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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

Am I meant to encourage crawling ...

29 replies

pamelat · 19/09/2008 19:15

or will it just happen?

DD is just 8 months old. Of the 16 antenatal babies (all similar age), 11 of them are crawling (have seen them in action today!)

I am sure that they are early to crawl?

Am not a competitive mum at all (and in some ways am really happy that my DD can only sit!) but just wanted to check that it does just happen.

She sits and rocks forward and pats the floor with her hands, she sort of lifts her bum up but not enough forward momentum

I dont have to encourage her do I?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

nickytwotimes · 19/09/2008 19:16

No need.
Some crawl, some don't.
I think ds was about 10 mths, but can't remember, even though he is only 2.2, lol!

pointydog · 19/09/2008 19:20

It will either happne or it won't. No need to encourage it.

Original poster

pamelat · 19/09/2008 19:20

Its incredible that they (we) learn how to do it!! Until today she had never even seen a crawling baby, she just stared at them and went very quiet - bless her.

OP posts:

meandmyjoe · 19/09/2008 19:33

Not sure you can effectively encourage it. I heard putting them on their tummy with things underneath their chest like a rolled up towel helps but I'm not convinced. She'll do it if/ when she wants to. My ds didn't get crawling til over 9 months but it actually makes things harder, into everything, house a state! dispite not crawling early, he walked before his 1st birthday so I think they all just do things at their own pace and when she's crawling, you;ll be wishing she wasn't!

Wade · 19/09/2008 20:29

I think my dd slapped the floor for a couple of weeks before she actually started traveling (? 8/9 months it's weird I can't remember even though shes only 13 months now). I gave her lots of encouragement and praise and it was lovely to see how satisfied she was when she was finally able to go and get the toy she wanted! But of course it's lots of extra work when they are mobile!! However, my friend's lo who is the same age never crawled (even though she looked like she was going to) just went straight to walking.

pinata · 19/09/2008 22:15

i tried to encourage dd to crawl, after months of her lying on her belly and lifting her arms and legs in the air - errrr, wrong way, dear!

anyway, she just gradually got the hang of it herself and started doing a kind of front crawl across the floor, at which point i tried to get her to raise her belly. again, no success, she just started doing it one day, without me doing a thing

and yes, enjoy the last few weeks of yours sitting still. i fish mine out from under the telly/table/chair etc quite regularly. she is surprisingly quick...

whomovedmychocolate · 19/09/2008 22:16

DD crawled backwards but then got up and started cruising. I tried desperately to help her but aside from realising quite how filthy my carpet was, it didn't really do much. I'd relax if I were you, it'll happen or not whatever you do. And then you'll be cursing because nowhere is safe!

mindy27 · 19/09/2008 22:24

my dd onl started crawling last week n she will b 1 in 8 days, was gettin slightly worried as other babies same age were startin to walk n stuff but shes so advanced in other ways, give it time!!

Sushipaws · 19/09/2008 22:29

I used to put toys she loved just out of reach, I know it sounds evil but it worked and I got my punishment of chasing her around all the time.

DontCallMeBaby · 19/09/2008 23:02

If you give them a chance to get mobile, eventually they're going to do it, one weird way or another. It's only if you strap 'em into a buggy or a walker or whatever every waking hour that you're going to have a problem. I swore DD was going to be a bumshuffler (I was) but she finally crawled, absolutely textbook (no backwards nonsense) at fourteen months (by which time people were asking 'is she walking yet?' and making me cry). Some never do, like my friend's DD who used to teleport about the room - honestly, you never SAW her move, but she'd not be where you last saw her; weird.

Original poster

pamelat · 18/10/2008 13:41

DD now 9 months and still no crawling.
I go in to find her on her tummy with her arms pushed up.
Not too worried but a woman on Thursday said "can't she even take her own weight on her legs", her 8.5 month was walking!! Crikey blimey!!
Still the patting the floor, bless her!!
I am a touch worried, know they are all individual etc but everything that I read seems to assume that she will be mobile at 9 months.

OP posts:

feelingbitbetter · 18/10/2008 16:54

Pam
Read Miriam Stoppard. Now.
Quick quote: 'do not worry if your baby shows no interest in crawling.....some like to be upright and looking around and will leave crawling to a later date......some babies never crawl at all, yet go on to walk perfectly normally.'
Try not to worry too much, easier said than done, I know. She is doing all the right things, and once she starts, you'll never have a moments peace.

DontKillMeBaby · 18/10/2008 17:11

DD wouldn't weight-bear at that age either, she was known as 'spaghetti-legs' and would collapse in a heap when put on her feet, every single time, until the day she decided she'd had enough and pulled herself up to standing. I was worried at the time, but with hindsight - late crawlers tend to do it well, no rocking back and forth and screeching with frustration; - likewise late walkers, far fewer tumbles than earlier walkers; - babies who are late to get mobile just might understand the word 'no' before you start having to use it ALL the time.

RustyBear · 18/10/2008 17:27

Ds used to go backwards all the time at that age & got very frustrated - what finally got him going was when I went shoe shopping with my sister & nephews - as usual the children's department was on the first floor & I couldn't take the buggy up.
I put DS down on the floor & suddenly discovered he was heading for the stairs - they had that awful very short pile nylon carpet and I think it gave him a better grip for his knees.

Once he'd got the idea he could do it at home too, but he didn't crawl for long, he was cruising within a couple of weeks & walking soon after.

WalkerBurnie · 18/10/2008 20:45

DS1 did not crawl until 11 months, so would be considered very slow by your group, I'm sure.

She will move when she wnats to, son't worry about it

ADragonIs4LifeNotJustHalloween · 18/10/2008 20:46

Dear god no! enjoy the immobile time!

BloodAndMutts · 18/10/2008 20:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

phdlife · 18/10/2008 20:52

I do remember hearing, though, that the coordinated arm/leg movement of crawling helps to cross-hemisphere development in the brain, and that some babies who do not crawl grow up to be kids who have probs.... writing?

ginseng · 18/10/2008 20:53

sounds like she is doing really well!! that is the first sign of crawling that rocking motion, My son was 9 months old before he crawled, my god daughter was 11 months old, my daughter was 8 months, they are all so different. it is so hard though not to compare isnt it!

Amy78 · 18/10/2008 21:14

My DD was crawling a 6.5 months! Belive me enjoy the peace of mind knowing that she's roughly in the same place that you left her when you left the room!!

I read somewhere that fewer children are crawling these days due to more people having wooden floors! Most of my ante natal group are bum shufflers!!

My MIL has had great delight in telling me that DH was walking at 10m - DD is now pulling herslef up to satnd at 8m! HELP!!

ILikeYourSleeves · 18/10/2008 22:48

My DS only just started crawling yesterday and he is 1 in a weeks time! He had been sort of crawling backwards a bit for a while and also swiveled round a lot on his bum. He is the last in his 'group' I think to crawl (and also the oldest LOL) but he just started crawling totally out of nowhere and there's no stopping him now! Don't worry, it will happen eventually and as others have said even if it doesn't, it doesn't matter as they don't need to crawl.

ButtonMeUp · 18/10/2008 22:54

Pamelat - will crawl when ready. Ds1 didnt crawl till 10 months and didnt walk till nearly 14 months. Ds2 crawled at 6.5 months and is cruising confidentally now at 9 months.

Far far far easier with ds1 as ds2 is into EVERYTHING.

They all get there in their own time, but baby olympics is kind of infectious

ButtonMeUp · 18/10/2008 22:55

Amy78 - sounds like we have similar LO's lol is constant non stop go here. Am knackered at end of day!

Plonker · 18/10/2008 22:59

She's very young still. I really wouldn't worry.

My dd1 didn't crawl at all, she just went straight to walking
...and my dd2 only crawled at 11 months and then walked 2 weeks later

Original poster

pamelat · 21/11/2008 12:53

Just wanted to share an update with you, she was 10 months old on Monday and started to crawl that same day!!

It isnt very graceful crawling (tee hee), more a commando style wounded crawl but its effective and she loves it!!

I am sure a real crawl isnt far off!!

Feel very proud of the little monkey!

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