When Do Babies Start Crawling?

Are you eager to see your baby crawling? Crawling is an intermediate step that happens between sitting and walking. Many babies start crawling by six to ten months of age. In this article, we will learn when do babies start crawling, how baby crawling happens and other baby milestones.

The physical development necessary for crawling

Crawling isn’t as easy as it looks. Babies need a lot of skills before they can crawl such as cognition, problem-solving, balancing, sensory system and coordination. A crawling baby must use both their mind and body in order to crawl.

Firstly, your baby’s muscles in the back, neck, shoulders, arms and core must be strong enough to support their weight and maintain balance. Secondly, your little one’s vision also plays an important role to help them focus on the target, look off into the distance and at their hands to build depth perception.

A crawling baby also uses their mental muscles to navigate and memorize. For example, your baby will have to learn how to go around the coffee table and past the sofa to get to their toy basket.

How to support your baby's crawling development?

You can help your baby crawl by giving them a lot of supervised tummy time. This will allow them to lift their head and strengthen their neck, shoulders, arms and trunk. When your little one kicks their feet while on their tummy, it will strengthen their hips and legs. You can make tummy time more interesting by placing their favourite toy a little out of their grasp to encourage them to crawl towards it.

Different types of crawling patterns

The learning process of crawling differs in each baby. They follow a unique way comfortable for them. A scoot forward is usually the baby's first jump towards crawling. To understand the mechanism of arm-leg crawling, babies move backwards first. After this step, they learn to crawl forward. These are a few ways in which babies learn to crawl.

1. Classic Crawl

The alternating hand on one side and knee on the other is the usual classic crawl method.

2. Crab Crawl

The crab method is by bending one knee and extending the opposite leg for moving forward.

3. Commando Crawl

Few babies lie on their belly and drag in front by using their arms, known as commando crawling.

4. Backward Crawl

Backward crawling is when the baby moves backwards while crawling.

If your baby tries a method other than the classic crawl, it doesn’t mean something is wrong with them. Each baby is unique and crawls differently. Some babies may even roll over to reach the target. And a few babies skip crawling and start walking directly.

When do newborns start sitting up?

Your baby should be able to hold their head up independently and have enough upper body strength before they can sit up on their own. Most babies can hold their heads up at around 2 months. Around 6 months, babies begin to sit up with a little help. At 9 months, babies are able to sit without any support. At 12 months, babies are able to get in and out of a sitting position without any help. Regular tummy time will help strengthen the upper body and neck muscles of your baby which will help them to sit.

How soon do babies roll over?

Most babies start rolling over as early as 4 months. First, they begin to rock from side to side, which lays the foundation for rolling over. They may also roll over from their tummy to their back. At 6 months, most babies are able to roll over in both directions. You can place your baby on a blanket or mat on the floor with a toy or book near them and encourage them to roll over.

Safe crawling

Once your baby starts crawling, concentrate on safety measures. To avoid scratches and rug burns, cover your baby’s legs with soft pants or leggings. Make their path clear by removing breakables and hazards. Make your home childproof. Monitor your child all the time while crawling.

As the baby moves, they try to explore everything around them. It’s a good idea to use colorful doormats or non-slip rugs to guard the little knees of babies. Check the floors for splinters or loose nails if your house is of wood.