Crawling 101

Why is Crawling Important for your Baby?

Crawling on all fours is one of the major accomplishments your baby should achieve during their first year of life. It is a KEY skill in their gross motor development. And remember, motor development and brain development go hand in hand!

Crawling improves grip stretch and helps develop the arches in your infants hands. It strengthens the trunk and shoulder girdle to aid in posture, handwriting, balance, and your baby’s overall body awareness.

Crawling involves coordination of the upper and lower body as well as the right and left side of the body. It helps make connections between the left and right sides of the brain which will improve bilateral coordination. Crawling also assists in visual tracking as they learn to move more and explore.

Why do some babies skip crawling?

To put the answer simply, crawling is not easy! Your baby is smart and realizes that they can achieve movement easier by using a compensation pattern or a different position all together [like standing]. Below are some of the hallmark reasons why babies skip crawling.

1. They have arm weakness

2. They have core and hip weakness

3. They have a visual deficit

4. They have muscle tightness, usually due to their uterine positioning

5. They don’t spend much time on the floor [container overload]

6. They have issues transitioning

7. They have low muscle tone

8. Standing is easier, because baby can ‘lock out’ their joints.

Quick Tips for Crawling

1. Keep toys 8-12 inches away from your child in sitting

2. For babies that are ‘stuck’ in a seated position, try placing them on their tummy.

3. Improve their tummy time tolerance with a stability ball

4. Place obstacles on their floor and make it FUN! Use pillows and couch cushions to encourage exploration.

5. Take off the pants & socks

6. Find some carpet

7. Place toys on the floor, especially if your baby prefers standing

8. Stay away from jumpers

When is it time to get help?

Like many movement milestones, it’s difficult to know when you should seek professional help. Is your baby really struggling or do they just need more time? Below are 5 signs that your baby may display when they are struggling to crawl.

1. At 8-9 months they are unable to play on their knees with a toy.

2. At 6 months they are poor at independent sitting OR they only sit in one position

3. At 8 months they are unable to transition in and out of sitting

4. They prefer to sit in a W position

5. At 4 months they have poor tummy time tolerance.

If any of these sound like your little one, there is no need to fret! We are here to help!!

How can we help?

If you are worried about your baby’s crawling progression or perhaps their adopted crawling pattern, we can help. At Bumps and Babes Wellness, we cater our care to the individual, so we begin by assessing your baby’s functional range of motion and their ability to transition in and out of different positions. From this, we can gain insight on what is preventing your baby from crawling! We tailor a treatment strategy which typically includes pediatric chiropractic adjustments, corrective stretches and exercises, along with an at-home program!