Bum shuffling to walking

[londonmummy2019]

Hi mums

First time mum here ...please be gentle.

My gorgeous DD is nearly 12 months. Since around 11 months she has been getting into a crawling position but just doesn't quite get that second knee back...

She's recently been bum shuffling. Yesterday my MIL was around and DD made it across the kitchen floor whilst we were talking...

MIL immediately said "oh dear a bum shuffler...she'll struggle with development later in I've heard that bum shuffling as a baby leads to all sorts of problems"

I was upset to say the least. When I challenge her she said she saw research and that she'll be a late walker and may have trouble reading!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone else had a bum shuffler who was all ok.

I think it's common for bum shufflers to be later walkers, but anecdotally I'm sure you'll find plenty who walked at an average age. I have never heard that it's linked to any other problems though. My DS was a late Walker (almost 19 months) and he never bum shuffled; commando crawled at 10 months and traditional crawling at 11 months. He didn't pull to stand or cruise until he was 13 months.

Your DD may well be a later walker, but also she might surprise you and just start walking one day. You never know.

Thank you.

My good friends little girl walked at 18 months and didn't really crawl or bum shuffle.

Another walked on their 1st birthday and absolutely hated any tummy time and didn't crawl!

They are all so different!

I'm going to keep trusting my instincts, she will do things when she is ready and she may well just start crawling or walking soon!

My daughter was a bum shuffler - I assume it was because I made the mistake of sitting her up, when she couldn't get into that position herself (something one really shouldn't do), which meant that she was often sitting instead of laying on her belly and working to get herself into a crawlin position.
It's possible that these children walk later, but why's that an issue? It doesn't matter if a child walks at 10 months or 18 months, that's all within a healthy development.
My daughter walked at 13,5 months, so quite average, I'd say.

I also don't know what connection to reading this might have - but different types of physical activity train different parts of the brain which in turn are also responsible for different sorts of intellectual learning. So there MIGHT be a connection there, I've never read about one, though. And even if there is a connection and crawling trains the same parts of the brain (or maybe helps create connections between different parts of the brain) which are relevant to reading, there never is only one activity that trains this.

Anyway, my daughter loved reading, read a lot and never had a problem with it.

My dd has always bum shuffledm she crawled at 14 months and has just started walking at 18months

My husband was a bum shuffler. He didn't walk until 18 months but is an incredibly athletic guy and played lacrosse for his uni so it doesn't really matter. I have read thst bum shuffling can be hereditary- we are wondering if our son will do it as he's 9 months now and seems close to crselijg but just isn't there yet!

Bum shuffling doesn't lead to late walking. However, a significant proportion of bum shufflers have got hypermobile joints and hyper mobility is the number one cause of gross motor delays. Also, hypermobile children tend to be more cautious and risk averse than their peers which makes exploration more difficult.

My DD has got mild hypermobilty. She walked on the day she turned 16 months. Right now she is 2.5 years old and while she is catching up with other children, I can see she is still slightly behind. For instance, up until very recently she has refused to go on a scooter. She also stays away from unfamiliar children in playgrounds and soft play areas - she knows they are faster and stronger than her and may push her away. It has been changing and DD is slowly becoming more confident but it is definitely a journey.

Most hypermobile children catch up with their peers by the time they are 3.

That's so interesting, thanks!

That might be interesting but that's raised my anxiety levels through the roof!!

I wish people wouldn't post that kid of thing!!!

Thanks to all those who posted positive and realistic posts.

My DD has no trouble sitting up straight and didn't feel like a "floppy doll" which is what Hypermobile joints feel like according to some University research at Oxford.

Thanks for scaring new mums!!!

I don't understand why that's scared you so much?

My DS isn't hypermobile (well I assume he's not as we saw a physio when he was 17-18 months and again at 2.5 so pretty sure they would've said if he was!), he was just a late walker at 18-19 months.

To be honest even now at 3.6 I don't think he's quite caught up with his peers in all gross motor areas. He's brilliant at jumping and has been able to jump properly with 2 feet for over a year, and he seems very strong in his arms, but he's still not a fast runner - it's almost like he's too scared to really go into a full on sprint.

Two of mine bum shuffled. One sort of scooted with one leg whilst the other usually just sat there but occasionally sort of bottom jumped. That only happened if her siblings weren’t around to wait on her. They were both marginally later walking than I would have expected but we’ll within norms.
Mother in law is wrong. Completely wrong.

The youngest bottom jumper/would rather be waited on has fantastic co-ordination and danced with Royal Ballet associates and trained with BRB. She can do a handstand on one hand and hold for ages. She was academically very capable and topped her year from nursery onwards despite being a late August baby. We’re expecting a first from RG when she finished next year.

Our son scooted but is also very coordinated. He played rugby at national level for armed forces. He is academically capable and was admitted for armed forces officer training at 18 years of age, getting his degree paid for. His spatial awareness and abstract reasoning on psychometric tests is very, very high. He has astounding problem solving skills. He can fly a plane and passed his driving test after six lessons.

No real developmental issues for either. Our eldest daughter who went straight from sitting to walking has marked dyspraxia. Appalling co-ordination and hyper mobility. She struggled with gross motor skills but has got better over time. No academic problems though.

Thanks @CherryPavlova You must be very proud they all sound amazing.

I'm just s first time mum just trying to get through. Seems like bum scooter or shuffler isn't to be feared.

No, to be enjoyed! Parenting is much easier if you relax and ignore throwaway comments. The first one is the hardest but it gets easier.

We’re proud, of course; it’s the culmination of our life work but it wasn’t always plain sailing.

@londonmummy2019 "I wish people wouldn't post that kid of thing!!!

[...]

Thanks for scaring new mums!!! "

Don't ask a question, if you don't want to hear the answer!

@SmartPlay ...your answer not welcome

OP you need to relax.you asked a question.people can answer how they want.

There has been nothing bad said on this thread

My DD has no trouble sitting up straight and didn't feel like a "floppy doll" which is what Hypermobile joints feel like according to some University research at Oxford.

Thanks for scaring new mums!!! angry

My DD has hyper mobile wrists and knees. Late to crawl and walk. Physically we see her following a different developmental path. Those of us sharing our experiences of our children’s development are not doing so to scare anyone. You asked a question to which there are a range of possible answers

I was a bum shuffler, as were my 2 boys.. nothing wrong with us!!

Really confused why you are angry at 'wintertravel1980' who I thought took the time to post some really interesting and useful information? As someone in a similar boat to you, I don't understand your reaction. I found the bit about usually catching up with their peers by age 3 quite reassuring actually as it IS slightly concerning me that he's behind the other babies his age but I won't care if he's okay in the long term! My boy has just started scooting backwards on his bottom actually so it looks like that might be his preferred mode of travel... not the end of the world!

Hi OP, I am sorry if my post has made you anxious. Of course, my experience may be completely irrelevant to your case. I have never meant to sound like your MIL with her unhelpful throw away comments.

However, I do believe it is useful for all parents to be aware about correlation between bum shuffling and hypermobility (whether or not it is relevant).. Mild to moderate hypermobility is not a big deal. It has no impact on children's longer term cognitive development. As I have mentioned above, any visible differences between hyper mobile children and their peers generally tend to disappear by the age of 3. The scary stories you might have read online probably relate to severe case. My DD is also very far from being a "floppy doll". She has got strong upper body and core. However, her hips are more flexible than average.

Many HCPs do not view mild to moderate hypermobility as a problem and tend to brush parents away, however, knowing that DD was having these issues helped me figure out what I could do for her. I prioritised physical exercises over other things. We used to spend a considerable amount of time at playgrounds and in soft play areas. I feel the efforts made a difference. DD can now walk long distances. She is an exceptional climber. She is catching up fast but there is still some way to go.

I didn't find my experience "scary". Over past 2 years, I might have spent a disproportionate amount of time climbing soft play frames but, in the grand scheme of things, it was not too bad.

Here are a couple of links I have personally found useful. They include examples of exercises you could do with your DD if you like:

www.poole.nhs.uk/pdf/Bottom%20Shuffling%20Babies%20ver1%2024.10.17.pdf
developmentalgym.com/infant-bottom-shuffle-scoot

@wintertravel thanks SO much for posting that link! My son lifts his legs when I try to get him to stand up as described in the link so I have read it with interest and my husband and I are going to have a go at some of the exercises with him. I wonder if it's hereditary as my husband says he thinks he had the same thing.

As you clearly have a lot of experience with this, may I ask you - in your opinion, would pram or a baby carrier be the best way for my son to be taken out or about, or do you think it doesn't matter? He much prefers being in his carrier but I'm keen to do nothing that may hamper his development!
Many thanks:)

I was looking for reassurance. I already have a MIL who finds faults on everything.

I'm sure there were good intentions but I was already made to feel anxious. Thanks for all your replies.

Anyway My beautiful DD has been putting her hands flat in front of her and rocking a bit today. She can't quite get the other knee tucked under yet. Bouncing on her bum she gets quite far.

Well, as it turns out, my son does actually have hypermobility! Asked a physio today and she said he is hypermobile in the hips and ankles! @wintertravel1980 I'm very grateful for your info as I might not have asked otherwise. Turns out (according to my MIL) my husband also had hypermobile hips and that's why he didn't walk til he was 18 months so our physio said not to be alarmed at late physical milestones. My boy clearly takes after my husband. She actually thinks my son might crawl not bum shuffle as he is close, and gave us some exercises to help - some of which were actually similar to the document you shared! So thanks - at last the dots are connected and his slow physical development makes sense at last and now I can relax a bit knowing that he'll catch up in the end!

To the OP - you said you were looking for reassurance... My physio said that she AND all 3 of her children were bum shufflers! She said they were all slow to walk, but no lasting issues, and they all caught up. Plus they were all brilliant at their fine motor skills to compensate. She said bum shuffling has a bad rep but it's perfectly normal and nothing whatsoever to worry about! Hope that helps 👌

Hi @surreygirl1987 - i'm really glad my info was useful:).

Plus they were all brilliant at their fine motor skills to compensate.

My DD has been very similar. She has also compensated in the fine motor skills area. She is also a pretty good problem solver (according to ASQ-3 questionnaires).

Re: baby carriers vs prams - I do not know for sure but my instinct is to say it doesn't really matter. I would just follow your DS preferences. Looks like he is doing well if he is so close to crawling:).

Yeh, we asked the physio today and she said it doesn't really matter as long as he's not in either for ages. We do have him nearly always in carrier rather than pram when out and about but think we will try and do it 50/50 from now on.

I'm going to really prioritise the exercises and work on getting my boy to crawl. Anyway thanks again for your help - really don't think we'd be clued up at all if I hadn't read your post! 😁 The other lightbulb moment I have just read online is that hypermobility is often linked to digestive issues... My son has been having unexplained digestive issues since he was born and has even been seeing a gastro specialist who is stumped- now things are finally clicking into place! 👌🙌

Hi bumshuffling mums just jumping on this thread to ask if your little bumshufflers had any fine motor delays. My little guy is now 29 months he rolled, sat , cruised on time but started bum shuffling at 11 months and didn’t take his first steps until he was 23 months, he now runs around the place. I’m just off the phone to an OT as I’m trying to get him an appointment as he still cant colour with a crayon or feed himself with a spoon . She told me to try and get him to start crawling again as because he skipped that phase he missed all the coordination required from crawling to do these things... I found this connection very interesting and have just purchased a crawling tunnel. Just curious if any of you found this to be true? Thanks 😊