Not Crawling but Scooting

Updated on July 30, 2010
K.T. asks from Joliet, IL
21 answers

My 10 month old daughter does not crawl but she scoots around on her little butt. She can pull herself up and scoot along furniture. I was concern at first but her pedi reassured me she was doing just find and I shouldn't worry. At this rate she will probably walk before ahe crawls...LOL. Do you ladies have any crawling, scooting, or walking stories you'd like to share with me?

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P.G.

answers from Dallas on

Mine liked to scoot on his back - he'd just push himself along with his legs. It was pretty funny :)

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M.A.

answers from Chicago on

Crawling isn't a necessary developmental milestone. They can totally skip it. Also, there are twenty-something identified forms of crawling, so what she's doing would probably be counted as crawling.

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C.C.

answers from Little Rock on

All of my family says that I NEVER crawled or scooted. I pulled myself up and I was off to running. Mom said that it was like I never took my first step. It was like I was partisipating in a cross counrty race. The funny thing about this to me is I HATE running!! I love to to jogging, but running YAH NO!

I wouldn't worry at all babies have away to surprise us all sometimes.

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J.M.

answers from Boston on

My daughter scooted, never ever crawled. She always liked having her hands free (still does, actually). She was a late walker (early talker) so she scooted until about 16 months when she figured out how to stand up and walk. She's now 5.5 years and can walk, run, hop with all the other kids. So yes, don't worry.

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L.B.

answers from Dallas on

My one year old is a scooter too and I think it is so cute!! She gets those legs going so fast that she is just as fast at scooting on her bum as her little friend is at crawling! I've gotten some good video of her doing it so she can look and laugh at it when she is older. I have tried to put her on her tummy so she can try to crawl but she just pushes into a sit position and starts scooting. Her pedi wasn't worried about it either and told me that crawling isn't an actual milestone that they measure.

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E.M.

answers from Bakersfield on

That is so funny! I only say this because my older sister was a scooter. So much so, that she had rug marks on her bum and the backs of her legs. And she never crawled. She went from scooting to walking. The doctor says now that it probably hurt her knees (her knees are sensitive and always have been) and so she found a way around it. Plus, we had wood and carpet, so she had a mixed media of sliding and scooting all over the place.
I am laughing as I type this and want to tell you not to worry. My big sis has amazing balance, walks very well, and is now trying to keep up with her 2 year old who didn't crawl until after he could pull himself up and try to walk. As long as your girl is progressing and you see her learning and she is getting around, I wouldn't worry so much. Especially if the doc says she is fine.
Good luck with your little scooter!

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L.A.

answers from Austin on

yep, O and my daughter scooted. I did not walk till me first birthday and our daughter walked at 6 months( yes, really).

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Y.C.

answers from New York on

My baby was a scooter too. I try many things to help her learn how to crawl.
I put a scarf around her tummy and hold her enough up so she could put her knees and arms, me and my older daughter would crawl in front of her (she would just laugh out loud).
Go figures that one of the very few times I wasn't around she decide start crawling and dad took all the merit!
PS: He paid for that "mistake"

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J.C.

answers from Sacramento on

Many babys have their own styles of movement in besides crawling on all 4's and your babys style seems to work for her. If you want to reassure yourself you can, read up on ths ins come toddler/ infant/child development books.. My daughter, now a teen, tucked one leg under her bum and scooted on the other, she got around well. My 11 mo old niece has the same style of scooting so we laugh and say its in the genes not to do a regular crawl. Our daughter walked soon after turning 1, she went from that funny scoot for a few months to walking 10 ft across the room on her 1st walking ; we were blown away. Enjoy that she has her own style :D

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V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

My niece was a "scooter". She never did crawl, to my knowledge. It was a little odd to me, as my own son was just a few months younger and he was walking at an early age (10 1/2 months)... so he was running circles around her while she was still scooting...

But there is/was absolutely nothing wrong with her. It was just how she chose to get around at that age. I think there are a lot of kids who go that route... I just had never had any exposure to it before my niece.

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S.H.

answers from Chicago on

One of my kids crawled, the other skipped crawling and went straight to walking. They are "old now" (ha, ha) - 10 and 13 years and developed just fine. As long as you're not seeing any developmental delays, there is nothing to worry about. Some kids just don't crawl. Meanwhile, enjoy the cute scooting!

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K.H.

answers from Chicago on

As long as she is moving...it is all good. :) I think it is fascinating to watch as they figure out ways to get around. My youngest likes to crawl holding one rattle in his right hand so that he crawls but also slides....this helps him FLY around on our hardwood floors. :) Almost like a dog with a wheel. :) One thing that I did to encourage the cruising is to put the three activity tables that they can stand up and play in a row parallel to the couch. I spaced them 8ish inches apart so that if my guys wanted to go to the next table they had to reach a little. They had the support of the couch behind them to help if necessary. Just enjoy watching her grow! :)

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A.S.

answers from Houston on

My daughter was a scooter. She even got that nickname in her daycare from her teacher. She was known as "SCOOTER" and she never did crawl. She just scooted around until she started walking. She was a late walker, at 17 months. And she is a healthy, smart, beautiful 3 year old girl. Don't worry your daughter will be fine, take pics and video so that you can have memories of this. It sure brings me back so many beautiful memories. Enjoy they do grow up so fast!

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B.M.

answers from Chicago on

Yep,
My nephew never crawled he dragged his little butt and used his arms to scoot. Today he is a healthy normal 10 year old. I agree it's strange to watch, but he had a normal development.

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E.F.

answers from Chicago on

Mine did the butt scoot before she crawled and she turned out just fine :)

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A.H.

answers from Chicago on

My thirty year old, 6'5" son still has people call him "Scooty" because that is all he ever did. He crawled and walked the same week. Enjoy these moments. You never get them back.

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Y.D.

answers from Chicago on

I have 3 kids. My boys were both scooting on their butts and my daughter was walking on all 4's like a monkey.
None of them would crawl like a normal baby. I think it might be because we have hardwood floors and it's h*** o* their knees.
Don't worry, nothing wrong with that...

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A.F.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter is 10 months old and can only slide herself backwards. It's pretty funny because she wants to head forwards, but can't figure it out.

My son hardly even crawled at all, he would roll everywhere.

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C.K.

answers from Chicago on

I shared this with other mom asking similar question, but if you help your baby to practice the next physical development, they'll pick up that muscle movement so fast. My son had some issue and went through physical therapy. First, I was scared and felt very guilty, but infant physical therapy was actually playing with them in a way to move the muscle that's not in use. With 3 times of therapy, he moved from underdevelopment to way over his age milestone. Just like you would read books and sing songs with your baby, do some physical activities that can help her to move easier.

Also, I heard many babies pass crawling and going directly to walking. So, that might be the case. Best wishes!

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A.W.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter, now 20 months, just crawled with only one leg, scooting her other leg and butt behind her. It's just another, albeit less common, variety of crawling. She never did a "normal" crawl. But then she started walking no problem, and the funny thing is that now, when we're in a tumbling class or whatnot and they ask the kids to crawl, she does the normal crawl! So just enjoy whatever quirky crawl your baby has!

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M.C.

answers from Chicago on

My son did this too. He scooted on his butt for months (started around 7 or 8 months) and didn't craw till just before his first birthday and a week after his first birthday he was walking. He only crawled for a few weeks before he was walking everywhere.

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