Along with all the other milestones of infant growth, there is one that puts babies
on the move for the first time - crawling. Where once Baby was immobile, content
sitting and exploring what was within his reach, suddenly a whole new world opens
up: the world of mobility.
The Purpose of Crawling
Crawling is a precursor to walking, of course, but also primarily a way for infants
to begin to explore their environment.
"Crawling helps walking because it allows babies to utilize the muscle groups in
their arms, trunk, pelvic girdle and lower legs," says Dr. Ari Brown, pediatrician,
mother of two and coauthor of Baby 411 (Windsor Peak, 2006). "Practice builds tone,
strength and coordination."
When and How?
Most babies begin crawling somewhere between 6 and 9 months old. By this time, she
will be sitting without support, and her major muscle groups will be strong enough
to support her body.
"From sitting, a baby will begin to pivot, rock and go over onto her hands and knees,"
says Laurie LeComer, author of A Parent's Guide to Developmental Delays: Recognizing
and Coping with Missed Milestones in Speech, Movement, Learning and Other Areas
(Perigee, 2006) "The strength necessary to crawl can be traced all the way back
to the newborn days when she was placed on her tummy and slowly began to strengthen
her neck, and then her arms and shoulders, as she pushed up for a better view."
The transition from sitting to crawling may occur gradually over several months.
Some of the steps in between include learning to balance on all fours, rocking back
and forth on hands and knees and eventually figuring out that pushing off with the
knees will give them the forward motion they need to begin to crawl.
Not every baby crawls in the same manner, though. Some crawl forward, as typical,
but some have their own methods. Shannon Rosenberg, a mother of twins from Wesley
Hills, N.Y., says that one of her twins was slightly late in getting herself moving.
"[But] once she did start crawling ... she crawled backwards right under the couch,"
she says. "Actually, they both crawled backwards first."
Crawling backward is probably the result of uneven muscle tone (arms a little stronger
than legs), but that will soon right itself as Baby progresses in developing gross
motor skills. They will soon shift from reverse to forward on their own with no
intervention from parents. As long as they get moving in some way, they are perfectly
normal, no matter which direction they choose to go first.
Can Parents Help?
It can't hurt to give your baby some incentive to crawl. Making things too easy
on them (always handing them toys they want, etc.) just encourages them to stay
seated. Instead, find ways to encourage them to become active. Parents should place
age-appropriate toys slightly beyond their child's reach when baby is in a sitting
position, LeComer says. "They can also engage their babies in airplane games, where
baby flies through the air and then lands on his hands (supporting some weight from
his body)," she says. "Or parents can use games and songs that entice baby to come
to them in whatever locomotion way possible."
Don't worry too much, though, about pushing your baby to move on your time schedule.
Courtney Ramirez of Sanger, Calif., worried a little when her daughter seemed to
take too long to crawl. Though still within the normal age range for crawling, she
was at the upper end of the range, causing Ramirez some concern. She learned, though,
that unless there are specific developmental problems that your doctor has identified,
there is nothing wrong with "slow development."
"My best advise to first-time moms is to remember that every baby is different,"
says Ramirez, who decided that relaxing was the best approach, rather than frustrating
herself and her child. "I encouraged her to be more physically active, but didn't
try to train her to crawl. I figured that when she was ready, she would." Ramirez's
instincts were right on target. "She skipped the scooting stage and just began crawling
one day."
When to Worry
Actually, crawling isn't even listed as a major milestone in baby development. Some
babies skip crawling and dive right into walking. Carol Wood of Winnetka, Calif.,
found this to be the case with her second child, Monica. "She never crawled," she
says. "Just went from laying prone to walking." Being somewhat concerned, Wood chose
to discuss it with her physician. "[My doctor] said, 'If she doesn't want to crawl,
she doesn't have to.'"
Both of our experts agree that crawling is not a necessary step in development,
as long as Baby has some other way of locomotion. "Some babies skip crawling altogether,"
LeComer says. "But parents should begin to be vigilant at 10 months if their child
has not found a way to get around."
Exploring the environment is very important, whether by "cruising" around holding
onto furniture, rolling, scooting, etc. LeComer suggests watching for these warning
signs that may signal a need to talk with your pediatrician:
- Not exploring the environment in some way by 10 months of age
- Clearly favoring one side of his body.
- Unable to coordinate her body in some way that allows both sides to work together
- "Bypassing crawling has no other developmental implications and ... has no association
with the ability to learn math (this is an old wives tale!)" Dr. Brown says.
Keeping Things Crawl-Friendly
Be prepared! Once babies are on the move, there's no stopping them. Here are some
suggestions to keep things safe for your newly-crawling tot:
- Get on the floor and look at things from your baby's perspective.
- Remove any small objects from the floor (dropped coins under furniture, etc).
- Remove anything your baby might be able to pull, like phone cords, electrical
cords or drape pulls.
- A small area rug on un-carpeted floors will protect Baby's hands and knees.
- Safety-proof the entire house (cabinets, wall outlets, toilets).
- Use gates in front of stairs at the top and bottom.
- Now that Baby is mobile, he may (and probably will at some point) end up where
you don't want him to be. Be safe and safety-proof everything. And never leave a
baby unattended.
By Shannon McKelden. This article is kindly provided by:
