The Process of Learning to Crawl
/By Dr. Nikki
Learning to crawl is a huge developmental milestone and it’s a process that is actually quite complex. Not only is crawling important for physical development and preparation for walking, but it’s also very important for body scheme, motor planning, visual perception and hand-eye coordination! [1]
There are a few skills that must develop before a baby is ready to crawl. If you’ve had a crawling baby before, these stages may sound familiar [1]:
1) Lifting head off the ground
2) Supporting upper-body with arms (think cobra in yoga)
3) Getting knees underneath the body
4) Being stable on all fours in quadruped position
Once babies have mastered the quadruped position, they will typically start rocking back and forth. This rocking motion helps strengthen and stabilize their arms and legs until baby takes the plunge of reaching out for something in front of them and falling toward their outstretched hand. Baby will eventually realize that this falling forward onto their hand gets them closer to the item they desire and they will start to repeat the motion.
Is all crawling created equal?
The short answer is no. But just because a baby doesn’t start with the classic cross-crawl (opposite arm and leg) motion, doesn’t mean they won’t get there. Crawling is a learned movement and sometimes babies will explore different ways of getting around before making the connection of opposite hand and knee crawling.
Army crawling is where baby pulls themselves forward on their elbows while the remainder of their body stays on the floor. This movement often times serves as a milestone towards moving around on all fours.
Bear crawling is where baby moves around on their hands and feet with their behind in the air. If your home has a lot of hard flooring, baby may bear crawl because of discomfort with the hard surface on their knees.
Crab crawling is where baby has one knee on the ground and then the other foot is in a standing position on the floor.
None of these alternative types of crawling are automatically problematic, but if you notice any asymmetries in a baby’s crawling, it’s a good idea to have them checked out by their pediatrician and/or a pediatric chiropractor.
What are the benefits of crawling?
The physical benefits of crawling include increasing core strength, increasing overall body strength, improving coordination of upper and lower extremities, as well as improving balance. When crawling, children have to utilize binocular vision where they go back and forth from looking ahead to down at their hands. This is an important skill that transfers into later years of childhood when looking at the blackboard in school. [2]
The other benefits of crawling include improved problem-solving skills, improved memory, increased self-confidence, retention as well as the ability to translate skills between different activities. [2] Crawling is the first stage of independent movement for a child, so it plays a huge role in overall development.
These benefits are definitely reasons why we highly encourage babies to crawl in our office!
How can I encourage my baby to crawl?
Provide LOTS of tummy time and try to limit the use of swings, bouncers and exersaucers
Place toys just out of reach and to the left/right so that baby is encouraged to reach and move while on their tummy
Place a towel or blanket underneath their tummy so that their hands and knees are on the floor
Limit and/or avoid “walking” baby around
Practice cross-crawl movements by bringing opposite arm & opposite leg together towards midline while baby is on their back
Get on the floor and interact with baby
What if my baby isn’t crawling or I’m noticing asymmetries in their crawling?
First off, it’s important to note that developmental milestones are slightly different with every child. So if you’re baby isn’t crawling right at 6 months, it’s not necessarily something to fret over! If you do have concerns, a pediatric chiropractor is a great place to start.
As we’ve discussed in previous blog posts, primitive reflexes play a big role in development and crawling is no exception! The STNR, symmetrical tonic neck reflex, is present briefly after birth and then reappears around 6-9 months. This reflex helps divide the body down the midline and separates right from left, which is extremely important for crawling. [3] If you feel like your child is experiencing a delay in crawling, a pediatric chiropractor educated on primitive reflexes can check to see if the STNR is present or not.
Sometimes a baby’s position in the womb or the process of being born can cause strain on their body, resulting in muscular imbalances or restrictions of their spine/pelvis. These imbalances can restrict movements necessary for crawling or can cause favoring of one side of the body. As we talk about in our blog post about how a baby can benefit from chiropractic adjustments, a gentle chiropractic adjustment can restore proper movement and improve communication from the body to the brain and the brain to the body.
I’m too late! My baby went straight to walking… now what?
Before the mom-shaming kicks in to full force, no need to stress! Your child can still experience the benefits gained during crawling through other activities that involve crawling or cross-crawl patterns of movement. Setting up obstacle courses in which children have to crawl through tunnels or underneath objects is a great way to encourage crawling in a “non-baby” way. If you start to notice coordination problems or challenges with cross-crawl movements with your child, there are exercises that can be introduced to help improve communication between the left and right side of the body. A pediatric chiropractor is, once again, a great resource to have your child assessed if this is the case.
As always, if you have further questions about your child’s crawling, or any other health issue, we are always here to serve as a resource!
Resources:
March 15, 2013. Why Crawl? Retrieved on May 25, 2021. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/why_crawl
The Benefits of Crawling. Retrieved on May 25, 2021. https://day2dayparenting.com/benefits-crawling/
Retained Primitive Reflexes as a Sign of Brain Imbalance. Retrieved on May 27, 2021. https://www.brainbalancecenters.com/blog/retained-primitive-reflexes-sign-brain-imbalance