If your DC was late hitting "milestones"

How did you deal with it?

I know every child is different and will do what they want when they feel the are ready for it. But in the meantime how did you stop yourself from going crazy?

DD is 7 1/2 months old. Relatively happy and content baby - sits independently (so long as you sit her up) and supports her own weight when she stands so long as she is holding onto something.

However she has not and will not roll. If I her on her back she is completely content laying there and grabbing for whatever toys are around her. If I put her on her stomach she is miserable - but I do it regardless.

The ped wasn't concerned because she said her core tone is fine since she is able to sit very well and that she thinks DD is just being stubborn. But it's slowly driving me crazy with each passing day! I'm starting to think there is something I didn't do or I should be doing to help her but I don't know what it is.

I know ultimately I just have to wait but the paranoid mom sitting on my shoulder is going to be the death of me.

Any advice?

Re: If your DC was late hitting "milestones"

As long as your doctors are happy try try try not to let it bother you.

AJ was late to roll (9m) late to talk, talk to get teeth etc. They will get all those things in THEIR own time. Lots here post their milestones and it made me feel bad (not really a failure but like I wasn't doing something) but you learn that your child will do something better than others at the same age.

No matter what, remember this. When they are 20 and dating no one is going to ask "so what age did you start to roll over?" it all evens out!


ETA: ENJOY your time with your baby and stop stressing her and you over milestones. Its the same as telling a pre-teen they need to work harder on some social skill when they are good kids in school and pretty much fine. Pick your battles. AJ HATED tummy time so we only did it as long as she liked it then put it aside. She walks just fine thank you. ;)

Message edited 12/20/2012 8:47:17 AM.

If your DC was late hitting

DD is almost 8 months and is pretty similar to yours. She rolled onto her belly around 4 months. She used to do it all the time but once she got smart enough to realize she didn't like the results, she stopped. Hasn't done it in months. It took her a long time to learn to roll from belly to back, maybe around 5.5 months. However, she still hasn't really mastered it. She can do it here and there but mostly just stays on her belly and whines and gets upset. Once I start to push her, she'll go the rest of the way on her own. I'm not really sure why she doesn't really try to do it on her own.

She is content wherever you put her and doesn't really try to change positions. She sat early and now stands holding on, but doesn't go from sitting to her belly and doesn't try to pull up or cruise really. She also doesn't hold herself up on all fours on her belly so I don't think she'll crawl any time soon, if at all.

I do plan to talk to the ped at her next appointment (9 months) if she's still not holding herself up or rolling when she wants to. I wouldn't say I'm concerned at all but I do wonder if there's more I should be doing. TBH, I dread the day she's actually mobile! As long as there's not a problem, I consider myself lucky that she's so contained at the moment. I'd say if your ped isn't concerned, then I would just continue to do tummy time, maybe try to help her roll so she gets the feeling, and just give it time.

Re: If your DC was late hitting "milestones"

Both of my sons were late hitting their physical milestones as babies!

With my first baby, the ped wasn't concerned, but I was. I compared him to other babies, read books, studied charts, etc. I think he rolled over at about 5 months. But he didn't crawl (really crawl, not drag himself around) until about 10 months. He didn't walk until 15 months. His brother was even later with rolling, and didn't walk until almost 17 months!

With the second baby, I was more relaxed. I knew if the doctor was okay with it, he was fine. Some kids just take their time with things. My DH was very late with those milestones as a baby, and he grew up to be very coordinated and athletic. I was early , and I am not coordinated or athletic at all!!

I know it is natural to worry, especially as a first time Mom. But if there is an issue, the doctor will tell you, especially if you bring something to their attention.

The one thing my babies did early was start to sleep through the night (8 weeks) which to me, was a VERY important milestone to hit early

Re: If your DC was late hitting "milestones"

My DD only rolled like 3 times on her own. My ped wasn't concerned either. Once she started crawling he said it didn't matter.

That said, at 13 months we discovered my DD has a fine motor skill delay. The therapist said she had very low muscle tone, which is the core of her delay. I don't know if the delay has anything to do with her not rolling over. And I'm definitely not saying you should worry. At 7.5 months they wouldn't be able to determine that anyway. But just thought I'd share.

If your DC was late hitting

Thank you all for your responses - it's really good to hear from other moms who had similiar experiences. What makes it doubly hard is that I'm at work all day and by the time I get home I get MAYBE two hours with DD while she's awake and she's normally exhausted from the day and isn't really interested in "performing". My mom watches her during the day and says she's fine but I know I won't really rest until I see progression with my own eyes.

Thankfully I have a week of vacation starting tomorrow afternoon so all that time with her should serve to hopefully reassure me that everything is going to be okay.

Re: If your DC was late hitting "milestones"

My DS didn't roll for the first time until he was 7m. He also didn't crawl until 11m. We were freaked out because some kids are already walking by then! Now, I struggle with the fact that DS is 2y, 3m and still not talking. At all. It is very hard to deal with, considering there are babies in our family who are barely a year old who have so many words already. DH and I just try our hardest to remind ourselves that he will talk in his own time... he doesn't have any other issues that would make us think otherwise. It's very difficult, but what other choice do you have? You just have to let it happen when it happens. I just tell myself - he's not ready!