Between the months of six and ten, babies hit a big milestone - crawling. It takes a lot of coordination with arms and legs, and also proper development of the arms, shoulders, and legs. But once they begin to get it, their journey to really being on the move begins!
How Babies Learn to Crawl
The process to get to the perfected forward crawl is different for every baby. Some babies get it right off the bat, coordinating one arm and the opposite leg. Some bring out their inner crab, scooting forward with one bended knee and the other extended. Some look like their straight out of boot camp, laying flat on their stomachs as they drag themselves forward using their arms. Some skip using the limbs altogether and just roll to get where their going. And some babies waste no time on crawling at all and move straight to walking. The pint is, there is no right or wrong way to crawling. There is just the importance of a baby learning how to get around their environment.
How to Support Crawling
- Tummy time, tummy time, tummy time. Crawling actually begins from the very beginning with placing your baby straight onto their belly. It helps them develop some strength in their muscles in their shoulders, arms, back, and torso. All things to help them crawl.
- Incentives are key. Nothing captures a child’s interest like a reward. Use some interesting toys to encourage your baby to reach. - Provide a safe environment. Take a walk through your house and look out for any potential dangers to get rid of. Anything that is sharp, can shock, can be pulled down, can be eaten, or can be broken. Making it safe and secure to explore. - Place your arms as a push off behind their feet when on all fours. It’ll stabilize them and give them a little extra something to give them a start to crawling.
What to Avoid
- Baby walkers. Although a lot of people think that they are essential to baby development, they can actually do the opposite. Not only do they hamper muscle development, but they also limit the practice that children should be getting on the floor.
- Spending too much time in supportive devices such as a baby seat or carrier. Again, the objective is to have the baby on the floor as much as possible. Having all of the time to play, move, and explore makes it so much easier for them to learn to crawl.
- Pushing them to crawl before they are ready. Making a child try to do a skill before their time can actually end up slowing down their progress.
When to Talk to Your Pediatrician
Remember, every child goes at their own pace. Some kids start at 6 months, some at 10 months, and some skip it altogether! It may be dependent upon if your baby is premature or on their weight (heavier children tend to take a little longer due to it being more challenging to hold their weight on all fours). They may also just have different interests and preferences. Maybe they are more interested in other skills, like to use their hands to figure out how the world works, and like to sit to explore the world more visually.
But, you may want to contact your provider if your baby only uses one side of their body to crawl or is not making any progress toward using their body to explore.
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