DS not getting crawling

[BlueMoon1103]

My DS is nine months old this week and he just doesn’t get crawling, he gets himself onto his front but just flips onto his tummy and can only move backwards. I’ve tried showing him what to do by tucking his legs under him but he just goes back onto his tummy again. He can’t even tuck his knees under himself he gets so frustrated and upset and most of his friends and crawl, he sits and watches them crawl off when we meet up shouting after them and can’t join in unless I move him everywhere they go. Any tips or reassurance that he will just wake up one day and know what to do?

But you are teaching and helping him just fine. :) he will get it. There's no magic trick or secret technique.

I can hear your frustration and I really do get it because DD (now 15 months) followed the same staged as her peers physically but at least 3 months behind. Whilst they're all running around on reins she's still comando crawling and just getting onto her knees. Have a chat with your HV as a first step. What we found helpful was getting a session with a private physio and getting DD assessed by her to. It cost £60 but was well worth it as she gave us specific exercises for her. We also played a game where we would put a chocolate button just out of reach and encourage her to get it. When she did we would make a big fuss of her with lots of clapping. First she would stretch an arm out and push herself forward and that became the comando crawling. I also enrolled DD for a session a week at nursery with lots of kind preschool girls - it's a small one with good staff and students who are almost 1-1 for DD. This has built her confidence a lot and she tries to copy the other children. I also take her to soft play area least once a week even if she didnt do much at first. Copying other children is called modelling and well known for getting babies moving.

If you’re experienced with babies, you’d know that he’s well within norm for crawling. He’ll do it when he’s ready - or might not.
None of mine ever crawled we had one who went straight to walking and two different styles of bottom crawlers.

For what it's worth, there's a big difference between finding ways to support your child's development and forcing them to do something. Yes, leaving babies to it is a valid strategy that has it's merits, but that doesn't mean the OP is doing the wrong thing trying to find ways to help.

And actually there are tricks to teaching babies how the mechanics of their bodies work.

Put him on the floor as much as possible.. he’ll get cranky but make sure there’s loads to do. He’ll either get it or pull him self up on something n take off that way.
Ds is 9months too and has only just (days ago) got onto his knees.. now he stares at the floor wiggling his bum. He actually moved further when he just lay down n dragged his head by kicking furiously. But now he doesn’t have a permanent red face/carpet burn in the making.
Honestly turn away from all the milestone crap. Ds has had his pinch grip from 7 months (apparently early) fine with solids.. has said dada a whole twice and barely babbles would rather make fart noises, not crawling or pulling up but will stand if you hold him.. he wouldn’t lift his head up while laying on his tummy till he was over 4 months. One of the boys at his baby group is 11months struggles sitting unaided and has just got crawling. They all do it in their own time.. I think they wait longer if they think you want them too...

I should add that we started those things more around 1yr when DDs peers started walking and she wasnt even crawling yet so was just getting trampled. However, she is the best communicator of the group by far so they all have their strengths.

My big potato is 10 months and doesn’t crawl at all. I’m quite happy that he stays where I put him

It depends how you are trying to teach him because you might be inadvertently not allowing him to strengthen the right muscles by himself as he should naturally do when left to his own devices, and that means it could take him longer to learn things. Crawling is not a milestone and at nine months he has no concept of friends crawling off and leaving him behind. I think you need to ask yourself why you are so concerned about this.

Mine was a non-crawler, still is at 12mo. She’s been cruising for a couple of months and just started taking a few independent steps but never bum shuffled. Just sat there being angry about it like yours.

So no help, but I just wanted to say that I totally understand. The jealousy at play dates while everyone else gets to sit and chat and you have to move your child everywhere or they’ll kick off. The constant whining and crying while you’re getting housework done and they’re upset that they can’t follow you.

Honestly, just hang on there. DD cruising was a revelation and I suddenly found that she would play happily for aged because she could get what she wanted. This weekend has been bliss, I’ve got loads done around the house while she potters around happily. Hopefully it will be the same for yours 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Thank you again @ChaosMoon for speaking sense and actually reading my OP and PPs! I’m just going to ignore @itcoldoutside as it’s an unhelpful and pretty patronising response. Also @CherryPavlova I know he’s in the norm, but he’s frustrated and I’d like to help him as I’ve said many times.

DD only crawled after she could walk at 9 months.

@blackcat86 thank you, I might try that in future if it gets to a point where I’m concerned.

Some children crawl early, some crawl later, some crawl never (e.g bum shuffling or straight to walking). Every child is different. Relax and enjoy.

I had three DDs, of whom only DD1 ever crawled. She did it at about 11 or 12 months, and walked at 14 months.

DD2 and DD3 were dyed in the wool bum-shufflers from about the age of 8 months until 23 months for DD2 and 21 months for DD3, when they just got up and walked.

If he wants to crawl he'll figure it out when he is ready. Or he will find another way. I would just carry on offering the odd incentive, but other than that doing nothing. Leaving it up to him but being there for comfort when it all gets a bit much.

I never tried to teach any of mine anything. They worked it out for themselves eventually. Yes, they got frustrated sometimes, but that is just part of growing up. They got there in their own time in the end.

Hi BlueMoon

Have a look at this website cognikids.com/
It’s an Irish teacher and neurological development therapist and she’s very strong on babies learning to do a proper cross crawl. Her Instagram has a great highlight called ScienceBits with lots of tips about crawling. I found it really helpful, you might too.

@OrangeZog very aware of how to support him thanks as in my work I support disabled people, some of them children and have been shown by a trained physiotherapist how to encourage crawling. I’m bothered because, ONCE AGAIN, he’s getting frustrated and he might not understand the concept of being left behind but he does understand that he wants to move and can’t. Please read PPs before commenting as I feel like I’m repeating myself a lot.

Frustration is good. He’s learning more than crawling. He’s learning about persistence, resilience, and confidence in his own ability to succeed. Helping too much undermines those valuable lessons.

Sorry for the relax and enjoy comment op, just saw that you don't like it!

There rest of my post still stands though, I honestly don't think there are any 'tips'.

My friend agonised over crawling - looked up these ridiculous YouTube videos that showed how to help the child by putting a tea towel under their tummy with them on all fours and other things, constantly asked health visitors about it etc. Then one day - when her child was ready - he just crawled. My friend regrets all the worry as looking back it stopped her from fully enjoying being a mum.

I hope you feel better soon

You may not like it but you do need to relax,he will figure it out for himself or not and just go to cruising and walking.

Just distract him when he gets upset if it worries you but you can't teach him,he'll figure it out and you'll wonder why you wanted him to crawl because it's a bloody nightmare when they do!

Frustration is good. He’s learning more than crawling. He’s learning about persistence, resilience, and confidence in his own ability to succeed. Helping too much undermines those valuable lessons

Absolutely

I’m not ‘helping too much’ @CherryPavlova, I’m just helping. He is still learning all those things, just without being so upset it puts him off doing it! That’s counterproductive.

I get your frustration, but you really can't push this, however frustrated he is. Offer the odd incentive and otherwise distract him.

People are speaking from their own experience. We didn't teach our babies to crawl. They either did it or they didn't, and in their own time.

I think you are being unnecessarily snarky to some posters who have basically said this. Maybe you don't intend that, but it is coming across.

Dd2 never crawled & walked at 17 months, it doesn’t seem that she walks any different from anyone else

Chill about it and it’ll happen

My kids never crawled they both just went from sitting to standing / walking at about 10 months. Neither ever crawled once!

I understand your frustration and I don't understand why others are being so nasty to you about it! My son started crawling at 9 months - thankfully, as he was mega frustrated up until then. I did help him to learn. He just couldn't understand how to move his knees forwards underneath his body, so for a few days, a few times a day, I moved his knees forward for him and helped him to crawl. He needed to be almost there for me to be able to do that though. A physio (he had torticollis) told us that getting him kneeling is also useful, so she suggested an activity table and to get him sitting in my lap next to it so he is tempted to move himself into a kneel.
Hope that helps and good luck. My son isn't walking yet at 14 months (hypermobile so taking longer) but was soooo much happier when he figured out crawling! If he wasn't frustrated (like he's not frustrated about not walking yet) I wouldn't have bothered, but naturally you'll want to help your baby to figure out something if he's distressed! Somwtimes they're simply not physically ready, and that's fair enough (although we can help.with exercises to strengthen them) but other times they just can't work out how to do it and that's where we can be really helpful.