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Parenting

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Does this all sound normal for 8.5 months?

13 replies

Naptrappedmummy · 10/12/2023 17:34

DS is 8.5 months. He’s my 2nd but my first was a covid baby, I had PND and a lot of her first year is a blur. So I can’t really remember what she did and when.

DS is having his 9-12 month check in a few weeks and the questionnaire has me a little worried. It’s asked if he has 3 words, he has none, nor is he babbling like dadada just vowels and the odd consonant by itself. He also cannot crawl or pull to stand. These are all on the questionnaire.

Things he can do: rolls around well, can sit unassisted for 5+ minutes at a time, feeds himself even small items of food quite well. Holds his beaker and drinks from it clumsily. He babbles a lot but mainly ahhhh and ohhhh, screeches, and words like ‘kaaaa’ or ‘beeeee’. No bababa noises yet. If you clap he sometimes claps back, same with waving but not all the time. If you say ‘ta’ and hold out your hand most of the time he will give you what he’s holding. He cries if I leave the room and constantly ‘looks’ for me sometimes quite obsessively, and seems really quite upset if I’m not where he can see me or holding him. I think he recognises a couple of words, tree/dolly, if you ask where they are some of the time he will look to them. He laughs and smiles and looks to me a lot for praise.

Hard not to compare but a friends baby of the same age is walking and babbling more word type sounds! He also seems to perform every time a request is made whereas DS only does it some/most of the time. Any reassurance appreciated.

OP posts:
Fossilspartnersphone · 10/12/2023 17:40

Totally normal and more advanced than my ds who didn't clap until turned one. Recognising and looking for objects also brilliant

Walking might take a while and that's ok. My fifteen month old has only just started and health visitor has no worries.

bettynutkins · 10/12/2023 17:45

Completely normal. My 2nd had her 9-12 month check earlyish about 10 months. And the HV specifically said it was still a bit early for some of the milestones so she would call me after her birthday to check she was doing the things she couldn't at the check.
By 12 months she was doing them all.

I wouldnt worry. I don't think many 9 month olds say 3 words!

bettynutkins · 10/12/2023 17:46

Just to add. She couldn't crawl until 11 month or pull to stand, still not walking at 15 months. Hardly said anything until about 2-3 weeks ago.

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HVPRN · 10/12/2023 18:24

Ask them to do the 9m ASQ assessment as appropriate to give you a better more accurate idea.

Can he hold toys? Bang toys? Enjoy music?

Scirocco · 10/12/2023 18:52

Don't compare an 8.5 month old baby to the milestones for a 12 month old. He sounds like he's doing just fine at 8.5 months. Maybe ask them to do a more age-appropriate screening assessment?

Naptrappedmummy · 10/12/2023 19:42

Thanks all. I didn’t have any serious concerns but then I realised if he was scored on the 9-12 month today he would be in the grey or black for almost everything 😬 and there’s always 1 other baby who is so ahead! Yes he does hold a toy in each hand and bang them together, he enjoys songs and has a few favourites although he doesn’t join in with any gestures yet.

It does seem unfair to compare babies who are 9 months to those who are 12 months, I just didn’t want to start down the track of ‘failed’ tests and worrying about nothing. Thanks again.

OP posts:
fruitpastille · 10/12/2023 19:46

My DS was very similar. He's doing A levels now. Try not to worry.

Blue2020 · 10/12/2023 23:21

My ds is also 8.5 months and he can’t crawl yet, it’s questionable if he can sit unaided really but he’s mostly there. He can’t clap. He’s learning other new odd skills though like tutting/clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth is todays new skill. He babbles talks a lot that sound like words but he doesn’t realise it. Like he’s said dad but he doesn’t know it, it’s just part of his sounds. I think he’s better with talking because his motor/balancing etc are slower. He rolled over before other babies I know and he laughed before they did though so it’s all a balance really.

HVPRN · 11/12/2023 08:09

Naptrappedmummy · 10/12/2023 19:42

Thanks all. I didn’t have any serious concerns but then I realised if he was scored on the 9-12 month today he would be in the grey or black for almost everything 😬 and there’s always 1 other baby who is so ahead! Yes he does hold a toy in each hand and bang them together, he enjoys songs and has a few favourites although he doesn’t join in with any gestures yet.

It does seem unfair to compare babies who are 9 months to those who are 12 months, I just didn’t want to start down the track of ‘failed’ tests and worrying about nothing. Thanks again.

Sounds like you have no issues 😊 all is well

Naptrappedmummy · 31/12/2023 17:24

Just to update the thread (because I look at other people’s all the time and wonder what happened!) he started crawling and babbling babababa and dadadada about a week after I last posted. He seems to have forgotten how to clap though, or at least not want to copy me any more, so that’s given me something new to worry about. Ahhhhh, being a mum, can’t beat it….

OP posts:
Tacotortoise · 31/12/2023 17:27

He's not forgotten how to clap, he's mastered it and is now onto the next big thing. Mine was like this with waving - great at 9 months, by 11 months no interest at all, pulling up and cruising was the new game in town.

Devilsmommy · 31/12/2023 17:29

@Naptrappedmummy glad to hear it😊 my little one was walking at 8 months but still has no words at 15 months. I've realised babies don't read the rules, they reach their milestones when they want, not when you think they should 🤣

BellaTheDarkOverlord · 01/01/2024 13:57

Glad he’s now crawling! My 9 month old won’t sit unaided yet. She’ll get there 😅

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