Things To Keep In Mind When Your Baby Starts Crawling

When do babies start crawling?

Crawling. A very important developmental milestone in your little one’s life. It is also one of the first signs of independence for babies as they learn to explore the world on their own (but ultimately supervised) terms. As with everything else about babies, you might be wondering at what stage do babies crawl. However, there is no set age at which babies learn to crawl. Sometimes, babies will skip the crawling stage entirely by preferring other methods of transportation! It is common for some babies to bottom shuffle (sitting on bottom and shuffling around with the legs), commando crawl (lying on tummy and using arms to propel), or even just simply roll around! However, expect baby crawling anywhere between 7 months and 11 months.

There are a few steps that occur before a baby starts crawling for the first time. They need to strengthen the muscles in their arms, shoulders, and legs. Often times, a baby may get on all fours and rock back and forth. They might stay in this four-legged position for weeks before they actually crawl. Crawling is a complex process that takes mind-body coordination. You can encourage crawling by taking some time to support their crawling endeavors.

Give them plenty of tummy time – By rubbing their bellies and tickling them, babies actually develop the core stomach muscles needed to stabilize themselves when learning how to crawl. In addition to that, swimming in place strengthens the muscles that will later on help them crawl. Sitting up right for extended periods of time, and rocking back and forth on all fours will also lead to baby picking up crawling skills early on in their life.
Encourage baby to reach out for toys – If you keep interesting toys in front of your baby, chances are they will try and reach for them – inadvertently learning the basics of crawling by putting one hand out in front of them. Another way to encourage them is to bring your face down to their eye level and smile at them while saying words of encouragement. Chances are they will reach for your interesting, animated face.
Place your palms behind their feet when they are on all fours – Sometimes, instead of propelling themselves forward, babies go backwards. You can place your palms behind their feet so when they do, they can rebound and go forward. This helps them ‘push off’ by stabilizing them so that they feel a little bit more confident when attempting to crawl.

There are also other factors that can play a role in a baby’s affinity to crawl. If your baby is born in the winter, chances are that they will be wearing loose, comfortable clothing in 6 months, when it is summertime. This allows them to move around more freely than if they were cuddled up in blankets, retaining warmth. The 6-month mark is when most babies learn how to crawl, and if they are in clothing that doesn’t restrict movement, there will be one less inhibiting factor to learning crawling. Your baby may decide to skip crawling altogether, and choose to ‘cruise’ instead. This means that they will learn to stand upright with the support of objects, and start walking sideways.

5 Things to Keep in Mind when baby starts crawling

Now that your baby has started pushing off and exploring the world on their own terms, it is time for you to keep in mind some important pointers.

Crawling is a huge milestone for your baby’s development – Just the fact that your baby is moving around ensures that both their body and their mind are being exercised, coordinating muscle movements while developing cognitive skills. It also helps babies develop navigation skills and strengthens their memory, as they have to remember the routes to get around on all fours.
Crawling comes in different styles – There are so many different and innovative ways for your little one to get around, even you might be surprised! Some babies learn to crawl by lying on their bellies and then letting their arms do the work. Other babies prefer to ‘crab crawl’ which entails keeping one knee extended and moving the other. It is not uncommon for babies to ‘scoot’ or drag their bottoms across the floor. Yet still, others simply prefer to roll around to get around. There is no right or wrong to crawl so be accepting of your baby’s preferred mode of transportation, whatever it may be.
Make sure that the home is baby-proofed – It is important that before your baby gets on all fours, you do, and check from their eye level for any potential hazards. These can include sharp edges, things that can topple over, electrical sockets, and loose wires. Once your baby learns how to crawl, they will start putting everything in their mouth, so be extra careful about any choking hazards kept on the ground. Stairs should be secured with baby gates although the first few steps can be left ungated just in case the baby wants to stand upright with the support of the bottom stair.
Invest in baby crawling knee pads – A knee guard for baby? This might sound odd at first but hear us out. Babies are delicate creatures, and their underdeveloped kneecaps often get bruised when first learning how to crawl. Also keep in mind that baby girls tend to bruise more easily than baby boys. A baby knee protector will provide some much-needed padding while also allowing the baby to grip to the surface they are crawling on; thereby reducing slips and falls.
The crawling stage goes on for an indefinite period of time – The average crawling period is observed as 4 months, but some babies may crawl for 9 months before learning how to walk, whereas other babies may learn to walk on the day they crawl! All babies vary, and it is common for them to take their own sweet time to learn the skills they need.

Please be aware that the information given in these articles is only intended as general advice and should in no way be taken as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you or your family or your child is suffering from symptoms or conditions which are severe or persistent or you need specific medical advice, please seek professional medical assistance. Philips AVENT cannot be held responsible for any damages that result from the use of the information provided on this website.