Austin Babies

Should I be worried that he isn't crawling??

I've been telling myself to just be happy that I don't have to worry about him crawling away, but I am getting sick of reading about how "baby is probably crawling all over the place by now" in all of the books!  He pushes up on all fours and sort of rocks back and forth (which looks like he's humping the ground, but whatever), but he cannot figure out how to move forward.  He can push himself backward on his tummy, but can't pull forward either (I'm sure that takes a lot more arm strength than pushing back). 

He does LOVE walking with our assistance and can stand for a pretty long time holding onto the bathtub or his play table.  He can also walk on his own holding onto a push toy. 

SO, I guess I should be happy with the physical advances he is making and not worry about the crawling, but I kinda can't help it.  We had dinner with some friends over the weekend and one who is a social worker mentioned that they normally recommend some type of intervention for babies who walk before crawling because it is related to a gap is mental development.  WTF?!?  That has my head spinning!  Should I let it go, or what?

Re: Should I be worried that he isn't crawling??

  • I'd probably bring it up at his 9 mo appt. but try not to worry about it.

    As for the gap in mental development, my bff never crawled and she is a PhD in Pharmacology working for a major drug developer. I don't think she has any mental gaps (although she does love to brag about her lack of crawling). 

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  • Don't be worried at all. Some babies skip crawling and go straight to walking. It's no longer even considered a developmental milestone because so many babies skip it and go straight to walking.
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  • My brother didn't crawl forward until 11 months.  He then crawled for 2 weeks and then went straight to walking.  He's a certified genius (MENSA) now, no worries at all.  He's stubborn as hell, but that's about it :)
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  • I'm speaking from very limited knowledge, but I *thought* that the concern over skipping crawling was really only a theoretical concern...that is to say, a few experts said it might be an issue but no one ever proved that it was a problem.

    One of my friends' babies only crawled for like a week or two - he went right on to walking at around 9 months. He's happy, healthy, and (if he's anything like his big sister) absolutely brilliant.

  • my sister's kid never crawled forward, was content to just sit and be and then just before her 1st b-day, started walking.  So yeah, nothing to worry about! 
  • My mom said I never crawled, just kind of scooted, and I started walking at 9 months.  I don't *think* I have any mental gaps...
  • oh and a friend of ours told us about that gap in mental development thing too!  In China, it's looked down upon when a child walks before a year old because their brains haven't fully developed, blah blah. 
  • DS didn't start crawling until about 8 months.  Totally normal!  He scooted before then, but didn't crawl for a while.  He then started walking just before 10 months.  I wouldn't worry, but your pedi will ask at his 9 month and she can talk with you about it if you're still worried. Sounds to me like he will be crawling in a matter of weeks, if not days.

    *oh and my mom kept mentioning how she hoped that DS didn't skip crawling and mentioned all the psychological hoohah that some doctor said about 4-5 decades ago.  If she said it one more time I was going to punch her in the throat.  Ignore it.  He's just fine.

  • DD never really crawled.  She did a weird crab/dead leg/army crawl thing and then walked right around one. 
    She's a pretty bright kid.
    I wouldn't worry.  :)  Easier said than done.
  • i dont think i started crawling until i was about 9 months.  Then, i didn't walk until I was 18 months.  My mom says I was too chubby to heave myeslf onto two feet and walk... ha.

    I think I turned out okay... Stick out tongue

  • Abby didn't crawl until after 8 months either. She's pretty good at running away from me now.
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  • DD didn't start crawling until she was 10 months, and we think she's something special.  Smile  Everyone told us not to worry, including the pedi.  As long as she was figuring out some way to get herself around (she was and it sounds like your little guy is too), then all was good.  So, I'd tell ya not to worry, but I know it would be hypocritical of me. :-)

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  • I would say do not worry, but I would also be a hypocrite.  Your DS is doing more than mine atleast.  J is completely happy to just sit and play.  He will roll around but that is it, no scooting etc. 

    Abby did the same thing as your DS.  She would scoot around and do the backwards army crawl thing. She strated that around 7.5 months and then started getting up on all fours around 8 months.  She waited until she was about 9.5 months to officially crawl as in up on all fours.  We think she is pretty great and is very bright.  My niece also did not crawl until she was about 9.5 months and then walked at 10months. 

  • Crawling is not necessary before walking, your DC, as others have mentioned, will be fine if he skips over this milestone.

    However it sounds as if he's very close to crawling! (but really he's passing it right along and going straight to the walking) He's already on all fours and rocking back and forth - these are precursors to taking the next step. If you really want to have him crawling the following may help facilitate the movement for him - first place his favorite toys about arms length in front of him so that he can reach out but not yet reach them and you can guide him a little to move forward.  You want to essentially mimic the yoga pose of all four with one arm reaching forward parallel to the ground.  There's also a technique to facilitate crawling with a gentle guiding motion of his foot...I'm not good at explaining them but could easily show you in person if we happen to be at GTG soon. But by then I'm sure you'd have a walker on your hands!

    As far as a gap in mental development because he's not hit the milestone of crawling...seriously? I personally wouldn't worry about it.

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  • All babies are different; for example:  DD rolled over twice that I can remember until she learned to crawl, which wasn't until 9 months.  She then learned to walk right at her 1 year appointment and has been on track with all of her milestones since, so nothing to worry about at all!
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  • imageabbysmom1005:

    I would say do not worry, but I would also be a hypocrite.  Your DS is doing more than mine atleast.  J is completely happy to just sit and play.  He will roll around but that is it, no scooting etc. 

    Joseph is the same way.  No real mobility at all.  But he loves to stand and jump.  Still doesn't "walk" even when we try to prop him up & pull him along, but I'm not too worried about it.  Our pedi wasn't either.  

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  • imageFeistyFille:
    imageabbysmom1005:

    I would say do not worry, but I would also be a hypocrite.  Your DS is doing more than mine atleast.  J is completely happy to just sit and play.  He will roll around but that is it, no scooting etc. 

    Joseph is the same way.  No real mobility at all.  But he loves to stand and jump.  Still doesn't "walk" even when we try to prop him up & pull him along, but I'm not too worried about it.  Our pedi wasn't either.  

    We're in this same boat.  A is perfectly happy in her exersaucer/jumper or sitting on her ass.  She'll figure it out when she's good and ready.

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  • My nephew did that scooty thing for a while and just figured out crawling at ~9 months. My SIL said that her doc was not concerned - just enjoy the freedom of not having a crawler everywhere!
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  • Babytaffy didn't crawl until 8 months and I think that was mainly because we were around the grandparents at that time and they like to push him to meet milestones.  I was content to have a baby with limited mobility (I knew he'd figure these things out eventually), but on subsequent visits the grandparents taught him how to crawl up stairs and around 13 months got him fully walking.
  • imageMrsChristmas:
    Don't be worried at all. Some babies skip crawling and go straight to walking. It's no longer even considered a developmental milestone because so many babies skip it and go straight to walking.

    This. And, excuse me, but wtf would the intervention be? Trying to force baby to crawl?  Ocho skipped crawling and went straight to walking and has shown no developmental delays whatsoever.  Every baby's different. :)

  • imageMrsChristmas:
    Don't be worried at all. Some babies skip crawling and go straight to walking. It's no longer even considered a developmental milestone because so many babies skip it and go straight to walking.

    This.

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