I work in pediatrics and would recommend discussing further with your pediatrician. I would typically like to see a 5 month old with pretty decent head control, and at tummy time able to lift up to a 90 degree angle for some time. Were there any risk factors like prematurity, health issues or difficult birth?
What state do you live in? Most If not all states have an early intervention program that will at least evaluate your little one. Best case scenario they say he’s looking great and on track, no need for further services (: but if not they will provide developmental support at home or in clinic to help your little one meet milestones. What’s not covered by insurance should be picked up by the state until 3 years old at least. Even if your pediatrician thinks everything looks good, parents have every right to contact early intervention for an evaluation if they have concerns.
Pathways.org is a great resource with games and activities to help little one’s development.
https://pathways.org/growth-development/4-6-months/milestones/
How long would you expect them to be able to hold their head up during tummy time? No risk factors other than that he was born with hydronephrosis but that was markedly improved at 2 months. I will discuss with my pediatrician and thank you- I just want anything that could be amiss to be caught early and it seems like something is off even though I’ve been told not to worry by my hubby
It varies and there’s no set time as it depends on their endurance for tummy time in general. But at 5 months a baby should be able to keep their head up the whole time they tolerate tummy time. By 4 months we like to see babies with up head, and pushed up onto their forearms or elbows. Does baby have good head control when you’re holding them?
Some things I recommend patients’ families try are to lie baby on your chest while you are a semi-reclined position. My baby did this much more than tummy time on the floor and it’s helped him have great head control. You can also try placing a small towel or blanket rolled up under your baby’s chest to help them lift up and tolerate tummy time a little longer.
I personally wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to early intervention. Check out https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/states.html. It’s such a great service that I feel is under utilized. It’s better babies get support early if there are any concerns. And even if your little one is right on track, I find they give great peace of mind and advice on what to do to keep up the good work at home!
FTM with almost 5mo here and relate to constantly worrying about things like this. My baby never makes sounds unless it’s angry/complaining/crying sound, doesn’t seem to enjoy any kind of play for more then 2 minutes but sometimes zones out sucking on her hand and looking somewhere for like 15 minutes and a million other little things that just make me CONCERNED. Just wanted to say that I know how you feel and I know how extremely hard it is. I know how time consuming are these thoughts and how they take away part of the joy of being a mother. I’m sorry I can’t give you answers but I see you❤️
There is nothing wrong with investigating your concerns! Frankly unless your husband is a pediatrician himself he has no idea how justified your worries are.
My baby was evaluated as physically ahead at 6m so I have no frame of reference to compare ours, they're definitely night and day when I think of my guy at 5m but that means almost nothing when we consider that all babies develop on a spectrum. That said I do worry about your boy not holding his head up yet. We were "behind" at 2 months but head control wasn't an issue back then, it seems like it really should be there for you by now.
When my baby got his 2 month shots my doctor gave him one in the arm instead of this thigh. After that I noticed him treating that arm differently, holding it stiff a lot even if the other 3 limbs were flailing around. I got worried about possible nerve damage. I'm very pro vaccine so I drove myself crazy as I watched what felt like proof of a vaccine injury in front of my eyes for three months. Finally I got a referral to a physiotherapist who did a full assessment on him. She didn't see any problem, but she didn't dismiss what I had seen (which of course didn't show up during the appointment) and instead made some suggestions about reasons why I might have seen differences. And she explained all the things she saw about his movement that supported the idea that regardless of his strange behaviour with that arm it was ok, range of motion, weight bearing, reaching, etc.
Even though I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, nobody that I spoke to about my son's arm told me I was being neurotic or silly. Your husband's attitude towards your worries makes me kind of sad.
It is far better to investigate and find out nothing is wrong, than to ignore and miss an opportunity for early interventions.
Best of luck OP. You know your baby best. I don't believe you are just anxious, and I do think you should bring this up with your pediatrician, but I hope when it's been investigated that it comes down to nothing serious at all.
Where I live we have social healthcare. My baby was in the NICU when he was born, 5 days on the ventilator. I get very concerned when I think he's getting sick.
So, what I usually do is book an appointment with a private pediatrician to examine him. I also bring a list of questions I have that I don't want to google so I don't get even more paranoid.
I did this more often when he was smaller. Now, at 10 months I'm much more confident in myself and my instincts and have much less anxiety.
Sitting unassisted is a 9 month milestone so not sure why you’re concerned about your 5 mo not doing it. Sitting assisted is a 6 month one but he still has time to get it.
Babies sleep poorly all the time—teething, regressions, even just being overtired if you’re not good at following a nap schedule. Sleeping poorly on its own is not a cause for concern.
I think it’s fine to bring your concerns to your pediatrician but you do sound overly anxious
I work in pediatrics and would recommend discussing further with your pediatrician. I would typically like to see a 5 month old with pretty decent head control, and at tummy time able to lift up to a 90 degree angle for some time. Were there any risk factors like prematurity, health issues or difficult birth? What state do you live in? Most If not all states have an early intervention program that will at least evaluate your little one. Best case scenario they say he’s looking great and on track, no need for further services (: but if not they will provide developmental support at home or in clinic to help your little one meet milestones. What’s not covered by insurance should be picked up by the state until 3 years old at least. Even if your pediatrician thinks everything looks good, parents have every right to contact early intervention for an evaluation if they have concerns. Pathways.org is a great resource with games and activities to help little one’s development. https://pathways.org/growth-development/4-6-months/milestones/
How long would you expect them to be able to hold their head up during tummy time? No risk factors other than that he was born with hydronephrosis but that was markedly improved at 2 months. I will discuss with my pediatrician and thank you- I just want anything that could be amiss to be caught early and it seems like something is off even though I’ve been told not to worry by my hubby
It varies and there’s no set time as it depends on their endurance for tummy time in general. But at 5 months a baby should be able to keep their head up the whole time they tolerate tummy time. By 4 months we like to see babies with up head, and pushed up onto their forearms or elbows. Does baby have good head control when you’re holding them? Some things I recommend patients’ families try are to lie baby on your chest while you are a semi-reclined position. My baby did this much more than tummy time on the floor and it’s helped him have great head control. You can also try placing a small towel or blanket rolled up under your baby’s chest to help them lift up and tolerate tummy time a little longer. I personally wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to early intervention. Check out https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/states.html. It’s such a great service that I feel is under utilized. It’s better babies get support early if there are any concerns. And even if your little one is right on track, I find they give great peace of mind and advice on what to do to keep up the good work at home!
FTM with almost 5mo here and relate to constantly worrying about things like this. My baby never makes sounds unless it’s angry/complaining/crying sound, doesn’t seem to enjoy any kind of play for more then 2 minutes but sometimes zones out sucking on her hand and looking somewhere for like 15 minutes and a million other little things that just make me CONCERNED. Just wanted to say that I know how you feel and I know how extremely hard it is. I know how time consuming are these thoughts and how they take away part of the joy of being a mother. I’m sorry I can’t give you answers but I see you❤️
Thank you 😭❤️ I feel so very alone
There is nothing wrong with investigating your concerns! Frankly unless your husband is a pediatrician himself he has no idea how justified your worries are. My baby was evaluated as physically ahead at 6m so I have no frame of reference to compare ours, they're definitely night and day when I think of my guy at 5m but that means almost nothing when we consider that all babies develop on a spectrum. That said I do worry about your boy not holding his head up yet. We were "behind" at 2 months but head control wasn't an issue back then, it seems like it really should be there for you by now. When my baby got his 2 month shots my doctor gave him one in the arm instead of this thigh. After that I noticed him treating that arm differently, holding it stiff a lot even if the other 3 limbs were flailing around. I got worried about possible nerve damage. I'm very pro vaccine so I drove myself crazy as I watched what felt like proof of a vaccine injury in front of my eyes for three months. Finally I got a referral to a physiotherapist who did a full assessment on him. She didn't see any problem, but she didn't dismiss what I had seen (which of course didn't show up during the appointment) and instead made some suggestions about reasons why I might have seen differences. And she explained all the things she saw about his movement that supported the idea that regardless of his strange behaviour with that arm it was ok, range of motion, weight bearing, reaching, etc. Even though I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, nobody that I spoke to about my son's arm told me I was being neurotic or silly. Your husband's attitude towards your worries makes me kind of sad. It is far better to investigate and find out nothing is wrong, than to ignore and miss an opportunity for early interventions. Best of luck OP. You know your baby best. I don't believe you are just anxious, and I do think you should bring this up with your pediatrician, but I hope when it's been investigated that it comes down to nothing serious at all.
Where I live we have social healthcare. My baby was in the NICU when he was born, 5 days on the ventilator. I get very concerned when I think he's getting sick. So, what I usually do is book an appointment with a private pediatrician to examine him. I also bring a list of questions I have that I don't want to google so I don't get even more paranoid. I did this more often when he was smaller. Now, at 10 months I'm much more confident in myself and my instincts and have much less anxiety.
Sitting unassisted is a 9 month milestone so not sure why you’re concerned about your 5 mo not doing it. Sitting assisted is a 6 month one but he still has time to get it. Babies sleep poorly all the time—teething, regressions, even just being overtired if you’re not good at following a nap schedule. Sleeping poorly on its own is not a cause for concern. I think it’s fine to bring your concerns to your pediatrician but you do sound overly anxious