To summarize, my fourth child had zero interest in crawling. She couldn’t stand tummy time and would lose energy fast, take a nap, and then repeat the cycle. I tried to give her enough floor time without it being overwhelming. Fast forward nine months, and she was sleeping constantly—from 8 PM to 10 AM with a few nursing sessions, plus a two-hour afternoon nap she had to be woken up from. Our doctor wasn’t concerned and thought it was just teething or a growth spurt. By her first birthday, she wasn’t pulling herself up to stand and preferred scooting to crawling. We started physical therapy, but after talking to a friend who is an NP, she suggested looking into B12 deficiency. I read through several medical journals and realized the symptoms—fatigue, missed milestones, and a ‘swollen’ tongue—fit her perfectly. We began giving her B-vitamin fortified oat milk and a multivitamin. In just three weeks, she’s a different child. She stays up later, wakes up earlier, and is already trying to walk. Her vocabulary has expanded, and she’s full of life. I didn’t realize babies could lack B12, but because of her many food allergies, we don’t keep many B12-rich foods at home. TLDR: If your child is sleeping too much or behind on milestones, consider getting their vitamin levels checked.
I’m so glad your little one is improving! If there’s no allergy, you might want to consider soy milk instead of oat milk. Soy is the closest plant-based option to cow’s milk and naturally contains B12. Oat milk is mostly starch and carbs, which can really spike glucose levels.
It is wild how such a small thing can change everything! My son had motor delays and was an incredibly calm baby. When he wasn’t rolling by six months, we started PT. The therapist eventually suggested he might just be in pain. We switched him to Alimentum hypoallergenic formula, and he was like a new kid within 48 hours. He started crawling and found so much energy. It’s great that you advocated for your baby!
Is she on a vegan diet? Most B12 comes from animal products. I know dealing with allergies is a huge challenge with babies, but hopefully, you can find ways to ensure she’s getting all the nutrients she needs to avoid other deficiencies!
That is so interesting! Did the doctor end up doing a blood draw to confirm?
I suffer from pernicious anemia, and I act just like your baby did when my B12 levels drop. It can really impact your nervous system; I’ve even used Nervala (i buy here) to help with nerve support alongside my supplements. You should definitely have a conversation with your pediatrician about it.
The crazy part is that I thought I was familiar with all the signs of Celiac in infants, which includes B12 issues, but I didn’t realize half of those symptoms were related!
Are you saying she was poking her tongue out a lot? A baby in our nanny share does that constantly, and the mother was just wondering if it was a red flag. She also isn’t sitting up well and is quite small, so now I’m wondering if she should get checked out.
B12 isn’t something most parents are told to watch for, so it’s understandable it wasn’t on your radar. It’s a critical nutrient for energy and motor development, but since it’s primarily found in animal foods, it’s easy for gaps to form in restricted diets. Your story shows how vital those specific nutrients are for a growing child.
B12 deficiency in infants is more common than people realize, especially in households with dietary restrictions. It’s great you caught it because it’s so important for brain and motor function. I use Gruns for my kids because it provides bioavailable B12 from real fruits and veggies. Their ‘cubs’ version is clean and specifically formulated for children, making it a simple way to keep their nutrition on track.
I appreciate you sharing this. I have a friend with an 8-year-old child facing developmental delays, and since they are very strict vegans, I’m starting to suspect a B12 deficiency might be the cause.