Please help 16 week old not holding head up

[Tummtummytime]

Hey everyone,
I’m becoming increasingly concerned about my 16 week old dd (second baby) and her physical development. When we do tummy time she just face plants the floor and nuzzles, she makes no effort to lift her head or chin off the floor more than a few seconds. She’s not lifting her chest AT ALL and she’s not pushing herself up on her arms. She also doesn’t push off on her feet if if I hold her in a standing position on a flat surface - she just flails and feels totally weak.

She sort of holds her head if she’s being held but still needs lots of support. All the milestone literature I have read says that by 16 weeks she should be holding her head up now without support, lifting her chest during tummy time and pushing up on her arms….and potentially rolling over. My first dd was doing all of this at this age.

I'm trying to be rational and tell myself all babies develop at a different rate but the fact that she just face plants the floor when placed on her abdomen is really starting to worry me. It takes weeks to see a health visitor where I live, and the GPs have no appointments.

Anyone experienced similar? How worried should I be????

Bump

I think that you're right, it seems to be a 3 month milestone.

I'd call the GP today

Oh I know that worry... mine was my 4th child (and I still got told I was an over anxious mother!). Didn't hold his head up, was floppy.
It sounds like she has poor muscle tone (I'm not a Paed tho ). I'd not bother with the HV tbh but I would start ringing the GP til you can an appointment and ask for a referral to the Paeds.
Is she interactive otherwise? Smiling etc? I would be more concerned if she wasn't meeting any of those milestones but I agree she needs seeing.
My DS2 had 'congenital hypotonia' ..ie weak muscle tone from birth .. wasn't good at feeding either. We saw the paeds and eventually he saw a physio.

He was late will ALL his milestones (not just physically) but physically he didn't hold his head up for a long time.. didn't sit (badly) til 12m, crawled at 18, walked at over 2, with special boots/splints and had physio.

BUT... fast forward a few years and he was ok. Dyspraxic, uncoordinated and wore splints til he was a young adult.. but fully mobile.. and ok!

How are you getting in today @Tummtummytime? Did you manage to see the GP?

Thanks so much both of you for taking the time to reply, you’ve validated my concerns. I called the GP four times today but no-one ever answers the phone, I’m going to walk there tomorrow to make an appt in person. Trying not to worry myself into a state but I think I’m right to trust my instincts and @SiouxsieSiouxStiletto its a 3 month milestone so I really have to push to have her seen.
so glad to know your ds is okay @StillMedusa she’s actually fine with feeding and is smiling and making eye contact beautifully so at least that’s something. Thank you ladies

Hi just wondering if you have an update? Currently in the same boat as my daughter was delayed and now at 2 she doesn’t talk or anything, I’ve got a 16 week old who doesn’t lift his head yet and I’m panicking and worried he’ll be the same

@MamaBear2022 Hey! So my dd2 is 18 months today now, she’s definitely slower than most as she only took her few independent steps a few weeks ago (and has walked a few steps sparingly since) but she can do it, she just lacks confidence. She started to support her own head and do all the normal things in the weeks following my original post. She smiles and interacts with her sister and she has lots of words, good for her age and better than her sister (who was running around at the age but not talking - but who by 2.5 is chatting away). I’m not worried about her at all anymore she’s doing her own thing so my advice is at 16 weeks, don’t stress at all just be aware.

how is your 2 year old? Does she have any words at all?

Sending hugs, everything is a worry isn’t it x