Crawling is a baby moving forward on their hands and knees or on their tummy. Many babies start between about 6 and 10 months, but crawling is not part of the CDC milestone checklists because some babies bottom-shuffle or go straight to standing and walking.
Key takeaways
- There are many styles: commando, bottom-shuffling, bear crawling.
- Skipping crawling is not a problem on its own.
- Tummy time from the early weeks builds the strength needed.
What you can do
- Give your baby lots of supervised floor time.
- Place toys just out of reach to encourage moving.
- Baby-proof floors and stairs once your baby is mobile.
When to talk to your doctor
Talk to your doctor if your baby uses only one side of their body to move, or shows no interest in moving around by about 12 months.
Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily; what matters is that they keep making progress towards standing and walking.