At What Age Should My Baby Start Crawling?

When should my baby start to crawl? Why isn’t my baby crawling already? If your baby is nearly there, then this is a blog for you! 

At what age do babies start to crawl?  

Crawling the first real mobile milestone for your babies. The start of their independence. First signs your baby is about to begin their journey is to shuffle around on their tummies, also known as creeping. It’ the start to a process which will take them from their tummies, to their knees and ultimately onto their feet! 

All babies are different and so, when they start to creep, shuffle and crawl will vary between one baby to another. However, it is very helpful for parent to have some sort of idea or timeline. Many babies learn to crawl at around 7 months of age, and most are fully crawling by 9 months.  

Do not worry if by this age your baby isn’t quite there yet. Do not to be too rigid with your baby’s development. Rather than helping with the process, this is likely to create unnecessary stress for yourself. 

Not all babies crawl, this is why you cannot be too rigid. Ultimately the important thing is that the move. Whether it is from sitting, to crawling, to walking or the sit, bottom shuffle, walk or even from sitting directly to standing and ultimately walking, the important this is that the become mobile, that they have a will to move and get from A to B on their own. 

How babies learn to crawl  

Crawling is learned by staring to move on their tummies, strengthening their arms, legs, abs and back muscles with the activity commonly known as ‘tummy time’. At around 6 or 7 months, your baby should spend many spells during the day on their tummy. Some may not like it at first, do not force it but do it whether it is for a minute at a time at first, you can increase the time they spend as the days go on. By the end of this stage, an infant will be able to raise their head and chest off the ground. 

When your baby is strong enough, they may start trying to reach for items they desire and after this even start to creep forwards on their forearms, dragging themselves like a soldier in the trenches. By 7 months, your little one may be able to sit unaided — and now that their arms, leg, abs and back muscles are more developed, they’ll comfortably support themselves on all fours.   

At 9 months, this should be a well-developed skill — even if they still topple from time to time! 

Over the next 2 or 3 months, your baby will experiment pushing off their legs to lift themselves off the floor. They may even start pulling themselves up from the floor into a standing position.  

By one year old, your baby should be crawling comfortably and confidently around your home, standing up with the help of furniture to balance and making good progress into walking, if they haven’t so already. 

How can parents help their baby crawl?  

Babies can develop crawling skills on their own, even without your support. But there are a few things you can do to guide your little one in the right direction. 

• Tummy time, tummy time, tummy time, it’s the key to crawling. Start with a few minutes and then build up to longer periods. Make sure your baby is fully awake and alert not tired and sleepy when doing this activity. 

• At around 3 or 4 months, start to increase tummy time on the floor. You can encourage mobility by placing toys or other baby-safe items just out of reach so your baby is encouraged into movement. 
• At around 6-7months, if you feel they have the strength, use a small towel and place it under your baby’s tummy and chest, and help them lift up off the floor very slowly onto their knees and hands. This gives them stability and support as well as showing them they can be on their knees. Make sure they do not fall forwards onto their heads, just a few centimeters off the ground will do. 

What to do if your baby doesn’t crawl 

Concerns about delayed crawling are a common worry for many parents. However, most concerns are about the type of ‘crawling’ their baby is doing. Do not worry, and do not compare with other babies of friends and family, as long as your baby is moving, the style in which they are moving does not matter. 

There are many different ways for a baby to crawl, and pediatricians don’t regard any one as superior to the others.  

If your baby still does not crawl by the 9-month mark do not worry. However, speak to a pediatrician if this late crawling occurs alongside other signs of developmental delays like sitting unaided. 

So, if you’re an anxious parent who’s eagerly waiting for your little one to start crawling, let things take their course and your baby will be crawling around before you know it. But do let your pediatrician know if you become concerned that your child doesn’t seem to be using the arms and legs on both sides of their body equally. 

References   

https://www.thebump.com/a/when-do-babies-crawl 
 
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Movement-8-to-12-Months.aspx 
 
 

Disclaimer: All content, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. The information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.