7 1/2 mo. old not even close to sitting up

[mom2lucy]

Yep, another one of these threads!  I'm trying to really stay relaxed about this, but I'm starting to get concerned.  I don't have a ped. appointment until next month so I thought I'd ask you ladies.

DD2 is 7 1/2 mo. and will not sit up alone at all.  She has been army crawling for at least 6 weeks and gets up on all fours and rocks, so she's definitely working on crawling.  She's been rolling both ways since 4 mo.  Everything else seems normal, but if I try to sit her up she intently rolls away the second she hits the floor. 

She has been teething like crazy and already has 7 teeth, so I'm wondering if she's preoccupied with that, but it just really seems late to not be sitting up yet.

Any mamas of late sitters out there??

Thanks!

[NevadaMama]

I was in the same boat as you a couple months ago - Lilly didn't sit up on her own til 8 months. We got her a Bumbo seat and she'd sit fine in that, and could sit for a few seconds unassisted, but then she'd just flop over. I was working with her all the time til around 6 1/2 months, then we found out we were moving cross-country and she didn't really get the attention she needed for a few weeks while we were frantically preparing to move. About 2 weeks after we got to our new house she started sitting up on her own, just like that. She crawled right around 10 months, and now is almost 1 year old and is pulling herself up, cruising, and crawling around the house like mad getting into everything she can. Try not to worry too much, once she gets it crawling won't be too far behind, then you'll really be in for it!

[AislinCarys]

DD didn't sit until after she started crawling, at 8 1/2 months, and then she sat on her knees. I think she was over a year before she sat on her bottom. She has very good body control and is much more coordinated than I am!

It's all normal. Do check the development chart on WHO's site:

http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/motor_milestones/en/index.html

Don't necessarily expect your child to be in the same percentile on all of them. DD was extremely early standing with support and walking with support, on average crawling and standing without support, a bit late for for walking without support, and quite late for sitting without support.

Edited to add: I think DD had the strength, and probably could have done some of these things before she did. Like your child, she just rolled herself away when we tried to sit her up. I really think some kids just have different interests, and therefore are less keen on some things, and more keen on other. DD didn't really enjoy sitting until she had started really playing with toys.

[laohaire]

Our (now 5 year old) DD was also nowhere near sitting up at 8 months. I eventually (11 months) got her evaluated through Early Intervention. I worried about it but finally decided that the act of calling EI was not a big deal and that it wasn't going to give DD any bad juju or anything like that.

EI was great for us. We received physical therapy services and also took advantage of some of their playgroups. The cost was very minimal and I believe could have been waived if we had a problem.

My DD was not rolling or crawling (army or otherwise) either, so your DD is already ahead of where mine was. Mine is currently in gymnastics and doing rolls and jumps and all that jazz.

I don't believe you absolutely need to know there is a problem to pick up the phone and call Early Intervention. They'll evaluate and give you some feedback. Either you'll quality for services, and that will be nice that you got the ball rolling, or you won't, and you can feel assured that everything is grand. Qualifying for EI does not inherently mean there is a major problem, either. It's just a resource, and a helpful one at that.

[Momsteader]

My  now almost 11 yo didn't do ANYTHING until he as 8 mos old! He didn't roll, he didn't move. I took him to the doc who reassured me he was fine, he was a preemie (just barely and never in size!), and he was a big baby, so give him time.  

He'd kick his legs and that was about it. Then shortly after that....he rolled over....crawled.....pulled up to a stand....then did some sitting.....then started cruising along furniture and walked some independent steps by 10 mos on Halloween. Also the same week he got his first teeth! Four of them in ONE week.  

He's pretty much still a kid that goes all out. He doesn't do 'small' LOL He likes to put on a big show.

[Knitting Mama]

Originally Posted by AislinCarys 

DD didn't sit until after she started crawling, at 8 1/2 months, and then she sat on her knees. I think she was over a year before she sat on her bottom. She has very good body control and is much more coordinated than I am!

It's all normal. Do check the development chart on WHO's site:

http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/motor_milestones/en/index.html

Don't necessarily expect your child to be in the same percentile on all of them. DD was extremely early standing with support and walking with support, on average crawling and standing without support, a bit late for for walking without support, and quite late for sitting without support.

Edited to add: I think DD had the strength, and probably could have done some of these things before she did. Like your child, she just rolled herself away when we tried to sit her up. I really think some kids just have different interests, and therefore are less keen on some things, and more keen on other. DD didn't really enjoy sitting until she had started really playing with toys.

This chart is really cool! Seconding that they will do different milestones at different times, too-- my Cecilia sat independently at the early end, around 4.5 months and stood with assistance way early, like before 5 months, but started hands-and-knees crawling basically in the middle (she just started going forwards consistently last week at almost 9 months old). Personally I attest her later crawling to her absolutely hating tummy time with a fiery passion before about 6 months old, and that just goes to show that their personalities can have an effect on milestones!

[jennybear]

It sounds like she's on the early end for rolling and crawling, so I wouldn't worry. It also sounds like she just doesn't **want** to sit. ;)

Ask your pedi, but my guess is that all is fine.

DD was super early for sitting & standing, late for rolling (didn't roll consistently until after 6 months), a bit early with crawling and totally average with walking. They tend to hit things at different times. :-)