DS not sitting up or crawling yet

RibbitGrl930

So I've heard that babies develop at different rates so to compare your child to a friend's is counterproductive...but there's a part of me that is worried that Jake isn't sitting up on his own or crawling yet. My friend whose little girl is a month younger than Jake has been sitting up on her own for some time now and just began crawling the other day. My husband's co-worker's daughter is now crawling; now she's actually 6 weeks older than Jake, but she was also born 6 weeks premature, so DH thought she would actually be delayed in some of those milestones. Another friend of mine whose daughter was born just 10 days before Jake has been sitting and crawling for weeks, and she has even started pulling herself up in her crib already.

There's just part of me that wonders if there's something we're not doing to aid his development. I know daycare puts him in a Bumbo seat for a little bit every day, and we have one at home too. I also try to hold him very lightly on my lap to get him to use his core to stabilize and sit up a little more on his own. We try to give him plenty of tummy time to try and get him to discover movement, but he just hasn't taken to it yet. Is there something else I can do to help Jake develop in these two areas, or is this just one of those "He'll get there when he gets there" sort of things?

rdbanks

It sounds like you're doing everything right--he WILL sit and crawl (and walk and talk) eventually! I know how hard it can be when friends or co-workers babies are doing all these things your baby has yet to master...I know the feeling of "What am I NOT doing right?"

With my DS, we did a lot of supported sitting,  whether it was playing with toys, or reading books...whatever. He always hated tummy time, so we didn't ever get as much as I wanted there. But then one day it was like a switch turned and he'd been sitting forever, he didn't need me supporting him anymore. He has yet to crawl, and I definitely get the "what else should I be doing" feeling every time I hear about so-and-sos 6 month old, or 5 month old or 2 day old baby crawling;)

But I know he's his own baby, and he'll crawl when he's ready...I just have to keep encouraging it with fun playtime and positive vibes:)

Honestly, I think we'd all feel a lot more relaxed if we didn't compare our babies with everyone else's...but alas, I think it's just in our human nature.

Keep doing what you're doing, mama, he'll get there!

honeydew01

Sounds like you're doing everything you can to help him. I'd just keep doing what you're doing and try to not worry too much. If you're still worried I'd talk to your doctor at the 9 month appointment.

I need to listen to my own advice as my baby isn't babbling all that much and I have the same worries as you do and I *KNOW* I shouldn't compare but it's hard to not compare her to kids I know who are babbling a storm.

gurleymomma

DD just started sitting up last week abd isnt crawling yet either.she doesnt babble much either.just give them time.one of my friends baby is only rwo weeks older than dd and is pulling up and standing holding on to things.there all diff.

MrsG071809

Both of those things seemed like they happened overnight with DD, where I was expecting it to be more of a gradual thing.  It sounds like you are doing everything right, just keep allowing him to sit with your support, and I'm telling you one day he will just be able to stay there on his own.  Same with crawling, she figured out how to rock one day, and it seemed like the next she was all over the place (I think it was actually a couple weeks in between).  

Totally agree that it's near impossible not to compare kids, but try not to worry!  Enjoy the mobile-free time, it is definitely a big change when they start moving

PinkandLove77

mal922 said:

I'm on mobile, so I can't tell whether you have a ticker, but my DS will be 8 mos on the 7th and he hasn't crawled yet. He's working on it, but mostly pushes backwards instead. I can't remember where I heard or read this, but for some reason I've been under the impression that girls tend to be ahead of boys on reaching physical milestones.

Our boys have the same birthday! (So your ticker makes me extremely sad) And I could have written your post exactly. He tries, but mainly does spins and "crawls backwards." 

jensriot

I'm in the same boat. It seems like all the babies I know are getting to milestones faster and younger than DS. It's hard not to compare and worry. I try to remember that with DD2, it was the other way around. She was early to everything. He'll get there, probably very soon.

smfdjo

It is hard and it is natural to compare.  No matter how hard you try you will always want to make sure your child is hitting milestones on time at least.  As others have mentioned every kid is different.  All in a three week span my kid went from rolling more, army crawls and then crawling.  So it could happen all at once as well.  If you really think there is something wrong I would call the Ped.  

RibbitGrl930

I have no reason to think there's anything wrong with him physiologically. He acts like a typical baby in every other way possible, and i haven't noticed anything wrong with his legs, arms, etc. I He does have an appt on Monday (set up for a nagging cough after i started this thread) so I may bring it up with him then just to get those parts checked out and be sure. I just wanted to hear if any other March mommies were in the same boat or if there were any successful practices that we weren't doing.

luvbug6315

My DD is almost 8 months and not crawling yet either. She is working on it and I think she will be soon, but as of right now she is not.

ashleyfrylund

For us it was an all of the sudden thing so maybe it will just pop up some day soon for you! Dd started crawling before she sat unassisted ( she is really tall and skinny and just hasn't got great balance.) I always compare too- but really it all means nothing in the long run I'm sure!!

RibbitGrl930

Thank you so much for the responses! I asked DD's pediatrician and he said he saw nothing to be concerned about. He actually said he looks more to linguistic and social development more than motor skills, and said DS is displaying tupical 9-month-old behavior in that regard. Motor skill wise, he said as long as he's holding his own head up, pushing his upper body up during tummy time, and sitting assisted, he's doing just fine. Whew!

mpalmateer7

Love all this. DS doesn't sit unassisted yet, and at first I started to worry, too. But now I think he's kind of choosing not to- I know he's physically capable, strength-wise. So I'm okay with the fact that he'll do it when he's damn well ready.