Crawling is one of the greatest achievements of babies when it comes to mobility. The way each baby achieves this depends on each child. Do you want to know more about when they will start and how to encourage it? Keep reading!
The long road to crawling
Already in the womb, the fetus begins to move intentionally and train your muscles. As soon as a baby enters the world, muscle tension (muscle tone) provides information about whether motor disorders are likely to occur. It draws attention when the baby is very loose and weak or too tense when moving.
Six to eight weeks
Six to eight weeks after birth, the baby prepares for the subsequent crawl by trying to raise his head and hold it up on its own. To be able to move forward on their hands and knees, babies They need strong muscles in the neck and back.
At five months
After the baby, at about five months old, has learned to go from being face down to lying on his back and vice versa, usually find out how to sit.
At six months
From the sitting position, from the sixth month usually starts to crawl. To do this, the baby has to move his legs and arms forward, but does not yet lift his belly.
From the drag position, babies usually move to all fours, which is an essential requirement for crawling. Here babies need a little more time rocking from side to side until they can crawl.
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Between six and ten months
The babies They usually learn to crawl when they are between six and ten months old..
Tip: During the first six months of life put the baby on a blanket more often. Only if the baby can move and hold freely will his muscles strengthen and his motor development can begin.
From 12 months
At about 12 months, many babies They are already true crawling experts. Sometimes, they are so fast that adults have to chase them at a brisk pace to avoid any incidents.
Between the seventh and 13th month of life, an important intermediate step occurs between crawling and walking: the baby learns to get up by leaning on the furniture or on your leg. This is the perfect exercise to get up first and then try to take the first steps successfully.
It is at this moment when the walkers begin to gain great importance, since they will provide you with the security of not falling to the ground and will help you maintain an upright posture.
Having a playpen or travel cot will also be of great help.. There are models with a side door, also known as cat flap, that allows them to come and go no complications.
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What is the biggest difficulty that a baby faces when he begins to crawl?
The greatest difficulty of crawling is maintain balance on hands and knees. This requires a lot of coordination and strength in the muscles of the arms and legs. For babies, Cross crawling is an exercise in mastery, since the arm on one side moves back and forth parallel to the leg on the other side. This optimal collaboration of both halves of the brain and body is known as "bilateral integration."
Frequently asked questions
New moms and dads have many questions about how to encourage crawling, as well as turning the house into a safe zone. For this reason, we have resolved the main doubts that may arise during crawling.
How can I help and motivate my baby to crawl?
Do you want to help your baby learn to crawl and motivate him to do it? We have an option that you are going to love!
Place toys
Place favorite toys within sight, but not within reach, so that you awaken his interest and motivate him to crawl.
If your little one is forced to move in any way to reach a toy interesting, will try different things. You may also become frustrated and cry. If this is the case, wait a bit to see if he decides to move of his position alone. If not, comfort him and try again another time.
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My son gets on all fours by himself, but he doesn't move forward, what can I do?
Wrap both hands around his pelvis and gently rock him back and forth.. This way, you will notice the weight shift needed to crawl.
When the baby has figured out how to move forward, you can create different backgrounds and routes (cushions, tunnels...) so you can have fun and practice.
How to make the house safe for my baby
Now is the time to build a safe space to start crawling. Avoid accidents and injuries placing clamps on doors and protectors on edges, corners and outlets.
Did you find our post on when babies start crawling useful?
If you use an alternative method to encourage your baby to crawl Tell us in a comment! We will be happy to meet you.
