THE BABBLE TAKE
Crawling is not just an effective way for a baby to commute from your feet to the couch. Experts say it is excellent training, too; when babies crawl they beef up muscles they will eventually need for walking upright. Most babies start crawling — or using some similar mode of travel — at six to ten months. Though we think of crawling as the quintessential baby behaviour, not all babies crawl in the classic sense of the word. One unexpected consequence of the AAP back-sleeping campaign seems to be that more and more babies are crawling later or skipping the crawling stage entirely. Paediatricians say that many babies never crawl at all — they find other ways to get around. Parents should not worry too much about the style of locomotion as long as baby is on the move. Experts say placing babies on the floor (supervised of course) with desirable objects just outside reach is a good way to stimulate their interest in crawling. Stairs and other topographical formations in the home will start to look very alluring to babies as they learn how to navigate the terrain on their own, so at this point baby-proofing will be in order.
BabyCenter Australia®
"Developmental Milestones: Crawling"
"Most babies learn to crawl between six and 10 months. But some children never crawl, instead opting for bottom shuffling, slithering on their stomach, or moving directly to pulling up, standing, and walking. It’s getting mobile that’s important, no matter how your baby does it. " …read the full article
Better Health
“Child Developement- Nine To 12 Months”
"The big breakthrough in motor development is that they will move on their own. They might pull themselves along with their arms, roll around or crawl on all fours. Safety is an important issue now. You need to baby-proof your house and make sure all dangerous or breakable items are out of reach."
…read the full article
Dr. Greene
"Crawling"
"Each individual child develops and blossoms in his own way, at his own pace. This is our goal: to provide a nurturing environment where a child can develop at his optimum pace. We don’t want to hurry him; we do want to encourage him. We also want to identify anything that may be an obstacle in his path. Rolling over, sitting without support, cruising (walking along furniture), and walking independently are important developmental milestones. Crawling isn’t."
…read the full article
Dr. Sears
“Promoting Your Baby’s Development From 6 to 12 Months Through Interactive Play”
"Sitting up without support gives babies a new outlook on life. And once they’ve mastered this skill, they will eagerly move on towards crawling. Toys placed just out of reach will motivate them to lunge forward and discover ways to rock and scoot and move along the floor. As babies’ fine motor skills improve, they can pick up smaller objects, so be sure to provide small toys that fit comfortably in baby’s hands." …read the full article
Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service
"Moving Around"
"In thinking about the motor development of children, it is important to remember that children develop differently and at different rates. However, it is also important to know that children usually follow the same pattern of development. For example, a child learns to sit before he learns to walk, but the ages at which he sits or walks may be different from another child." …read the full article
