6 month old - Rolling & physical strength doubts

[Demotivated]

Hi everyone. My LO is nearly 6 mnths (will be in 3 days). He started rolling from tummy to back at 3.5 months and did it on and off. However, ever since he discovered rolling from back to stomach at 5 months, he does It several times daily.. Even when cleaning poop :/ but he seems to have forgotten the earlier roll.. Just doesn't do it even when I help him.. Is it normal?

Second.. He started doing minipushup and bearing weight on forearms at 4 months..but he doesn't extend his arms fully and bears weight on extended full arms till now.. He reaches out for objects very well and can stretch arms in any direction to get a toy..but doesn't extend to put weight on them.. Is this normal as well

Extremely worried about low muscle tone..

 

[modified]

My daughter wasn't pushing up on her arms until 8 or 9 months, maybe even later. She has also only ever been able to roll one way. Late with that too. She's fine.

 

[Demotivated]

Thanks.. I have just read so much about hypotonia, that it worries me to death..I am a FTM, so I just go by online literature which is v v vague..

 

[calm]

As a FTM I get my knickers in a twist a lot too, for me that sounds absolutely fine for a 6 month old, compared to my two it sounds advanced! X

 

[_Meep_]

Join the club - I worry about EVERYTHING.

As I understand it, a baby with hypotonia is very floppy. Some people describe it as like trying to hold a wet noodle. When you pick them up under the arms, there is no resistance there. They almost slip through your hands.

They are also delayed in areas such as neck control. Try pulling your baby to a sit from lying on his back. Does he seem to assist a little with his trunk muscles? Is there any head lag?

True hypotonia would have been picked up I am sure during routine checks. If there is anything there, it is surely mild. Some babies do have lower muscle tone than others - it's whether this is severe enough to be a medical problem or not that I think you are trying to work out.

From what you have described, I honestly, really don't think it is. In my experience (my only baby is 1 now), babies get 'stuck' on things - like, they learn a new skill and then they will do that over and over again for a couple of weeks, even months. Then suddenly you will see an old skill reemerge. Or, they do something once and then won't do it again for ages, until they remember and start doing it again, all the time ...

I remember reading that at three months my baby should be doing mini-pushups. I just about died! She wasn't doing anything like that. It wasn't until around 5-6 months that she started bearing any weight on her arms, and they weren't fully extended either ... but a few weeks is a huge amount of time in the development of a baby, and so much can change so fast. She was army-crawling at 7.5 months, properly crawling at 8. There is a massive range of what's 'normal' though - your lad actually sounds pretty advanced to me with his rolling - I know of tons and tons of babies who are 8 months + and still can't or don't roll over.

Please don't worry so much - easy enough for me to say I guess, but to be honest, I still worry constantly about CP and hidden disabilities and my LO is pretty much walking! It's so tough being a mum because they are so precious.

 

[Demotivated]

Thanks a lot..makes me feel much better.. He has excellent head control.. No head lag on pulling..
Was doing mini pushups at 4 months.. Had apgar score of 9 ( one lost for color cz he had lil jaundice)..

Its just his upper arms, which I feel r very soft and squishy.. His nanny says its becz there is no muscle strength and it will come but I am not too sure..

As a moron I have felt his whole body and everything feels firm except upper arms

 

[_Meep_]

I am pretty sure that a baby with hypotonia would definitely not have excellent head control, or at least would have likely been delayed in gaining it. That's great he has no head lag either - that's something they look for at six months.

I found this video helpful when I was freaking out in the past - doesn't look to me like the 'typical' baby's arms are particularly straight either!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sUO6baJ0FcA

Please don't worry if your baby isn't yet doing all of this stuff though, there is a wide margin for each milestone.

With regard to his arms, it IS probably just because he's a baby. My LO's arms look/feel very flimsy and tragic, but she has lovely muscular, nicely-covered legs. She must have strength there though as she is forever lifting things that are heavy and she crawls fine.

 

[_Meep_]

Link seems to be crap my end, but if you put 'six month baby development' into Youtube, it's the first video.

 

[Demotivated]

Yes I have seen the link..n my baby is doing almost everything except being on arms like that and sitting.. He can sit unsupported for moments.. Not like this baby..and its fine..

And I love u..he has v muscular legs n forearms.. He can lift heavy items as well like his mobile.. Its just that upper arms r very soft..v much like what u described.. Flimsy

Thanks girls.. Love u all..

 

[_Meep_]

Haha, you're welcome. Xx

 

[superfrizbee]

My son has hemiplegia cp acquired after a stroke at 7 weeks so I know a little about motor milestones and muscle weakness. I think your lo sounds fine but I'm sure if you prefer your gp or hv could reassure you