Ten and a Half Month Old Not Pulling up to Sitting

Hi there,

I don't know how much help i'll be, but... I'm a first time stay at home mom with a supportive workin husband. :) and my 10 month old will not pull herself to sitting either. She will pull herself to stand, but can't get up from laying. I get worried about her development sometimes, but I think it's pretty cool that she's strong enough to pull herself up to stand. I've heard from a lot of people that their kids walked before crawling. Oh well I guess...

I am a pediatric physical therapist. Please take your daughter to one! Since the whole "back to sleep" campain, we have seen MANY kids with "delay" in gross motor skills without something else being wrong. There is a reason kids are "supposed" to do things in the order they do. Yes, all babies develop at their own pace, but within a range. And yes, some babies do "skip" crawling, but this is less than desirable for many other reasons (all that tummy time and time spent crawling helps develop coordination, hand-eye coordination, hand to eye distance is the same distance for visual skills for reading, helps develop the small muscles in the hand needed for hand writing and more fine motor/dexterity skills as they get older, to name a few). It sounds like your daughter just needs a "boost". Pediatric physical therapy should be PLAY-BASED and fun (although still hard work for the kids, but we try to disguise it!). Depending where you are (particularly Wisconsin) each county should have a Birth to Three or 0 to 3 program that would at least cover the evaluation if your insurance doesn't. In my experience, I typically see a child like this only one or 2 times a week until they are more caught up, so it's not a long time. Hope that helps! Early intervention is the key!

I see you have gotten a LOT of great advice. I will just add my 2 cents. I have 10 1/2 YEAR old fraternal twin boys, and a 6 MONTH old son.
One of my twin boys had delayed gross motor skills. They say not to compare twins, and I tried but there was a really large gap between the 2 boys. We did utilize the Birth to 3 Program, and he went and played with the physical therapist a couple of times a week- the Occupational therapist too. He had a great time and it really helped. I almost wished they didn't call it physical therapy when they're that little, because it makes moms, especially new moms, feel like there is something really wrong with their little one. Sometimes, just playing in certain ways with the therapist helps so much and teaches you some great things to do at home as well. I wouldn't worry about it, but I would make use of the resources available to you and your daughter. It doesn't mean something is wrong with her at all. I think, if you find the right place and/or therapist, you will find the experience to be a positive one.
Good luck!!

Sounds like you are needing reassurance. Take the referral and go to the therapist. Both my children had therapy as infants due to premature births and the therapist gave us great excerises to do with them at home and also gave a sense of hopefullness and told us most children "grow" out of this stuff and move on to be active and healthly children. Mine sure did!! Good luck and take care.

I can understand where you are coming from! I have a 10 month old boy who also does not pull up to a sit from a lay-down position. He also does not pull up to a standing position, nor does he crawl. He hates being in a tummy-down position so much that instead of crawling, he crosses his legs in a sitting position, and puts his hands in front of him and slides his butt across the floor. He can actually move really quickly this way! He is in a lotus/yoga position with his ankles up on the opposite leg, and from the back he looks like his legs have been amputated from the knees down. It's really funny to watch him clump across a room this way.
When I took him in for his 9-month checkup, the doctor asked if I'd like to take him to a physical therapist and I said no.
If he'd been my first child I might have done it, because I remember how uptight I was back then (this is my third) but at this point I feel pretty relaxed about it. He has found his own way to get around, and he seems developmentally appropriate in all other aspects. I am just going to wait out the next couple months and see what happens.
Is your daughter crawling?

My grandson pulled the beached whale game with me. After having 4 children of my own, I knew he was frustrated about it. I went to walmart toy section and bought an 88 cent ball. About 8 inches diameter. I sat with him for about a half hour for 2 days in a row, and we played with it, bounce, pushed and lifted himself with it,(making sure he grasped and pulled to lift himself). Now, one week later, he is crawling for that ball, which when pushed, rolls against any object and heads a different direction or back to him. He pushes himself up with it, and also hits it back and chases it. A little time invested with them in that position payed off for me. (Make sure its bright and attractive)I think it created a desire and motivation. Children need that to develope. He is no longer beached, and I'm not sure that was so great, now when I leave him to do a chore, I find him anywhere! (haha) He is 7 and a half months, now mobile and too quiet! Children do develope at thier own speed. My niece was 16 months before she ever tried to move from sitting position. Sometimes that is moms fault for being Johnnie on the spot every time they get frustrated. Create desires, it doesnt' take a lot of flashing lights and money, just a bit of time in the area you are both frustrated with. (I put all of his toys away when we played ball, so there were no other distractions.) Good Luck!

That seems a little old to not be getting up on her own. I don't think it's a bad idea to meet with the therapist. Is she rolling over on her own? What happens if you let her cry it out, does she eventually roll? It seems promising that she pulled herself up to stand but I don't think it would hurt to push her a little bit.
Good Luck!

I'm a mom of special needs kids, and I would highly recommend that you get a developmental assessment done on your child. Although children do develop at different rates, a child almost a year old should be able to sit up and maintain that position w/o aassistance. If you are in the St. Paul area and are interested in connecting with a small support group, please reply. There are other moms who would be happy to share their knowledge and experience with developmental issues as well as encourage you as you research this.

SAHM of seven

My daughter was really delayed when it came to gross motor skills - didn't walk until about 19 months. She screamed hyserically when she was on her tummy too. We ended up in physical therapy to make sure there was nothing going on with her actual abilities - she hated going, sooooo... I took the packet of info and exercises they gave me and quit. BUT i did call the school district for Early Intervention and to this day have a PT and an OT that come to the house - for free- twice a month to check on her development and work with her. My daughter much preffered having people come to her, here in our house, to going to the clinic, but I would reccommend doing some pediatric pt just for peace of mind - you can quit if it's not right for you and your baby. And also, call the school district for some extra one-on-one. you'll be glad you did!

I'm experiencing similar things with my 9 and a half month old daughter. I have to say, I've been worried. She's never really mastered rolling over and doesn't like to be on her tummy or back too long.
On the other hand she's doing other things on time...so maybe our kids aren't as physical as other kids? I'm not sure.
Sorry, that's not much help, is it?

I wouldn't be to worried about it. If it will give you peace of mind follow the doctor's orders and see the physical therapist. I have four children and they all did things at a different rate. My youngest was the slowest, he didn't even roll over till he was almost 9 months old, didn't start crawling till almost a year and didn't walk till after his 1st birthday. He is now 4-1/2 and runs all over the place and does everything a normal 4 year old does. I trully believe your baby will do her own thing in her own time just the way God intended her to do it.

With my fourth child, I could not put her on her stomach at all. She also screamed after a few minutes. To this day she (4yrs old) does not like to be on her stomach. She loved to sit and stand with help at 10 months, but she did not start walking until 13 months. I worked with her on that alot. The funny thing was she could roll around, but once she got on her stomach, she got stuck. I got a be-bop ( I think that is what it is called) the half donut thing, and put that under her to take some stress off her stomach. It worked, but if she moved around to much she would end up back on her stomach again. So I was constantly adjusting it. I say work with her on standing or pick her stomach off the floor while she is in the crawling position. My 4th walked before she crawled. Good luck.

I wouldn't worry about this. One thing you can do to help her build up her muscles is to get this special chair that supports babies--I think it's called a "bumbo" chair or something like that. Someone told me they sell them at Wal Mart and Target.

About her not liking the tummy time, I really wouldn't worry, especially if she has been sleeping on her back this whole time. On her tummy is a foreign position to her. (Also, I read that since the early 90s, when people started having babies sleep on their backs, babies roll over at a later age. It's harder to roll from your back to your stomach.)

Also, there are some babies who *never* crawl--they go straight to walking. My husband was one of them. My MIL said he would just kind of rock and spin on the floor, and then just started walking.

My son was a "beached whale" too :) He walked long before he ever crawled.

However, it won't hurt to see the physical therapist if she is on the tail end of the developemental scale. Just try not to make this a stressful thing for your beautiful baby.

HUGS!

I honestly don't recall my son ever sitting on his own; I would put him in a sitting position when I put him down. So, if he did sit on his own, it wasn't long after that he started to walk (at about age 1). So, if your child is pulling herself up to standing, I wouldn't worry about a thing. As you said, they all develope at their own pace and I am a firm beliver on just that. Let them do it when THEY are ready regardless of what the magizines / books say. My son is now 12 and has no physical or mental problems. He is perfectly healthly other than the occassional asthma / allergy. JUST GIVE IT TIME!!!

Nothing to worry about. Some kids never do the typical crawl (and rolling up onto her butt is part of that) but get around in other ways until they start cruising and then walking. Most likely your daughter has just been concentrating on other skills, like verbalizing or fine-motor skills (picking up the tiniest crumbs or whatever else she finds laying around.) In general, those guidelines are (I am guessing, and a little bit tongue-in-cheek) within about 6 months of accurate, but few babies ever read them ;) and they all develop their skills in different orders.

Trust your instincts. If there was something really "wrong" with her, you'd feel it.

That is not to say there aren't benefits to coaching and therapy, and if you have the opportunity, go fot it! Just don't stress out about a single skill if there are no other indications of a problem :).

J.,

Truely I wouldn't worry about it some babies just don't feel the need to do much they are content where they are, if she is sitting where you put her she has the mucsle control she needs, and you said she pulled herself to standing she is doing ok, some babies skip steps, like some never crawl they just walk, so don't worry and don't compare her to others, i am sure she is fine,

J.,

I would not worry about it at all. My son just turned 1 today & did not start to pull himself into a sitting position until just after hitting 11 months. He did the beached whale thing too. :) He started crawling about a week after pulling himself into a sitting position so has only been crawling a few weeks. He pulls himself to his knees now but not into a standing position.

I had nieces born within 2 weeks of each other, now both coming up on 3 years old. The older one was a very content baby while the the younger was more challenging. The content one was much like my son & later doing things while the younger one was well ahead of her. Today, you would never guess it as they are both on par with each other developmentally.

I know it is somewhat cliche, but babies will do things when they are ready!

Sometimes there is little we can do but encourage what they are able to do. My son has always been a long and lean child. He crawled, rolled, and cruised before he sat on his own. He didn't walk until 15mos. Because of stature it just took his muscles a little more time to strengthen up. He's just as normal as the next kid and yours may be too...just needing more time. Encourage play and what she does do. Sometimes patience is the answer. (My son is 3 and goes non-stop).

Getting upset when on their tummy seems to be a pretty common thing I've noticed in this day when babies sleep on the back or side. My daughter Meghan is 13 months old, and she HATED spending time on her belly. She would always roll over as soon as she could, or get someone to get her up. As a result, she pushed up from her side not her belly, and had no trouble staying up once she got into position. The fact that your daughter is already pulling up to standing I would find encouraging and not worry too much. Meghan spent very little time on her belly when she was younger, and is an avid crawler and cruiser now. She stands from the middle of the floor and walks a few steps at a time as well.

I would not get myself upset about it, but I would definately investigate what is going on. It could simply be that she is "lazy" and wants you to do the work for her, and she has you doing it, or it could be a developmental delay, or just a delay and not a big deal.
Sometimes kids can con us into doing things for them long past when they could do it for them, we just don't know it, lol. And what else can you do when she is throwing a screaming fit and is getting frustrated down there? Of course you are going to try to help her! At the very least to make the screaming stop.
Parenting is a hard job, and kids are so different that there is no way to make a manual that would work for everyone.
I would follow through with the physical therapy and see what they say. They really will have a better idea of what is going on. Even if it isn't a problem, it is good, because they will know and you won't be worried. But if there is a problem, you will have caught it plenty early and there the fix will be much easier.

It sounds like there are some muscles that need a little work in strengthening. 10 1/2 months is pretty late for sitting on her own. It certainly won't hurt to go to the PT & get some instruction on exercises/games that will strengthen those muscles. Ones that are used to working with peds are great at making it fun for the kids.

"Sitting up on their own" simply means sitting up without assistance. My daughter is 11 months and she just started crawling but she cannot go into a sitting position on her own nor can she pull herself up to stand yet. All babies are different. One Dr recommended that I take her to physical therapy when I was concerned about her not sitting up a few months back but then she soon started doing it on her own. I would suggest giving it a month and if she isn't progressing then I would take her to a specialist. My older daughter didn't start walking until she was 14 months and girls seem to take longer to sit/crawl/walk. Good luck!

My children all were slow at pulling up to sitting, and absolutely HATED being on their tummies. I wouldn't worry but let her go at her own pace. 10 1/2 months isn't really so old. My second child the doctor had therapists work with her, but I didn't feel it was all that helpful I think she really just got better at those things when she was ready. (13 mos.)
I was glad to read that she is pulling up to a standing position. That is a good sign. My youngest (4th)wouldn't stand up at all. She wouldn't even support herself with her legs, and just got upset when you tried to have her stand at all. The doctor had me try physical therapy. The therapist felt there was something really upsetting her. I told this to the doctor, and he just seemed to dismiss it, like me and the therapist had just not pushed her enough. To make a long story a little shorter, it ended up that her adenoids were huge, and trapped behind her ear drums was a LOT of puss. He went in to look and really had to clean up a mess. The doctors hadn't seen anything when looking in her ears, but when doing hearing tests on her, they HAD said that her ear drums didn't move as much as they should. (she went through all sorts of tests) But again the doctor did nothing, because she could hear. She wasn't talking right either, but talking with her mouth closed. After the adenoids were taken out, the puss cleaned up, and tubes put in her ears, she started sitting up, standing up, walking and talking within weeks. I had asked the doctor for an appointment with the ears nose throat appointment, because she was snoring.

Hi! Looks like you have already gotten a lot of great responses but I will add my 2 cents anyway! My daughter was doing similiar things as your daughter at that age. As a matter of fact...she didn't start walking until 13 months and then FINALLY at 14 months she crawled too. Yes, walked before crawled. I was worried too because she could not go from lying down to sitting on her own until about 14 months. Now, at 18 months she is one crazy girl! As far as physical therapy...yes, babies all develope at different rates (especially with the "back to sleep" initiative but it certainly isn't going to hurt her to have P.T. and it might give you piece of mind too. Good luck!