Was i further gone or is she just advanced?

[LauLau93]

From the second i was alone with my little one i thought she seemed a bit advanced.
She was 7 days overdue but from week 1 she has been holding her own head up, during week 3 she was pushing herself up off my chest to look around. Now at 5 weeks old, she is grabbing hair/necklaces (something i have read should be happening at around 7 weeks), reaching out for toys and hitting things dangled infront of her and shes been smiling since around 4 weeks.
Was just wondering if it is possible my dates were wrong so shes actually slightly older or whether she is simply just coming on really well.

She sounds perfectly lovely and normal

At this stage, they all develop at different speeds. Being overdue wouldn't make her advanced. A normal pregnancy is anywhere between 37-42 weeks. Where they are born in this period doesn't impact on development.

She can’t actually be older than her actual age can she? I don’t think being overdue makes a baby more advanced. She is your baby and therefore you obviously believe her to be the more cleverest thing on earth (as you should) but in reality it sound like she is developing in line with her age. Some just develop quicker than others.

They are all different. I have several photos of my boy smiling while we were still in hospital, and he was always able to hold his head up, too. Had started getting teeth by the time he was a month or so old, too. There's loads of variation in these things, and it all balances out later.

I don't think there is any advanced at this age, you can't really tell until school age really as they all develop at different rates and of course with different things.
She sounds lovely though, and you sound a lovely mummy.

Sounds normal. Please don't get drawn into the competitive milestone crap though. It really doesn't matter in the long run and it always upsets someone.

My DD was holding her head up from birth. Literally. I was delivering the placenta in my bathroom (home birth) and the MW came in and mentioned it. I didn't really take it in...because I was delivering the placenta But my doula clocked what she'd said and told me a few weeks later that while I was being stitched up, my DH, my doula, my MiL and the second MW were all marvelling at one-hour-old DD holding her head up and looking around. We all now joke she was furiously looking round for me, as it turned out she was fiercely clingy and wouldn't go to anyone else (including DH) for eleven months.

She hasn't shown any other signs of being advanced aside from walking at nine months. Congratulations on your DD!

Thanks all! These little people amaze me at the things they can do!

Stop reading books and guides and just enjoy your little one. Don't go comparing with 'other babies' - that way madness lies. You've got 25 years ahead of you during which time some folks will do things at a younger age and some will not do them until later, and, of course some may never do them at all. You can't tell at adulthood who took their first step at what age or who smiled first or who passed their Grade 4 trumpet before they got to secondary school - honest!

DS2 rolled from tummy to back at 2 weeks. I have actual video evidence of it. And then googled it and apparently it's perfectly normal as at that age they have really big heads and if it goes so far then the rest of them will follow and it's just a like a reflex, not development!! Doesnt stop me being all in awe of my genius child though...and his DGM thinks he's beyond the bees knees despite not having repeated it these past 3 months!! So, yes, you can be your baby's biggest fan and marvel at her-it's your job!! But be prepared for her ingenuity to probably be completely normal and appropriate, give or take a week.