Rolling Baby

I remember at 9 months old, that was my son's means of transportation as well. He would roll EVERYWHERE to get what he wanted. didn't care to crawl, just liked to roll. Look at it this way, if he can get what he wants by rolling, that's what they'll do. I didn't worry about it. Eventually my son started crawling and walking and stopped the rolling.

I wouldn't worry about it yet. My daughter didn't start crawling until 9 months. Babies go at their own pace.

Hi N. Have you taken her to see her pediatrician? If not you need to so he/she can tell if anything is really wrong with what she's doing. She could be just comfortable rolling instead of crawling. My son never crawled and walked at nine months.

I wouldn't worry about this at all. My now 21 mos. old daughter did the same thing for months. I thought it was adorable & she was soooo good at it! :) One day while she was up on her hands & knees rocking..she took off & hasn't stopped moving since! Encourage her to crawl by placing a toy nearby directly in front of her to encourage her to crawl forward for it. There are also alot of toys that encourage crawling like rolling/musical balls. If your daughter is anything like mine, she will do everything when "she" feels like it. Enjoy this down time before she really gets moving!

Give it time - she'll get interested but all babies take things at their own pace. My 8 month old is a butt scooter. Get's everywhere on his rear end - not getting on his hands and knees either.

We had to go to the hospital recently and when checking all of his milestones - they asked just if her were getting from place to place. Nuerologist said that crawling is not a milestone - just the desire and the ability to get to where you want to go.

Walking will come - so will some form of crawling - some babies just take a little longer to get up on their hands and knees or they just start walking when they get to around a year.

Our almost five year old was a later crawler and was never very efficient but she walked at 11 months. And then my kids are both good communicators so . . .I always figure the physical milestones balance out with the other things they are doing.

Good Luck.

It sounds like plenty of babies do this -- but if you are concerned, evaluations are usually free. There is Early Intervention (EI as someone already mentioned). I also took my kids to a pediatric therapy center in Glenview that does free evaluations (www.pathwayscenter.org). If anything, it might give you peace of mind that her development is just fine!

My baby is 8 months too and she also just rolls and rolls to get around. Every so often she does the army crawl (belly on the floor). My son was the same way and finally around 9 months he up and crawled one day. As some of the other posters said, they all go at their own pace. Several of my friends had babies that never crawled at all - they went straight to walking.

Good luck!

Hi N. A
Sometimes you might want to excercise the baby's legs. Then, hold the baby up on their legs, so that they can get a feel of being on their legs. Practice once or twice a day. Crawling will come in time. Some children don't even crawl, they go to pulling up on things and then walking. Maybe its fun just to roll :). If it becomes a major concern, on your next doctor visit, just talk to the doctor about your concerns.

I wouldn't sweat it. She's satisfied using this mode of movement, so why push it? Kids don't need to crawl in order to stand up, cruise, or walk...my son never crawled. He's 2 1/2 and managed to find a way to learn how to walk, so he did just fine, in my opinion.

You'll probably be very surprised. I bet one day she'll get bored of the rolling and want to move on to a more efficient mode of movement. She won't roll when she's 14!

For piece of mind talk to your pediatrician or call...The Illinois Early Intervention program...a program for all Illinois Children from 0-3...with physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy...it is great!

My daughter is getting physical therapy from them, she was a triplet and has torticollis...she is doing really well now!

Check them out!

1-800-543-7362

D.
Mom to Brock 3.5, Alexis, Mia and Sydney...7 months tomorrow!!!!

I was actually a roller too, my family tried and tried to get me to crawl. One day I just got up and started walking -never crawled. I don't think you have anything to worry about!

My son started this when he was about 7 months old, rolling everywhere. As the other babies in his Gymboree class started crawling and cruising, he continued to roll. When he was 10 months old he suddenly got up and started crawling, and within the month he was pulling himself up to stand and cruise too. He started walking just another month after that.

So don't worry - she's young yet and at least has found a great way to get around!

Try sitting her next to you, hip to hip and place the toy on the opposite side of you. This will get her to have to go over your legs to get the toy and put her in the crawling position. My son is 9 months and is still happy rolling wherever he wants to get. They will do it in their own time, but incorporating activities into play time that strenghten legs can't be bad.

Crawling is actually not a necessary developmental stage--she can totally skip it. I had a niece that never crawled and also rolled every where. She went on to walk on time. She's 10 now. In my daughter's daycare, I've seen kids pull up to standing anywhere from 6 to 10 months, and all of these kids are running around like regular 2 year olds now. You'd never know who started early and who started late. Your daughter is only 7 months, and I think 7-8 months is pretty average for pulling up, so she's not in any way behind. She sounds just fine!

My oldest daughter did the exact same thing and rolled to get wherever she wanted - she never crawled once. She began pulling herself up by 9 or 10 months and went from rolling to walking on her own by the time she was one. My doctor said crawling was not something that all babies do and to not worry about it.

All babie do things at different times. My son started crawling and pulling himself up at 6 months... My daughter is almost 11 months and JUST started pulling her self up. So as much as you probably want her to crawl and pull her self up she will do it when she's ready. I don't think its that big of a deal.

she is right on target!!

Did you know that crawling is not even a milestone really? The reason is that there are so many ways to "crawl" and your daughter is doing one of those ways. The milestone is actually "is able to move herself from one place to another with the purpose of getting an object or to a place". The rolling method, army crawl, butt scoot, and traditional crawl are all considered meeting that milestone.

I have known PLENTY of kids that did what yours is doing and went on to walk just fine at right around a year. You really don't need to do anything else but know that she has met the "crawling" milestone. Pulling up and standing and walking will all come in time. Honest. The average is right around the 1st birthday but up until 17 mos is still normal and not delayed.

Mine did the same thing at 6-7 months. He just turned 8 months and crawling and pulling up, and cruising a little. He prefers standing. I think your daughter will learn to crawl. Rolling is fun. Crawling makes them into everything and every room. My son went through the same phase. Everyone is different when they begin to crawl.

My 7yr old son did this for about 4 months and one day he decided to try and crawl. He still rolled as he discovered that this was the faster means of getting somewhere. My doctor saw nothing wrong with it and actually thought it was funny as when my son came to a wall or corner he would use his feet to move himself around the wall and continue to go. One day he just pulled himself up and started walking and then running and has never stopped since.

Enjoy every moment as time flys by

Mother of a 16yr and 7 yr old boys

Hi Jennifer, my daughter didn't crawl before she walked. She used a walker for awhile, which seemed to help strengthen her leg muscles and her back. At about 8-9 mos I bought her one of those toys where she had to stand to push it forward. She didn't realize she was standing and walking while holding the handle and pushing the toy. We were so proud of her as we clapped and cheered. She finally started pulling up on other items, chairs, tables etc. To get around she rolled,stood up and started reaching for items while we moved them further away so that she would take a few steps at a time. She was walking independently before her first birthday. I'm sure when your daughter is confident she'll start pulling up to reach items but also being around walking toddlers who are playing and running will encourage her even more. L. X

My daughter (just turned 2 last week) always rolled everywhere until almost 10 most...then one day magically crawled super fast...never cruised at all (walked holding on to things) but at 12 mos stood up in the middle of the room and walked. Please do not worry unless your baby is showing signs of muscle weakness or hip pain or dysplasia (which the doc would have picked up on during appts). My son is currently 8 mos and rolls EVERYWHERE and gets into all kinds of trouble! He will get on all 4s and rock back and forth but has not crawled more than 2 steps worth before going back to rolling.

She'll make it! Mine flipped one way (back to tummy,) but not the other way, which is supposed to be the easier way...forever. She ended up being an early walker. They're all very different, but talk to your doc if you're concerned. She sounds pretty smart if you ask me. I choose the easy way, too!

My little girl took awhile to actually crawl too. She did this little inch worm crawl for the longest time.
One thing you might try is put something she wants up on the couch or footstool so she can see it but would have to pull up to actually reach it. If she wants it bad enough she'll pull herself up.

I never crawled myself, I was one of those kids that rolled everywhere and then went straight to walking. Not everyone crawls so there is nothing to worry about.

My oldest daughter was a roller and a late walker, 15 mos. She is now 36 yrs old and has no physical impairments, but she spent all those months on the carpet picking up tiny little fuzzies, or whatever, developing her fine motor skills and is an accomplished artist. Not to Worry! I would stand her on her feet and move her little legs so as to simulate walking, that might jog her internal neural connections to want to walk. or try holding her in the crawling position and move her along, I know this might be clumsy and she might cry, but she will not remember it or think ill of you for doing it. This could accomplish the same thing, jog her brain or get her over a bump, so to speak. Don't do it often, just a few times and if it does not work, well, we tried.

I would not worry. She's young yet. If she pushes herself up using her hands while on her tummy, she's working her upper body. If she will bear weight on her legs while you hold her in a standing position, she is doing fine. Just give her time. My son did the army crawl and it took a while before he crawled on all 4s. He walked at 14 mos, as did my daughter. This is all well within the normal timeframe. Don't rush it; once they're walking, there's a whole new level of safety/security you worry about. she'll be fine.