If you are like most new parents, chances are, you are always staring at your newborn in awe, and eagerly awaiting for them to reach another anticipated milestone, such as laughing, rolling over, or even crawling. Right now you might feel, “Ahh, I think it will still take a while for my baby to start crawling!” But to tell you the truth, your baby will be climbing furniture, scooting all across the house, and unlocking baby gates, even before you know it.
Fortunately, you don’t have to teach your baby to crawl. It’s a developmental milestone that comes naturally to babies when they are ready. However, there are still a few things that you can do to encourage movement. But first let’s look at when your baby will begin to crawl, and then the methods to encourage them.
When Do Babies Start To Crawl
The average age when most babies begin to crawl is nine months. In some cases, infants achieve this skill sooner in seven months, while others may attain it by or after their first birthday. The one thing that you need to keep in mind is that crawling doesn’t happen overnight, and there are a series of stages that lead to this milestone.
The Different Stages Of How Babies Learn To Crawl
Since crawling is a gradual process, an infant goes through several steps to achieve it.
- Stage 1: Holding Up Their Head At 2 Months
The first step towards crawling is when your baby attains the ability to hold their head up while lying on their tummy. Babies usually achieve this skill at two months, when their neck muscles are strong enough to work against gravity.
- Stage 2: Pushing Their Elbows At 4 Months
Once they have learnt to hold their head up, your infant will begin to experiment with their arms. During tummy time, you may find your little one pushing their elbows to the ground to lift the torso.
- Stage 3: Supporting Body Weight At 6 Months
At six months of age, your baby will start sitting independently and roll-over. They will also earn to push their body up from the ground and support the body weight on all four limbs. It’s almost like getting into the crawling position.
- Stage 4: Creeping At 8 Months
This movement means pulling the body forward using arms while the legs and tummy drag along. Creeping is a sign that your baby is almost ready to crawl.
- Stage 5: Ready To Crawl At 9 Months
By nine months, your baby achieves muscular dexterity to move their body using all four limbs. It means that you should now get your camera ready, as your munchkin is now all set to crawl and take over your furniture.
How To Encourage A Baby Crawl
More than teaching them how to crawl, these tips will help your little one practice the skills that can help stimulate crawling.
Reduce The Amount Of Time Spent In Bouncers And Walkers
If your baby isn’t spending a lot of time on the floor, it may take them longer to develop the strength required for crawling. Even though walkers, baby swings, and bouncers are excellent ways to keep your little one entertained and safely confined, giving your baby more floor time can encourage movement.
Make Sure To Have A Regular Tummy Time
This single activity can offer multiple benefits! It strengthens almost every muscle in your munchkin’s body and paves the way for complex movements such as crawling. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests two to three sessions of tummy time every day, with each session lasting for at least five minutes. As your infant grows, you can increase their tummy time.
Provide A Comfy Space For Them To Explore
Set up an attractive play area on your floor. Fill it with interesting toys that they can safely explore. Remove your carpet to create a smooth surface and dress your child in long-sleeved clothing. Clothes on a smooth surface create less friction and will help them move around easily.
Get Them To Sit A Lot
Sitting can help improve the supporting capabilities of your baby’s back muscles. Once your baby is six months old, make sure to place them in a sitting position, and let them stay that way for a few minutes. Repeat this movement every day as it will gradually encourage your baby to start crawling. You can also give your baby a gentle massage to strengthen their back, elbow, and arm muscles.
Give Your Munchkin A Little Extra Motivation
Did you know that babies already have an instinctive drive towards movement? But you can make it a little more exciting for them by giving them something to reach for, such as their favourite toy. Try putting down their favourite toy during tummy time. But here’s the catch, put it just a little bit out of their reach. This will garner their interest and motivate them to reach for the toy by moving their body.
Top 4 Benefits Of Crawling
Crawling is beneficial for babies in multiple ways. It improves their posture, helps boost brain and vision development, as well strengthen muscles
- It improves their posture and balance: Crawling can make infants balance their bodies better, and makes them appear less wobbly.
- It boosts brain development: All the moving around and exploration through crawling upgrades their neuron functions and accelerates brain development.
- Helps in vision development: While crawling, babies use their eyes to navigate around their surroundings. This leads to better eye-body coordination and leads to vision development.
- It strengthens muscles: Crawling requires your baby to exert a coordinated force to move the body. This can eventually strengthen their shoulder, arms, and back muscles.
How To Make Crawling Safe For Your Baby
Image caption: Make sure your baby is crawling on a smooth or cushioned surface to reduce the risk of any injury
It’s possible for your baby to wander off around the house in their zeal to explore. Besides being watchful about your baby, make sure to follow these tips to ensure their safety.
- Baby-proof your house: Start baby-proofing the house to make it safe for your munchkin to crawl around. Block staircases with sturdy gates taller than your baby and secure racks and shelves firmly to the wall or the ground to prevent them from falling on the baby. You can also tie a piece of padding to furniture with sharp edges. Keep loose electrical cords out of reach and cover all electrical outlets.
- Place your baby in a soft surface: When your baby begins creeping for the first time, make sure to place them on a cushioned surface to absorb the impact of any fall or injury.
- Do not leave your baby unattended: Make sure that you are always around your baby. While they are crawling, your baby may lose track of the path and crawl out of open doors while shutting them behind. To prevent such accidents, do not leave your baby unattended.
While some babies may begin to crawl early, some might attain this skill a little later. In either case, it’s best to give your baby some time to achieve this memorable milestone. As a parent, all you need to do is help them practice the required skills and soak in all the joyful moments as they finally begin to crawl.