Can we talk about crawling for a sec?

[MsVyky]

How old was your LO when they crawled? Did they do traditional hands and knees crawling, army crawling, bum scoot or hands and feet? How long after they started attempting did they master it? Or did your LO skip crawling all together?


DD is 8 months + 1 week and still not crawling, though she's been trying for about 3 months now. She can move backwards rather proficiently, can move from sitting to belly and back again, which tends to get her around in a strange circl-ey bum scooting way. She's been up on hands and knees rocking for ages, then just lies on on her tummy and kicks her legs and flails her arms, LOL (thinking that will make her go?)

I know that crawling isn't a true milestone, but I just figured she'd be doing it by now. Rather late isn't she?

[MamaPhD]

I think my DD crawled at about 8 months, too, and I didn't think that was late at all! She first tried to crawl by pushing on one big toe (all other body parts flat on the ground including her face) and just push with that one big toe!!! She would move like one inch then get totally drenched in sweat and I would try so hard not to laugh....ah good ol days. She got it down in a few weeks and did do the "normal" crawl. She runs everywhere now at 19 months. Really, never walks any more! As long as baby is happy and active (scooting, rolling, rocking, otherwise trying to be mobile) I would not worry about a thing. Just make sure you get all that on video!

[momto4plus4]

Okay, so compared to my kids, yours is early!! All 3 of mine crawled at 10 months, walked at 13 months. Mine have all been on the later side for all those milestones and all are perfectly on-target developmentally. I love the fish-out-of-water arms and legs flailing around time! I used to want SO badly to help dd1 get up and go but I tried it once-got her knees up and her face smashed into the carpet. I never tried that again, just let her go on her own!

[Bokonon]

That's actually not late. My DD had a developmental evaluation at around 9 months adjusted age, and the evaluator wasn't concerned. I believe 12 months is considered the very late end of normal for crawling.

[CookAMH]

She'll get there. I think 8mo is still on the early end (though I know some have crawled at 5 mo). My now 14mo DS crawled for real at about 11.5 mo, after army-crawling for a month or more.

[Pookietooth]

I have a dd who is not crawling either. My ds was crawling amry style at 5 months, but didn't do hands and knees until he was 10 months old.

[carmel23]

Sounds like she is on the verge!

[Pandme]

My 9 month old is my second child who could care less about mobility at this age. 8 months is not late.

Both mine sat well very early an besides lunging for stuff and rolling a bit, mine just doesn't care. She only pivoted 180 degrees on her belly by accident the other day.

I was concerned with my son (he wasn't even rolling at 8 months) but had an eval and they weren't concerned at all. They were right. Now at 3.5 he is a whirling dervish.

[Abraisme]

My DS didn't start crawling until 10mo, but he also didn't really try until around then.

My DD was sitting at 4mo, rocking on hands and knees at 6mo, pulling to a stand and cruising at 7mo, then SKIPPED crawling and started walking at 9.5mo. Now at 10.5mo she still can't crawl, but she can almost run.

[Llyra]

DD1 crawled in the "traditional" way. She started at about 8 1/2 months, and walked at 12 months.

DD2 was a scooter. She hitched herself along on her bottom with one leg and the opposite arm. She started this at about 9 1/2 months, and walked at 15 months.

DS was a no-hands scooter. He scooted on his bum using a thrusting motion (LOL in all his toddler pictures he has these huge over-developed bum and leg muscles from all the scooting! ). He started this at about 11 months, and walked at 17 months.

All three of them went on to develop normally in all areas.

Our Early Intervention criteria put as a red flag a baby who hasn't sat alone at 8 months, who doesn't pull to stand by 12 months, and who hasn't achieved some form of independent mobility by 12 months, whether it be crawling, scooting, or rolling. So at 8 months, I wouldn't worry for a second with a baby who can sit and get on hands and knees.

[mamadelbosque]

ds2 started army crawling ~7-8 months and actually crawling ~9.5-10 months.

[jammomma]

My DS started actual belly off the floor cross crawling at around 9 months. I'm sure your LO is just fine and will start crawling when they are ready.

[Liberty5_3000]

My first didn't crawl (or roll over) until he was 11 months and started walking at 12. Definitely no problems from it for him.

[smpayne]

My DS#1 was army(camando) crawling at 4 months, but DS#2 wasn't even interested until 9 months, he did a one knee, one foot crawl at first. Baby size and personality play a big part, sometimes larger babies tend to take longer (it takes more muscle to move those big bodies around).

[AndtheStars]

DS started crawling at about 9.5 months. He still doesn't crawl "normally". He pushes up with his right leg, tucks his left leg and moves his hands forward like a regular crawl. It looks ridiculous but he gets where he needs to go. Every once and awhile, I'll see him use a regular crawl but he prefers the push and tuck. Don't worry, mama, I was worrying at 8 months too but DS took his time and got on the move when he was ready.

[belltree]

The average age to start to crawl is 8.5 months. No need to worry.

Have a look at the WHO Milestones here:

http://www.who.int/childgrowth/stand...iles_table.pdf

And here is graphical version showing the window of gross motor skill milestones on page 7:
http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/Windows.pdf

5-14 months for hands and knees crawling is normal.

[ann_of_loxley]

DS1 was about 11 months old when he started to crawl. It was really an 'army crawl'. But he was happy enough to get around that way. It wasn't until he was like 13 months old that he started to crawl the traditional way - shortly after cruising (finally walking at 18 months).

He was pretty 'late' with most things - but he was just lazy! hehe Hes a pretty cautious chilled out boy.

Ds2 is only 10 weeks old - so we shall see!

[MsVyky]

great links, thanks!