Daughter Is Crawling, but Not "correctly"...concern?

Nope - no worries! My first son never crawled, just humped the ground. My second son barely crawled. Both were walking by 10-11 months, so clearly the crawling didn't affect development. One of my friend's babies would crawl on one knee and drag her back leg. Looked hilarious! She crawled at 10-11 months as well.

But honestly, as a first time mom I was excited and dare I say proud that my son was an early walker...until I realized that it meant putting the entire house and lockdown and having to watch him like a hawk. He got into everything, everywhere, all the time. I secretly hoped my younger one would hold off a bit but nope...he was cruising at 8 months.

Don't be concerned. Crawling isn't a milestone. Some babies don't ever crawl and go straight to walking.

Nah, don't worry about it. It seems like every baby has a different way of crawling. The fact that she's getting around, means she is meeting her milestone at the appropriate time. Now, if she was 15 months and still doing this...maybe, there would be concern there. She is only 7 months, so it's totally OK!

I have one 14 year old who crawled for maybe 2 weeks at age 13 months and then got up and ran. My other one now 11 also started at 13 months, she did the "commando crawl", she laid on her belly and used an arm-over-arm approach without hardly any use of her legs. She also got up and walked/ran at age 14 months. They are both very coordinated and can swim/bike/jump rope, etc. I think each child finds their own way. I have even seen babies just sit up and scissor their legs and scoot on their bums without crawling at all. Then my brothers son figured out he could roll wherever he wanted, so he would angle where he wanted to go and just roll, and adjust his angle after a few rolls if he did not go where he was aiming. He is now 16 and also walks and bikes just fine. I would not worry at all, in my opinion she is actually sort of early with the standing up.

My son had a unique crawl at first. He'd sort of leap forward with both hands then drag both legs forward at once. Me and the day care people used to joke me must have incredibly strong abdominal muscles. It was HARD on the knees of what ever pants he was wearing. Within a few months he was crawling in the normal way. He walked at 14 months and shortly after that he ran every where.

My DD did that too for a while. She also did everything backwards first. (Scooting, and crawling) Everything I have heard is that as long as a baby is TRYING to be mobile, then there is no worry. :)

That is really normal. I know babies that never really crawled but walked instead. It sounds like she is ready to walk and run :)

B. Thorpe
Enhancing Lives One Family at a Time!

I'm sure your mom only means well , but she has worried you for no reason. All 3 of my kids didn't do a "normal" crawl , my first was like a bear cub (both hands and feet on the ground) and he could run soooo fast like that! , my second did exactly what your daughter is doing and after a while walked upright on her knees and my third kind of did a bum shuffle but with her hands on the floor aswell. All of them walked at a normal age and have no funny walks!

That's how my oldest crawled! And she was walking by 10 months, is bright and sweet and perfectly normal.

I think some people become concerned because crawling has something to do with right/left coordination. I heard it's connected to reading skills later; somehow the brain makes connections through crawling that are useful later. (I'm no expert though!) Perhaps that's your mom's concern.
My son crawled by scooting one leg under him at an angle, while the other leg did the normal crawl thing. Now he reads everything in sight - so maybe she's on the fast track, lol! I wouldn't worry.

I can't remember what the crawl is called, something like commando. It is how the military, well, crawl when they have to. It is a two for, it protects your knees and it is a lot faster than conventional crawling. I only had one kid do it but it is perfectly normal.

Always remember the kids are not reading the books to know the proper way to crawl or walk, they are just doing what works for them.

Totally normal! Kids crawl in all sorts of ways. My friend's son never crawled -- he rolled to where ever he wanted to get to, and got there quickly!

My son started out crawling backwards at 5 mos. My DH actually got down on his hands and knees and showed him how to crawl forwards. I almost died laughing, but then by G-d, the kid actually watched and started crawling forwards. (That was the first indication I had that we had a gifted child and were heading for a wild parenting ride.) In less than 2 months, he started "bear walking" on his hands and feet, and man was he fast! I was actually relieved a little when he started to toddle, since it slowed him down, for a little at least.

Your daughter will undoubtedly do a lot of things that will be unique to her as she grows. No two humans are identical! (Except, to a certain extent, identical twins, and even they will develop uniquely given time.)

On the flip side, if your daughter seems like she's dragging one leg (with little muscular movement from the leg), if one one leg seems significantly weaker than the other, or if it seems like she's having pain in one leg and favoring it, you should have it checked out by her pediatrician.

Totally normal. My son used to do what we call ... pardon the politically incorrectness of it ..

The Homeless Man's Shuffle.

And he could book it, too! So fast. Now he's a perfectly normal 3 1/2 year old walkin like a big man now. Don't be too concerned. Especially since she's pulling herself up just fine.

Don't worry about it. I've seen a lot of types of crawlers in my 25 years in daycare :) My grandson had the funniest little frog kind of crawl/hop going on. It was adorable and he was so fast at it.

My kid pushed herself backwards before doing the foreward crawl. My friends son crawled for a week before standing on his feet then beding over and walking around that way....LOL too cute almst like crab. Listen...she is mobile and getting around. That is the milestone. Don't worry.

Not to contradict what everyone else has already said, but our osteopath really helped with a similar problem in my daughter, he also said it was very important to learn how to crawl properly before walking, something to do with left and right brain. I would lay her on her back and do cross crawling with her, just touch her right hand to left foot and vise versa a few times. And take her to get adjusted by a good osteopath.

There is no normal when it comes to crawling. My son "army crawled" until he walked. He used just his arms and dragged his legs. My Pediatrician has 3 kids and said all 3 used different methods to get around. He said one even just log rolled across the floor. As long as they are moving it's fine, she is normal. Don't worry. I've heard that crawling is linked to reading later in life but having worked in a school I know that is just not true.
Just video tape and enjoy :)

It sounds like the army crawl (you can type "baby army crawl" into YouTube and see if it matches what you are describing). My daughter (my first baby) did this pretty much the whole time she was crawling. I thought she'd only do it at first and then she'd crawl "normally" but she just did it even faster the older she got. It was soooo cute!!! I was just amazed at how quickly she was able to move doing it. My second baby had a "normal" crawl, so every baby is different. Make sure to videotape it so you can show her when she's older! :-)

nothing to worry about, my daughter started crawling about the same way, turns out, her feet are so big, they were getting in the way of doing the typical crawling thing. her father was surprised at how big her feet were at birth, but not me, she had been pushing those pontoons into my bladder every day i was pregnant
K. h.

Crawling takes many forms and styles.
There is no one finite correct way.

My daughter, army crawled.
My son, did the traditional crawl.

The concern would be, if she did not crawl AT all.
Because, yes, it is an important milestone and development.

But she is crawling.

My daughter never did the traditional crawl either. She crawled in an almost sitting position:) I don't beleive crawling is even a milestone like smiling, grasping for objects, making sounds and words, walking etc. Try googling it.

Babies will do what works best for them until they learn that they can go fastest when they crawl in the normal manner. Relax!! You have only a few weeks until she learns to crawl hard and fast.

I wouldn't worry about it. Doesn't sound like anything to worry about. I had one army crawl and then just start walking. then the little one never really crawled at all...he started running(JK) but it sure seems like it.

Sounds pretty normal. Crawling helps the children later in life, they say the longer they crawl the better for cordination. If you have concerns ask doctore for next well visit. Crawl baby girl...crawl!

My daughter crawled once. That's it. She hated being down. She was pulling up and cruising by 8 months and walking by 10 months. My son crawled at 7 months and walked at almost 11 months. So I don't think it really matters as long as she is using all of her limbs and not ignoring one she should be fine. Kids find amazing and funny ways to get around. Enjoy watching her explore and be sure to get it on video.

She is 7 months. Each baby crawls differently when they begin. Eventuallly
they all do it the right way. I do not think you have anything to worry about.
Just enjoy her.

a LOT of babies do this half crawl thing, you describe.
I wouldn't worry

Actually, crawling is not a developmental milestone at all! Some kids never crawl, or crawl for a very short time. My aunts says my cousin crawled for about an hour, then pulled himself up and has been walking ever since. By the way, he walks just fine!