Almost 6 months old still not rolling (intentionally), When do you begin to worry Options

[Leapstar]

Declan is almost 6 months and is not rolling.

He has done tummy to back a few times but its been more accidental than anything.

Back to tummy twice, once by accident and the other time I am not sure.

He does lay on his back and move onto his side and he can move from his side to his belly (when I have put him onto his side), but has not put the two together IYKWIM.

He still hates tummy time. Max of 10 mins and he gets very upset. If I wait till he is calm and then flip him back over again, he gets upset almost straight away. There needs to be a long time between sessions and because he gets upset I am loathe to do it often and truthfully he gets a max of about 30 mins a day. I give him some time on my tummy as well and he pushes off from there no worries. I have placed him on an incline and he can manage from there, but can.t get over from a flat surface.

When on his belly he pushes up and holds his head up really well, but then tries to push himself over and that is when he gets upset, as he just cant seem to manage it.

He is a very big boy for his age (pushing 12 kgs) but his weight and height are proportionate.

So when do I need to worry?

Is this just something that he will eventually get in his own time, or should I look into getting some more specialist advice?

My GP says as long as he is trying not to worry, but I can't help it.

[~Melissa~]

I wouldn't worry at 6 months - it is within the average age for babies to roll for the first time.

If he is trying (and has done so - it's just a matter of developing the 'knack', it will happen with time).

You can help him practice by guiding him through the movement or helping him through the bit where he gets stuck - however, that is mostly going to be for your own benefit of feeling like you are 'doing something'.

[scasey77]

Definitely do not worry.

Cate only ever rolled accidentally a couple of times back to front. She NEVER actively rolled tummy to back or back to tummy until after she started crawling - so probably at around 10-11 months old. It does not seem to have caused her any problems in her physical development at all.

Charlie actively rolled back to tummy for all of about a week when he was around 7.5-8 months old from memory. Have NEVER rolled tummy to back except a couple of times by accident. His back to tummy rolling was very laboured too. I am not sure it is related at all but Charlie has a large head in comparison to his body which I think makes it very hard for him to lift sometimes. He quite often nose dives whilst crawling. Anyway, not sure if Declan is the same or not.

Youa re doing great with the tummy time too. 10 min is actually a pretty long time in one stretch. If you are getting 3 sessions of that in a day it is more than my kids ever got because they both hated it with a passion until they were able to move themselves around.

[creativity]

I wouldn't worry too much, so long as he is making some progress towards things over time I think is fine.

Josh rolled fairly late from memory, I think around 9-10 months. He crawled at 10 months. He too was quite a heavy baby for his age.

Zoe I don't think really rolled at all. The times I did put her on her tummy she eventually rolled from front to back but she was not really an active baby really. She sat from about 5-6 months and because she mastered this early she just preferred to be sitting. She subsequently became a bum shuffler and never really crawled until about 18 months when she was walking also. She has just turned two and she gets around very well, so no physical development issues here despite the lateness with rolling/crawling.

[Chels]

I also wouldn't worry

Stella just turned 9 months and has only just started to roll and enjoy it!
She HATED tummy time so I never use to make her do it !

I started to get worried last month and got a few exercises to try with her 3 weeks ago from a physio, she now gets around everywhere and is nearly crawling... I think she just wasn't ready to do it before and was just happy sitting up...

Sounds like he's doing really well and is interested in it at least

[*MrsW*]

My little one has only just started rolling "properly" (not accidentally!). If we put him on his belly, he will usually figure out how to roll back on to his back, but he has only done back to tummy once or twice.

I am not too worried, as I know he will get there eventually!

D wasn't a big fan of tummy time either, but we have started to "spice" it up and he seems to enjoy it more now.

Rather than just do plain old tummy time, we have started doing it outside on a towel, in the bath, and in the nude as well (he rolls the most when he is nudie!). We lay him on our chest, in the bed in the morning time before we get up for the day! We just try to do it any chance we get!

He'll get there hun, don't stress xxxx

[Channy]

Nope - don't worry

Aidan was a 'turtle' he didn't roll from back to tummy until about 9.5months! He crawled soon after.

He was also big & heavy.

[Gretch]

Baby T is also a big unit and didn't roll over at all until he was over 8 months.

*MrsW*is suggestions for tummy time are good - Baby T always prefers nude tummy time!

[ClaireBear]

Liam didn't roll until the day he started crawling. In fact, the just flipped over and crawled away with no warning at 10 months. Nicholas was an early roller but then hurt his head quite badly rolling on tiles at 4.5 months and then stopped cold until crawling too.

I wouldn't worry as it's made no difference for us in terms of gross motor progression.

[Leapstar]

Thanks for the reassurance ladies

[Em-Jay]

Emily didn't roll AT ALL until 10 months. She is now a happy, healthy 3.5 year old I wouldn't worry!

[janelle84]

My Jayden was always behind others when it came to rolling, sitting, crawling etc.

Only just recently has he started rolling around like crazy, and only now has he started crawling (11 months).

It is true, they all do things at their own pace. I dont know how many times i heard that when i was/am worried about something.

[Sarah Kate]

I wouldn't worry hon. Emma never did and she is a healthy running around 4yo.

[claire_p]

Neither of my two could roll till after they were crawling. I think they did it by accident once or twice though.