How do I get my almost-9-month old to crawl on his hands and knees? He's been doing an army crawl for about a month now but is really resisting hands and knees. He'll get up and rock and maybe do one or two "steps" then drops to his belly so he can go faster. I know that some babies will never crawl on their hands and knees before they walk, but he is due for surgery in July which will involve staples in his chest. My worry is that he will try hiss little army crawl after surgery and either rip out the staples or hurt himself so bad he will stop trying to get around altogether. I try working with him every night but his legs are so strong I literally can't keep him on his knees! Any suggestions?
My oldest army crawled until her learned to walk(first steps starting at 10 months) After walking, he went back and crawled properly, crazy babies!! Anyway, I think you are going to be ok. I do understand you concern, but I bet it will not be long before he is walking. Chances are, with staples in his chest he will not want to lay on it, let alone drag his chest on the floor.
Do you have hard wood floors? My daughter only army crawled too until she was 11 months old...a month before she walked. We have hard wood floors, and it was a visit to my parents' carpeted house that made her crawl on hands and knees, and then she never went back . Try soft foam squares etc. on the floor.
My son did the same exact thing for what seemed like forever. I couldn't explain why when I knew he was perfectly capable of crawling on his hands and knees, and eventually he did. There was really no forcing him to do so. I looked at this as just a kid who did what he wanted. He asserted his own will and crawled when he felt like it. Just one day he up and started to. Just watch out because once he did get on his knees, there was no stopping him. He was into everything and started to pull himself up to standing almost immediately. I wouldn't look at it like he's developmentally delayed, because standing and walking just came one right after the other. I believe my son's army crawl just gave him better upper body strength which in turn got him standing and walking before he was one. What can I say...boys will be boys. Have fun with it.
G. -
My son (who is now 9) never crawled. He went straight from army crawl to walking. My nephew that I keep everyday was only rolling then went to army crawl and THEN finally went to the hands and knees about a week and a half ago. He is 11 1/2 months old!!! Maybe this will make you feel better this is something that I have learned from being a nanny/teacher and also raising my own kids and caring for so many - kids are resourceful and resilient. Chances are he will be sore and that discomfort will push him to find an alternative to getting where he wants to go - maybe crawling up on those hands and knees, scooting, maybe even walking or cruising - who knows. But, I am sure he will be just fine! I bet he will surprise you! I can totally see where you are concerned though! My suggestion is to try to not worry. Sometimes, seems like the more we want our kids to do something the more difficult they can be about it! :)
I wish you all much healing and comfort during the surgery! He is young so bet he will have a speedy recovery! God Bless your family! :)
Roxanna
when you're working with him, are you encouraging him to walk? i see your concern and i think it's legit. you're doing a good thing , anticipating what will happen after surgery. i would put his walkin' shoes on and practice that! good luch with this and i'll say a prayer for his surgery.( even the "standard" surgeries are tough for mama!)
Try putting some couch cushions or big pillows on the floor and have him try to crawl up and over them. When he comes off, he'll have to be on his hands and knees. Plus, it's really hard to get up on them by army crawling. That's what my physical therapist had me do with my middle son and it really helped.
My son did the same thing until he was about 10 months old and then one day he started to crawl the correct way. I am not sure if there is a way to make the crawl the correct way. I would suggest you contact the doctor since he is due to have surgery soon and see what they have to say.
Good luck and I hope the surgery comes well.
I am so sorry to hear he will be having surgery. The poor little guy. ) : BUT when I read your question this morning it made me smile. My son would ONLY army crawl. In fact he army crawled until he was 17 months old! At 18 months he would crawl on his hands and knees 75% of the time and army crawl the other 25%. He FINALLY decided to walk at 19 months. I know it took a LONG time but he is just fine and the pediatrician said that there was nothing I could have done to change his prefered method of getting around. So I don't think there is anything you can do. I was worried but his doctor wasn't concerned at all. He has probably seen a lot of army crawlers over the years. ( : You are right about it being faster for your son. My son was alarmingly fast with his army crawl.
Maybe he will start walking early and won't be as cautious as my son was. My second son started walking at 11 months and was running around a week later. You never know. Talk to your doctor about your concerns before the surgery. Maybe she/he will have suggestions for protecting his surgical area until he decides to walk or crawl the traditional way.
My daughter did it up until maybe she was 11 months old and finally she started on her hands and knees and started to stand and "cruise" all at the same time. I don't think it is too much to worry about because I think they will put enough bandages on the staples so he can't rip them out. I hope your little one does great during the surgery.
just a thought, does he stand well when you hold his hands? maybe try focusing on walking instead - mine did at 9 months. he crawled for barely a month, and took his first steps just a day before his nine-month birthday. if you work with him, he might figure it out in time. i don't blame you for being worried, i would be too. good luck!
PS, what roxanna said was right on, too - kids are smart. if it hurts he won't push it. he'll figure something else out. don't worry!
He'll do it when he's ready.I did daycare for 6 years and have 3 of my own and have babysat many.Anyway some babies do just do the army crawl and never crawl on their hands and knees.However if he's rocking then he's probably not far away from crawling on all fours.Don't worry about it.If he's not crawling by surgery he will figure out that he can not army crawl,he's not going to do something that hurts.So if he is not crawling on all fours by time he's recovered from surgery it will just push him to do it.
my son never did crawl on his hands and knees. He always did the army crawl. He started walking around furniture and pushing the walking toys at 7 months but didn't officially walk without holding on to something until 11 months. He was so funny, he would army crawl to the coffee table or couch, walk around it then if he wanted to go across the room, he would do the army crawl again and go to something else to pull up on and walk. He started that army crawl at 4 months and just stuck with it. He has always been a quick learner is everything but didn't want to crawl on his hands and knees for nothing.
If the crawling causes your son pain after his surgery he may try to find out other means of getting around like on his hands and knees or may even roll to get where he wants to go. My nephew had several open heart surgeries when he was little and it didn't seem to bother him with crawling and he crawled the army crawl and on his hands and knees. He didn't usually move much after the surgeries though so his incision was on it's way to healing well before he got mobile again. Your son will know his limits and probably won't feel like moving much for a few weeks. You probably won't have anything to worry about as far as him reopening his incision from crawling as he probably won't feel like doing it for a while. Encourage his walking skills now by standing him up to the couch and have him around it. The surgery also may delay his walking a few months so if you work on it a little now he may have an interest in walking more than crawling too.
Hope you understand all of this. Sometimes it's hard to explain things where others can understand what you are trying to say.
Keep encouraging walking, all of my girls were walking by 11 months. One thing I did to encourage that was to put them in a walker. It helps them to develop the courage to stand alone. Blessings to you and your son!
Leave him be! He is doing what works for him. My little guy did the same, then crawled for a about a week then walked - he'll do what he needs to do and what works for him. Don't force it - you will do more harm than good.
I would say just leave him alone and let him do his thing. My son did the same. I understand your worry re: his surgery, but there's a lot of time for him to develop the skill of crawling on hands and knees before July. He'll be a totally different kid by then--they change so fast. Worst case scenario, the surgery will inspire him to crawl upright.
Good Morning G., Your little guy is doing well. I loved watching the little army crawls, and little rockers and lunges. Play a game of chase with you in the lead. Let him see you on your hands and knees. Giggle and laugh with him.
He is catching on and will be crawling soon or walk or scoot on his hinney, he won't want to hurt himself either.
Years ago our youngest had his first dental app. age 3 they found extra tooth growing sideways in front. I thought ok he isn't going to want to eat anything after they remove it except very soft things. Well we stopped at my step moms and he wanted a cookie. HE ate a Crunchy oatmeal cookie and wanted more. Kids do what we least expect.
God Bless you both and will pray all goes very well for your little mans up coming hospital stay. May he have a very quick recovery and back to being the sweet little guy we all know he is.
God Bless
K.
I am a grandmother of 12, great grandmother of 8 4 just this year. Your child is old enough that he should be walking good by 11 months and be a great joy.His surgery probably will not slow him down much.He is at a perfect age so just encourage him to walk
Take it from a three time mom and three time grandmom ....... he'll do it when he's ready. If he is getting up and rocking, as you say he is, he is ready. One of these days real soon, he is going to just take off and surprise you. Every child does things at his or her own pace. The quickest way to slow him down, however, is to push the issue. He is getting the idea all on his own, but I am afraid if you continue to "work with him" you will only frustrate him and make him more determined that he does NOT want to crawl at all.
Maybe sometime when you are down on the floor playing with him, you could get up on your own hands and knees and pretend to race him, or have him chase you ..... just make a game of it. I just wouldn't force him to his hands and knees. It's only making him mad.
Aren't they cute when they do that little rock on hands and knees ? It always reminded me of a little baby elephant ! 9 months is a fun age.
I hope all goes extremely well with his surgery.
