Both of my kids started crawling at 6 months. Neither of them had a unique crawl… they worked hard on this skill every day until it all finally clicked! Next thing I knew, they were on their hands and knees crawling all over the place.
Before babies can crawl, they have to develop skills like head and arm control, sitting up without support, rolling over, and holding their weight on their arms and legs. Proper crawling is an essential skill for babies to learn that is so much more powerful than just mobility. Crawling can help babies achieve so many other important development milestones down the road. You can put a toy in front of a baby and encourage them to crawl all you want, but if they don’t have the skills to do it they won’t be able to!
Here’s what I think helped both of my kids develop the skills needed to crawl early on:
- Regular chiropractor care starting week one
- Free movement on their tummy, back and sides
- Baby wearing > strollers and car seats
- Carrying them on a hip vs an infant car seat
- Limited time in containers (swings, seats, etc.)
The reality is there are so many gadgets marketed to babies out there that you simply do not need. In some cases they may be to blame for development delays. Sure, they can be convenient but often times convenience comes at a cost. Save your money and let the babies be free on the floor so they can build those muscles.
Who remembers when their baby started crawling? Who is still working on this skill?
Sources: Pregnancy, Baby, and Birth (AU). Play On Pediatric Therapy.: How to get your baby to crawl