6 month is not v strong and not rolling - should I be worried?

[ibangthedrums]

DS2 is almost 6 months and is still not rolling over.

He arches his body and but will not roll over. He also hates tummy time so is not great at lifting his head up from the floor when he is in that position.

We have also tried him in the Bumbo but he can only manage a few minutes before slumping to the side and crying (rather like his Mum after a few too many glasses of wine I suppose!)

Having already had DS1 I should know to ignore the books etc but it does seem like he should be stronger by now.

We have not seen a HV since he was 6 weeks (they don't even do the immunisations here now - its a staff nurse!) - do you think its worth a visit?

Hi the chances are your baby is a happy bunny that doesn't have the need to roll over yet...and will in time but I would go to your GP or HV to get the reassurrance that you need so that you sleep easily at night! and are happy to watch your baby develop at his own rate!My first child crawled at 7 months walked at 10 months my second child crawled at 12 months and walked at 15 months...both healthy and different Good Luck Diana xx

Babies develop at different rates and some babies have no interest in rolling. My daughter is 24 weeks and can't roll either.

My son could roll at 6 months, but had problems learning to walk later on. Infact he was under a child physio between the ages of two and three and half years old. At the age of seven years no one cares at what age a child rolled/ walked / peed in pot or whatever child development trick.

A lot of babies hate tummy time. I found with my daughter that she prefers tummy time if she is lying on top of me. You could also try laying your baby on his tummy across your lap.

However I suspect tummy time is over rated. My daughter cannot roll even though she has had tonnes of tummy time.

dd2 is 28 weeks and hardly ever rolls now- though a few weeks ago she would roll over the minute I put her on the floor...was just wondering this morning if I should worry about this! I guess she just doesn't want to though...she gets fed up very very quickly on her tummy.

and could be your ds2 just doesn't like the bumbo-neither of my dd's have been bumbo fans

am sure your ds is fine but do have a chat to the HV if you are worried, just to set your mind at rest

I know it's difficult if your ds hates tummy time but keep trying as this will help him build up the strength in his arms, back and neck - and if he really hates it might encourage him to roll!
Tummy time is important as it builds up the muscles needed later for fine motor skills e.g. writing.
My dd was slow to sit (and other motor milestones) and needed physio - we found a bumbo was helpful to build up muscles for sitting - just for short periods of time though.
You could get him checked over just for your piece of mind

I really wouldn't worry too much at this stage, but a visit to the HV wouldn't hurt if it sets your mind at rest. Neither of my DDs ever rolled over to my knowledge (although they can do it now obviously!), and screamed blue murder if put on their tummies so we never did any tummy time. But by about 7 months they started to be able to sit up when I propped them and soon started falling forward from sitting, following which both crawled at 8 months and were walking around 11 months - so I don't set much store by rolling over! DS is just 6 months, he has rolled over once or twice, but I can tell that he is way behind the girls in strength re sitting up etc, so I'm hoping that the whole crawling and walking stages might be a bit later this time...... All three of them loathed the bumbo.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am sure it is normal - DH just said he was a lazy baby! He is smiley, alert and babbling so I am hoping there is not a problem. DS does also have a little bit of dry skin/excema so I may go to Doc and talk about that as well.

I don't want to come across as too over anxious because my DS won't do what the book says he should do!

I'm a cm with 4 dc of my own, One of which only rolled over once at about 8 months and then crawled at 9 months, 2 of mine walked at 13 months the other 2 at 18 months. I mind a girl age 11 months who has only just started crawling this week and only became stable at sitting a few weeks ago. What I'm trying to say is they are all different, enjoy your baby but you are allowed to be an anxious mum it is perfectly normal and won't get any easier, i've just sent my dd off to germany on a coach and i'm very anxious!!

I agree with everyone else here - they're all different and will develop at different rates. My DT's rolled over quite early, but they were prem babies and didn't have much on them. It's easier for littler babies to roll over (if they want to) as they don't have as much weight to move!

The first of mine to roll over, did it once and then never bothered again for a few weeks. The other saw her sister, copied her and then wouldn't stop - she'd roll until she got stuck against a wall/door like a draught excluder!

Don't worry too much about what the books say - babies don't read the books.