Developmental milestones such as crawling are exciting times for any parent.
However, it is also a time that may cause many parents to become nervous or worried if they feel their baby isn’t reaching these milestones when they should. Many babies become mobile between the seventh and tenth month, but if your baby hasn’t started crawling by then that doesn’t mean you have something to worry about.
The interesting thing to remember about crawling in particular is that some babies skip it completely and go straight from shuffling and sitting to walking. What is important in your baby’s milestones towards walking is rolling, shuffling, scooting etc. Movement is key.
Many babies begin by lifting themselves up on their arms like a little push-up and then start to incorpoate their legs too to before lifting themselves up completely into a crawl. It's all about the muscles strengthening as well as your baby's own personal developmental process.
There are many reasons why your baby may not crawl when he/she is “supposed” to including:
- Not enough tummy time – many people now believe that due to the practice of placing your baby on their back to reduce the risk of SIDS, that babies now get less tummy-time that they need to practice their movements. Practice supervised tummy-time with your baby to encourage further movement milestones.
- Premature babies – some premature babies may have later developmental milestones than babies who were not premature.
- Weight - babies who are slightly chubbier than others may take longer to get agile as it may be harder for them to lift the weight.
When your little one does get mobile he/she will be flying it so make sure you have the place adequately baby-proofed in time.
Unlike babies who are rolling or sitting up, your little one won’t be kept strictly on a blanket or rug anymore. You should make sure the floors are safe and clean so they don’t come across anything they shouldn’t and attempt to eat it.
