Question

My baby is 6 months old and when held upright, their back is still very soft and they can’t stand up straight. They arch their back and lie on their parent’s shoulder, but they won’t stand when held upright. Their legs are always curled up and they won’t stand. However, when they kick, it seems strong. When lying on the bed, their feet can push against the bed and lift their buttocks up, jumping is good, and their hand grasp ability is also good. They can be amused, follow objects, and babble. The only issue is that their back is very soft, and they won’t stand even when supported by their legs. It looks softer than other babies’. Other babies can stand at 5 months, and their backs are also straight. Is there a problem with our baby? We don’t drink much milk; we weigh 16 jin (about 32 pounds) and only drink 480 milliliters of milk a day. Could this be related?

Answer

Generally speaking, this could be due to a lack of vitamin D, not enough holding the baby, or not giving the baby enough opportunity to crawl, which results in weak back and trunk muscles. Encourage the baby to get more sun exposure, gradually increase physical activity by allowing more crawling time. Enhance feeding with complementary foods. Some developmental delays may be due to premature birth, difficulty with water breathing, etc. If there are concerns, it’s best to consult a doctor for a check-up.