Are my 9mo delays related to cloth?

[Mom2SammyJoe]

Yesterday morning I woke up and all was well in my world and with my children. Then I took my daughter for her 9 month well child appointment...
They tell me that her grossmotor skills are delayed and are sending us to physical therapy so she doesn't get "way behind." She rolled over at 3 1/2 months and began her army crawl at 5 months. However, she wouldn't stay sitting until 7 1/2 months, still army crawls and can't get down from a sitting position. She hasn't even thought about pulling up to a stand. She is a hefty honey at 20lbs 10oz with a round booty and tummy and delicious thighs.
My husband thinks that her dipes may be too restrictive across her tummy and that is what is slowing her down. I'm of the thought that has been around longer than sposies and those kids did just fine. She is in snappied premium prefolds and Duo wraps or Proraps. I fold over the extra diaper length in the back.
I see there is a similar post already on here, but I could use some insight and encouragement. I thought I was doing a good job with her. She gets lots of floor time and maybe 20min per day in her exersaucer, despite brother's pleas to keep her restrained and out of his toys. We have the PT appt. on Monday. I just want my baby to be okay.

[mommy2maya]

I surely would not think it was the diapers at all. I'm surprised at the pt referral though, cause everything you say sounds pretty on target?

[ktmeyer]

I've actually read several things about how cloth diapers are better for a child physically, because having the legs farther apart and such is good for their hip development. And she doesn't sound that far behind to me, just different. Is she ahead in any areas? Fine motor skills or starting to try to make verbal noises?

[Kailey's mom]

My dd did not crawl until 10.5 months, and was pretty much equivilant to your dd at her age. My dd had severe acid reflux, which is why she was mildly behind in her gross motor skills, and she caught up by age 14 months. Does you dd have GI issues or anything?

[Mom2SammyJoe]

Thanks for the imput. Bekah is very healthy, no GI issues that I have noticed.
Her fine motor skills and "talking" are great. She does very well with self-feeding and will repeat sounds that we make.

[lifeguard]

Doesn't sound unusual to me.

[chely7425]

Sounds normal to me!! Both my sons are CDed and the first was way ahead on his motor skills like rolling over and sitting up but behind (relatively speaking) on his verbal skills and fine motor skills. My second is the exact opposite, slower to crawl and sit up but much quicker to babble and smile and feed himself. I wouldn't worry too much. I found that giving my kids naked time was helpful in them figuring out crawling and stuff. Also, physical therapy won't hurt anything. She sounds totally normal but all PT will do is help her.

[CookAMH]

I'm also really surprised at this PT recommendation. If it makes you feel any better, MY 9mo (five days younger than yours) doesn't even army crawl but does occasionally lean over from sitting to his tummy. But he doesn't pull himself up (doesn't even try) and still tips over and bonks his head sometimes if he leans too far. PLUS, he was just at his 9mo appt yesterday with his new doc (we moved) and she thought he was doing great and meeting milestones. He's 19lb 3oz and 29". TBH, I have wondered if his legs are restricted from really crawling with the diaper cover compared to the freedom of either nakedness or a sposie, but he's slowly getting there. He scoots backwards, pivots on his tummy with arms, and occasionally rocks on hands and knees.

Overall, our babies sound the same and mine got a great report. He sat up closer to 7mo but it wasn't 6mo like a lot of babies. How is her doc otherwise, do you think the same or is he pretty mainstream?

He is, however, way more mobile when naked. I do think there is restriction but it doesn't seem to be a significant problem. If we hadn't just gotten new carpet I might let him be naked more often .

Also, as a pp hinted, it seems babies work on differnet skills at differnet times. My 2.5yo nephew is awesome with balance and steadiness but not as much with vocab. My DS is good with handling things and picking things up but not as far on crawling, for example.

[nigellas]

My son is 10 months today and has not started any type of crawling - our ped isn't concerned yet.

[PatchChild]

Cloth diapers getting in the way of growth? Very, very, very unlikely. Besides, kids hit their milestones in their own time. DS didn't crawl until after he was walking. He just didn't see the point.

[TheGirls]

I'm so confused as to what she is "way behind" on? My DD didn't army crawl, crawl, or do anything else resembling crawling until she was 10.5months. She walked at 13 months. She sat unassisted at 7-8months, but I don't think she could get from sitting to laying down at 9mo, I don't remember. By 18 months she was jumping (way ahead). She also rolled over and held her own head very young. So she's done somethings early and some late. My ped (who is generally an alarmist) was never worried about this. Now she is 20mo and quite advanced on gross motor skills. She just does things in spurts.

She's been in cloth (prefolds/covers) most of her life, too. She also babbled early (like from 6 mo on, constantly) but talked late (no words, not even mama, until like 16mo, and no language explosion until 18mo or so). Now she uses phrases and sentences and strangers can understand much of her speech.

[Michigan Mama]

fwiw, I'm a PT and use cloth diapers.... While they can get a little bit in the way, I don't think it's enough to really slow things down. I don't think her motor points are too delayed and agree with most of the points the PP's have stated. I think being chunky gets in the way of movement more than cloth diapers. I wouldn't worry.

I would let the PT examine her and then have an honest discussion with him/her whether they really think it's needed and go from there.

I wouldn't worry too much.

[Mom2SammyJoe]

Thanks, all, for your encouragement. We went to PT this morning. The therapist said that she needs some trunk strengthening as she tested at the 7 month level for mobility. She left it up to me whether we proceed with therapy or give it time. We are going to do some therapy. She gave us some exercises to do at home and we go back in 2 1/2 weeks. The PT agreed that the issue was more due to her round figure than her cloth diapers.

[dannic]

My dd was a roly poly like yours. I think they're micromanaging babies these days. DD didn't crawl-crawl until 11 mos and didn't walk until 16 mos and she was a healthy happy perfect baby. She is now five with perfect abdominal form, for what it's worth.

[organicmom3]

I would be very confused as a mother why a pediatrician would have any concerns at this point???? PT? That to me is going way overboard for only some slight variation of development...and to blame diapers? I think your child may just need some more floor time...otherwise I wouldn't change a thing, not the diapers and I would not involve unneeded PT unless there's more problems the doc is seeing than what's in your text.....

[mommy2maya]

I think it was her dh that questioned the diapers, not the dr. As for therapy, I would always err on the side of getting an evaluation/therapy over not.

[justmama]

I've had both my preemies in cloth and they followed their adjusted ages or even their actual ages regarding development. Our grandmas were in cloth diapers and they all learned to walk and sit up in normal time. I don't think cloth diapers are to blame. They are just an easy scapegoat, ya know?

[mother culture]

There are pleanty of babies who don't crawl at 9 months. Why don't you just work with her at home. Go diaperless and practice sitting and moving around. She does not need physical therapy for your description. Best to spend the $ on a baby music class that will stimulate you and her.

[sapphire_chan]

While cloth diapers have been around since forever, snaps and hook and loop tape as fasteners for cloth diapers are a fairly new thing. Since she is, as you say, a little round ball of love are you making sure you can get a couple fingers into her waistband when the diaper's fastened?

Not because she seems delayed or anything, but if your dh thinks the diapers are too tight, maybe they are.