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Original poster

Crawling Babies

15 replies

SkyBlue1987 · 22/05/2024 02:07

I have a very early five month old crawler and go to a playgroup session for babies all approximately the same age. She is the only mobile one so far. She is social and spends the play time crawling around to visit other babies. She does try to touch/play with them (has no teeth so doesn’t bite) as well but I always stop her chewing on their toys. I’ve noticed some of the mums (not all) seem uncomfortable with this and try move her away/redirect her and are quite protective of their little one. This is absolutely fine but I’m unsure what exactly to do at these groups and wondering if I am in the wrong for letting her explore. We ended up leaving early as it is too hard to hold her the whole time or move her every two mins. What is the proper etiquette? Wondering if I should skip the group for a few weeks until all babies are a bit older.

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MumChp · 22/05/2024 03:08

Just make sure she doesn't hurt her friends. I would redirect her myself with toys and games. It's fair if mothers don't fancy her too close if their children can't move on their own.

Yourethebeerthief · 22/05/2024 07:35

I think that's really strange. I'd try a different play group. These groups aren't for just sitting down with your own baby and not interacting with anyone, the point is to meet other mums and make friends.

My son was crawling at 5 months too and was the only baby on the move for a while. No one made me feel like that. The babies all loved interacting with each other. We're all still friends now.

showmethegin · 22/05/2024 07:37

Yeah another one thinking this is quite strange? I went to loads of baby groups and interaction between the babies was one of the main reasons for going (as well as tube parents!) I would obviously never let DS hurt another child but curiosity about other children is totally normal and encouraged at the group I went to.

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PuttingDownRoots · 22/05/2024 07:42

Is she big for her age?

I had an early crawler, and I did get wierd reactions.

CelesteCunningham · 22/05/2024 07:43

I think this is one of those things where those groups are full of new parents and no one has quite got the hang of the kids interacting yet at that age!

Absolutely fine to let her crawl, but at the same time crawling babies will interact with the most interesting part of the other babies - the face! My eldest had her eye poked at baby sensory once and I wasn't quick enough to stop it. I kind of saw it as one of those things, but the mum was never anywhere near her wandering baby and they weren't particularly popular with the group in general after that.

So the mums are wary their babies will be (inadvertently) hurt and don't really have the tools to deal with it. In a few months it'll be very different.

Hateliars34 · 22/05/2024 07:53

I think the other mums are weird and/or feel offended that their little one isn't the most developmentally advanced. I have a slightly early walker in a group where no other babies yet walk and there are 2 mums who seem to be seething whenever my baby walks near them. Give me dirty looks even though my baby does the same as theirs, just walking instead of crawling...

You should let your DD explore so she makes the most of the session you have paid for. I guarantee as soon as the other babies start crawling, the other mums will let them explore in the same way. Of course do stop DD if she goes to grab other babies' faces/hair/clothes or takes toys they are playing with away.

Perhaps you could move DD to a class that's for 6 months plus so there's more crawling babies?

Overthebow · 22/05/2024 08:49

It’s fine to let her explore but you need to be with her and make sure she’s not grabbing the other babies faces or being too rough. The other mums probably don’t want to be monitoring your baby and at 5 months she won’t have the understanding not to accidentally hurt another baby. It’s hard when they crawl early but you do need to be on top of it.

Yourethebeerthief · 22/05/2024 09:12

I'm so glad I met a group of mums that don't care about this sort of thing. The majority were first time mums at the time too and it didn't make a difference. I couldn't be bothered with getting dirty looks or adults being cold towards a child simply for crawling or walking around. I live in a small community, perhaps that makes a difference.

reabies · 22/05/2024 10:35

Mine was one of the first crawlers at our baby sensory group and it did mean I spent a lot of time on my feet policing his interactions - I was really careful to make sure he wasn't overly grabby or interfering if babies were trying to do the activity. But I never experienced any dirty looks, just sympathy as I got my 10k steps in while everyone else was sitting down. Some parents are just more sensitive, your baby is doing nothing wrong but you might just have to be more on it in redirecting her to keep moving if she's focused on interacting with a baby who's mum isn't keen.

sugarplum33 · 22/05/2024 10:42

I did baby groups during Covid and even with everyone spaced 2m apart and wearing masks, parents were pretty realistic that the mobile babies were going to interact with each other Maybe these mums at your group were particularly PFB but all you can do is hover closely and make sure she isn't being too rough.

mindutopia · 22/05/2024 10:44

Exploring is fine, but interacting with other babies (who presumably are lying down on a mat still at that age?) is potentially a bit much. And you need to be with her and make sure she isn't grabbing, poking, crawling into/over other babies. Realistically, that's probably a bit exhausting for you and may defeat the point if it's a sitting down sort of class (like rhyme time). I'll be honest, it would be annoying if you bring your baby to a class that is sort of lying on a mat, sensory play, or baby yoga where it's more about mum and baby interacting, and some other baby is always bounding over and having to be supervised. It might be just that it's time to start looking for a different activity. Most babies don't start properly crawling until 7-9 months, so you will have a bit of time before the others are mobile.

DuploTrain · 22/05/2024 10:47

If a baby is lying on the floor you don’t really want another baby grabbing their face or crawling all over them.

I think you should be following her around to make sure she isn’t grabbing them. Other mums will redirect your baby as a last resort… so if they have to do that it probably means you’ve not done it.

DoublePeonies · 22/05/2024 10:47

We got evicted from a baby group as soon as DS1 started crawling at a similar age. Immobile babies only.

Find a more welcoming group!

justanotherlaura · 22/05/2024 10:50

My baby didn't even roll until 8 months so I guess I'd have been more protective of him if a crawling baby was coming too close to him, he couldn't roll away if he wasn't happy

maw1681 · 22/05/2024 12:02

Omg this was me with my eldest, crawling at 5 months, had to chase her around and rescue her from underneath people's chairs because she would crawl under but not know how to get out!
As long as you're watching so she isn't going to hurt any other baby I think it's fine to let her crawl. Not much else you can do really, and if anyone is acting annoyed about it they'll soon learn when their babies start crawling!

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