bear at 10mths. DT2 is delayed about 2mths behind DT1 in every way (even down to teeth) so I'm not worried, but from the way she spoke I felt bad fr not worrying.

My DD only sat unaided at 8 months. She crawled at 10 months and walked at 14, which all seemed quite late at the time. However, she is now 3 and is very co-ordinated. In fact, I would say that she is probably more physically active and has better gross motor skills than the majority of her girl contemporaries. Your DS will work it out soon. I really, really wouldn't worry about anything at this point.

Ds1 sat at around 9 months,crawled at 11 months and walked at 15 months.
Ds2 is now 9 months old,not sitting or crawling(although lots of rolling)and tbh,I'm not at all worried about it,especially as I have a lively toddler to look after aswell.