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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

How can I get my baby to crawl?

25 replies

tasja · 20/03/2007 14:18

My daughter is 10months old and doesn't want to crawl. She rolls everywhere! she gets into the crawling posision but does nothing further. if I want to show her what to do she starts crying. She doesn't even shuffle on her bum. Neither me nor her dad did crawl. so why do I expect it of her? she was born 5 weeks early. does that have an effect?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

saadia · 20/03/2007 14:20

When I wanted ds2 to crawl (he was 3 weeks early) I would hold a toy just out of his reach and urge him to come towards me. That seemed to do the trick. HTH

Hillary · 20/03/2007 14:20

You cant make a baby do it, it will happen when it happens.

SoupDragon · 20/03/2007 14:20

Why do you want to?? Leave her and she'll learn by herself.

Emskilou · 20/03/2007 14:21

Your dd will do it her own time, dont force her to do it.

tortoiseSHELL · 20/03/2007 14:22

tasja, ds2 is 10 months and he also rolls everywhere. No inclination to crawl at all. I think he may go straight to walking tbh, as he is taking weight on his legs, and can nearly stand unsupported. Don't worry about it!

Original poster

tasja · 20/03/2007 14:22

I tried that saadia. I put all her toys out of reach but she just tips over and roll towards her toys and plays with it on her back. she cant get in the seating position when she is on her tummy or back.

OP posts:

ScottishThistle · 20/03/2007 14:22

If she doesn't want to or doesn't have the ability, nothing you do will make any difference.

When she starts crawling you'll soon wish she wasn't!

Hillary · 20/03/2007 14:23

Babies grow up fast enough

Original poster

tasja · 20/03/2007 14:24

I won't force my daughter to do anything she doesn't want to. Just want to know if I can try anything else to help her. But if she doesn't want to crawl, she doesn't want to crawl.

OP posts:

TeeCee · 20/03/2007 14:25

I wouldn't worry about hr but hey that's impossible when your a mum aye. The only thing I would do is place her fav toys just out of reach. So lay her on her tummy and place the toy an inch or two from her oputstreched arms. Make it reachable with s a little effort on her part then as she starts to easily reach toy increase the distance you place object.

princessmel · 20/03/2007 14:26

You can't. She will when she's ready.

BigCookLittleCook · 20/03/2007 14:26

Think average age for babies to crawl is around nine months. If she was five weeks early she is only just reaching this stage now so is not even remotely a "late crawler". I was all for encouraging DS to crawl and walk etc, but you can't force it, and as others have said, some babies never crawl. Try not to worry about it!

Original poster

tasja · 20/03/2007 14:32

yeah, since becoming a mum I started worrying. I thing when your a mum you never stop worrying over everything concerning your child.

OP posts:

BizzyDint · 20/03/2007 14:32

oh don't worry. my dd is 10 months tomorrow and has no interest in crawling. she loves just sitting and will spend hours playing with just one thing. my mum friends who have early crawlers are sooooo jealous that i don't have to race round after her when we go soft play. she sits nice and quietly playing with a sponge or a ball or whatever. nice and easy.

Original poster

tasja · 20/03/2007 14:37

My daughter is 10months today

OP posts:

BigCookLittleCook · 20/03/2007 14:37

And actually thinking back (it was only a few months ago), I was very keen for DS to get crawling, it's hard not to want them to reach the next stage. Now I want him to TALK in a language I can understand.

saadia · 20/03/2007 14:39

tasja as others have said it's very common for some babies not to crawl. Dh and his three brothers all bypassed that stage. My concern with crawling was that it's good for developing co-ordination and for strengthening the upper body, but dh and his brothers are all perfectly healthy, strong and co-ordinated. Having said that, my friend's dss (6 and 3), who never crawled, have been advised to do exercises to strengthen arms and upper body and to always watch TV on their tummies. But if your dd is playing on her tummy then I wouldn't worry about it.

Original poster

tasja · 20/03/2007 14:43

thanks saadia

OP posts:

kittywaitsfornumber6 · 20/03/2007 15:29

Chill out, your baby will move whe she's ready

ScottishThistle · 20/03/2007 15:42

Speaking from a Nanny point of view, try to enjoy every stage & don't keep wishing for the next one as it all goes very quickly!

nickytwotimes · 20/03/2007 15:44

set fire to it's knees?

deaconblue · 20/03/2007 16:13

My friend's baby didn't crawl or bum shuffle. He walked at 14 months and then learnt to crawl. He didn't even roll, at least your dd can get about herself a bit. I wouldn't worry and make the most of having a tv without finger prints on it and a coffee table you can leave a mug of tea on

kittywaitsfornumber6 · 20/03/2007 17:13

Nicky

CoteDAzur · 20/03/2007 17:18

DD is 18 months. She walks pretty well, but cannot get up from sitting. She has never crawled, so she does not seem to understand how to put weight on her knees. She barely bends her knees when walking (probably because leg muscles are weak). I now feel a bit guilty for having thought "She will do things when she wants to" and left her to just sit there. I feel I should have somehow encouraged her to crawl.

She has just recently managed to bend down to pick things from the ground (still only slightly bending her knees) so there might be hope for us yet...

insywinsyspider · 20/03/2007 19:35

i started a thread about my 10mo old (10 months yesterday) not crawling - he's still not fussed, he rolls everywhere and is pulling up on his toy box but he can't get from tummy or back to sitting which he'll need to do if he's going to go straight from sitting to walking, i can't figure how to encourage him to do that - i borrowed a baby walker from friend and he loves that so legs are getting strong, he also wants to stand at any opportunity so hold him like that a lot

i get fed up with smug mums asking if he's mobile yet - but got my own back this week at soft play when we sat and had smug cup of coffee whilst they ran ragged

just remember this time next year you won't be able to tell the difference between the early crawlers and walkers - i figure we can teach him to play on his own and communicate with us (rather than always be chasing him around) and get the benifits of that next year!

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