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At what age does the baby begin to crawl on his stomach and all fours. When the baby begins to crawl on his stomach, on the bellies and on all fours The baby crawls at 1 month

“Top, top, baby stomps,” is sung in a cheerful children's song. This event will take place about a year after the birth of the child, and by that time he will have time to master many other useful skills.

Before they start walking, children try to move by crawling from place to place. Why and when does a baby start crawling? Do all kids need to be able to do this?

When does it start crawling?

A newborn baby from the first minutes of life begins to learn about the world around him. He examines everything around, listens, touches and tastes any thing that he can reach. And now, when there are no unexplored secrets in the reach of the hand, natural inquisitiveness encourages the baby to show interest in other subjects.

This period of active cognitive activity begins somewhat earlier than children learn to walk. Therefore, in order to reach a bright toy or mother's mobile phone, the baby tries to move forward in other ways available to him.

At first, he starts to get good at rolling on his side and on his stomach. Then he will be able, pushing off with a leg or handle, turn around in the other direction, move forward or backward. And when the baby finally understands and masters his new abilities, he will learn to crawl in the direction he needs.

Usually, the first attempts to crawl are noted in children from the age of five months. By the age of seven months, the most active and persistent babies are able to crawl rather long distances.

Such data on how many months a child begins to crawl cannot be considered the norm, since in infancy the development of children occurs purely individually.

The period when the baby begins to crawl depends on several criteria:

Degree development of the musculoskeletal system. The faster the muscles of the arms and back get stronger, the more confident the child will feel, leaning on the handles, and will soon begin to crawl.
Degree development of the nervous system. Comprehension of the principle of movement by crawling is the result of hard work of the brain. By this time, the infant should have formed neural connections responsible for the coordination of movements, the development of a sense of space and distance.
Development features. Each child explores the world around him at his own pace. Some give preference to tactile sensations and then they begin to crawl earlier. Others immediately want to observe and only then try to touch.

In addition, it is believed that the time period at which girls begin to crawl begins a little earlier than for boys. It has also been found that premature babies do this a little later, at about ten months of age.

Body type. It is usually harder for chubby little ones to learn to crawl, so this process may take longer for them.
Stimulation. Creating favorable conditions for the formation of the ability to crawl can contribute to the earlier development of this skill.

Thus, it is impossible to accurately predict when the baby will learn to crawl. It often happens that a child at 8 months is not yet crawling, but is already beginning to learn to stand, step over from object to object. He may not need to crawl at all.

Crawling methods

The peanut chooses the method of movement for itself, depending on how it is more convenient for him or how he likes it. There are three main ways to crawl:

on the stomach;
in a plastunsky way;
On knees.

However, the baby cannot rise, but, on the contrary, presses his stomach to the floor. It is more likely to be called poking.

With this method, the baby cannot move quickly. Often, crawling on his stomach, he does not move forward, but backward. The ability to crawl in this way strengthens the muscles of the back and neck well, helps get rid of intestinal colic and improves the functioning of the digestive tract. For other methods of getting rid of colic, see the course Soft tummy >>>

The way when a child begins to crawl in a bellies way is very similar to how adults do it.

The main differences from the previous crawling model are in the movement of the legs. The baby, lying on his stomach, spreads his legs wide and bends them at the knees. And then, starting from the floor, straightens the legs and thus moves forward. At the same time, he rises on his hands, pulling the body.

Crawling helps children develop alternation skills and is an excellent prevention of hip dysplasia.

Crawling on all fours is considered the most difficult way, because the child must keep his body in an elevated position. In addition, he needs to be able to keep balance, coordinate his movements.

"On knees"

At first, the baby performs all movements not very confidently, often standing in one place, swaying back and forth. However, when he fully masters the technique of crawling on all fours, he will move quite quickly. This method is very useful for forming the curves of the spine, the ability to correctly distribute the load on the body during movement and control the direction of movement.

The kid can immediately learn the most elementary way of crawling, and then move on to another technique. The most difficult is the ability to crawl "cross" method.

Refusal to crawl: is there any reason to be wary

The ability to crawl is very important for the development of the baby. If the child does not want to crawl, do not ignore this, considering crawling simply as a transitional stage between sitting and walking.

After all, when the baby begins to crawl, the first signs of independence are formed, he has more freedom and opportunities.

In addition, crawling is very useful for:

training of the muscles of the back and limbs;
the formation of the skeleton and the development of the musculoskeletal system;
development of coordination of movements and the ability to navigate in space;
preparation for upright walking;
improvement of psychomotor development (when crawling with support on the palms, the child receives a large number of tactile sensations);
development of the nervous system, brain.

The ability to crawl affects the development of the cerebral hemispheres, a strong relationship is established between them and there is no predominance of one of them over the other. Children who have learned to crawl, have the ability to both the exact sciences and the humanities, have creative inclinations.

Neurologists believe that the crawling period is more important for the development of the child's nervous system than the first steps.

Also, the ability to crawl has a positive effect on the timely development of speech, the absence of speech therapy problems.

Therefore, if the baby has no desire to crawl at the age of 8 months, it is advisable to establish the cause of this behavior and try to correct the situation (it must be remembered that the period at which boys begin to crawl may come a little later).

The reluctance to crawl can be caused by several factors.

Health problems. There may be muscle weakness, deviations in the development of the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system.
Temperament. Children show their curiosity and activity to varying degrees. Some people like to watch more than trying to reach and touch an object. Such a baby does not express much interest in crawling.
Finding in closed space. Spending most of the time in the crib, the baby simply does not understand that there is a large and interesting world outside of it that he can explore.
The child is not allowed to lie on his stomach. It is not necessary to lay the child on the stomach on purpose, but you need to stimulate his activity by any means.
Weight. Even full children will try to move in all available ways. Most often, a large child does not crawl on all fours. , because it is difficult for him to keep his body.
No need to crawl. Too diligent parents take care of their child so much that they rush to help him in any situation. The baby simply does not need to try to get something, because the mother helpfully presents everything that only he is interested in.

In most cases, the reason for the reluctance to crawl is not very serious and the problem can be solved. The main thing is to know how to teach a child to crawl and show a little patience.

Crawling is a natural reflex that is present in children from birth, but fades over time. Therefore, parents do not need to try to teach their toddler to crawl. It is enough to create the necessary conditions for him and simply observe the behavior of the baby, only slightly directing his actions.

Important to remember! Before trying to teach a child to crawl, make sure that the child is developing normally and has no health problems.

The help of parents should be as follows.

To make the child want to crawl:

often put it on the floor, surrounding it with interesting things and moving objects;
you need to interest, beckon him with a bright toy or a ringing rattle;
in the process of trying to learn to crawl, it is important to praise the baby more often and cheer;
as a role model to demonstrate to him how to crawl.

Develop the musculoskeletal system:

do a firming massage (if the child has problems with physical development, you should contact the services of a professional massage therapist);
do gymnastics with the baby (the simplest exercises should be started from the first month after birth);
to wear correctly.

Learn to navigate in space and control your body:

learn special exercises (coups, "frog", etc.);
fitball exercises, roller exercises (the most effective way to teach a child to crawl on all fours);

Ensure compliance with safety precautions and hygiene requirements:

put the baby on a clean floor covered with a rug or blanket (no need to learn to crawl on the bed or lay a mattress on the floor);
remove items that the baby can pull to the floor, shorten long curtains;
remove small and sharp objects;
remove cords from electrical appliances, power extension cords and carrying;
dress the baby in clothes that will not hamper his movements.

Compliance with all these points will soon lead to positive results. The most important thing for parents is to understand: in order to start crawling, the baby must want it himself, and you should not expect any effect from ordinary training.

When a baby appears in the family, parents look forward to when he learns to smile, hold his head, then roll over, sit down and crawl. The next big event, of course, will be the first steps. Each new skill is of great importance, and therefore moms and dads are anxious about the timing of the appearance of certain motor skills. In this article, we will talk about the time when a child begins to sit and crawl and whether these skills can be influenced.

Physiology of Skills

It is rather difficult to answer the question of parents when exactly the baby should master crawling movements and sitting. Each toddler is an individual, a personality that develops according to its own laws and patterns. Therefore, all tables with standards exist only for pediatricians, since the children's doctor looks at your baby as one of the average babies. But this is only at first glance.

A thoughtful specialist will never declare a delay in physical development on the basis that the baby does not sit at 7 months or does not crawl at 8 months, because the child can have many reasons for this.

The baby begins to crawl and sit when his bone and muscle systems, as well as the ligaments and joints involved in these processes, are sufficiently mature and strong. For the skill of crawling, developed muscles of the abdomen and neck, arms and legs are needed, for sitting, sufficiently strengthened muscles of the back, abdomen, neck and arms are needed. Naturally, no newborn has such muscles, they grow and get stronger as the child grows. If parents from the first days pay enough attention to the physical development of the baby, do massage and do age-related gymnastics, then the chances of earlier mastering new skills are noticeably increased.

According to average standards, average healthy children begin to sit after six months, at 7 months with support, and at 8 without support. By 10 months, babies are usually great at the difficult task of sitting up from a lying position. With crawling, things are a little more complicated - some children bypass this stage altogether, and some begin with it. The average standards that exist in pediatrics say that a child can learn to crawl from 5 months on his stomach, from 7 months to 9 months - on all fours.

But the norms are the norms, and your child, it is possible, has his own plans for further development, especially since so many factors influence the speed of mastering new motor skills.

What can have an impact?

First of all, the well-being and health of your baby matters. If the baby was born prematurely, he will begin to comprehend the wisdom of changing the position of the body in space much later than his peers. Not because he is lazier, weaker, but because his bone and muscle tissue needs more time to prepare for a new type of load. The child is not his own enemy, he will never even think of doing what he is physically unable to do.

Painful, often ill peanuts, children with congenital diseases also sit down and crawl later than healthy babies. Children with neurological disorders can “swing” for a particularly long time.

The body weight of the little one also matters, and the most immediate. Plump, overweight children experience quite natural difficulties in maintaining their own weight in a new position, their spine simply does not provide for a new load in such a volume, it needs a little more time to prepare. They will crawl and sit down, but later.

The nature and innate temperament of the baby dictate his behavior and motivation. Sleepy, somewhat slow and lazy phlegmatic and melancholic sit down, crawl and walk later than mobile, active, inquisitive representatives of the sanguine or choleric personality type.

Much depends on what conditions for the development of the child were created by the parents themselves. And this is perhaps the only thing that mom and dad, worried about the development of the child, can have a direct impact on. A child who is kept more often in a crib or playpen while awake is unlikely to be motivated enough to start exploring the world. For the time being, he will be quite comfortable in a limited space.

The crumbs will simply not need to sit or crawl somewhere, mastering the skill will slow down. If parents provide for a certain freedom of movement for the baby during periods of wakefulness, hang toys at a certain distance from him, then the baby will really need to get to them, and therefore he will simply have to look for ways to do this. There are two ways - to get it out of a sitting position or crawl and take it. Naturally, a certain freedom of the baby needs in constant supervision by adults so that the baby is not injured.

Boys or girls - who is faster?

On thematic forums and in communication with each other, mothers often attribute certain abilities to sons and daughters. It is said that girls learn new skills faster because boys are lazier. Another opinion is that girls should be placed later than boys due to possible reproductive health risks.

In fact, there is no scientifically explainable difference between the development of physical skills in infants of both sexes. Children develop at about the same rate, provided that they are healthy, full-term, do not have problems with overeating and being overweight. Regarding the seating of girls and boys, it should be said that both of them are not recommended to be planted for at least six months. At all. No way.

The consequences can be quite sad - the pelvic bones can be injured. Girls in this case may indeed have problems in the future with bearing their own children. And for a boy, such an injury is extremely undesirable.

Can children be taught skills?

This question is the most important. For some reason, it is believed that a mother who simply waits for the child to sit down or crawl is irresponsible and callous. But the mother hen, who cannot wait and almost from 3 months begins to prepare the child for sitting and crawling, and best of all immediately for walking, well done and an example to follow. The formation of such a stereotype is largely facilitated by women's forums, after five minutes of attending which a normal mother becomes a nervous woman with an inferiority complex and a sense of guilt.

Is it okay to do nothing? Yes, it is normal. Many pediatricians, including Dr. Komarovsky, whose professional advice is trusted by millions of mothers around the world, argue that sitting and crawling skills should be formed in a completely natural way and at the age that nature provides for this in relation to a particular child.

Excessive activity of parents "helping" the child often harms - dynamic gymnastics, inaccurate exercise, forced sitting down are fraught with serious injuries. First of all, with early verticalization, the baby's spine suffers, which is not ready for vertical loading. Compression deformations of the vertebrae may occur, and later intervertebral hernias may appear. Many children who were seated early or placed on four limbs for crawling later develop scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, gait disturbances, and deformity of the limbs. This is especially true for children who spent a lot of time in jumpers at an early age, and then stomped in walkers.

Parents have invented enough methods for “helping” young children. Now pediatricians are urging them to come to their senses and give the kids the opportunity to develop on their own.

How then to help, you ask. Do a daily restorative massage, include techniques for well-defined muscle groups - on the back, on the stomach, on the arms and legs, on the neck muscles. Do exercises, gymnastics, include exercises in the training complexes that again contribute to the development of the necessary muscle groups, but not to the mechanical acquisition of a new skill.

In order for a child to quickly master new movements on his own, he must better keep a balance, so his vestibular apparatus needs to be developed. Exercises on a gymnastic ball (fitball) will help. Communicate with your child more often, teach him to be interested in the world around him, show how much interesting things there are in him, and then the baby will certainly have an incentive to learn new skills.

Bathe the child, harden it, walk outside more often, do not overfeed it. See a doctor on time and do not self-medicate. He will do the rest himself. Severe pathologies of the musculoskeletal system that interfere with sitting or crawling occur infrequently. Parents usually become aware of them almost immediately after the birth of the baby. If you have not been given such diagnoses, calm down and just wait.

Calculate your feeding schedule

That it is useful for a small child to crawl, I had no doubt. However, raising this topic when communicating with young and already experienced mothers, one can hear such opinions that "most children do not crawl", that "if they crawl, they will go later", and it is easier with a baby sitting still, therefore "does not crawl - and good".

That it is useful for a small child to crawl, I had no doubt. However, raising this topic when communicating with young and already experienced mothers, one can hear such opinions that "most children do not crawl", that "if they crawl, they will go later", and it is easier with a baby sitting still, therefore "does not crawl - and good". I completely disagree with such opinions, and in this article I will try to explain my position.

When crawling, the baby develops physically, almost all muscles are strengthened, especially the shoulder girdle, arms, spinal region, coordination of movements improves, and as a result, intelligence increases. Imagine a six-month-old baby who jerks his limbs while lying on his tummy or back, rolls over from side to side, and this is where his basic physical skills (not counting fine motor skills) end. It resembles a whale washed ashore.

And it’s a completely different matter when the same six-month-old himself cuts through the expanses of the premises allotted to him, he makes decisions on where to go, and opens up new horizons. Moreover, all children have an innate reflex to crawl, and this is completely natural for them.

The most important thing is that the baby begins to think, firstly, where and why should he crawl, and, secondly, how best to do it. He realizes that he can move from place to place, get an object that is not only at arm's length, but also much further, and this distance is not an obstacle for him. At the same time, the baby himself chooses the style that is more convenient for him to crawl.

You may notice that on different surfaces - carpet, parquet, kitchen tiles - the child crawls in different ways. And the crawling styles themselves are different for each child. However, one of the most efficient and fastest forms of crawling is cross crawling, where one arm and opposite leg lift off the floor together, step forward, and land together. In this case, the child clearly maintains balance. When the baby masters this technique, the problems of accidental "skids" and falls go away on their own, and the child can eventually practically run on all fours.

In addition, the development of fine motor skills can also be attributed to another benefit of crawling, since a large field of activity opens up for the study of various small details with the handles, such as the fringe of the carpet, cracks and uneven parquet, and any objects lying on the floor. The constant contact of the palms with various surfaces massages them better than any massage, and yet they have a lot of nerve endings. And besides this, crawling is the best cure for increased muscle tone.

In order for a child to crawl in a timely manner, two basic rules must be observed: firstly, do not interfere with him in this, and secondly, help him, direct his actions in the right direction.

What does it mean not to interfere? Naturally, I think it never occurred to anyone to create obstacles for a child who was starting to crawl. I mean something else. While in the crib or in the playpen, the child is safe and comfortable, but from about 4.5 months, the floor should be the permanent residence during wakefulness. It seems that it is still early, that the floor is not quite the right place for such a crumb, but already at this age the walls of the crib or playpen, limiting freedom, will hinder movement and slow down development. At first, the floor should still be soft. I laid a sheet on the floor and a blanket on top, and my daughter was quite comfortable, and I was calmer.

Particular attention should be paid to clothing. I must say that almost any clothing hinders movement and thus prevents crawling, and the more it is, the worse. For a good grip on the floor, the arms and legs of the child should be bare. But at first, when the child is just starting to crawl, his delicate skin, especially on his knees, begins to wear out and blush, so pants must be worn. A light blouse can also not hurt. But I would not advise wearing socks, as they are very slippery, and, pushing off with their feet, the child massages them very well.

So baby on the floor. But you don’t notice any actions aimed at manifesting cravings for crawling. Naturally, after all, as a rule, in order for the baby to crawl, you need to make a lot of effort, and most importantly, you need to be patient and not be upset if the child does not crawl as fast as you would like.

Here are a few tips that I hope will help your baby master the crawling technique.

Communicate as little as possible with the baby lying on the floor, from the top down position. The more you lie, play and somersault next to him, the more comfortable and free he will feel.
It is very good if the older child shows your baby how to crawl. The urge to imitate is highly developed in children. If this is not possible, do not worry! You yourself can become an object to follow: get on all fours and go! I honestly admit that when I myself, thinking that there is nothing easier, tried to crawl, I was unpleasantly surprised: in addition to pain in my knees, the pattern of our synthetic carpet was also imprinted on them, and I, tangled in a dressing gown, almost hit my nose about gender. So it's not as easy as it seems! And the child, not appreciating my efforts, continued to twitch his limbs, lying on his belly. But this is only at first, later it is very interesting for the baby to play, crawling after his mother.
Put the toy out of reach of the child lying on the tummy, create support for his legs bent at the knees so that he can push off, reaching for the toy. In general, a child needs some motivating goal for movement, and this goal must be created. For example, my daughter could not budge in any way, no matter what toys we just put in front of her. She wanted to, but she didn’t succeed, and from this she began to get upset and angry. And when we put a vase of sweets in front of her, she suddenly jerked off and crawled to the vase.
Roll the mattress into a rigid roller and fix it in this position with a rope. Such a roller is very convenient for both exercises and games. Place the roller under the child’s chest and take the legs with your hands, while the handles rest on the floor. Roll the child back and forth so that he makes stepping movements with his arms. And you can also put such a roller under the child’s chest, and then his arms become free, and it is very convenient for him to play.
Get a professional massage course. Massage will help strengthen your baby's muscles and prepare him for crawling and sitting.
If the baby crawls "on the belly" and does not get on all fours in any way, then you can help him get up. To do this, when the baby is lying on his stomach, you need to pull his legs to his stomach and spread them apart, while the arms rest on the floor. In this position, our daughter sat several times a day, then she began to lift her ass and sway, not daring to take a step, and then there was a vase of sweets mentioned above.
Never force your child to do something he doesn't like. All your exercises should be in the form of a game and give the baby pleasure.

Be sure to take into account that each baby is an individual, and when and how to develop, he will tell you himself. You just have to look and understand it. And, of course, do not forget about security measures.

Crawl and enjoy new discoveries!

Personal experience

Zhanna Astralenko

Comment on the article "On the benefits of crawling"

My Nastenka crawled on the plastus at 4 months, and from 5 she got on all fours and began to crawl confidently and quickly. Now she is 9 months old and she walks on her own. They didn't stimulate her to crawl, they only put her on the floor. All the time I played either on a huge straightened sofa or on the floor

20.07.2008 22:08:04,

My daughter is 3 months old. She is actively trying to crawl. The handles are still weak and the fists are not unclenched, but such a thirst for knowledge of the world around us is simply amazing. Thanks to the author of the article, now I understand it is necessary to do a massage and everything will work out

28.12.2006 17:46:31,

My son crawled at 5.5. They did the massage, and then I myself showed him how to crawl. Crawled immediately on all fours and forward. Now he is 6.5, dissecting all over the apartment, chasing poor cats :) And he crawls after me wherever I go :) it’s very convenient, because you can’t carry 10 kg much anymore :) The only thing that bothers me is that he has one leg puts on a knee, and the second on a step. Oh well, if it's convenient for him.. :)
In general, I believe that crawling is an obligatory stage in human development!

12/17/2006 11:55:26 AM, kopusha

Total 16 messages .

When to expect the first attempts

In fact, it is very difficult and difficult for a child. But over time, having mastered this way of movement, he develops not only thinking, but also motor skills, speech develops more actively, more rapidly, and, of course, the muscles of the whole body strengthen.

It is desirable that the child does not miss the stage of crawling (he can go right away). From the side of physiology, in this case, we can talk about weak back muscles and a heavy load on the fragile children's spine. Parents should stimulate the desire of the baby to move and properly prepare him for this.

The question of when a child should crawl confidently can only be answered approximately. All children go through this period individually, but there is an approximate table that pediatricians offer as a guide. The age periods when the little ones begin to crawl are as follows: the first attempts are possible by 5 months, and active crawling begins from 8–9 months.

Basic stages of crawling

The first thing a baby does is start holding its head, and thereby strengthens and develops the back muscles, preparing the body for a new period in development.

Stage 1 - start

The newborn tries to move on his stomach, bending his arms under his chest and straightening his back, the legs are not actively involved in this process.

Parents should independently expose the baby's arms under the chest, showing movements and teaching them to lean on them correctly. At the same time, you can bend both legs at the same time and put a support for the feet with your own hands, for this it is enough to put a flat palm under his feet. It should look like the frog is jumping.

Parents should not make sudden movements, make efforts and push the baby with their palm. The newborn must independently feel, try and consolidate the movement. Mom and dad are just helpers in this matter.

If the child crawls on his stomach, and it is clear that he is trying to push off with his feet, you should not speed up the process, you must patiently observe and monitor his safety.

Stage 2 - consolidation of skills

For many children, at this stage there is a kind of “freezing”. Don't worry, it's very good. It is important to understand that during this period the child’s brain work is turned on and he consolidates his skills. At this stage, the child should begin to stand on all fours.

It is impossible to say exactly how many months the child begins to crawl on all fours: some parents at the age of 5–6 months, others at 7–8 months. But by this time, the baby should learn to tuck his legs under him and lean well on both hands.

Most of them, standing on both limbs, begin to sway for a long time, as if preparing to jump. At this moment, children feel their possibilities and strive to take a new step in their achievements. When the baby swings, he trains the muscles of the back, legs and arms. These actions only strengthen his body and, of course, this is a sure sign that he is ready to actively crawl. At this stage, the baby’s hands remain leading: he first tries to rearrange the handles in turn and then moves his legs towards them.

Parents should provide a not very hard, but not soft plane on which to crawl, since there is no good support for the hands on the bed or in the arena, respectively, there will be less confidence in the movements. During the rocking period, the mother can gently hold the baby by the sides and point forward a little, as if stimulating movement.

Another important point is the principles of achieving the goal. It is worth developing them from infancy. To do this, you need to lay out the toys in front of the baby so that he can reach them, and therefore achieve his goal. When the child began to crawl, then the things of interest to him are also placed at such a distance that he mastered the path to them. Over time, the distance is increased, thereby forcing him to show a desire to achieve the goal.

Stage 3 - active movement

At this stage, the baby should begin to crawl. For some, this period may occur at the age of 6–7 months, but most often it occurs by 8–10 months. He actively learns to cross-move his arms and legs, movements become coordinated and more confident. The correct movements are those when the right leg comes forward after the left hand. The image on the right shows an incorrect rearrangement of arms and legs.

Once again, it is worth recalling that you do not need to compare the successes of your children, in which month they have certain achievements, with others. Everyone has different and highly individual internal processes that lead to physical and psychological development. Here it is worth focusing on the fact that in children under one year old, physical and psychological development goes inextricably. They crawl and get to know the world around them, touch objects, get new emotions. At the same time, certain knowledge is fixed in them.

Knowing the patterns in the development of your child is simply necessary to understand his inner world and needs. There are several recommendations that should be followed during this period of a baby's life.

Possible reasons for the delay

It should be said right away that these norms are conditional, because the physical abilities of the child play a big role. We must not forget that all babies perceive the world around them differently - it is he who is an important goal in cognition and the desire to crawl out to that thing.

With a large weight, the baby begins to crawl much later than his peers. The problem of overweight often lies in improper feeding, genetic predisposition or metabolism. If a child is born prematurely, then motor skills develop with some delay, which also leads to a later start of crawling.

In any case, everything should take place within a certain framework of development norms. That is why there are instructions and tips for parents on how to help the little man learn to move on all fours by attracting his attention. The first attempts, as a rule, will begin when the child sees a bright unattainable toy and tries to reach it, which will make him crawl. It will be hard for him, but interest, in the end, will make him reach the colorful goal. It is important here not to move the toy too far away so that the baby does not lose interest in it.

As soon as the child begins to roll over and spin around on its axis on the bed, mom and dad should help him and properly fold the handles under the chest for support. This is done so that the child knows how to crawl correctly.

All children, as a rule, go through certain stages of mastering the skills of crawling. It happens that some of them skip one of the stages and learn faster, and some stay at one of the stages for a long time.

How to help your baby learn to crawl

By far, the most common method of strengthening muscles and learning to crawl is massage. It should be performed by a qualified specialist who has experience in working with infants and knows massage programs to strengthen various muscles of the body. As soon as the children begin to move and hold their head, the pediatrician can already recommend a course of massage.

This happens around the age of 3 months. In the presence of tremor or muscle tone, the specialist will perform a certain course of massage. Such a course will help strengthen the body and certain muscle groups, with insufficient development of which the development of crawling will be delayed. Massage is usually done in the morning. At the same time, the mother receives useful recommendations for conducting independent gymnastics with the baby.

The question of how many months babies start crawling should not be decisive for parents. Let your baby do it a little later than others, but he will do it correctly and without heavy stress on the body. In the near future, this will greatly help its development.

It is also worth mentioning auxiliary methods for the physical development of infants:

Fitball gymnastics. It is better to perform it after the massage therapist or pediatrician demonstrates the movements to you. Children of this age should be handled very carefully. There are a number of different exercises for children up to a year old, to strengthen different muscle groups. For each period, you need to choose the right exercises on the ball.
Swimming. Now many mothers have the opportunity to attend baby swimming. This is an ideal option for the physical development of babies, because water is a very close environment for babies, they can easily move in it, performing various exercises. Many people practice swimming in the bath using special circles that support the neck of the baby.
Games for the development of motor skills. Stroking the palms and soles of the feet will help activate and stimulate the nerve endings that contribute to mental and physical development. Everyone knows what role the development of motor skills plays, therefore, with every morning hygiene procedures and air baths, it is worth making it a rule to carry out fun and exciting exercises. It also depends on how many months the child will begin his confident attempts to crawl.

As the child begins to actively crawl and move from one room to another, first of all, it is necessary to create complete safety for him. If there are wires somewhere, for example, from a computer and other electronic devices, then it is worth protecting access to them. For electrical outlets, there are special plugs, for doors - holders and limiters that will protect the baby when exploring the surrounding space.

We repeat once again that the question of what time children begin to crawl should be very conditional for parents. Of course, there are certain limits, but you should not rush your child, everything has its time. The main thing is that the baby crawls, because some children do not crawl at all, but immediately try to stand on their feet.

Maybe it's a desire to imitate older brothers and sisters, or often being in an upright position in a crib, holding on to the sides, in an arena, or the ambitions of adults. But this is not good for the correct formation of the spine. Therefore, the task of parents is to create conditions for the development of crawling skills: it is desirable that it be a floor or a large bed, interesting objects should be in the vicinity and there should be no dangerous ones. It is important that the child can crawl enough, and the parents do not try to put him on fragile legs ahead of time.

Another important point to pay attention to is the crawling technique. If parents began to notice that the baby is not crawling on all fours, but in a plastunsky way, then try to prevent this skill from gaining a foothold in him. To do this, lay out small objects on the way of the baby - obstacles, so that he has a desire to raise his body by crawling over them. Or put the baby in a diaper and teach him to crawl correctly, slightly lifting his body by the diaper.

You can lay the baby on his stomach, placing a roller under him and rock him back and forth. The same movements can be performed on a fitball. The kid will reflexively rearrange his hands, strengthen his legs, learn to hold his body.

That's all. Now you know at what age children begin to crawl, why it is necessary to master this skill before walking, and what to do to make the child begin to crawl. Health to your child!

Very often, young parents are interested in whether their baby is developing correctly. In this regard, questions are not uncommon: when a child should be able to roll over, crawl, sit, walk, talk, and so on. Crawling is one of the first movement skills that allows the baby to better understand the world around him.

The ability to crawl (on the stomach, on all fours, on all fours) is a very important stage in the psychophysical development of a child in the first year of his life. It not only affects the development and strengthening of muscles and the spine, coordination of movements, but also helps the baby learn to control his body, think and make independent decisions. Neurologists note that the period of crawling is more important for the development of the nervous system than the stage of the first steps. The ability to crawl is important for the development of the cerebral hemispheres, it has a positive effect on the timely development of speech, develops motor skills.

As a rule, after three months of age, the baby learns to roll over from the back to the tummy. When he learns to stay in this position for a while, he will be able to see around him many new objects unfamiliar to him. Quite often, the desire not only to get a better look, but also to touch, to try an unfamiliar object is a catalyst for crawling. At first, the child moves on his stomach. So the baby can move not only forward, but also to the side or back. The next step may be an attempt to master a new way of crawling: get on all fours, putting your hands forward, and then alternately pull your legs up. Sometimes this way of movement resembles jumping. The next step is cross crawling. When the child has already clearly mastered the coordination of movements and moves on all fours, putting forward first the right arm and left leg, and then vice versa. This stage of crawling requires not only sufficiently strong muscles of the arms and back, but also a certain level of development of the nervous system. So the body prepares for the next stage of development - walking. By this time (7-9 months), the baby, as a rule, is already trying or even able to sit down on his own.

Medical sources mention that the age at which most children begin to crawl (by any means) varies from 5 to 9 months. However, young mothers often write on Internet forums that their baby has already learned to crawl on his stomach and move like a caterpillar at 4-5 months, while others lament that their child at 8-9 months “does not even think” about crawling. Like any other skill, crawling becomes relevant for the baby just when he is ready for it not only physically, but also mentally. The child learns to know the world, to control his body. And everyone has their own time for this. Not all children learn to crawl and walk, “like a book writes”, some “jump” certain stages. There are children who did not crawl, but immediately began to rise to their feet and try to walk. Some people linger in the crawl phase longer than others.

The well-known pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky, in his books on children's health, confirms this opinion and reminds that children will independently cope with such tasks as "sitting, crawling, standing and walking." According to the doctor, the baby should want to do all this himself. In the first year of life, you do not need to “teach” him all this or train him. “Let him lie or crawl for an extra month,” says Dr. Komarovsky. After all, standing and walking is a rather large load on the spine, the child must be ready for it, and crawling is a natural and perhaps the best way of such preparation. As for the parental role in this process, it comes down to providing such living conditions for the baby, under which all of the above stages of physical development will not turn into “hard work”: hardening, muscle development, measures to prevent rickets and so on.

According to statistics, in the first year of life, girls are slightly ahead of boys in development. Therefore, as a rule, they begin to crawl and walk before boys. Parents' comments in most cases also confirm this. But, as already mentioned, each child is unique and develops according to his own "schedule".

Sometimes children do not show interest in independent movement even after 8-9 months. This happens if they have insufficiently developed muscles or the musculoskeletal system. If a child spends most of the time in a closed space (crib, playpen), then he simply does not know that there is something more interesting in the world, and does not feel the need to move. Later, crumbs with a calm character also learn to crawl. They like to observe more than touch new objects, and therefore often show no interest in movement. Toddlers with more weight also begin to move later than their peers. Sometimes a child does not crawl because the parents immediately give him everything that interests him, and he does not have the need to strive somewhere. All these reasons can be eliminated if desired. And also to create conditions for your child under which crawling will become an interesting new experience for him.

First of all, you need to provide the baby with the conditions for the correct development of the musculoskeletal system. Namely: try to do the simplest exercises for arms and legs with him, starting from the first months of his life. It is necessary to take it in the right hands. If necessary, you can resort to the help of a children's masseur. You can do special exercises to teach the child to control his body: “frog”, flips from back to stomach. Fitball exercises are very useful for the spine. In addition, swaying on a large ball can relieve colic.

Pediatricians often advise parents to stimulate the baby to crawl a little. For example, you can put a new bright object or a favorite toy in his field of vision. Close, but so that the baby could not immediately take it. Then he will try to get to her on his own. On parent forums, you can also find recommendations on how to teach a child to crawl. It is often advised to show by personal example how to crawl. This can be done by mom, dad or older brother. If the baby managed to make at least a little progress, he should definitely be praised. When the little one has already learned to move, you can complicate the task a little by placing small barriers in his way, for example, by putting a towel rolled up with a roller. Children love to overcome obstacles.

The most important thing to remember is that the task of parents is to help the baby and create conditions for him that are comfortable for life and development. And a healthy and happy child will definitely learn everything necessary at the right time.

Especially for - Ksenia Boyko

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