Worried about 8 month old development

[eliayd]

Hi all
My 8.5 month old who was born 38 weeks and was 99th centile and really tall boy too. Normal birth ECS.

I'm bit worried about his gross motor skills

He can:
Sit independently (lean forward and side ways and reach for toys and sit back in the middle. Will sit for ages before either falling or leaning forward too much and sort of falls on his tummy and starts rolling

Rolls both ways
Pivots
Will put arms straight in tummy time
Doing good in fine motor skills too

What I'm worried about:

He can't lay to sit. But does try when I help him a little
He isn't getting in and out of sitting himself yet
He doesn't bare weight in legs for more then a few seconds and therefore doesn't stand supported
Doesn't get up on all 4s.

No crawling and pulling up yet but I know this can come later

Just worried about him reaching those 9month milestone like functional sitting and standing supported as my daughter was at that age

He hated tummy time for ages but getting used to it now I make him do it more now than I used to.

He's babbles, laughs, interactive, raises arms to be picked up and says mamamama and responds to name very well etc and seems to be doing fine in other areas of development

Hoping someone has had a baby similar?

Following this to see what other people’s perspectives are.

My DD is 9months and exactly the same (she’s also 99th percentile and tall). I’m not overly concerned at the moment.

I saw on an NHS page that if babies don’t weight bear on their feet they will likely be bottom shufflers and can start that later than crawling.

I look back on photos of my little girl when she was a few weeks old and feel a bit sad that I wasted that time being so anxious and worried, so I’m trying not to get too distracted by baby milestones and comparing and just celebrate all the things she is doing and enjoying.

I saw on another thread about crawling and walking that they all get there in the end and no one ends I’m up crawling into first day of reception. That did make me feel better!

I wouldn't be worried about that at 9 months. Honestly can't remember where my kids were at that stage beyond they could sit up. Two of my DC wouldn't weight bare at that stage. One became a bum shuffler and never crawled, he did end up having gross motor issues, the other crawled and his gross motor was fine. Bum shuffling can be an issue for cross body coordination so if I could have done something different I would have tried encouraging him to play games where we did versions of crawling or playing somewhere with things like tunnels that needed to be crawled through.

@Pearlinda
Hiya I feel same as you. I don't want to be too worried and just enjoy him
It's the weight bareing one that worries me too a bit. I have read it's only a problem if it doesn't happen by 12 months?

My son has been able to weight bare on his legs on my lap since 6months but it's only for a few seconds ans hasn't sort of progressed to standing against furniture holding all his weight for a little bit if you know what I mean

I was a bottom shuffler as a kid maybe it will happen to him. My daughter crawled at 9 months and was standing supported at 8 so that why I'm anxious. Realising quickly they all different and there's a wide range of normal. Hoping that's all it is

@EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness
That's really interesting
If mine ends up being a bottom shuffler I'll try and do some crawling exercises with him
What gross motor issues did your LO have? X

Honestly they really do get there in their own time. My little one was walking by 9 months but is only now trying to say words at 20 months. Just enjoy your baby for who he is and honestly he'll be hitting the milestones before you know it. Oh and don't compare to other babies, that way madness lies🤣

Totally anecdotal but I’ve noticed friends with bigger babies the babies tend to be a little slower on the gross motor skills, and smaller babies tend to be faster. But I wouldn’t be worried based on some of the babies I know who were similar at that age, he will get there in the end maybe just a little later than expected.

A mum at playgroup had the longest boy I've ever seen! He's going to be so tall. Took him an age to walk and for a long time couldn't do more than roll over. He did walk just fine eventually.

He was so long in the body and limbs I just assumed it would be such hard work for him to move himself around. Compared to my son who is tiny and nippy and was crawling before 6 months.

My second son didn't crawl till he was a year old. Even then he used to always fall and didn't seem very sturdy. I think he started sitting up about eight months. He seemed to take a little bit longer to walk as well. I also worried that he wasn't hitting the milestones. He's 8 now and absolutely fine.

@SparklesandRainbows thanks for your post. I hope my little one is the same
I know they checklists can be frustrating as I discovered with my daughter who hit the gross ones early but language ones later and she's doing great. She's 3 now

Hoping one day this is all a distant memory x

@eliayd bless you, it can be worrying definitely but all babies are different! My first son didn't speak till he was three no matter how hard I tried to get him to say anything, then one day he just started speaking full sentences. Hes 10 and my goodness can he talk now 🤪🙈 x

@Devilsmommy hiya yeah thanks I know. My daughter was similar to your LO too. My son does seem more verbal than she was at that age. We'll see I guess

@ru53 haha yeah he's a big boy and so heavy. Hoping that's all it is too.

@Yourethebeerthief yeah that's the thing Iv heard longer and bigger babies are slower by daughter was chunky but it never held her back but my baby now is also really tall baby too as well as heavy. Hoping it turns out ok

@SparklesandRainbows
Ah wow really. They are all so different, you think you know about kids and babies and then you get them so different from each other if feels like a first time mum again haha. Just glad this one is my last. X

100%! X

@eliayd thank you for creating this thread. I was feeling exactly the same as you but now feel very reassured.

Thanks everyone else for their experiences and words of wisdom

@Pearlinda I'm so glad I could help. I went to the GP today just to get his hips checked because of the weight bareing and he did it there for a few seconds and they were happy with that for now and said he seems strong and hips seem good.
She wanted to do a x ray to be 100% sure so I'll take him to that tomorrow
I'm not worried though and neither was my GP. I felt much more reassured aswell that he's doing okay

@eliayd I wanted to ask how you got on with your DS?

My 8 month old DS is exactly as you describe in your Op and I’m getting worried.

@Forthistwohiya!
my DS is now 2! He’s doing great he did all I was worried about by 9-10 months and he’s perfectly typical in his gross motor now! My advice is help him get there and get him on his tummy to strengthen his trunk muscles as much as possible! hopefully all will be well 💕 try not to worry x

@eliayd ah thank you so much for coming back to me so quickly I really appreciate it.

I’m so glad to hear your little boy is doing well. It’s so hard not to worry as a parent!

@Forthistwo No worries at all! I know how hard it can be! Is parents never stop worrying! If one worry passes another one comes haha oh well

Yes, 1 of mine was like this, nothing wrong with her though, seemed to suddenly catch up around 10-11 months, a few others at baby group were the same. She wasn’t my first so I just enjoyed the extra time of not chasing her about, once she was crawling couldn’t get anything done 🤣

@Forthistwo i was one of the other posters who felt exactly the same as OP! I was consumed by worry about weight baring and not rolling over and now my little girl is 2 and constantly running around!! She crawled at 11 months and walked at 16 months. Just wanted to offer another update

Ah thank you @Pearlinda I really appreciate it. It’s so hard not to get really worried! I’m really pleased to hear that your little girl is doing so well now. Hopefully my DS will get there in his own time.