9.5 Month Old Not Yet Crawling

My sons didn't crawl until 10 and 10.5 months, but would I definitely let him cry, at least for a few minutes. If he know that all he has to do is whine a little to get what he wants, then why would he even bother trying?

Hi A.,

My daughter didn't crawl until 10 mos. Then two days after her first crawl, she climbed the stairs and started to walk :) So don't worry about it. Some kids just skip crawling altogether and go straight to walking.

Enjoy the time when he is still not so mobile :)

T.

Hi, A.,

My daughter didn't crawl until 10.5 months. And she walked at 13 months. Still in the range of normal. Don't stress out! It will happen!

H.

Stop helping him. let him get frustrated so that he learns to figure it out on his own. The more you do things for him the less likely he is to get up and do it himself. It's hard to not want to solve his problem when he cries, but it's better for him.

Hi A.,
I've heard of a concept in learning (it applies to us all, not just babies) called "optimal frustration." Sounds like an oxymoron, but it refers to the frustration you feel just before you really try hard to learn a new skill. From your post, it sounds like you have a beautiful, healthy baby boy who will probably get things going sooner or later. You might try letting him get more frustrated before picking him up. If you listen (and I know it's hard) you can hear when the cry changes from frustration to giving up. Frustration is necessary!
Best,
A.

My daughter never crawled. She rolled every where for 16 months, then decided to get up and walk.

Hello A.,
Try laying him on his belly and bending his knees underneath him, like in the crawling position. With a toy in front of him, help him crawl forward. good luck. A. Z.

Hi A.,

My son did not crawl until 10.5 months. The lunging is part of how they figure out their balance. Once my son started crawling, he was everywhere! Hang in there. He will crawl when he is ready.

my baby is 6 1/2months and started crawling about 2 weeks ago, we spend alot of tummy time on the floor, I love to hold him but have found through experience that babies need to have plenty of tummy time in order to develop and strenghten their muscles. I'm sure he is also motivated to crawl so he can keep up with his older brother and sister. try spending more time on the floor with your baby and see how he does.
good luck
S.

Hi A.,
Yes some children, especially with larger heads, develop more slowly physically - their heads are heavy! One thing you can try that I have found to be successful is that you get down on the floor and crawl yourself and he will eventually imitate you. It's worth the effort.
Best thoughts.....
J. Birns
Waldorf Educator and mother of 2

Hi A.,
It seems it is common for big babies to take their time to crawl (or not at all). He will move! I would work slowly on building his time trying. Learning how will take dealing with frustration, so find ways to intercede or help without diving in and saving him. Having interesting objects or goals is a great way to encourage him.

I agree with another mom that crawling builds cross lateral skills. It's an important developmental step that later helps with all kinds of skills including sensory integration and reading. Help his body go through those motions by playing "bicycle" while on his back (holding the knees and pedaling). Try connecting opposite arm and knee in a playful game, and be sure to rub him down after bath. Also give him plenty of tummy time where he isn't expected to move. You can play music as a cue and let him just be, try to stretch this time as well to at least 10 -15 minutes. These things help him practice that upcoming developmental step.

Good luck!

Hi there A. (love the spelling!), so all advice good here- except for the "get early intervention"... unless there is clearly something off/developmentally wrong. My 1st son crawled by 11 months and walked at 17 months- I can't tell you how many moms told me "what's wrong with him, take him to the dr., aren't you worried?" Usually these were moms of girls I have to say (who often reach the developmental stages faster and are more petite to help the faster movement) This continued to "why isn't he talking? Have you gotten his hearing checked?..." I'll tell you what was "wrong"- he's a boy and he was BIG! Anyway, long story short- he is FINE now at 6, very athletic, did things always on the "slow" side of normal- but not anymore. I think it's hard for the moms (in a competitive race?) whose kids do everything "1st" and "faster" and when the kids get to about 5 it often evens out- unless of course there is something truly wrong. Have fun w/your boy!

Dear A.,
All kids do things in their own time. My daughter never did crawl. She would roll or pull herself along with her arms. She preferred to be upright and walked very early, 7 months. Funny thing was, for the life of her, she couldn't sit up by herself for the longest time. Her grandmother joked that they'd have to tie her in her seat when she got to kindergarten. I babysat a little boy born exactly a month before her. He weighed double what she did at birth and he was very slow to do things. It could have been his size, but I also think that it had to do with everyone doing everything for him at home. He didn't need to walk or crawl because he was carried everywhere. Their 1st birthdays came and he still wasn't walking or crawling. My daughter was bombing around the house and he just stayed put. I'd get on my knees and stand him up in front of me and hold him by the hands. If he plopped down, I just stood him back up. One day, he just took off. As if he'd been walking for months. He was so good at it I assumed he'd been doing it at home too until his mother was very distraught one day, telling me she was afraid something was wrong with him...that he was never going to walk. I said, "He walks at my house. Like a little pro. I thought you knew." He had never even tried taking a step at home. But, like I said, he never had to. He didn't talk either. Because he would just point and cry and they would go through an hour of trying to figure out what he wanted.
He's perfectly fine and wonderful and in the Navy now.
I guess my point is, kids will figure out that things don't always come to them. They have to move their bodies to get to what they want.
It's okay for a kid to get a little frustrated from time to time. Your son will have no motivation to scoot or drag himself to get to an object if you worry about picking him up before he cries every time. Try sitting him on his knees and hold his little hands out in front of him for balance. Then, gently lower his hands to the floor and see if he can hold himself up that way. Just doing that a few times a day can strengthen his little arms. They usually start rocking back and forth when they get the hang of that. If he gets frustrated, that's okay. ALL babies get frustrated. They can't talk, they can't get where they want to go until they figure it out.
It's not mean to let your baby fuss.
Before you know it....you won't be able to keep up with him!

Sounds like your son is on the verge. What you described about him rocking is great and ussually happens just before they actually crawl. Anytime now he will start scooting himself along on his belly, using his for arms to pull him. He may go backwards at first- it's very common. The only thing I would suggest- and that I found helpfull with my children- is to let him be on the ground as much as possible and as long as possible. Lay on the ground with him, encourge and cheer him on. Help him help himself! He may get frustrated and tha's ok-frustration can become motiavation!Smile and have FUN so he has fun too!
I have been told sometimes larger children take a bit longer to crawl and walk. If your son's doctor isn't concerned then niether should you.
Good luck and good job!

My son did not crawl until 10 1/2 months. He did exactly what your son does, he rocked in a sitting position and lunged forward. He'll come around. My son is also a big boy, and babies that are larger tend to reach their milestones a little later because of the extra weight they carry.

I never did anything in particular to encourage him, his frustration and determination was what motivated him. I just let him figure it out himself.

HTH

Regards,
J.

Hi My son is 13 months old and we are also going through some delayed gross motor development....aka crawling. We took him to his pediatrician....as our son also has a head off the chart in size and has loose muscle tone, we got referred to a physical therapis when he was 10 months old and we have been going weekly since. because of his head, his muscles were tight and the therapist has worked wonders. It is nothing to freak out about, but physical therapy might help him to loosen up. With your experience in Accupunture, you could probably work with him a lot at home once you are taught what to do. We were given exercises and it has made a world of difference.

Good Luck

I have twins - one crawled, the other butt-scooted. The butt-scooter never crawled. From what you described, it sounds like you have a potential butt-scooter. I asked our ped. and it was nothing to be concerned about.

Regards,
V.

You don't need to worry! Easy for me to say, right? My son was much lighter and did not crawl at that age. He eventually did (not because of anything my husband and I were doing differently; he did it in his own time), and just took less time between crawling and walking. He's quite athletic now as a 5 yo. The late crawling doesn't was not indicative of any issues down the road. Many kids aren't crawling at your son's age, while many others are. Some, as several have mentioned, never crawl at all. With walking, timing has more to do with leg stength than anything else. It's not necessarily a developmental issue, and, at 9.5 months, you certainly do not need to worry. There is absolutely no need to take your son for a developmental assessment at this point unless you have noticed that he seems to behind with other milestones, too. Babies are starting to crawl later than the used to because most of them sleep on their backs and don't develop the appropriate muscles as early as they used to. Here's a quote from Parenting.com: "In fact, crawling isn't listed on the Denver Development Screening Test, a tool used by pediatricians to measure children's development, because the skill is so variable. 'As long as your child has some form of locomotion by the time he's nine months old, he's probably fine.'" Also, from Discovery Health's website:
Crawling and Walking
Between 8 and 13 months, your child will achieve some form of locomotion. Parents often view crawling and walking as the greatest physical milestones for their babies. While it's very exciting, you should remember that each child develops uniquely and at his own pace. If you have concerns about your baby's development about locomotion, discuss it with his pediatrician. But most babies will follow a recognizable pattern of learning locomotion:

First he'll likely get himself up on his hands and knees.
Next he'll rock back and forth in an effort to move forward.
He'll develop different ways of getting around, such as rocking, swiveling, rolling, and squirming on his tummy.
After about a month of this, you'll see him begin to progress toward a true crawl.
Many babies learn to crawl backward first, but it's not long before they learn to crawl in the right direction.
Not all babies crawl in the same fashion. In fact, some don't crawl at all and instead insist on walking with an adult holding their hands. Others bounce on their bottom, scoot along on their stomach, or do a "bear walk," crawling with arms and legs extended.
Hope this helps!

My friends baby crawled at 12 mos and walked at 18 mos. He was a big baby with a good sized head too. He is 8 years old now and he is just fine. :0)

My son is also 9.5 months. He weighs 27 lbs and has always been over 100% for height and weight. The pediatrician told me at our last well-visit that my son may skip crawling all together and it is perfectly normal. Some children go right to walking and it does not hurt their development. Within the last two weeks he figured out how to sit up from being on his tummy or back, and crawl. It seems to all be associated and once he figured out one skill the next could follow. Hope this helps.

Don't worry.....my son didn't crawl until 11 months and didn't walk until 14 months. It is all good

My son never crawled, he just scooted on his bottom, and then began walking. Some children have different ways of getting around and they all start at different stages. Don't get too overly concerned.

M. *~

Though my son was early on crawling he had been late on rolling over. Even though he had been late on rolling over he was early on crawling and walking. My friend's daughter never crawled and went straight to walking. My husband's sister crawled for a very short period of times (late but walked at normal age) and instead of crawling she got around everywhere by rolling around. All kids are different. If you are truly worried then talk to your pediatrician. Otherwise you can wait and see. As the person before me said by 13 months your baby should have some form of locomotion. Otherwise I wouldn't worry too much.

Hi A.,

My son did not start crawling until he was about 11 months old and then started walking when he was 13 months old. (He is now 16 months old) I also talked to the pediatrician because he hated tummy time and would cry like you describe with your little one. She said it was all normal and that I should try and entice him with objects but he was content to just sit and play without moving at all. (He also has a good sized head! :)) He started cruising before crawling and I too was concerned because of what I had heard about brain function and crawling. But it turns out that I just needed to have a little patience. It sounds like Che is starting to make his way with his lunging. My one suggestion that I noticed is that once I started talking my son to Gymboree with kids around his same age, he started watching them move and wanted to copy and before I knew it, he was moving and moving.

A., my son is 12 months old and started to pull up and cruise around 10 months but only started to crawl now. Because of other issues - low tone in core, my son goes to therapy a few times a week which is awesome. Wen I first was referred I was worried that something was wrong, but now I see the therapy as a wonderful way for my son to get exercise and play from a skilled person who can show my son different motions that he needs to learn - i.e. crawling backwards down the stairs. So don't get scared to see about getting your son into therapy. This does not mean anything is wrong with him, but perhaps it can give him an added boost into activities. Good luck!

Hi A.. Crawling can be a very important part of development. As others have said, some kids don't crawl. The problem with this is that crawling teaches the brain to do what's called bilateral movement - using both sides of the body in coordination to accomplish a task. This is important for babies to master as it helps with later development.

I would talk with your pediatrician first and ask him/her about having an assessment by an early intervention service - regional center or office of education. If the pediatrician isn't concerned, then don't worry about it. Do things to encourage him like you are doing. I'm one for attachment parenting so allowing him to get so upset over it that he's crying wouldn't be my choice. For me, I would want him to know that I understand his frustrations and I would want him to learn he could count on me when things get hard. Physical things will come along when a child is ready - sometimes with extra help, sometimes without. But trust between a mother and child is something that is built upon daily. That's my personal opinion based on my way of parenting so take it with a grain of salt.

I do have some experience since I was a foster and adoptive parent to kids with all kinds of issues - very mild to very severe. I've dealt with many kids who had possible delays only to be just fine. After all my years of experience I have learned a good pediatrician is usually the best bet when there are any concerns of delays.

L.

Hi there!
You know, your son may be not a crawler at all! My daughter would never to want crawl -- no matter what I did to entice her. One day, I let her stay in a sitting position and voila! she started "scooting" on her bottom instead!! This went on until she learned to walk at 13 months.

Good luck!

Some children do not crawl and go straight to pulling themselves up and walking. However, crawling is an important developmental step. You can help Che by using "patterning." This is a technique where you place your baby on his tummy and move the opposite leg and arm in unison-- first one side and then the other. It's best done with one adult on each side of the baby. This technique aids cross-brain development, which is critical for many other developmental activities. Best wishes.

I would have him checked by the regional... so that if needed he can get services... a word of advice... better to be told by a specialist there is nothing wrong, than to pretend there is nothing wrong and be sorry not to have gotten help in time!!! Just my 2 cents... and BTW, crawling is a very important milestone and has to do with reading believe it or not!!! There is a study that states children that skip this milestone grow up to be poor readers and lack in higher academics, also you can look in to www.nacd.org
they have special programs to accelerate their cognitive skills like reading an such, and it all begins with physical therapy... crawling, and so forth...

Love, G.. :0)
http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

"I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin." ~ Jerry Newport

My daughter was the same way. Late crawler, big girl, big head. Not much motivated her to crawl -- I think she just wasn't ready. In the end, the only thing I can think of that motivated her was the cat. She LOVES the cat. When ever he's around she tries extra hard to crawl, cruise (she can't walk without holding on to something or pushing something and she's 15 months -- she's started trying to stand without holding on). I'm actually looking on the bright side here. I have a two year old also, and chasing after her was one less thing I had to do!
N.

Dont worry. keep doing what you are doing in regards to working with him. He will crawl when he is ready. I have 2 boys. My 1st son crawled early at 7 months. My second child didnt crawl until just before his 1st birthday. He is just now taking his 1st steps at 16mon.

Let him fuss a little - it helps him get motivated. I myself was a "slow" mover; didn't turn over or anything for at least 9 months. Then I just: "rolled over, crawled, sat up, and started walking". All the stages of learning to walk are important to the brain. Do have the pediatrician reassure you though, after the next well baby check up where he can be sure all is ok (i'm sure it is fine). My daughter NEVER crawled, walked on tippy toes (very cute but very wrong), we had to do leg stretches for the Archilles. Then in 11th grade, she went from petite to long legged in about 4 months. Do you use a walker? I think they really help, but I am old school, I think nowadays they frown on walkers, but babies LOVE the mobility, a much better motivator than crying and falling on face. It also builds strong legs.

get him in a playgroup with slightly older, more mobile munchkins and SIT BACK - don't help him and he'll catch up really fast. I put my spoiled 10 month old in daycare whe nI went back to work - he could sit up and roll but was used to me carrying His Royal HIghness. He was the only baby that couldn't crawl or walk and was RUNNING 1 month later. He wanted in on all the fun!

I would not worry about it. I am a mother of four daughter 10, and three boys 3 1/2 years old and twins age 2 years old. First girls move alot faster than boys. My daughter was walking by nine months and potty trained by age one. All of my sons started walking around eleven months, and my oldest son will be four in two weeks is just now being potty trained. Basically what I am trying to say is don't worry about it and try not to force him. Put the toys in his reach so he doesn't get frustrated. One way to show that he is progressing is when he lunges forward he will catch himself. The one thing I have noticed and have also guilty of, is saying that my child was ready for something and wasn't. We should just encourage and when he is ready he will be running like the wing, then you'll br writing asking how to slow him down. So enjoy this time.

A., I have raised five children, and now have a three year old grandson. I feel your frustration; your little boy is perfect. Is he your #1 Son? Sometimes on the first baby we tend to want to do everything for them. Trust me giving your son some of his own frustration time will let him figure things out. Better to listen to a little crying if there is a goal. If you continue to give him what he wants, you might as well do the crawling for him. Alot of times, like my son (12), they go straight to walking. But he needs to go ahead and cry a bit before he figures it out.
M.

You've got lots of good advice here. I just thought I would add that my son loved it when I would lie on the floor with him. I would lie on my stomach and face him. We would do lots of giggling in this position. It might be a way to stretch out his tummy time before he gets frustrated. It may encourage him to try to move forward so he can pat your face - but even just time on his tummy without moving is good for the muscle development.
Have fun!