Advice About 9 Month Old

SHE MAY NEVER CRAWL SHE MAY JUST GO STRAIGHT TO WALKING, NOT ALL KIDS CRAWL.Now for the diarrhea it maybe something going around, because i know a few people that has that bug. Now fusing when you go to feed her maybe part of that bug, or it maybe her teething. Teething could also be why she isn't sleeping all night.

I really can't help with the feeding thing, I haven't had any trouble with my two big ol boys getting them to eat....lol But the crawling/scooting thing I can help with. My little sister who will be 5 this month never crawled, she scooted on her bottom using her legs to pull her till she started pulling up and walking. She was always a fast developer, she just decided she didn't want to crawl....lol

Just a little tidbit about the "butt-scooting"

My girlfriend's little girl never crawled. She did that butt-scoot thing and went straight to walking.. never crawled, not once! She'll get it in her own time. Dont' worry!

Oh how I know how you feel. I have 2 children, my youngest is 17 months. I am still going through this toothcutting experience. It is not fun for him... or for me.
You mentioned that your child has diarrhea after every meal, have you considered that your baby may be allergic to the foods that you are giving her. Sometimes, allergies show up that way, I know, both my kids had reaction to carrots. They can eat them fine now, if they would, but they don't really care for them (must be inherited).
I am remembering a time about 2 months ago, when my son, ran fever, was very irritable, had diarrhea, runny nose, didn't want to eat....all due to some molars coming in. As far as worrying about her being well nourished, try not to be, she is getting what she needs right now. Just keep offering her the right food and be proud if she takes even one bite of it... my kids prefer cheese puffs to anything, hehe!
Oh and my son didn't crawl until 10 months old. He started walking at 14 months old, my advice... cherish your time. Soon you will be chasing her and wondering why in the heck did I want her to crawl so bad. My daughter never crawled, she went right to walking at 11 months.
I hope this was somewhat helpful... just enjoy your baby, they are all precious.

my son was like that. she might be allergic to the formula or it might just up-set her tummy try switvhing to a different formula. also if u are giving her a formula with iron in it she might be getting to much iron. as for not sleeping in her milk at bed time try giving her a little baby cereol or rice. she might not bo full when she gets ready for bed and stuff. my son was that way he would wake up offten cause he was hungry cause he never seemed to get full. i have 2 little boys. and thay was both different but all along the smae line and stuff

You have probably already heard that a baby/child does things on their own and when 'they get ready to' (lol)! So, it may be another day, week, month, or couple. One suggestion and this might sound weird, but you can try to put something soft but sturdy down, like a pack of unopened diapers for instance, and let her lean on them and begin to push up and eventually she will learn to scoot the diapers along, in essence, learn to crawl. My neice learned this way! So you can try that. :)
I would def. call the Dr's office (don't worry about calling too much, that is what they are there for!) about the diarrhea; she also may need some pedialyte in her bottle. Suggestions for sleeping through the night or 'any' sleep...get her in a routine at night, do the same thing, bath, calming music, you singing to her, anything that she will begin to look forward to and recognize as part of 'her bedtime.' This will get her geared down mentally and physically, if she is cutting teeth, well, that always factors in, but nothing a little tylenol can't help usually...I would also suggest buying a cd of soft music (can be baby or symphony) and start it on the same song each night, no matter what time she gets down to sleep eventually. My youngest, who is 26 months, still prefers a certain cd that I had him listening to when he was less than a yr. old! It is amazing. Good Luck!

don't rush her, all children are not the same just let her do her thing not all children crawl some just get up and go keep her a baby as long as you can they grow so fast, and as far as the loose stool I would check with her doctor sounds like you need to go to the doctors with her not sleeping well and not eating real good I know the cutting teeth will make them fussy but I think I would anyway other wise you may be in trouble good luck

T V,
Look I am not an alarmist, but I want to tell you some of my experience. If you feel, in your gut, like something is not right.. you are probably correct. Trust your instincts, nobody knows your child like you do. Doctors see your kid for, what, ten minutes? Trust me, they think carefully about your kid for less than 5 minutes!
They just don't have the time, its up to you to make them listen, to do your own research, and sometimes you have to start making diagnosis and tell the doctors what is going on.
When my son was 9 months old he suddenly changed, started banging his head, pitching screaming fits, could not wean him off his bottle at all, and look he's my fourth child. I was not just a scared new mom. But thats how the doctors treated me, and we had the BEST pediatrician. I still love her to this day but the fact is she just didn't have the time to ponder what was going on with my child.
Today he is 11 and has finally been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, on the Autism spectrum. We are finally learning about this disorder, and developmental delays, and now the big problem is that no one in Malvern (doctors I mean, and First Step) seems to understand the difference between Autism and Retardation. They keep telling me "He's so smart his academic tests are so high! Why do you think he needs occupational therapy? We don't understand, he's so smart?"
They are driving me nuts! But we are having him evaluated at the Dennis Developmental Center in Little Rock very soon, and if they don't get it there are some organizations in Little Rock I can contact for more information.
My point is, raising healthy kids is a struggle, raising kids with problems can seem like climbing a mountain with a rope that keeps breaking!
Trust yourself! Keep bothering the doctors, do your own research, and be very sure to take time for yourself somewhere, sometime. Because they will wear you down. I feel for you and I will pray for you.
Revelation 21:4 says "...and He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more. Neither will mourning, nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away..." This quote keeps me hoping and that's what it's all about! Don't hesitate to contact me if you want to ask me questions, or even just ask me to pray with you.
Tori

Hi,
I'm a physical therapist who specializes in children. 9 months is still not considered abnormal for a child to crawl. Children crawl at a wide range of ages. It is important that she is wanting to move, which you say she is, by scooting on her bottom. She may just be a little slow to crawl, or there could be some physical reasons making it hard for her to learn.

Shorter, heavier babies tend to move a little slower than long, lean ones. Some babies are also really sensitive on their hands, which can make it hard for her to put her hands on the floor to crawl. You can try to play with different textures to help her with this if you think it could be the reason. Some examples would be rubbing her hands (gently but firmly) with rough towels and soft cotton balls, and letting her play with her hands in sand. It is not absolutely necessary that she crawl, but it really does help strengthen the rest of her upper body muscles, which can help her physical development later. I would highly encourage her to play on her stomach. One good activity to do with her is climbing up and down stairs on her stomach...always with your help for safety!!!

If you are really concerned, or if you notice other areas where she might be developing slowly, you are entitled to a free development assessment from your local birth to age 3 program. You can usually find it through the Health Department. Some totally "normal" kids sometimes get a little stuck in their physical development and a specialy trained pediatric PT can show you a trick or two to help get them going again. (One word of caution though, your average PT who works with adults may not be as helpful). Unfortunately, most pediatricians never think of using a PT unless there is something major wrong.

I would check with the doctor about the feeding issues. She may need some medicine or it could be a food allergy. I wouldn't eat either if it was making me sick!

On the sleep issues, I have discovered, thanks to my 2 year-old, that they will go through so many sleep changes. I can't count how many "stages" he has gone through by waking up many times at night. I'm looking forward to the time when he's done with that! Good luck.

I would recommend letting her lay on tummy - on a blanket - on the floor as much as possible. Putting some toy slightly out of reach will encourage her to move. She just needs encouragement on crawling. I know I held my babies a lot when they were little and this was my mother's suggestion to me and it worked. I also nursed both of my kids for over a year and my diet would affect they way they would feel. Are you drinking caffiene, eating chocalate, or anything that may affect her? You may cut whatever you have recently started eating out of your diet and see if that helps her. Good Luck!

Do you realize that your child is brilliant. The reason she scoots is because she can carry things with her hands. You can go on Youtube and see other children do this. My granddaughter had the same thing going. Her pediatrician told us that children that scoot are far more advanced than children that crawl. The pediatrician also mentioned studies in children that scoot in Papua, New Guiney. The children are taught to scoot so that they may avoid contact with dirt floors and avoid bacteria. Some of these children go straight to walking after scooting. It will also be easier for your child to grab hold of something like a table and be able to stand. These children have very strong leg muscles because of the scooting. As far as your child's eating habits changing, it could be because she is cutting teeth and it is a painful process. Continue to check with your doctor.

Good luck to you.

Hi there!
From what you've mentioned, it sounds to me like she may be teething. That could cause her decreased appetite, the waking up during the night and the change in her bms. Even if she didn't really do that with the other teeth, this (or these) could just hurt worse this time.
Also, don't rule out an ear infection, it could have come up since her last check up.
I wouldn't worry about her not crawling yet. My son had severe colic for the first five/six months of his life. Then at eight months old he got pneumonia. Those two things put him behind in sitting up, scooting, etc. Once we got his colic under control and his pneumonia gone, he began sitting, scooting, crawling and pulling up practically all at once.
LAST-always trust your instincts. You know your baby better than anyone and if you feel like you need to call the doctor, than you should. Who knows, they may need to see her or they may just tell you a couple of things to try over the phone, but at least you will feel at ease.
Good luck and take care! You're doing great! :-)

I noticed you said you are nursing. Have you changed your diet at all? Children do go through stages where they don't want to eat as long as she is nursing normally than I would not worry to much. If she begins to run a fever I would take her back to the Doctor. All 5 of kids would get really bad diarrhea when they got a new tooth. That can also cause a loss of appetite. Has she gotten her days and nights mixed up? Is she sleeping all day? Or just not sleeping at all? If she is sleeping all day just limit her naps and she will start sleeping at night again. As far as crawling well all 5 of mine crawled at different ages one was about 11 months b4 he crawled and one was 5 months and was walking at 9 months. Trust me she wil crawl and you will be wishing she had not after she starts getting into EVERYTHING!!!!

Good Luck
A.

sounds like you have a teether to me. my daughter and son both did this basically everytime they were getting a tooth. about the scooting---my daughter never crawled. she scooted until she was 15 months old. she didn't start walking, she started running. so get ready!

It sounds like she does not feel well and that could contribute to her not being able to put the energy into learning to crawl. I know you have already received lots of advise - but, I noticed only a few that mentioned the possibility of food allergies. My youngest daughter, when she was 8 months old, had looser than normal stools/diarrhea for a long while before I figured out it was a food sensitivity to a common food. We fed babies all sorts of things - at a lot younger age in those days. Even though I was careful to add foods one at at time, I missed it, perhaps because she developed the sensitivity to apples after she was exposed to them for a while. She was able to eat them with no problem later and I never made a big deal about her being allergic to them. When she wanted to try them as a toddler, I just watched to see if they caused her any more problems but she was fine. I am not saying here that food allergies is the most likely reason for what is going on with your child; it could be lots of things between the teething, a cold or other virus, reaction to shots at the last check-up, or just wanting to be near you and nursing more. And then, perhaps her body is not ready for the 'solid' food you've been giving her and she somehow knows it. Maybe her tummy hurts after she eats food and that is why she doesn't even want to put on the bib. Hope this is helpful.

s.

It is probalby from the teething. You may try to give her Pedialyte to replenish what she is losing with the runny stool. I would definitly call the doctor and make an appt. , a week is too long for a problem like that

Hey T V,
My Daughter had some diarrhea with teething-not every tooth. If you haven't called the Dr about that I would especially if she's up and not eating-don't want her getting dehydrated. Has she been in for a 9 mos check up??
Our girl was-for the first year she came in every 3 mos-which I LOVE b/c it gave me the chance to ask questions/seek medical advice and let the Dr SEE her...
My advice, if YOU FEEL something is WRONG-insist that her Ped give her an apt!
I have a friend who has a 3.5 yr old girl-beautiful and bright, but developmentally Behind her peer group! Mom Knew something wasn't going right early on-at about 6-8 mos her daughter wasn't even trying to "scoot", but she couldn't make the Dr's listen to her and her child was otherwise healthy. Fineally at 3 they got her in speech/physical therapy and now she is almost with her peer group.
My Point= if you feel in your Gut that something is Wrong, take her in and don't take "no" for an answer. Also, talk it over w/ your sig. other...Daddys usually notice stuff too especially if they are involved in your baby's life.
My husband is a Fantastic gague as to whether I am overreacting or if I am on to something.
For the Walking:
She was crawling by 9 mos, BUT she Coasted or whatever they call it when they walk but only when they can hold on to furniture till she was almost 14 mos-she fineally was around all "big kids" who were walking unaided and it clicked-the next day she decided she could walk too :-).
I hope this helps.
:-) C.

Hey TV! Sounds to me like your baby girl is teething and having a tough time of it. Then again, it could be a tummy headache over something she's eating. I strongly suggest you call the doctor's office and take her in for another visit. Who cares if they want you to stop calling? You are a new mom and require assurance of your baby's health. You are paying for the services of the pediatrician's office! Ask as many questions as you feel necessary and ask them over and over again until you feel you've understood everythign they tell you. It is your right as a paying customer, as well as your right as a parent!

Never feel that you are calling too much. Never feel that anything is too small to call and ask questions. CALL!!! As time goes on you will learn more and feel more capable. Also you will begin to feel more confident in yourself as a new mom that you will not require so much assistance. Until that time comes, CALL for help whenever you feel the need!

Relax, take a deep breath, and then make that call to ensure the health and safety of your infant!

God Bless you and your family always,

D.

My 32 yr old son never did crawl, but I assure you it did not slow him down. He also went through a problem around this age with a gi virus and lost a lot of weight, but when it was over he was fine! He walked a little later than most - just past 1 year old, but not developmentally delayed at all. Very gifted motor skills -dexterity with hands, quick to understand and absorbed knowledge like a sponge. He also had diaper rash with every tooth he cut & he started with teeth when he was 3 months old (and yes, I continued to nurse). So, if she's not running high fever and is continuing to drink (even if it's just pedialyte) she's most likely OK. They don't stay babies forever. I think that's the hardest thing in the 1st year.......there are so many changes in their little lives and yours, it's easy to lose sight of the daily miracles. My daughter's pediatrician says at 6 months or so, waking in the night is simply that. They are not hungry. So, you'll do yourself a favor in the long run by not turning on the light, but simply rub their back or tummy and they'll go back to sleep. Don't pick them up or you'll start a pattern that won't be easily broken sometimes until gradeschool. Of course, you'll be able to tell if they have a raging fever, or pain from diaper rash, and you can change them, but put them back down. How are her naps during the day? Is her bed too full of toys and noisy things? Is she taking any cereal or fruit at all? Not all children are content or feel full with just breastmilk. But definitely follow your pediatricians advice on when to introduce rice cereal, easier digested with a little breastmilk.
The best to you and your daughter. Your many joys are ahead and not to be missed. It's the absolute best job.
D.

It sounds like teething to me too.. my daughter does the same thing when she teeths.. i assure you she will not go hungry, it just hurts when they eat.. if you are giving her teething medicine that is probably part of the cause of the diarrhea.. don't feel bad about being paraniod.. I am too all the time! my daughter has 14 teeth and she just turned 1 i have been through many of those sleepless nights and thru many many diarrhea diapers dont fret it will pass.. well after she's done cutting teeth!.. good luck hang in there!
:) K.

Crawling is not even considered a developmental milestone. Many children never learn to crawl. Scooting is just as effective. I would be sure to give her lots of tummy time just to develop her upper body strength but don't stress about crawling. And I know I'm not the first to mention this either but it sounds to me like she is teething. Be sure she gets lots of water to stay hydrated. One more thing to think about, an ear infection can develop very quickly so just because her ears were fine at last appointment don't rule that out completely. Keep an eye out for fever and pulling at her ears.

Hi T V,

I'm not sure about the eating and diarrhea, but I wouldn't worry about the crawling! If she is scooting, she may feel like she's getting around fine--no need to crawl. My friend's son never crawled or scooted. He stayed put until he started walking around 12 or 13 months, and he's a normal happy three-year old now. There's plenty to fret about as a mom, but I wouldn't fret about that! :)

L.

My daughter never crawled,she just started walking at nine months old.
When my babies had diarrhea, I would feed them banana baby food twice a day (2 regular size jars) and gave them gatorade to drink. It always worked, unless it was something more serious.
She's probably not sleeping well because she may be getting stomachaches from the diarrhea or shes staying hungry because of the diarrhea.If it continues, the doctor may tell you to give her Immodium AD and the correct dosage for a baby.
Hope this helps. D.

My 21 month old son never really crawled. He scooted very well but would never really crawl. His problem I believe was his ears. He had enough ear infections to require tubes. When he was about 15 months old we got tubes put in. He got the tubes on 2/22/08 and has only walked/run since then. It was weird. No scooting, no trying to crawl--just walking and not even holding on to the funiture. You did say that the doctor said her ears were fine--so maybe that is not the cause but I notice in a different posting you did mention that she had ear issues a few months ago.

Good luck!
L.

Have you asked your doctor if it may possibly be an allergy? My youngest daughter suddenly developed an allergy to her formula after about 10 months. Her symptoms were very similar.

Hi TV,
I hope you are doing well. Sounds like you are a littel stressed right now and that's understandable especially with the first child. As for the crawling, you are right, she'll get it in time. If she's scooting, then crawling is not far behind. It does sound like teething symptoms to me but I'm no doctor, just a mother of 2. Is she running a temp? Some babies don't want to eat when tney are teething and sometimes each new tooth brings a different symptom. Will she take something cold, like a popsicle or cold teething ring? Is she drooling a lot? Have you tried rubbing a little Benadryl on her gums? That worked wonders for my last child. Hang in there.

I have a nine yr old daughter. She actually walked b4 she crawled. She walked on her 1st bday. Months later she began to crawl. So its nothing unusal about that. About the loose bowels she may be cutting her back teeth or maybe its something u may have eaten since u r breastfeeding that may be messing with the baby's tummy. But dont feel like u r a "worry wart". All 1st time moms all.

Runny stool/diarrhea, decreased appetite, crankiness, and poor sleep are all very common for teething, especially if it's a molar!

As far as the crawling...has she met all her other physical milestones on time? If so, I wouldn't worry about crawling just yet. We had one that basically walked before she crawled. Is she trying to "pull up" yet? How's her sitting balance? If she doesn't seem to be progressing over the next month to 2 months, go ahead and schedule an appointment with her MD to ask.

Hope it helps.

My nephew never started crawling he would just scoot around on his bottom...man was he fast...he did that until he started walking so she may not crawl at all. Also you need to be careful with runny stool/diarrhea...this is because of dehydration and if she is refusing to eat it could make her more dehydrated. Make sure she is getting plenty of fluids you don't want to end up in the hospital giving her fluids through an IV!

I had one child walk and crawl by 11 mo. and I had one child crawl and walk by 14 mo. Try to enjoy these last few months of being able to place and find her in relatively the same spot. If she can scoot, she will crawl. I would set a time table like, 3 days, with the eating thing. If she's not better in 3-5 days (or if she gets any worse), take her back to the doctor. They will be able to weigh her and see if she's lost or gained weight and also just reevaluate her. My pediatrician always told me that "Momma" knows when something's not right. Trust your intuition and go with it.

From what you describe it sounds as if your daughter may be sick, so I would definitely "bother" the doctor! You can ask about the crawling too.

Teething can do all of the above even if it didnt affect the other teeth tht came in already. nothing bothered my kids until they got their molars in! But you are brestfeeding so that is nourishment enough. Dont panic she is getting those needed vitamins =)

I think all of us moms with our 1st child are in the pediatrics office all the time because we're so paranoid that something is wrong and we don't know what. We should be getting frequent flyer miles for those visits ... we would all be going somewhere great!! I would bet it's the teething causing the loss of appetite and diarrhea. The drs. will definitely tell you, she'll eat when she's hungry. Our children are not big eaters and it bothers me much more than them. They always will eat pancakes, pb&j sandwiches, cheddar cheese and most any fruit. Those are my go-tos to get them to eat. The dr. assured me they're healthy and to not force them to eat or "clean their plate." This sets up life-long poor habits for eating. Oh ... nearly forgot, our son was the MAJOR crawler, however, our daughter never crawled on her hands and knees, she would pull herself around on her elbows (we called it commando crawling sort of like a soldier). She walked at about 14 months, but just didn't rush to get anywhere like her brother. Some kids just take their time on developing but do wonderful just the same.