Baby is 5 months & struggling to lift head.

[beckmcdxx]

Hi all, just looking for a bit of advice/ other mums stories.

Im a first time mummy, my girl is recently 5 months old born at 37 weeks, has been quite advanced in hitting her milestones since newborn basically however I’ve noticed she’s still struggling to lift her head up straight/for prolonged periods of time. She preferred to do tummy time on my chest, whenever I tried to put her on the floor or a propped pillow for support it was like the world was ending 😂
She basically lived in my arms for around 3 months, almost like she was attached to me. I had quite bad PND/PNA so the sound of her crying whilst on the floor was triggering.

For a month now I’ve been incorporating floor based tummy time, holding her on my hip and sitting her in a chair so she can work on her neck strength as she slouches her head a lot. She also has a flat head which I’m not sure why as she was rarely out my arms.

A lot of friends and family members keep telling me that every baby develops uniquely and she will get there and I know that deep down but it is disheartening to see babies either younger than her or her age holding their heads up with ease. I have a case of the dreaded mum guilt about it.

Any advice welcome, thanking you ❤️

I would make a doctors appointment. Can she roll?

Hi and she’s trying her best, swinging her legs and getting more than half way, she’s also recently started grabbing both feet.

Has she been seen by a hv or doctor? She’ll be at weaning age in a month where typically babies can sit with support, it would be worth getting her seen to see if there’s a reason or any exercises to do.

Hi and no, it’s only become recently that it’s become apparent as she’s been hitting milestones, I will definitely be making an appointment as soon as I can, thank you :)

I think it depends what you mean.

Slumping forward from the shoulders or the upper/middle back is normal at 5 months old. Not many 5 month olds have the necessary tone to keep their back straight as is required for independent sitting, say.

But if you are still needing to constantly support her head when upright, ie she has no neck tone and her head flops about, that would potentially be abnormal at 5 months old. Although she is early term, so maybe more like 4-4.5 months, which may impact things.

You say she seems ‘advanced’ with other milestones - what else can she do?

Hi, your first paragraph is what she’s like, slumping. She can hold her head up whilst I’m walking around with her on my hip for a while then starts grunting and resting on me. When I sit her up with her back on a pillow she holds it up a bit, veering slightly to the side and slumps her chin forward. However when on the floor she can lift her head but uses her belly and legs instead of her arms so I have to hold her arms forward to bear weight on them.

She was trying to roll, cooing, tracking and grabbing/pulling toys earlier than when she was supposed to in regards to hitting milestones. Just head control and lifting head with her arms were struggling with.
(sorry for the long reply 🙈)

How is your baby getting on now? My baby is the same at 6 months.

Hi, she’s doing a lot better thank you!! Not too long after this post she all of a sudden started to lift her head up, baring weight on her arms 🙈
Shes still not 100% on it but she’s really small for her age.
Hows your little one doing?