This article was originally published on Nov 24, 2017. It was updated on July 24, 2020 by Kirstie Landry

Moms and dads are often overwhelmed with many different feelings the start fourth dimension they hold their child after he or she has been built-in. Subsequently that, they usually find themselves worrying about pretty much everything.

For example, they are in a hurry to know their child's Apgar score. For those who do non know, this is a test that healthcare professionals requite newborns. Co-ordinate to kidshealth.com, it checks their heart rate, equally well equally another things.

Furthermore, they too desire to know how their bundle of joy compares to other babies who are around the same historic period. Parents also ask themselves if their child is getting enough milk, or if he or she is opening their optics at the right time in their life.

New parents normally want to know if their kid is reaching all of the developmental milestones that they should exist reaching and if they are doing it at the right time. Furthermore, they might fifty-fifty begin to experience some anxiety if they believe that something is not right with their babe. Also, many parents feel as though they are at a loss if they recollect their baby is not doing something that an commodity on the cyberspace said that they should be doing.

Something they should know is that some delays are considered to be normal. There are a lot of external and internal factors that can bear upon when a child reaches a certain milestone. When it comes to a baby starting to clamber, and somewhen walking, their parents want to know what they can practise to encourage the kid, or if they can do anything at all.

If a baby is not crawling when they should be, their parents might wonder why that'due south the example. They as well might desire to know what they can practice to help, as well as what kind of things they should be worried nearly when it comes to their baby crawling.

There are some people who believe that crawling is non essential to a infant's development, but others believe that it is. At that place are normal reasons why a baby may not be itch, and those are usually things parents do not need to worry about. Yet, in that location are also other reasons why children may not be crawling, many of which are definitely things parents should worry about.

15 Baby'southward Feet Are Curved Inward

via Scottishrightshospital.org

There are some things parents should exist looking out for before the baby begins to crawl, and curved feet is 1 of them. In some cases, a baby may be built-in with feet that are slightly curved inwards.

Equally a upshot of being cramped in the womb, babies only brainstorm stretching out gradually over the weeks and months that follow the nascency. If natural extension does non happen by the fourth dimension he is prepare to roll on his belly, it tin can be discouraging for the baby, and it can impede the picayune one's regular movements, including the propensity to get up on his knees.

What parents tin exercise: Parents tin verify if their baby'southward curvature is inside normal limits. Askdrsears.com suggests to do the following:

  • They tin can choice the infant'due south feet up and look at the soles. It's normal for the front of the pes to be curved, then they do non need to worry if information technology is.
  • Then, they should concord the heel of the baby's foot with one hand and gently stretch the front end of the human foot so that information technology is as direct equally it can exist.
  • If the foot straightens hands with gentle stretching, the curvature is considered normal and it will begin to correct itself within a few months.
  • To help the anxiety straighten, parents should proceed doing those stretches with their little i whenever they are changing their diaper, and they should as well ensure that the child does not sleep in the fetal position oft.

If the baby'due south bones are flexible, the pediatrician will exist able to gently pull the anxiety into a direct position. In more rare cases the bones tin be rigid and may crave additional therapy from an orthopedic pediatrician, or physical therapist.

14 Baby's Anxiety Are Too Flat

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Some other physical impediment that may delay babe's itch and somewhen getting upwardly on his or her anxiety also has to do with the shape of the baby's foot. Apartment feet in babies are more than mutual than one would remember, but they commonly do not have flat feet for very long.

If a person's baby has flat feet, that can cause them to start itch much later on than babies who don't take apartment feet, according to parenting.firstcry.com. Ane of import thing parents might be relieved to find out is that children who have apartment feet usually develop arches by the time they reach their third altogether.

What parents can do: Handling is rarely needed except in the most severe cases, which a doc will be able to identify. In most cases, children who take flat feet will really have normal feet by the fourth dimension they turn six, according to healthychildren.org.

But there are times when that does not happen, and parents might wonder if they should seek some form of treatment. Children will likely not receive any treatment for this unless their feet are stiff, or they are experiencing some hurting. Furthermore, putting inserts in their shoes can cease upward causing more bug than what the kid had to begin with.

But, not all flat feet are the aforementioned, and some of them do demand some kind of treatment. For example, a child might experience a bit of tightness in their heel cord (which is referred to as the Achilles tendon), and that can put a limit on the amount of moving that particular foot can practise. Besides, some little ones might take rigid anxiety also. This kind of thing can crusade them a lot of pain, and sometimes it can keep them from moving their pes a certain way.

13 Non Plenty Tummy Time

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There are plenty of things parents demand to know about stomach fourth dimension, including the fact that information technology can aid babies reach the crawling phase, according to zerotothree.org.

According to nytimes.com, information technology appears that children who do not spend much time on their stomachs have significantly weaker back and arm muscles than those who get plenty of time on their stomachs. That is because parents have started making their babies slumber on their backs since that puts them at less of a take a chance of developing SIDS.

Those who slumber on their stomachs are more likely to develop SIDS, which is why some parents might not lay their children on their stomachs. Since that is the case, in that location are many little ones who might skip the whole crawling stage altogether, and become straight to walking.

What parents can do: Moms and dads should keep their baby on its back during slumber time, but encourage equally much fourth dimension equally possible on the tummy when the babe is awake. This is a keen fashion to ensure their safe while helping them build the strength they demand to crawl.

12 Baby Is A Non-Crawler

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In low-cal of the reduced tummy-time during sleep and naps parents are encouraged to practice, many babies go directly from scooting, or dragging themselves with their easily, to pulling themselves upwards when they are ready for further exploration. In improver to this, some babies are simply born equally not-crawlers, according to todaysparent.com.

The reality is, although occupational therapists consider itch a cornerstone of the babe's physical evolution, it is not really considered a milestone because not all babies crawl. Some people believe this phase is essential for the kid's gross and fine motor evolution later in life, and that skipping this phase may crusade certain delays in the future. In truth, it is merely considered an issue after the baby has reached a sure age, and that is merely when they also have not discovered other means to move about when placed on a flooring, according to kidsinthehouse.com.

This tin exist a stressful thing for parents during a time when there is already so much for them to worry about, merely their pediatrician volition simply ask them to pursue further testing if a child is nearly 12 months and non attempting to either crawl or pull themselves upwards. Almost doctors volition exist very reassuring in letting parents know that information technology is ok if a baby is a not-crawler.

What parents tin can do: They can continue a close middle on their baby's mobility, and encourage movement with simple exercises. They should contact the pediatrician if they notice that their picayune one is not crawling or attempting to pull themselves up when they are about a year quondam.

xi Baby Is Not Given A Chance To Try

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In some cases, parents but don't give their babies the chance to try to crawl, or the opportunity to improve muscle movement and forcefulness. While information technology is perfectly fine for moms and dads to hold their babies, there are some negative things that can happen if they are doing that all the time.

In addition, parents are non the only ones who love holding babies. Grandparents and older siblings are often guilty of doing this equally well, and the truth is that babies need to have some fourth dimension when they are not in a person's arms. That is considering when they take a little scrap of freedom, they can develop the forcefulness that they will need to begin itch, as well as walking.

It is extremely important that babies are able to explore their surroundings (with supervision, of course). According to healthline.com, it is good for babies to spend some time on the floor if they take not yet mastered the art of crawling. For some parents, this might mean that they demand to agree their babies a piffling bit less, and put them on the flooring.

Furthermore, it is a good idea for moms and dads to endeavour to brand certain that the area in which their baby spends time on the floor is comfortable plenty for them. They should also place some of the child'southward toys nearby, so they'll try to clamber to them.

What parents tin can do: In addition to making sure kids get some time out of a person's artillery, they can also reduce the time their child spends in walkers. The same goes for bouncers, every bit well as any other seat that volition keep the baby confined to 1 spot.

10 Baby's Personality

via Wikimedia Commons

Everyone has dissimilar personalities, and that is fifty-fifty true when it comes to babies. While some people are very active, and they are in a hurry to practice things, others are a flake more laidback, and the truth is that fifty-fifty some infants tin exist like that is well. When parents are wondering why their little ane is not crawling, they should take their personality into consideration.

That is because children who are a bit more laidback than others will likely not exist in such a blitz to reach certain milestones, co-ordinate to todaysparent.com. Only their parents should relax instead of worrying nearly it. Kids similar this will eventually start crawling.

What parents can do: They can not change a baby'south graphic symbol, but they can encourage their baby to motion past ensuring a rubber environment and stimulating activities like, listening to music, besides as with play dates with older babies. They may besides mimic crawling moves for their little ones.

9 Babe'southward Weight

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Being at a salubrious weight is something that everyone should strive for. However, this is something that is particularly of import for babies. Existence at the right weight is something that they need to do in lodge to accomplish certain physical milestones, and that is likewise something that can affect when they begin to crawl, or fifty-fifty if they starting time to do and so at all.

Slightly overweight babies are usually very cute, but what their parents are not thinking of is the fact that their weight can be very harmful to them. Babies that are overweight might take more trouble doing certain things, like crawling, than others do.

According to reuters.com, a doctoral student in diet epidemiology at the Academy of Due north Carolina at Chapel Hill, along with some of her colleagues, studied this type of thing, and they came to an interesting determination.

  • Meghan Slining and her squad evaluated 215 babies on several occasions up to xviii months old, and of the 152 infants establish to exist overweight, xx% (31) had delayed motor skills.
  • The team also plant that 75 babies with high average measures of the abdomen, upper-arm, and upper-back skin fat, 23 percent (17 infants) had delayed motor skills.
  • In conclusion: motor skill delays such as an inability to sit steadily for 30 seconds were about twice equally probable in overweight infants than in those who had a normal amount of weight and fat on their bodies.

It seems logical that babies who counterbalance more than have increased difficulty in mobility as they have more weight to move around and elevator off the ground.

What parents tin practice: Encourage a baby's movements by playing with them and placing their favorite toys and objects at a reasonable altitude from him to move towards.

8 Baby'south Clothes Are Uncomfortable

via Needpix.com

It stands to reason that if a baby is wearing uncomfortable dress, his or her mobility will exist reduced. Whether this may be a onesie that is too tight or socks that are too loose, the baby will be discouraged from itch or walking if he does not experience at ease and confident well-nigh his movements.

I impediment parents rarely think of that might limit the babe's progress in mobility is the diaper. Why would they? It makes things so much easier, correct? Well, according to ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, diapers innovate bulk between the legs, potentially exacerbating infants' poor balance and wide stance.

In that location is evidence that suggests that at that place is a link between the diapers that infants habiliment, besides as their power to clamber and walk. Information technology is possible that diapers might be disruptive to little ones who are nonetheless trying to larn how to walk.

Since crawling is too something that requires a lot of use of the legs, it's also possible that crawling could be afflicted by the diapers a baby wears. This is something parents might desire to go along in mind if their kid has not started crawling yet.

What parents can do: Moms and dads can make certain their infant is wearing comfortable wearing apparel he tin can move in with ease. These clothes should besides allow him to grip with his toes. They tin as well permit the baby clamber naked for a few minutes a day to encourage increased mobility.

vii Baby Moves In Other Means

via Air Force Medical Service

It is perfectly natural for moms and dads to begin worrying if their child is getting to the stage during which they believe that he or she should brainstorm itch, and yet they take not seen whatever evidence that their petty one is ready to crawl yet. Nonetheless, this is non always something that they should be especially concerned virtually since that does not necessarily mean something bad is going on.

According to parents.com, there are some babies out there who merely might non crawl at all, and that does not mean something is wrong with them. Just like adults, each infant is unique.

There are some children out there who are perfectly happy with finding other ways for themselves to move about on the floor. For case, if a little one does not crawl, they might practise something like use their bottom to scoot across the floor.

There are too other ways in which they tin show signs that they are condign mobile too. While it is understandable for moms and dads to worry about things like this, they really do not need to worry, especially if their little one is coming together all of the other milestones that lilliputian ones are supposed to encounter.

Some of those milestones include the babe pulling themselves up, besides equally learning what they can practice with their easily. If a child is doing all of that, he or she should be fine.

What parents can do: If they observe their baby is not mobile at all, they may desire to stimulate movements with simple exercises like stretching out the legs, back up him sitting up, or placing the palms of their hands behind the baby'south anxiety when he is on all fours.

6 Baby Was Built-in Prematurely

via Needpix.com

Being born prematurely can touch many different things. For those who do not know, a baby who is born earlier the 37th week of gestation is typically considered to be a premature babe, since most pregnancies tend to last approximately 40 weeks.

This is something that parents must go along in heed when they are trying to figure out when their little ane should be reaching certain milestones since a premature baby should not be expected to accomplish those milestones during the same point in their lives that a baby who was born at the end of a 40-week pregnancy would.

One must take a child's adjusted historic period into consideration when they are thinking about when the kid should be itch. That is considering premature babies who are 4 months old are non likely to be doing the same things that a non-premature 4-month-old baby is doing, according to webmd.com.

This but means that babies who are built-in a bit early are very likely to demand a little bit of extra time to begin doing certain things, and crawling might exist i of them. Being built-in prematurely can certainly accept an impact on when a babe starts to clamber, merely this is non something parents should worry about since they do usually catch upwardly to their peers.

What parents can do: Follow all suggestions for children born to term, but do non strength the baby to clamber if he is not physically gear up to move, nor compare him to babies born at full-term.

Hither Are 5 Reasons That May Be Cause For Concern If A Infant Is Not Crawling:

5 Baby's Legs Are Stiff (Hypertonicity)

via healthcare-online.org

Hypertonicity tin severely hinder a child from movement. Too known equally Stiff Baby Syndrome (SBS), hypertonia, or hyperexplexia, it occurs when muscles are extremely tight, according to katherinerosman.com. It is a serious thing because it is not only a physical problem merely a nerve and brain issue too.

Some babies who are built-in with Strong Baby Syndrome are unable to stretch their legs out, or fifty-fifty put their artillery over their heads. The but time their bodies are able to relax is when they are sleeping. In more extreme cases of SBS, it likewise becomes difficult for a baby to swallow.

Parents may also realize their babe holds his hands in fists or is unable to relax his legs. Likewise, he may accept difficulty releasing an object and moving from 1 position to another. Babies with SBS may as well cross their legs when they are being picked up.

The good news is that at this very young age, babies take the adequacy of re-routing their brains if therapy starts immediately after they go a diagnosis. Take annotation, however, that not all babies with strong legs may be affected by SBS, and sometimes daily massages at home may exist enough to release tension in the legs.

What parents can practice: The first thing a parent should do if they suspect their baby to exist afflicted by SBS is phone call the pediatrician. The doctor will well-nigh likely refer the babe to a concrete therapist who volition piece of work with the baby and the parents. Therapy may last for the elapsing of the child's development.

4 Baby's Legs Are Not Toned Or Are Weak

via Unsplash

While there are some babies that are hypertonic, there are also others that are the consummate reverse of that. While hypertonic babies are very rigid, hypotonic infants have poor musculus tone.

According to healthline.com, this condition is sometimes besides referred to as "floppy muscle syndrome." This is something that is typically very obvious at birth.

This is not something that is difficult to recognize since this condition affects a child's muscle forcefulness, as well as their brain. Information technology tin as well accept an impact on their motor nerves besides.

Ane thing parents should definitely know about this status is that it can touch on children of whatever historic period. Some of the signs that usually present themselves in a kid with this condition include a filibuster in itch (equally well as other milestones), in improver to poor caput control and poor reflexes.

What parents tin can practice: If they see that their baby is having some trouble when he is placed on his tummy and is unable to come into a tabletop position, they tin can initiate elementary muscle strengthening exercises for him to do at home. If they suspect the issue is much more serious, or if the child does not progress in his movements, then they should contact the pediatrician, who will then refer them to a specialist.

3 It Could Exist A Hip Trouble

via Public Domain Pictures

Babies want to start exploring their environs presently after they get out their mother's womb, but their bodies usually will not allow that to happen until their muscles and joints are set up for it. This is why near babies tend to clamber or scoot effectually on the floor earlier they begin to walk.

By the time a child reaches the historic period of 9 or ten months sometime, they should be itch. However, at that place are some things that can affect when a child starts doing this, such every bit bug with their hips.

According to dynamicchiropractic.com, a delay in crawling can be a sign of a serious problem. It could mean that the kid has congenital hip dislocation.

But on the other paw, this could signal to some other serious conditions as well. While a filibuster is itch is non always something parents need to be concerned about, information technology is something they should speak with their pediatrician most since information technology could be a sign of a serious underlying condition.

2 It Could Exist Cerebral Palsy

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If parents notice that their child has not started itch after a while, they should take the child to his or her pediatrician. While this is non always something that moms and dads should worry about, it tin also exist a sign that the picayune one has some kind of developmental disorder, such as cognitive palsy.

According to cerebralpalsyguide.com, this tin actually cause children to take a delay in many things, not just crawling. If they do non kick, or they take issues moving their eyes, that could be a sign that they have cerebral palsy. Other indicators of this condition are a failure to smiling after they have reached three months of age, as well as a delay in walking.

What parents tin do: Moms and dads who believe that their child might take a developmental motor disorder should speak to their pediatrician equally soon as they can. They should seek out i that is compassionate, as well as 1 that has plenty of feel in treating motor disorders.

one Baby Is Late In Other Milestones

via hatfielddcchgroup.org.uk

If a child is not crawling, but they are reaching other milestones, then they are probably fine. In cases like that, parents commonly do not have much to worry about.

But this can be a fleck more serious if the kid in question is also experiencing a delay with those other milestones. According to parenting.firstcry.com, a delay in certain milestones tin go along kids from starting to clamber. That is especially true for the ones that are supposed to develop the muscles a child has in their neck.

What parents do: Parents tin watch their child to run into if they reach any other of import milestones. If they suspect their baby is not reaching other of import developmental milestones, they should make an engagement with the pediatrician.

READ NEXT: 5 Normal Reasons Why A Baby Might Not Be Walking (& 5 Signs That Should Be Cause For Business)

Sources: Kidshealth.com, Inquire Dr. Sears, Parenting.firstcry.com, Healthychildren.org, Zippo To Three, The New York Times, Today's Parent, Kidsinthehouse, Healthline, Reuters, NCBI, Parents, WebMD, Katherine Rosman, Dynamic Chiropractic, Cerebral Palsy Guide

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