Not sure I want 4 month old to crawl

[fifiKma]

So my wee man has just turned 4 months and is quite big and crazy active. I've been doing tummy time sparingly because he has reflux but granny got him a tummy time llama and he's taken to that started rolling at last. But lately he's been starting to commando crawl. My husband was thrilled but I'm considering cutting down on tummy time so he doesn't start boosting about. Wouldn't it be dangerous for so young a baby to be able to move? Hubs disagrees but he's not looking after him all day!
Husband thinks I'm being selfish aibu? I don't want to hold his development back but I'm worried he might hurt himself (OK I'm also being selfish I want to leave him places and find him there when I turn back round)

It’s a normal part of child development and as others have said it’s very important for brain development! As the mum of a child (adopted) who didn’t crawl in their baby years (restricted movement by being strapped into high chair/pushchair etc( I’ve been amazed at what impact this still has years later in terms of core strength, coordination, spatial awareness and fine motor skills. Google it! Then celebrate that your baby has reached this stage whilst moving your breakables! YABU to consider restricting their movement!

Stealth boast for sure but dont hold the poor kid back.

OP if it was dangerous we wouldn't have evolved as a species to do it at early ages.

You need to get a playpen and baby proof everything in your house. Check regularly if he can reach door handles and how heavy the doors are, as once he can climb out of the playpen, over the safety gates and out of his cot he is going to have fun.....

You definitely need a playpen. We had a big one with our first and a huge one with the second!

Do not hold him back, it is selfish.

Have you thought of being mute around them too- honestly it’s annoying when they talk so I’d focus on stunting that

Wish I'd done that with my 4yo 🤣🤣

Why did you have a child?
If you wanted something that just sat still, may I suggest a doll, or a cuddly toy

Yabu to try and stop natural development.

YANBU to be worried about the extra workload and that he may hurt himself. Channel your own energy into baby proofing now and there's less chance of injury. A good travel mug for your own hot drinks is also essential.

My DD was crawling at this age, just before first lockdown. She was walking at 9m while we were still all stuck in the house and at 16m in this lockdown is very much a climbing /running /jumping wild child. It is tough when they don't have the communication skills or level of understanding yet... But I wouldn't change it and I've lost most of the baby weight chasing her around

In the most gentle way...

You can try whatever you want, if your baby is able to roll over and commando crawl, he will do it if he wants to.
You can try and limit tummy time but he’ll just roll again.

I’m afraid that the time when you could just leave him and turn your back has ended.

If he can roll, he will decide when to do tummy time! It's not up to you any more.
Just let him be.

Nice stealth boast OP 😂

Seriously though, I get that it’s harder when they start crawling, whatever age they are, but I don’t think you’d be able to prevent it even if you tried (unless you literally strap him down!). You’re just going to have to keep a close eye on him, and/or buy a playpen

Are you seriously asking if it's okay to stunt your child's development? When he's walking do you plan on getting him some lead boots to slow him down? Or only allow him to write if he's holding his pen with his nostril?
Absolutely ridiculous. Fuck right off.

DDs started walking at 9 and 10 months. There's nothing you can do to regress their development

LOL! I had a full on crawler at 4 months with DS2. First steps at 8 months, now walking at 9 compared to DS1 who was 6 months at crawling and 10 at walking. I'd say embrace it! Mine are always much happier and less frustrated once they're mobile. Makes life easier.

When I had my first baby, my mum told me I would spend the next two years teaching them to walk and talk, and the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up!

It was a joke, obviously, but sometimes it helps to laugh at things, rather than get all het up about things we can’t change.

They won’t stop. Mine started crawling 4/5 months. He’s 8 months now and walking around the furniture, he will be off soon. It’s a nightmare tbh, he is like a baby bull in a China shop

@HelloThereMeHearties

Are you actually serious???!!!

You want to hold your child's development back???

Good luck to the OP when he starts to talk,. it goes from Oh how lovely to For Gods's sake shut up, in no time at all!

My eldest daughter never crawled, I'd been racing dinghies until about 6 months and she bum shuffled, she shuffled, checked over her shoulder and tacked to lay the mark! My mother was very worried.

You just need to baby proof. Commando crawling is cute and normal at that age.

Stealth boast...

Even when they can only roll they can get quite far , so leaving then somewhere and walking out is risky.
If you need to leave room put him somewhere safe first

I've had a full day of batshittery but this post is the cherry on the cake.

You can't stop him, OP! My DS was very similar. He was crawling by 5 months and cruising around holding onto the furniture by 7 months. I couldn't keen up with him!

We baby proofed the entire ground floor of the house. I crawled around every room and removed all hazards or devised ways of making them safe.

Our DS's development slowed down to normal levels once he was walking (he started independent walking at 11 months) so maybe yours will be the same. They all catch up with each other in the end!

Not that you should be leaving him alone anyway but we all need a wee etc , so you will have to put him somewhere safe as even rolling he could get quite far , let alone crawling , and others have said time to babyproof the house if not done already

@rainbowunicorn

This surely can't be real. Nobody would really be stupid enough to try and delay their child's development. Would they?

This. Why on earth would you want to delay your child’s development?!

It this the ultimate in reverse pushy parenting?

It worries me that such stupid people can have children .

You can't stop them. DD1 used to crawl in her sleep round her cot, before that she would roll repeatedly from one side of a room to another to get to the object of her desire (the plug socket).

We brought a play pen. It was great.