Head control at 29 weeks

[Madoldbird]

Would really appreciate a little advice / reassurance. Apologies in advance if this has been covered a lot before - i don't have time to do a search!

DT2 (DC4) will be 29 weeks on Friday (born at 38 weeks, so full-term), and we are getting a little concerned about his lack of head control. We are not comparing him to DT1 (they are non-id and very different, so doing different things at different rates). He has always had a very "wobbly" head. He can hold his head level when pulled into a sitting position. However when he is on his tummy, he can only hold his head up for a few seconds normally, and then it crashes down. When held in a sitting position to play, or propped with cushions, he holds it for a while (proabably less than a minute mostly) then it flops forward and he cannot lift it again.

We are spending lots of time putting him on his tummy and encouraging him to lift his head for longer, but i am now wondering if this is something i should contact the Health Visitor about. As our HV service around here is very stretched (you just get one visit) i don't want to bother them unnecessarily, and don't want to appear an over-anxious mum!!

Any advice would be gratefully received.

TIA

MOB

I think (others may disagree) that that level of control would be a little behind the milestone, but I'm sure the HV would be able to judge better. If he hasn't spent much time on his tummy he may be just not used to it. It would probably be worth speaking to the HV to set your mind at rest.

Thanks octaviapink. We have always given them lots of tummy time, which therefore makes us more concerned IYSWIM?

I know you say you don't compare to DT1, but if there's a radical difference between them then it might be cause for concern - gross motor skills are usually genetic, I believe, so I wouldn't have expected there to be an enormous difference between DT2 and your other DCs. Is there a HV clinic at your doctor's surgery or anything? We don't get visits here either, but there are walk-in clinics where you can go and just have a chat.

My dd didn't gain good head control until about 6 months old. We used to put her in a bumbo seat just for 10 min periods which did help to strengthen it.

Moomoo we try that, but he doesn't like to be in it, mainly because his head tends to flop forward or back.

octaviapink i spoke to the local "health visitor advice line" this morning and she said that he should have better control than this now, so suggested i take him to the hv clinic this friday, and they can have a look at him. They may then refer on to physio or the community paediatrician.

Therefore i can either be reassured all is well, or be referred for any specific help he needs.

Thanks both