My baby won’t crawl!!

I have a 9 1/2mth old daughter who is still fairly immobile. I'm not terribly bothered but Plunket is keen to have her crawling as soon as possible as she is getting quite confident at walking aided.

She is happy to have TT for a few minutes at a time but no more, won't get up on her hands and knees (though she has done it once so can) and only moves in circles while on her tummy. While having TT she will lift her arms and legs up in mid-air and rock on her belly from side to side, but this doesn't take her anywhere.

I do not enable her by bringing things to her and always leave things just out of reach while having TT, she just gets frustrated and gives up in a ball of anger.

Plunket told me to force her up onto her hands and knees a few times per day so that she gets used to the position and will eventually assume it herself. I have been doing this at least once a day over the past month and she just gets angry until I release my hold on her and she flops back down onto her tummy.

Is there more I can be doing??? Help?

Thanks for your support Emma, congrats on another beautiful little girl BTW!

I assume that Plunket want her crawling so that she learns, oh what's it a called? when they can move both side i.e. left hand and right leg at the same time, can't remember what it is called. Anyway I was told that to help with this you can lie her on her back and bring her left leg up to meet her right hand and right leg to meet left hand.

Plunket are there to help but they do to a certain degree try and pigeon hole our kids. I think you need to listen to what they say, take it with a grain of salt and then follow what you think is best for you and your baby. I am sure that she will crawl/bottom shuffle/whatever in her own time

Daniel only just started crawling "properly" when he turned one.

He figured out a funny commando crawl and slowly got better and faster at that, then after he turned 1 he decided he would try crawling.

Josh was about 10 month when he finally decided to crawl properly (up on hands and knees), he had been comando crawling for months (was teaching daddy how to do it ). I must have a wonderful plunket nurse as she wasn't concerned about Josh's lack or proper crawling.

I definitely wouldnt' put any pressure on her, just let her do it in her own time. perhaps stop with the walking aided time and put her on the floor every chance you get. Does she sit up?

I think in this instance let your girl do things in her own time. Cooper has only just started crawling at 10.5mths.

You are doing a great job, just let her do it when she's ready.

crawling is one of the few developmental stages that can be skipped totally and there are no developmental issues .. Plunket sometimes freaks parents out for no reason:(

According to my "bible" - Your Baby and Child - Penelope Leach, you have nothing to worry about.

"It is not unusual for some babies to be immobile sitters on their first birthday"

I like Plunket, but some of the advice I've been given has been a little off.

At Hannah's 5 month check I was told not to give her solids as her tummy isn't ready for it.
When I mentioned I'd been giving her solids - and she loved them - for a month, the nurse then said "Well, that's great!"
So.... hmmm

edited for spelling

Edited by MamaPickle

LOL, yes my little girl is a bit 'rotund' too! Lucky I could just laugh about the lazy baby thing. A girl from my coffee group was told the same thing, and she almost belted the plunket nurse!

Stuff Plunket's advice (on this occasion)!!! My DD1 and DD3 both didn't crawl until 10mos. The oldest one just wasn't interested and my youngest one was big and seemed to need more time to co-ordinate. Even then, my DD1 only crawled for about 3 weeks because she preferred aided walking. She's totally fit and able now though!