My 9-Month Old Won't Crawl!

Don't worry about it! My daughter never crawled. She went directly into walking when she was 9 1/2 months old. I've never heard of that being a problem. She is almost 5 years old now and the fact that she didn't crawl has never been an issue. Don't feel bad or lost about it. It's ok if he prefers to walk rather than crawl.

K.,

crawling is actually not considered a developmental milestone. there is nothing wrong with your baby because he doesn't crawl. And I dont know where you heard that walking is bad vs not crawling. my son was WALKING unassisted from furniture at 10 mo. - he had been pulling up on things since about 7.5 months. he was climbing stairs at 9 months...

he never crawled, and I assure you, his gross motor skills are perfectly fine, if not earlier developed than the 'norm'.

When people say to you 'oh your son doesn't CRAWL yet?!' tell them, 'nope, he'd much rather focus on walking - crawling's for babies' :) (of course, say this in a funny but serious tone)

don't worry... relax, and be wholly glad that he is still not quite mobile :) HA! the whole game changes when they are cruisin around.

I know being a first time mom you cant wait for all of the exciting new things your baby does but if your Dr. doesnt seem worried, you have nothing to worry about. Your Dr. would be able to see if he has problems with his muscles. Honestly---enjoy it!! You can get a lot more done when your baby stays in one spot and seriously, dont let any other moms make you feel bad!! Every single baby is different and will go at there own pace. Your son was rolling at 2 months and my son didnt do that until 8 months. Dont worry about a thing and take advantage of it now because before you know it crawling or walking, you will be chasing him everywhere!!
(My mom told me our old next door neighbor never crawled and didnt start walking until she was 15 months old--She graduated first in her class and got into Duke university) So dont worry there is nothing wrong with your son. Keep us updated

The most important thing, however hard it may be, is that every baby develops at his/her own pace. If you have concerns, you should speak with your pediatrican. If you should have any doubht with him/her, get a second opinion. You could also enter in Early Intervention - it's a great program, evaluations are free and will put your mind at ease. Crawling is no longer a "milestone"... i.e. a baby can skip over crawling and go straight to walking. It is not a bad thing if he does. There are some things you can do to try and get him to move around more - put toys out of his reach, get at his level, increase tummy time, put him up on all fours yourself and rock him back and forth so he gets that motion of crawling, and then gently putting his one leg down so he understands how to go from sitting/crawling position (something I learned from EI). Good luck and hang in there.

My son didn't crawl until 10 months and started walking at 13. I would relax and enjoy the fact that he isn't getting into everything in the house yet. Also the moms you hang with need to check what they say. All kids develop in different ways and in different times. I am pretty sure crawling is NOT a milestone that babies need to archive, rolling, sitting up, pulling up, and walking are most important.

Not all babies crawl, your son is probably one of the smart babies who doesn't want to hurt their knees on the floor. Tell the other moms not to worry;)

My daughter will be 9 months next week, and also doesn't crawl OR roll over (though she's starting to roll to her side for more than nursing, finally!). But she's very vocal, has all sorts of sounds, is very emotionally interactive with dh and I and her big brother, etc. The doc said she just isn't focused on gross motor skills. Plus, even babies that crawl don't necessarily do that by 9 months. Just enjoy your baby and keep encouraging all areas of his development.

Tell people "Not yet! Thankfully -- b/c then he's really going to give me a run for my money!"

T.

My daughter never learned to crawl she went straight to walking at 11 months ad a half. She is now 5 years old and is perfectly fine.

My daughter never crawled either. She went straight to walking. She is now 10 years old, and absolutely perfectly healthy, and happy. All babies are different, and some just choose to skip crawling all together!

Don't you love the one-uppers? Get used to it - next it'll be walking, talking, preschool, solving pi, coming up with a cure of cancer, etc. Ignore them!

Oh, and I LOVED the one mom's response about be thankful he isn't everywhere and into everything just yet. That's soooooo true! Once the baby can crawl or walk, be prepared for your living room to be a disaster zone of toys and items *laugh*.

My son rarely crawled. He pulled up on the furniture around 9 months, began cruising after than, and then was walking at 10 1/2 months. As you can see, crawling certainly did not hamper his ability to walk!

If he is appearing to want to walk, try standing him up near the couch or a coffee table (no sharp edges though - we learned that the hard way). At 9 months, he may be able to hang on and will probably be thrilled that he can stand up and see the world from a whole new perspective - it's really empowering! Put a board book on the cushion in front of him to keep him entertained. If he indicates interest in cruising, place fun toys on the couch cushion off to the sides and see if he tries to cruise to get them. Above all, follow his lead and see what he is comfortable doing - no need to rush it! If he doesn't stand up or cruise, no biggie. Just let him back on the floor to play as he wishes.

One of my favorite books is "The Wonder Years" by Dr. Tanya Altman Reimer. It is published by the AAP and is a good guide to developmental issues. I like it because it gives an idea of when children will start doing (insert skill here) and gives tips for games/play/ideas on how to help the child develop skills.

My second child is 9 1/2 months old now and doesn't crawl either, but I'm not worried. As others have said here, crawling is no longer considered a developmental milestone since babies do not sleep on their tummies anymore. Less time spent on tummies equals less comfort with being on their tummies in general for many babies. My older child began crawling shortly after 9 months. As long as your pediatrician says that your son is reaching his milestones, I would not worry.

My daughter is 13 months and just figured out crawling last week. Actually, she'd already taken her first steps a month ago. Don't worry about it too much. He'll be fine.

Hi K.,

I know some kids who never crawled and went directly to walking. They were just fine developmentally. I've never heard of it being a bad thing. Is it? If you've trusted your pediatrician so far, stick with what s/he says. Or seek out a second opinion if your insurance will cover it.

Don't worry about the "new mom syndrome." We all experience this - even with our second kids. It's because we love them so much. :)

Best of luck to you and your little man!

M.

Sometimes people need to shut their mouths with their comments masked as concerns. My older son didn't crawl until he was about 11 months and he didn't walk until 16 months. He's now almost 3 and totally fine with everything. My younger son is 8 months and he's not crawling yet. He rolls everywhere he wants to go. Some babies just don't crawl.

Don't worry about it. If your doctor isn't worried then you shouldn't be. All babies do things at their own pace. Enjoy the freedom you have with him NOT crawling for now. It's a whole new game once he does. ;)

T.

My little guy never crawled. He did this army crawl scoot thing for awhile and didn't walk unassisted until 14 months. It was really hard not to compare him to other people and think i was doing something wrong. You aren't. Just put things out of his reach that he likes and he'll figure out how to get there... even if its rolling around. and 14 months is also considered normal, so don't stress out!