Night Waking and Not Crawling

Crawling is not a developmental milestone and some children never crawl, which is ok. Instead they go straight to walking. However, you might want to give him tummy time whether he likes it or not. My daughter initially hated tummy time. I got her this very cuddly flat animal that I put under her. she liked to lick it and it made her more comfortable on her tummy. Eventually she grew to love tummy time. My pediatrician told me that tummy time was essential and that even if she cried that I was to do it. It seems to have worked and she started to crawl at 5 and a half months but not without some fussing as she learned to like time on her tummy.

My daughter was the same way about crawling, she would scream or instantly roll to her back if I put her on her stomach. She finally started to crawl one week before her first bday and took off without any hesitation. For her I think it was just a matter of wanting it enough and being a bit of a perfectionist. She seems to analyze and perfect it in her mind before she tries anything.
Sorry I can't be of any help on the sleep thing.

My daugheter was waking me 2-3 per night until the age of 5. There is really nothing that can be done. Kids have different needs and we need a lot of patience. It might stop soon or last longer. Perhpas you need to sleep with him or very close to him so he can feel that you are close to him.

Good luck!
A.

My daughter didn't start crawling till after 9 months. They say babies are different. Some might skip crawling and just take off walking. If saucers or walkers contributed to babies running behind, there'd be a LOT of mom's wondering why their kids aren't doing what they're supposed to. He will crawl/walk when he's ready! If you are still concerned, maybe you should talk to your doctor.

Crawling is not a developmental milestone. There are plenty of kids who never crawl. They just go from sitting and rolling to standing and walking. It's nothing to worry about. If you are concerned you can always call First Steps for a free evaluation to make sure he's developing right on track. I have friends who work in First Steps and they've always told me they don't worry about not crawling. They've also said it's common for a child to not crawl until 10 or 11 months if they spend too much time in a 'bucket seat' like a swing or exersaucer or carseat. A walker actually hinders development as far as walking/standing goes and is not recommended. My therapist friends tell me that a baby should spend no more than 2 hours a day in a carseat/exersaucer/swing/bouncy seat/etc. The best place for them is on the floor (on a blanket if you want) so they can roll around and move their arms and legs and strengthen their core.

Well A., I know you already have received a ton of responses... but I wanted to add my story. My 8-1/2 month old son learned to pull himself up and stand before he could crawl or even go from belly to sitting by himself. One day I went into his room after his nap and HOLY COW-there he was (and there I was freaking out that the crib mattress wasn't to the lowest setting). He STILL doesn't crawl...all he wants to do is pull up and stand/cruise. He does move to sit now before he pulls up (probably because he figured out it's easier). He had plenty of tummy time and also time in the exersaucer. Now he just wants to walk around the outside of the exersaucer and cruise to the coffee table and couch.
Before this all happened, we had about two weeks where he slept every single night without a peep. Ohhhh how sweet it was. Now... he's waking up again. Sometimes it's because he needs a middle of the night workout and decides to walk around his crib a few times until he collapses (sometimes with an awful crash). But mostly, I think it has to do with food and digestion/gas, etc... but my husband thinks he's learning to manipulate us. I've nursed him occasionally just to hopefully quiet him down but that's NOT why he's waking up. He's gone for months now without nursing between 6pm and 6am (except on rare occasions). He's never been sick or had an ear infection and it's not teething because when his first two came in, it was OBVIOUS. Last night we just let him go (twice)-- it was more of a whine/moan than really an upset crying. My husband says he does that and then listens to hear our bed or the floor to see if we're coming to rescue him...

Good luck!!

If only there were a magical solution to this night waking thing. My 9 1/2 month old daughter does the same thing. There are times when she'll sleep through the night and for 10 hours at a time, then there's other nights when she's up at least once and wants to get up at 6:00 for the day. I wish I had a solution for you on that one.

Crawling-As everyone stated, some babies skip crawling all together. To help facilitate the crawling, sit your little guy on the floor. Put his favorite toy out of arms reach. You can even hold the toy. Encourage him to get the toy from you or off the floor. The important thing is to not leave him on the floor all alone. Personally, I do think toys like exersaucers and walkers play a part in kids not crawling. I think that if I had the choice between walking and crawling..I'd walk too!!!!! Does your little one meet all the other developmental milestones? If so, I say let the little guy walk!

It is normal for him to be waking during the night. They go through phases of that. Maybe he's teething, like you said. Maybe he's having separation anxiety. Maybe he's hungry and needs another helping of formula (8 oz bottle) or breastfeeding. Alls you can do is be there for him.
Some children do not ever crawl and that is normal and fine. Both my children went from sitting to standing and walking and wanted nothing to do with crawling. They both walked at 14 months old even though I have one boy and one girl. Each child develops at his own pace and as long as you know nothing is wrong, just enjoy! The infant stage goes by so fast, I'm itching to have a 3rd just because I love babies, but I'm also ready to move on with "big kid" stuff with my 4 1/2 and 2 1/2 year olds.

Crawling: DON"T WORRY about this one. 9 months is average, but about 20% of all kids never crawl. My son started crawling around 11 months and he did this crazy crawl thing for approx 1 week. Then he started walking. It will happen before you know it. There's no reason he "should learn" to crawl. Even the stuff that people try to scare you with (the one I kept hearing was "kids who don't crawl have trouble reading") is not true. (I do research. I looked it up. There is ONE textbook reference that shows that a higher percentage of dyslexic kids never crawled - but they don't think it's cause and effect - probably has more to do with the fact that dyslexic kids had some other motor skill weirdness going on). So if the walker makes him happy, use it. Our son loved the Jumperoo at that age too.

Night waking: Probably related to a few things - teething could be one. Having a cold could be another. And working hard at learning a new skill (like crawling or walking or pulling up) could be a big one. My advice: If he was at 1 night nursing before and is now back up to 2 or 3, you can be sure he's not actually hungry. Ignore him for 5-10 minutes. If he still won't go back to sleep, send your husband in to settle him. He won't be tempted to nurse from your husband (I think a lot of times kids ask for it because it's mom). Plus, it lets you get a little relief from waking so many times. This will pass soon, I promise.

Some babies skip crawling and go right to walking. And, while some babies are walking at 10 months, others haven't even shown interest in crawling - it's definitely an individual thing.

Crawling and walking can also depend on how motivated your baby is when it comes to moving around. It is true that walkers can delay the onset of crawling/walking because they provide a way for baby to get from point A to point B so that's how they move, there's no need for them to crawl to it. Walkers hold babies in an upright position instead of allowing baby to develop the core strength and coordination needed to stand independently and walk. Also many pediatricians have labeled walkers 'potential death traps on wheels' and typically advise parents to steer clear of them.

If he likes to stand, try letting his stand holding on to the couch or a coffee table (carefully and closely supervised by you, of course) and let him try things out. Put a toy on the couch cushion that is just out of his reach and see if he tries to 'cruise' towards it.

Hi A.!

I am in the same boat as you. My daughter is 9 months old as well and is still waking up once or twice a night. I don't breastfeed but rather bottle feed. I have tried everything to get her to not wake up in the middle of the night. I just bought a book called The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night and it seems to be really good so far. I got it off of Amazon.com and cannot remember the author at this time. I hope this book helps. My pediatrician also said that most babies often wake up until they are 1 or even older once or twice a night and that all babies are different.

HI A.,

I see you got some great advice on the crawling.
My daughter was also one of those babies who woke up a lot during the night, still does.
Now that she self-soothes, she's 16 months, she sometimes cries a little and I just go in to lay her back down and she's fine.
Other times she just cries a little and goes back to sleep.

My son sleeps soundlessly at night, I have NO IDEA. Maybe a personality - lighter sleeper, more sensitive to sounds, who knows.
Also, she got GERD, which causes really bad heartburn but even after treating it, she is still one of those constant wakers.....

Maybe you can still run it by your Dr. I did have to get very strict about not feeding her at night.
You could end up doing this until he's like 16 months, I know women who can't put down a rule and end up doing it far too long.
When she didn't know how to soothe herself (until around 8-9 months) I had to go in and pat her butt or caress her, tell her to go back to sleep etc... sometimes not talking is better and just reasure them, there is also the optionof letting him wake up, cry a little and use this as an opportunity for him to learn to go back to sleep on his own.
I belive in nurturing and not a fan of the CIO club but sometimes you have to let them learn to relax and go back to sleep...
Amy

Wanted to add, the excersaucer etc, IMO if not used in extreme excess won't hurt him, he may be a late walker or just skip the crawling. I had daughter in a jumperoo, swing, bumba, bjorn, I was pregnant when she was 3 months.... and she still walked at 10 months so there's no rule, IMO ;)

I don't have any sleep advice, my 20 month old still doesn't sleep but the crawling don't worry about at all. My daughter didn't crawl until she was 12 months then walked at 15 months and now just wants to run everywhere. For her, she just had no desire to go anywhere. I gave her all the tummy time in the world, she just didn't want to crawl. So don't worry about it. It's not a physical problem, when they want something bad enough they learn to get it themselves. I never used a walker or exersaucer because she freaked out if I left the room without her so I don't think that has amything to do with it. Enjoy these immobile months, they don't last long and before you know it, they have discovered every drawer and cabinet in the house.

It's true that some babies go right to walking... but if you're concerned you should force him to become mobile by laying him on the floor instead of in the walker. He'll probably get very frustrated, but be persistent. Right now he probably wants to walk but he has no reason to. And as for waking up at night I would slowly cut back on the length and amount of night feedings. Good luck, just remember it's good for him to learn to work through is frustration.

I would like to point out something... there are a TON of responses from people with children the same age that are all having the "problem" with them waking 2-3 times a night. For some reason we developed this idea that children should sleep through the night by a few months old. But it is a developmental thing. They can't do it before they are ready. This is why letting them cry it out is SOO horrible! If you let them cry you are refusing to meet their needs that are TOTALLY normal at this developmental stage.

I am not saying that you should never let them cry a moment or anything. It is true that they often will cry for a moment and then go back to sleep (my son does it all time). But it doesn't require letting them cry it out to get there. I nurse my son still. He ALWAYS nursed to sleep. But gradually, he started being awake after nursing and I would put him in his crib awake and he will put himself to sleep. That is the way it is now and it all happened at his pace! He still nurses once at night most nights, but it is only for 5-10 minutes total. Other nights he sleeps through.

I think we need to all remember that these are babies, not adults, not robots. We can't expect more out of them than what a baby can do. At this age, they need the comfort, time, and love more than the sleep straight through the night.

My question to you in regards to not sleeping through the night is how he is sleeping during the day. My youngest got his days and nights confused. He didn't get them confused until after 4 months. It wasn't until a few months later that I realized what happened. He also, wouldn't go back to sleep until he nursed. I tried letting him cry and giving him his pacifier. Once we limiting the length of his naps during the day, he started sleeping through the night. Hope this helps and good luck on getting some sleep.

My children did the same thing around 9 months. It's typically a growth-spurt month for them so that can be a contributor. He could also be teething. He also might start having attachment issues. Honestly, I tried anything and everything and just grinned and beared it and he eventually stopped so I hope your little one will soon too. As far as crawling... do not worry. Technically crawling isn't a milestone. Each kid goes at their own pace. If he isn't walking when he is 2 or something, then there would be some concerns... but I would advise not leaving him in the walker or exersaucer for long periods of time. For example, a friend of mine was told that her son was bowl-legged (sp?) due to too much time in exersaucer. Just keep him on the floor and he'll learn and move on to other toys, etc. Hang in there.

Not all little ones crawl. If he wants to stand, let him--he may start walking early. Eventually he will learn to crawl, but he may walk first.

Get the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Weissbluth. TRUST ME, his methods work!!!!!!!!!

Don't worry about the crawling. My kids didn't crawl much either. They went straight to walking at 14 months.

ACTUALLY, they have found that crawling has nothing to do with late development. About 10% of babies never crawl and never show any problems later on. They did used to think it had a lot to do with coordination down the road, but not any more. Most recent books will tell you this. So, don't worry to much. You can ask your doc if you are too worried. DO you have a play group to take him to? Lots of babies just need to see others crawling to get the hang of it.
As for night waking, have your husband go in before you do. If you can wean one feeding at a time, it will go more smoothly. Have him go in and rock him or pat his back or tummy. It could be a long couple nights, but most babies do learn to sooth pretty quickly. You just don't want to go from nursing him 2-3 times a night to leaving him to cry, he won't get it.
Good Luck!

As far as the not crawling, if you think there is a problem with your child physically, your state might have a program to help. In Indiana it is First Steps. As a child care provider I would refer a parent to this organization if there was a developmental delay. They will evaluate your child, and follow it up from there. Some kids need physical therapy, others don't. Hope this helps.

Ash

I found a link to the YWCA Child Care Resource & Referral of Metropolitan Chicago - West Suburbs. It is http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=euLRI7OZH&b=62681

Hi A.,
The night waking could be a number of things, as you said . . .teething or even a growth spurt. My little guy just went through a growth spurt and he was getting up a lot at night. I am also breast feeding and he got very used to those night feedings. I had to wean him off of the feedings. If he did get up (once I was sure that the growth spurt was over), I only let him nurse for a few minutes. If I stopped his feeding and he didn't fuss about it, it was obvious that he wasn't wanting to eat.

As for the crawling, all babies do things on their own time. Encourage the tummy time - get down there with him and play while he is on his belly. And if this is a growth spurt . . .watch out, he may start to do a ton of new things once this is over, including being more mobile.

Both of my boys were on different schedules. My boys are 4 and 14 months and my little guy didn't crawl until after he was 10 months (before then, he just scooted on his butt). I didn't think he'd ever crawl. And then one day, he did. ..same with walking.

My oldest was a preemie and he did have some delays and we were told by my son's physical therapist not to put him in the exersaucer for more than 20 or 30 minutes a day. I know how nice they are (that's how I was able to shower when he was little!). I doubt you are contributing to him not crawling, but you may want to limit the time in the saucer.

All in due time. It will happen!
B.

My daughter was a horrible crawler and hated it, she was walking at 9 months and was a great walker by one year, on the other hand I have a friend whose son turned 1 in august and is a great crawler, he is not yet walking. Each kid is different, dont worry!

Many kids dont crawl, but go directly to walking. Its quite common. My brother was walking on his own by 10 1/2 mos, never crawled. Dont force it, he'll be fine. Its not a necessary developmental milestone, ask his doc.

My 2 year old still gets up many nights. But it was way worse when she was that age. At 15mos old she started sleeping with a pacifier, out of the blue, never liked them before at all. It was a God send! But as I said, we're still up often. I am told I didnt sleep consistently through the night until I was 6 years old. Whatever you do, dont feed him. Ask his doc, but I am quite sure he has no need for milk during the night anymore. Does he put himself down or do you rock him? If you are rocking or soothing him in some other way, that's your problem. It was a very painful process, took months, but again, she slept much better at night. Its normal at his age to wake up during the night, he just needs to be able to put himself back down again.

Good luck!

A.,

I am having the same problem as you are. My son is going on Nine Months and still wakes up at least 2-3 times for feedings as well. Also like you he refuses to be on his tummy always wants to stand but can not do so alone. Any advice anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

J.

Some kids don't crawl before they walk. I wouldn't worry about that part. As for the waking in the night, if it's not teething or having a cold (which could be the problem), he may just be used to you nursing him back to sleep. Try letting him cry for a few minutes before you get him, then make sure he is absolutely ok and either rock him to sleep or walk away. When he realizes he won't be nursed, he'll get out of the habit. Easier said than done, since it is so hard to let them cry.

Mt Dd did the same thing. It ended up I'd send my hubby in with a small bottle of water. Once she saw she wasn't getting any milk, she started sleeping. it did take about a week and the complaining ! (him!) but it worked. Also,The exersacuer and walker can retard thier walking and crawling. try to put him in a pack and play (Ours is in our diningroom) instead where he can move around, or gate everything like we did so he can be out moving around.

A., when you put him down on his tummy make sure that there are some interesting toys that will motivate him to creep. You might keep some only for this time so that they will be more desirable to him. Limit the time in the walker because it is imperative that he crawl. The crawling motion and position are crucial to developmental progress. Keep trying.