How did you know your baby was left handed?

[Kiwiberry]

So my sweet little angel Riya is 7 months old, 4 months adjusted. She has started reaching for things and really engaging her toys as well as us. I have noticed that she reaches out to grab or hold things with her left. Is it a high possibility that she will be left handed? Or is it something else that i should tell her pediatrician?

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

Evie usually reached for something with her left hand before she was 1, but now she definitely favors her right hand. You should always mention your concerns to their doctor, but it's most likely too soon to tell!

 

[VerbingNoun]

I was ambidextrous till I was 7! No joke!

My mom thought I was a leftie like her but I would write with my right hand at school. I would draw with my right but paint with my left.
Now, for whatever reason, I'm fully right handed.

My niece used to write left handed too. Now she uses the right. I do recall one of her aunts telling her she was wrong for using her left though so it was probably "corrected." Almost wonder if that happened to me when I was little and just don't remember. I think some of it still remains with me though. DH thinks its funny but for some reason, I can't drive if with only my right hand...my left hand has to be on the wheel at all times

Anyway, you may or may not have a leftie. But be aware that people around might discourage left hand writing.

 

[Kiwiberry]

I never understood this, why do people dicoutage it?

 

[VerbingNoun]

I never understood this, why do people dicoutage it?

I think some of it has to do with lefties being considered evil, stupid, bad luck, and so on. Even in medical terms, the left side is "sinister" while the right is "dexter." I have heard that some do it because tools are often made for right handed people and it can be uncomfortable/dangerous for lefties. My mom is a leftie and I have a few leftie friends with no issues using regular tools.

 

[Kiwiberry]

Well the evil part is a silly reason for sure lol. If my baby ends up being left handed then I will let her.

 

[Reidfidleir]

Both me and my son favored our left hand when babies. There are lefties on my mom and dad sides. And also my mil is. Both my son and I are right handed though. I wondered the same as you. But nope!

 

[superfrizbee]

Does she use her right hand as well hun, or is it only really the left? Will she use her right hand if it is the "easier" hand to use? If not I would speak to your paediatrician. Babies arent really meant to have a hand preference before 1 but I've read stories about babies who have!

 

[Tattoo]

I've encountered children of five or six who are still "deciding" which hand they use!

 

[Kiwiberry]

Does she use her right hand as well hun, or is it only really the left? Will she use her right hand if it is the "easier" hand to use? If not I would speak to your paediatrician. Babies arent really meant to have a hand preference before 1 but I've read stories about babies who have!

Sometimes she will attempt to grab with her right hand but then quickly switches to the left. I only noticed the left hand thing a couple days ago after MIL pointed it out. I am going to watch her like a hawk today and really get a feel for how she uses her hands.

Thanks for letting me know hun!

 

[AP]

At such a young age it wouldnt even be something I'd monitor right now, it could totally change.

 

[Kiwiberry]

At such a young age it wouldnt even be something I'd monitor right now, it could totally change.

I am going to mention it just out of concern of what a PP had talked about. She is a preemie and is at a higher risk of developmental delays. So for me it is better to be prepared. When she was evaluated shortly after she came home they said she was doing great from what they could tell (she was too young really). Now that she is 7 months old I am going to be scheduling another visit. Was going to do that anyway before all this just need to figure out when I can schedule it with everything going on irl.

 

[AP]

At such a young age it wouldnt even be something I'd monitor right now, it could totally change.

I am going to mention it just out of concern of what a PP had talked about. She is a preemie and is at a higher risk of developmental delays. So for me it is better to be prepared. When she was evaluated shortly after she came home they said she was doing great from what they could tell (she was too young really). Now that she is 7 months old I am going to be scheduling another visit. Was going to do that anyway before all this just need to figure out when I can schedule it with everything going on irl.

Oh no, I completely understand - Our preemie had a IVH so it was a given that she was going to be left handed to make up for it (it was so bad when she was younger she wouldnt even kick her right leg, now you wouldnt know). I just mean in terms of a preference, it doesnt matter as such, as long as she is actually using both sides ykwim?

 

[Kiwiberry]

Oh I know what you mean now! Makes sense. Glad things worked out later for your sweet baby.

 

[sethsmummy]

I wouldnt worry too much hun, most babies and children have a preferred hand. seths always favoured his left hand, ethan his right. you could always try dangling a toy closer to her right hand, this way she may be more inclined to grab it wih the right.. but if she grabs it with the left then just play a silly game and then take it away and repeat. That way you know shes building up co-ordination and strength with her right hand too xx

 

[Kiwiberry]

I wouldnt worry too much hun, most babies and children have a preferred hand. seths always favoured his left hand, ethan his right. you could always try dangling a toy closer to her right hand, this way she may be more inclined to grab it wih the right.. but if she grabs it with the left then just play a silly game and then take it away and repeat. That way you know shes building up co-ordination and strength with her right hand too xx

Thanks Tara! I will try that for sure hun. I actually did that a little bit yesterday and she was using her right hand. It makes me so happy to see her using it when I engage her since for the longest time she would always just lean on it.

 

[_Meep_]

I read somewhere that they tend to go through stages of favouring one hand, but it switches back and forth until they settle on one. A true hand preference at this age, as well as being considered 'abnormal' (hate that), would involve total refusal/inability or a strong reluctance to use one hand, as I understand it.

I've read a lot about it because I worried for ages that my LO favoured her left hand over her right. She 'discovered' her left side (hand, foot, grasp, etc.) a couple of weeks before her right and from then on seemed to slightly prefer her left hand. I'm a proofreader and a worrier - horrible combination! - so I notice small details like this that most other people probably wouldn't.

I spent a couple of weeks helping her pay extra attention to her right hand by playing with it, always holding things out to her on that side, carrying her on my right hip so she had to use her right hand to gesture and point, and sitting her on my lap to read a book with textured patches and flaps, with her left hand trapped gently under my arm.

The results were very quick and now she uses both equally. She's currently perfecting her pincer grip and both hands are doing great. I think she just needed a gentle reminder that life's better with two hands lol.

 

[Kess]

They generally switch back and forth as to which hand they favour until they're at least 3 years old. My eldest is 4 this summer and I think he right handed but I wouldn't bet much on it in case he switches again. I wouldn't worry unless she's completely refusing to use one side tbh, though I've no experience of premies.

 

[Buttercup84]

My 3 year old still switches hands for drawing etc, I asked her nursery teacher and she seemed to think it was fine to not have a dominant hand at this age