Milestone concerns

My boys, Aiden and Landon, just turned 9 months old!! They are such great babies, but seem to be on two totally different pages. I hate to admit, that I am starting to get a little concerned about Landon..

Aiden is crawling around everywhere, pulling himself up, walking along the furniture, holding his own bottle, and self feeding finger foods.Basically he is doing everything besides walking on his own. Where as Landon is content just sitting up playing with toys.. Landon will flip thru books, pick up blocks or toys and bang them together.. He smiles and laughs alot.

When he is on his belly (which they have been getting a ton of tummy time since day one), he will get up on his hands and knees, we will encourge him to crawl, but he wants nothing to do with it. When we try to teach him to hold his own bottle, he pulls his hands right away. When I try and teach him how to feed himself finger foods, he refuses to put the food to his mouth. But if I offer say a puff to him, he will lean forward and let me put it in his mouth for him. He does fine with finger foods, and wants me to feed him more. I will stand him up, and he will stand really well, but he can't hold his own body up. If I stand him at his activity table, he can only stand up for maybe a minute before he falls over..

It just seems like Aiden is very independent, where Landon is very dependant.. Aiden is a busy little boy that loves exploring and hitting his milestones smoothly. Landon is just so content sitting and playing with his toys.

Do you think I should even be concerned? Is this something I want to discuss with their doctor?? I was starting to feel like I was holding him back from reaching his milestones, but I do work with him, he just isn't interested in any of it.. Has anyone experienced this with their twins??

 

It is soooooo difficult not to compare when you have twins.

Generally there is not a hug developemental concern unless there is no type of mobility by 12 months adjusted age (i.e. rolling to get to toys, scooting in sitting, combat crawling on belly or crawling on hands and knees).

Try to remember milestones are just that, a general quideline of when skills typically emerge - it is not a reflection on your parenting!! Just give them opportunities to explore (which is sounds like you are doing). I had the whole range of motor skills with my kids, one walking at 8 months, 1 at 11 months and one at 15 months. Temperament plays a huge role, sounds like Landon is quite happy hanging out and playing and letting his people feed him, little stinker!
You are doing great, try not to worry, ask your pedi if you are concerned!!

 

Yep, try not to compare. If you hadn't mentioned Aiden, I would have thought that Landon is doing age appropriate stuff. Up on all 4's, taking solids, laughing,etc. And Aiden just sounds a bit ahead of the game. I would bring up your concerns to your Ped at your nine month appt. But it all sounds good to me ardon:

 

I agree with pp, it's so hard not to compare! My DD was the first to crawl, pull up, cruise, and walk, and DS was at least a month behind her on each one. He has always been a big reader so it was just like you said - he's happy as anything to just sit and look at books and play with toys. He just didn't feel like going anywhere for a while I guess! The crazy thing is that each time he caught up, he ended up doing the task (I don't want to say better) with more skill than DD! For example, she had been walking slowly for over a month and he was still cruising...then one day he let go and just started RUNNING! Hasn't stopped since! My DH was just commenting on it the other day how we used to always be so worried about DS and now he's right on track with his sister and even surpasses her sometimes! Just try to relax and let them go at their own pace. You can always mention things to the doctor for reassurance, but I'm sure he'll be crawling around soon enough!

 

I am in a similar boat except it is with both of my kids. They will be 9 months on Jan 1st (6 1/2 months adjusted). While they are both sitting up, it is only if we put them into a sitting position. They can't go from laying down to sitting up on their own. They both can roll from front to back, and both have rolled from back to front once or twice, but that's it. They don't hold their own bottles, forget about sippy cups, and, while both are eating solids, we have yet to move beyond stage 1 foods. My daughter just recently started figuring out how to eat solids, too. (my son has been eating solids like a champ since before Thanksgiving) I keep telling myself they will learn all these things eventually, but it is so hard when I see other people's kids who are their age (or even younger) and who seem to be doing so much more. My gut tells me nothing is wrong with them outside of the fact that they were born at 30 weeks and just need some time to catch up. But, at the same time, I am so worried that some of it might be my fault for not doing the right activities with them. Ugh! Sometimes I wish milestones were a carefully guarded secret only doctors knew about so we wouldn't have to worry so much. Hang in there!

 

It sounds normal to me, too, but it's always a good idea to bring up any concerns to your ped at their next appt. My girls are only 6.5 months adjusted and I desperately try not to compare them but I know how it can really mess with my head sometimes. Eve is so much more physically advanced than Lia, but what I'm beginning to notice recently is that Lia is just doing things more slowly, more at her laidback pace which suits her personality to a T. Eventually she'll catch up. I'm sure PT next month will contribute to that a tad but regardless

DS didn't crawl until almost 9 months, but was walking by 10. DD1 wasn't pulling herself up on furniture until she started walking at 13 months (I think it was at the same time-if not I know it was really close). I think that was also about the same time that she started actually getting herself into a sitting position without having to be positioned there by us.

Every baby is different. Your babies are perfect

 

My oldest never crawled or held his own bottle. He is 5 now and he makes his own breakfast and loves to pour his own milk. It sounds to me like you have 2 healthy but very different little boys. I have the same problem that I love to compare Henry and Jacob and they are doing such different things. Babies develop what interests them first. Some babies this is the physical things (crawling, walking), others it is language. I don't think your Landon is behind, he just doesn't sound interested in doing those things.

 

My smaller son didn't start crawling till or sitting till he was 10 months old. He also just started holding his own bottle and they are 1. I would definately talk to your pedi about it. My boys have been seeing physio and occupational therapy since they were four months old so they worked alot with us. Also you need to be patient, even thought it is really hard and stressful it will come. I thought my little guy would never sit up or crawl and then he started doing both in the same weekend right out of the blue!
Best of luck

 

it is so hard not to compare. you might just have a very outgoing one and a "chill" one! I know at the 6 mo. appt. I was a little worried that my ds wouldn't sit up on his own. the dr. tested it and said he was fine, he was just BUSY! whereas my dd would sit for a while and hold herself up.

funny about the feeding... my dd is the one who is independent and wants to "do it herself"... (I have to keep myself from not saying that phrase out loud so it doesn't come back to bite me!) and rarely lets us feed her. my ds will let us feed him, but will also try to feed himself.

just bring up any concerns you have w/your doctor... but sounds like they are both developing great, just different speeds.

 

I totally agree with Rachel. I know it's so hard not to compare the two (almost impossible really) but try to remind yourself that they are two completely different babies and each will do things in his own time. :hug:

 

I was very guilty of comparing my two. I also compared them to other babies their age. I think it gave me an ulcer! My boys didn't crawl until 10 months or walk until 16 months. They were weeks apart from each other in hitting those milestones. Hang in there! It never hurts to mention something to the doctor. Do whatever you can to ease your mind. :grouphug:

 

Try not to worry, with my last singleton she was slower to do everything, in fact she just started walking at 18 months! (We are over the moon now that she finally has!) She was later to sit up, later to crawl and she never did crawl the "normal" way, she bum scooted and wore the butt out of all her pants til she started walking hahaha! She couldn't bring herself from laying to sitting quite late as well, I want to say like 14 months so honestly there are some kids who are just stubborn and quite happy at whatever stage they are in developmentally. We always talked to our doc about it and she was always within normal ranges. Talk to your doc but try not to worry babies only do things when they want to, not when we want them to or when others think they should. Sounds like you have 2 perfect little ones!

 

I am in the same boat as you. Almost 9 mo old twin boys. One is pulling up, cruising, etc.. The other one is happy as a lark to sit and play with toys, bang things together, smile and laugh about it. He is starting to show a little bit of an interest in pulling up with some assistance, but not really.

I was just thinking today though, maybe this is God's way of preserving the little tiny bit of sanity I have left! Maybe by the time the second one starts with pulling up, the other one will be a little more stable so I'm not constantly trying to prevent head bangs/bumps, falls from both of them at the same time!?!