How will he ever crawl?

Bluescarf

I know this might seem like a really stupid question but I can't help it, I've been wondering for weeks! If your lo can sit up unsupported, twist around to grab things, etc. but hates or hated being on their stomach, how in the world do they start to crawl? I'm curious about how it would start, by leaning forward until they just take the leap and try it out? My son will not tolerate being on his stomach. Ever. He sits great though and it really into playing on his own. Is he just going to skip it?

sarbieb

I've been wondering the same thing and our LO's are about the same age! She just started reaching and leaning on things in a crawl position. She'll lean forward on a toy on all four's and if she reaches further she goes belly down and then "swims" and fusses. We leave her to fuss for a few minutes or give her something else to reach for. Sometimes I think she might go right to walking. She tries to pull to a stand on everything and LOVES to walk while we hold her hands.

Lisa Frank

Most babies resist tummy time at first. That's normal. That's why being consistent early on, and doing it for a few minutes each day is important. Have you discussed this with your pedi? Tummy time is important to development, crawling being one of the milestones it assists with. It helps them build their upper body muscles to be able to crawl, and eventually pull up and walk. 

drpayne

LO pushes up from his tummy... so I don't know.

Bluescarf

Lisa Frank:

Most babies resist tummy time at first. That's normal. That's why being consistent early on, and doing it for a few minutes each day is important. Have you discussed this with your pedi? Tummy time is important to development, crawling being one of the milestones it assists with. It helps them build their upper body muscles to be able to crawl, and eventually pull up and walk. 

I have asked his ped. but I recently switched due to his thinking things like just shrugging his shoulders is a good answer for things. Seriously. We've done tummy time since he was two weeks old but after he started rolling at five months there is really no way to keep him there. I've tried staying on my own tummy on the floor and enticing him with toys, songs, etc. but he just will not do it. He won't even sleep on his side! I agree about how it helps build up muscles, but I just don't know what to do about it. Also, he is very thin and tall, could that have sometihng to do with it?

daisy889

DD hated tummy time forever, she started to roll a bit about a month and a half ago and now thats all she does every 2 minutes, then she fusses when shes on her stomach for more than 4ish minutes, i flip her back (she cant go belly to back)repeat. Since she has been constantly rolling over now she has been pushing herself sideways and backwards.

desdemona39

He may just skip it. Crawling is not a milestone that all babies reach- some go straight to pulling up and walking. I wouldn't be worried. I've never heard of anyone who just never learned to walk.

jolynn326

My DD sounds a lot like your son. She wasn't a fan of tummy time (though perhaps she enjoyed it more than your son), but she has always loved standing. She started "crawling" maybe a month ago, but it's not your standard crawl, and she doesn't really love to crawl. She still is mobile, though. She did a sit down turn around move for the longest time. Sitting, leaning and then sitting again. Even now when she crawls, she'll go for a few "crawl steps" before sitting again. More often, though, she just scoots in a mostly sitting position.

That said, she took her first steps last weekend, so I don't think she'll crawl for very long.

kirbyjr06

Lisa Frank:

Most babies resist tummy time at first. That's normal. That's why being consistent early on, and doing it for a few minutes each day is important. Have you discussed this with your pedi? Tummy time is important to development, crawling being one of the milestones it assists with. It helps them build their upper body muscles to be able to crawl, and eventually pull up and walk. 

 I have to disagree.  My DD is the same as OP and we have done tummy time several times a day since she was a few weeks old.  We use everything in the world to keep her happy and she still HATES tummy time.  I think some babies just don't like the way it feels. 

 To OP, we started holding her up in a crawling positions for a litttle at time (15-30 second?) to help learn to support herself (we slowly let off on holding her and let her start supporting herself)  This seems to have  helped some and she will now do it on her own for 10 seconds or so. 

kirbyjr06

Lisa Frank:

Most babies resist tummy time at first. That's normal. That's why being consistent early on, and doing it for a few minutes each day is important. Have you discussed this with your pedi? Tummy time is important to development, crawling being one of the milestones it assists with. It helps them build their upper body muscles to be able to crawl, and eventually pull up and walk. 

 I have to disagree.  My DD is the same as OP and we have done tummy time several times a day since she was a few weeks old.  Use everything in the world to keep her happy and she still HATES tummy time.  I think some babies just don't like the way it feels. 

 To OP, we started holding her up in a crawling positions for a litttle at time (15-30 second?) to help learn to support herself (we slowly let off on holding her and let her start supporting herself)  This seems to have  helped some and she will now do it on her own for 10 seconds or so. 

bbzangel70j

you are not alone. my son sounds a lot like the pp (and yours). he loves to sit and play with his toys. he loves to stand on his play table, on us, holds on to our shoulders or chest. he doesnt like to be on his belly for anything but sleeping. we try to do tummy time, but he will just 'swim' and kick his feet like crazy until deciding to roll over to his back. he rolls great- he will wind up one way and turn himself in a complete circle just by rolling and leaning.

honestly, i am not worrying about it. as long as you give him plenty of freedom and opportunity to learn how his body works and learn how to move, then you  are doing the right thing.

im not worried that he will all of a sudden be 5 years old and not know how to walk

lauti

Don't worry.  DS HATED tummy time, and crawled a bit later than most at about 10 months, but he does it.

He was an early sitter and just learned to get moving from a sitting position.

RayRay007

I wonder too. I watch her sit, lean way over to reach things, fall over on purpose so she can roll over to something, lean over off our lap likes she's going to crawl to the next person on the couch, but she won't get on her hands and knees. Even when I try to put her in that position she just belly flops. I watch her with curiosity all the time, waiting for her to do something I just can't imagine.

etude de la vie

DS did things a little out of order (prob because he is the 2nd kid and watching his sister walking around)

He started to sit up around 5 months unassisted and pulled to stand around 6 months. 6.5 months he started cruising and walking holding onto my hands but still wasn't crawling.

I started to encourage more tummy time and putting toys out of his reach. I also would put him on all-fours anytime he would fling himself out of my arms or when he was in tummy time. After a bit he started to get into a crawling position from his tummy or from sitting himself and rocking back and forth. After many many times falling onto his face he finally started to pick up one leg and try to move it, or one arm and then fall again. After that he started to "traditionally" crawl (to get the iPhone in the playroom). 

I will admit he didn't enjoy it most of the time. He often got frustrated, cried, or screamed because he wanted to move and couldn't. I would let him fuss a little because when you are the frustrated the most is when you push yourself to learn or get what you want. (obviously if he cried or needed comfort I picked him up or cuddled him). His first "steps" crawling he is fussing and whining as he slowly made it to the iPhone.  

Now he will crawl if there is carpet (hates the hard wood floors) but still prefers to walk while holding onto my hands.  

Bluescarf

lauti:

Don't worry.  DS HATED tummy time, and crawled a bit later than most at about 10 months, but he does it.

He was an early sitter and just learned to get moving from a sitting position.

This makes me feel better. DS was an early sitter too, so maybe he's just not a fan?

LynsiBHM

Lots of babies hate tummy time. I don't know if there's a correlation, but some babies skip crawling altogether and just scootch or roll, then go straight to walking.  My friends son just started walking right before his 1st Bday, and THEN started crawling around   Every kid is different- if your pedi isn't concerned, don't worry!

plaidgirl117

OP, I don't have an answer, but we're with you over here.  DS loves to sit, but when we put him on his belly he rolls over immediately and smiles to show how smart he is. He will barrel roll on the rare occasion, but has no interest in getting on his hands and knees. Occasionally he face plants trying to turn from sitting and grab an object at the same time, and this frustrates him, but he hasn't tried balancing himself on his hands and knees to get better leverage or movement.  As much as I wonder if he'll ever crawl, I also know he does things when he's good and ready.  Guess we'll just have to see.  Like PP said, though, my pedi says that babies can evolve to crawling from a sitting position (I always thought it had to be belly up, but what do I know?).  GL!

kendra223

The saying "you have to learn to crawl, before you learn to walk" is not true My DD is exactly like your LO. She loves to sit, hates tummy time... she's 8 months and still not crawling. She can do a 380 spin on her tummy and she can army crawl backwards, I try to get her to go forward but she gets frustrated so quickly. But don't worry, all of our LO's will get there eventually. Be it they crawl later than some, or they just skip crawling all together.