4 Month Motor Development Question

[EastSnyder]

I have a healthy 4 month old son who's doing awesome (50th percentile for weight and 75th for height). It's not a major concern but just throwing some feelers out there to see what you all have experienced with your own. He's always been an "upright" baby...wanting to stand on things and resisting being cradled even when he was little. He prefers to be up over a shoulder, sitting (which he's close to mastering on his own) or standing with our help of course. So we make a good attempt at belly-time every day but it's always shortlived and he become pretty annoyed. He does not push up with his arms but he does lift and support his neck. He is not rolling at all but rather does some "break-dancing" as I call it....where he moves around in a circle while on his back and every time I come into the room he's pointing in a different direction. So....do some babies just not really get into rolling? I have a mini-boppy to prop his upper body with but that doesn't even do the trick. Thanks for your feedback!!

[nycmama]

My 4 months old started rolling from back to front around 3 1/2 months and then decided that he rather perfect his grasping skills. He rarely tries to roll but I know he can. He also rather sit up and see everything since about 2 months old and prefers to be held ost of the time. So I'm guessing that is just a matter of preference. All babies are different and achieve milestones at a different rates.

[kohlby]

My son didn't roll until 6.5 months. The very same week, he pulled to standing and started walking while holding onto furniture. He hated tummy time, but was very strong likely due to all the time in the sling! He was walking without support at 9 months. He may have rolled a half dozen times before a year old. He hated being on his belly, so there was no reason to roll.

Some say that belly time is very important for their development and it should be enforced, even for babies who hate it. (The only way we did any was with me lying on my back and DS on top of me, but he still didn't like it). But my son developed quite well with almost no tummy time. My daughter started rolling freakishly early and I didn't work on tummy time with her - she wanted to be on her tummy so she figured out how to get there super early. Both of my kids hit all their physical milestones early except for my son's rolling late.

[SingingMom]

There's a big range of "normal" development. Many babies don't like belly time. If he'll tolerate it for five minutes, that's probably enough.

The developmental milestones aren't a report card. They are just signposts to look for. If your baby is growing and developing well, individual milestones really aren't that important. You say your baby is strong, active, and is interested in sitting and standing. That's good enough.

He will learn to roll. And he will start pushing his body up. Try not to worry- try to enjoy! It sounds like he is doing great.

[EastSnyder]

:hugegrin:thanks for the great feedback! In the end...the babe is in charge!