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?

...unless I move him everywhere they go. Any tips or reassurance that he will just wake up one day and know what to do?
Tips (to help him crawl) - sometimes it's easier on carpet (gripper!) - lots of on the back cycling the legs (good to do with the song, 'I like to ride my bicycle, I ride it to the shops....' and during nappy changes)
Reassurance - unless there are other physical or developmental concerns...he will get through the frustration and get there.
Re frustration - sometimes it's the kick up the arse to get moving, but giving him the helping hand of picking him up and helping him to get to his friends, to the place he wants to be, isn't going to stop him ever moving.

Thanks you so much! I’m glad it’s not just me, I was starting to think I was in the wrong for wanting to help my baby but you’re right, I’m not sure why some other posters are being so nasty either. I have got some tips from a physio and I am doing that but I’m also just looking for anything else, the activity table is a good idea so I’ll try that

DS used to go backwards at first - he'd reverse under chairs etc and get stuck We just let him get on with it and soon enough he learnt to go forwards. You can put a toy in front of him just out of reach to encourage him, or we had a Vtech crawler ball that rolls around and plays music etc and they want to follow it. Not sure what else you can do 🤷🏻‍♀️

No one is being nasty

Do you put him down on his hands and knees when putting him down on the floor or do you put him on his bottom?

Overseas relatives said they thought it strange for me to plonk DS1 on his bottom (as common in UK) rather than on all fours. Did the latter with DC2 & 3 and they crawled much earlier.

Possibly coincidence of course but could help if you don't already do this.

My dd was the same. Then, at 10 months, she stood up and walked. So never crawled at all really

One thing that helped her was Hartbeeps class (a baby sensory group franchise thing). They did loads of sensory tummy time things which seemed to inspire her

OP, do you have a pet or friends with baby friendly pets that your LO can hang out with? Mine was very frustrated from his first few months by not being able to move. Our cat used to taunt him during tummy time and I think this actually helped him start crawling as he was desperate to chase her. He’s almost walking now and the cat still taunts him.

My ds never crawled on his hands and knees, he commando crawled then started walking before his first birthday, his twin sister crawled like a pro. The thing to remember is that they are all different and try not to compare him with others. He'll get where he needs to go in his own time. I know relaxing is easier said than done, maybe it's worth chatting with your hv to put your mind at rest

Despite my encouragement My ds never once crawled or did ‘tummy time’, but after cruising around the sofa he started walking very confidently at 9 months!

My daughter didn’t crawl until 10.5 months despite her sheer frustration at the situation. I couldn’t fathom a way to help her.. she used to look like a beached whale trying to move! I did pop her up on her knees sometimes but she’d just rock back and forth!

Despite being late to the crawling party, she walked at 12 months & hasn’t stopped running since.. she was walking earlier than any of her early crawling friends! They all catch up & do their thing

It might have already been suggested, but I encouraged my DS to crawl by putting some of those toy stacking cups just out of reach in front of him, stacked up in an irresistible tower. He desperately wanted to knock them down, got very frustrated for a while because he managed to work out how to go backwards before he could go forwards (which is very normal apparently) then finally got it.

With my younger two, I didn't bother giving them any encouragement whatsoever

I was frustrated for my DD too but honestly she went from seeming like she would never crawl to suddenly mastering it in one whole day. I was so shocked! It just clicked out of nowhere. There was nothing that I did or could have done that would have sped things up.

Oh and she was around 10 months at the time. Then walked at 15 months but she was on the brink for months!