Friday 11 May 2012

Still not crawling?



This is a question I am being asked at least once a day.  So is he crawling yet?  And the answer is still no.  Whats more, I don't expect this to change any time soon.

There is nothing physically wrong with Dylan, he was sitting up and rolling at 5 months and is a perfectly happy and healthy 9 month old boy.   He just hasn't found anything worth moving for!  I have tried a little light encouragement- putting toys and/or dangerous objects just out of reach to see if he is tempted but after a little stretch and a little whinge he settles with playing with the closest toys.  And if there are no toys in reach? he says what the hell, and plays with his feet. 

I think his cloth nappies are partly to blame, not in that they limit his movement but they must make sitting on your bum that bit more comfy!  A lovely padded soft cushion that just follows you around, why would you want to move on your barely covered knees?  He is not a small baby and there is quite a lot of him to carry around, (trust me my poor arms know) so maybe he has decided it is a lot less stressful to just sit.



baby blocks, baby sitting up, nine months old
baby sitting, building blocks, 9 month old baby





















He is an incredibly content baby.  I see other's his age with obvious frustration that they cannot navigate the room, while Dylan sits there just watching them. Others are dragging themselves, pulling the carpet, wriggling and doing everything in their power to reach the other side of the room and he can just sit all day and be entertained.  

Second time parents tell me to enjoy this phase as once they are on the move everything changes. No more drinking my tea on the sofa first thing in the morning while the baby sits and plays, I will be chasing him round the house protecting my poor belongings.  They tell me every baby crawls and walks at some stage so not to worry.  And I am not worrying.  I love how easy it is and how content he can be, but I am asked daily 'so is he crawling yet?' 

Dylan has recently taken the first step in his learning to crawl journey - he will spend time on his front.  In fact, he is actually choosing to spend time on his front for the first time!  He will roll onto his front when he is playing and stay there for much longer than the 2 second record he previously held!  I come into his room in the morning and sometimes find him on his front in the cot!  I am impressed with his sudden decision that actually life on your tummy isn't that bad, and don't think it will be long before he realises he may be able to get somewhere like this.

But I would almost rather he didn't.  Well not quite yet anyway, because for now he is still my baby.  That dependant little creature, who relies on me for everything, who still isn't crawling.  Crawling gives them that extra independence, more choice with what they can play with and what they can explore.  It is also usually followed by walking, and then my little baby becomes a toddler.  They really do grow up too fast!

tummy time, 9 months old, sensory blocks







tummy time, baby building blocks, sensory toys, not crawling










When did your child start to crawl, and did it worry you?  

22 comments:

  1. My smallest is nearly 10 months and still not crawling - I get the same question all the time too! Like you I'm happy for her to stay still for as long as possible but, sadly, she's not content to do that and struggles trying to get places by wiggling and then gets stuck! It really doesn't worry me though :)

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    1. Sounds like it won't be long before she is off then!

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  2. My daughter didn't crawl until 11 months, and then she only crawled for a month before getting up and walking. I found it hard especially when children the same age were taking their first steps and Meg just sat there! My son crawled at 11 1/2 months. I worried less this time round as I knew he'd get there eventually!

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    1. I think people seem to be more relaxed about everything with the second baby! It is nice to hear Dylan isn't the only little stationary tot though!

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  3. aim for the stars... skip the crawling and the walking, go straight to flying!

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  4. Ben is 1 tomorrow, he's not crawling properly. Although he drags himself along like a marine:)

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  5. My little one didn't crawl until a week before her first birthday and now she doesn't stop! I miss that she sat in the same place happily playing. I'm not worried about walking, as you say, they all do it in their own time and besides it's a whole new ball game then!

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  6. They all crawl in their own time, Dylan will suddenly just go. You are so right though, as soon as they move they are into everything. No sitting...Running after their every move. Enjoy this time as it seems to fly! Leo started crawling at 7 months and I have been on edge ever since. Shortly after he started crawling we had our first trip to A&E after he bumped his head...All go :-) xx

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    1. oh goodness, I am not ready for that yet! I hope he stays still for a bit longer! I will enjoy my little baby for a bit longer x

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  7. Mine was 7 months when he was on his knees and rocking, but took another 6 weeks before he could go forwards. V annoying when he just kept going backwards.

    He's got 2 toddler friends who never crawled or rolled and just at 14-16m went straight to walking. They all develop different skills at different stages that's what makes them all individuals.

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  8. It varied greatly with my kiddies and it's easy to say 'don't worry' but there's always that inner bit of you that thinks 'WHY ARE'T YOU DOING IT YET!!!!!?'
    Like you say - enjoy the still time becasue soon everything will have to be raised another 2 ft higher!!!

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  9. My youngest didn't even sit up until 9 1/2mths! She could do this weird push-up crawling but that was it. She is 15mths now and not walking yet but I'm not worried in the slightest, she'll do it when she is good and ready and so will your little man. Don't wish away the time it happens when it happens

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    1. Thanks for the comment, it is lovely to hear stories of relaxed parents, makes me worry a lot less. I am enjoying my little sitter

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  10. Right! Ignore what other babies are doing at the same age - they are all different. Ignore the milestones - they are not the law! I have learnt from experience when I would get very paranoid about my childrens physical progression and got caught up in the whole 'my baby is doing this' . My first walked at 21 months, my second at 22 months. They NEVER learnt to crawl, instead they kept many people amused with their bum shuffling!
    Your little one will get there when he's ready. Do not worry x x x x

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  11. My eldest son started at 6 month while my youngest started crawling just before he was a year old, he now does parkour. It wasn't too worrying as he was doing well in other ways. when my health visitor mentioned her worry and made a comment of "the books say he should be doing by now" i simply said that no one told him.
    You will know your child better than anyone, if you are happy with him being happy as they are right now you can enjoy the other stuff.

    hugs

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  12. Don't sweat it, Matilda was the same she was so happy just sitting and playing that crawling didn't seem to be of interest. She did it for the first time and 10 months and now crawls at the speed of light :)

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  13. There is so much pressure to conform. I say relax, enjoy your baby, sit, lay, play and just indulge this lovely baby phase. Ignore all the "billybob was crawling out of the womb" mums and relax that yours is perfect just the way he is. He will do these things when he's ready. With some babies it's teeth, or talking, or sleeping, or hair. We are all unique and so are our darling babies. Relax (that's like the 3rd time I've said that right?) who cares what the milestone chart says. You only have to look at the comments to know what huge variation there is at each stage? Get a hip carry sling wrap you can pop him in and out of to save your arms if that helps?

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  14. Smaller boy was 9 months when he started crawling, I totally agree, enjoy knowing that he will be where you left him when you return. He is absolutely adorable. x

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  15. My daughter was 11 months when she crawled and 13 months when she walked. She can now do headstands against the wall at just 4 years old. So late crawling has done nothing to later physical development. My friend's son had never crawled at 17 months - then one day he just got up and walked across the room. It was like he decided not to do all this tedious practicing and just wait until he was big enough to do it properly.

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  16. My daughter crawled very late. Not sure exaclty when but walked really late at 16 months. I cried a bit about it too. The things is all babies are very different wsome find usefull to crawl and some not. I don't think you need to worry to much. I guess you can talk to midwife. Now my daughter is everywhere. Sometimes i wish she was still a baby :)

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    1. point is...try and not worry.kids are very different.

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  17. Expecting some sudden huge change in our new born baby may be too much; as babies are slowly growing day by day therefore we need to have some patience. Most probably after 7 months a baby starting crawling but sometimes it is quite late to crawl but the parents are eagerly waiting for that memorable moment.

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