7 Month Old Not Crawling

Updated on April 04, 2008
A.W. asks from La Crescent, MN
16 answers

My son is just about 8 months old and he is not really interested in crawling.
I put him on his stomach at leasat 3 times a day and hes on it for 10-15 minutes and then starts to cry. He just doesnt have the skill to move. Should I be worried? Is there a trick that could help me out? I love suggestions, Thanks!

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So What Happened?

He started to crawl at 9 months so about 1 month later. I just continued to put him on his stomach and eventually started to move little by little using his arms. After he got that down he discovered his legs and moved them. So before he hit 10 months he was crawling all over the place.

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M.Z.

answers from Minneapolis on

I wouldn't worry.
My daughter didn't crawl until she was 11 months old and didn't walk until she was 14 months old. They will at their own pace! Just enjoy the non-moving stage!!! :)

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C.J.

answers from Milwaukee on

Seven months old is pretty early,I wouldn't worry.

My son didn't start crawling until he was nine months. He did the Army crawl at first and then figured out how to REALLY crawl and crawl REALLY FAST!

My five y/o niece NEVER crawled--she just walked. Completely the opposite of her brother.

Kids are so strange and wonderful all at the same time!

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D.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

remember...there are age ranges for developmental milestones, like crawling, walking, potty training etc...your baby is not out of the range for begining to crawl...both of my girls stared crawling at 9 months and walked near their 1yr birthday....keep doing activites with him to encourage his development, but dont get frustrated!! As a first time mom, stop comparing him to all the other babies around him!! It only makes you worry too much. He is his own person...have fun watching him grow!!

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M.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

I also wouldn't worry. My oldest didn't crawl until he was 11 months and he didn't even sit until 10 months. My youngest didn't army crawl until 7 months and crawled on his hands and knees at 10 months. Just keep giving him the tummy time and when he's ready he'll figure it out.

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C.T.

answers from Minneapolis on

Just keep doing what your doing. My son was 10 months before he was crawling. Like your's he did not like being on his stomach. I would put him on the floor, put my hand behind is feet and let him push a little. My daughter on the other hand was crawling at 8 months and walking at 10 months. As you will hear, every child is different. Take care.

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S.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

My first son started crawling on exactly his 8mo. "birthday" and then walked 2 months later. One of his best friends since babyhood never really crawled (did an "army crawl" with his arms and belly), and didn't walk until 17 months. When you see the two together now, you CANNOT tell at all the difference when one crawled or walked vs. the other. In other words, it sounds like your son is just taking his time. If you're still concerned, you could mention it at his 9mo. check-up, and your ped. would be able to tell you if there are any issues. Otherwise, take comfort that you don't have to chase him around just yet! :)

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B.

answers from Minneapolis on

Don't worry about it. My daughter walked at 8 months and crawled at 9 months! My nephew only crawled at 11 months. Each child is different. You can try putting some toys just out of his reach when he is sitting up. That will encourage him to try and move. But, don't push him or let him cry if he can't get to the toy. From what I have heard, tummy time is to help develop strong neck muscles - it won't help him to crawl. My daughter never did tummy time - she used to scream as soon as we put her on her stomach. Good Luck and don't compare your son to other babies!

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E.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

I think you shouldn't worry. If you are really worried, you can of course ask your ped. I did.

My son, now 5, was a late crawler. At his 9 mo check up I was very very concerned - it seemed all his little playmates (parallel play at the park, baby playdates, mommy & baby yoga) had been crawling for a while if not months, a few were even getting close to walking, at least pulling themselves up a little. At 9 months my son didn't crawl at all, didn't seem to try or care. At the 9mo visit the ped checked out his body as he always did and said give it 2 weeks. 2 weeks later to the day he was crawling military style, soon all over the place. He never got up on all fours really, did the military thing on his elbows kinda dragging his legs, cause it worked for him.

Late walker too - 18 mos to the day. Again I was worried, ALL his peers seemed to be toddling around. Doc didn't care. I shouldn't have either. Again with doctor's advice & involvement. I believe in always checking out concerns, even if I find I need not worry. But now I worry so much less about everything. If I knew then...

And he was a late jumper. Could not get 2 feet off the ground when everyone else was at 2 or 3 (?), maybe even 4, can't really remember now. Again, I worried. Now he jumps all over the place, loves to jump, trampolines, furniture (sign). He says "mom, remember when I couldn't jump?" He laughs. So the only thing I feel bad about now is that he remembers my concern.

Late potty trainer too. My ped just kept saying it's developmental, it'll come. This was the hardest one to deal with. We thought he was the only kid in pull-ups at 3 and 4 and yes, he was in the minority, but our doctor just kept reassuring us we weren't alone. We felt alone on this, but we weren't.

This doesn't mean your kid will be late at all these things. I'm just telling you our story.

So now he's 5-- he runs, jumps, and hasn't had a potty accident at school in 9 months. Moreover, he's been reading since he was 3, really reading. And doing long division at his pre-school. (I think the long division thing is unnecessary, but whatever, he likes it.) He now reads chapter books at a 2nd grade level, he just started group piano 2 weeks ago and knows all the notes. He's starting kindergarten in the fall. So while his physical milestones were "late", he's more than fine in other areas. Might not be a star athlete and I sometimes wonder if he'll ever ride a bike... but he's been reading to kids 2 years older than himself for 2 years.

And the bike thing, it'll come. When he's ready and wants to. For us, forcing him to do anything is a waste of energy -- I mean forcing him to learn something physical he's not ready for. Same thing with writing. He doesn't like it much and it's hard for him, we practice, and he's getting better bit by bit, but he doesn't have the fine motor control yet and he really can't hold the pencil right. His friends draw amazing amazing representational pictures and that's just not our kid. When we lament his lack of interest in drawing, other parents just look at us and say "but he can READ."

So I've learned that if it's too frustrating, it becomes counter-productive in our experience. But he'll get it. And I worry so much less about everything now, finally. Wish I hadn't worried so much when he was littler, but I think that's natural... esp with a first kid.

Good luck!

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D.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

They all get it at different times and in different ways. Put his favorite toy or bottle just out of reach. He will probably try to get it by scooting or rolling toward it. Eventually they figure out that crawling is the most effective way to move, but not all children do crawl. If he is heavy for his age, it may be hard for him to get up. (He will slim down when he starts to move more.) I had one that didn't make any of the usual milestones on time. He was just too content with life to try to improve it, I think. He did finally figure it out and is graduating from college with a BA in Music Ed. next month. At 21, he has learned that he has to work stuff out for himself. But at age 1 or 2 I wasn't sure that this day would ever come.

Be patient. When he starts to get mobile, believe me, you will wonder why you were in such a hurry.

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M.M.

answers from Milwaukee on

my daughter never did crawl. She went from sitting to running it seems. Like everyone else is saying dont worry. They all do it on their own time.

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J.M.

answers from Appleton on

I wouldn't worry at all I have an almost 8 month old little girl I do daycare for and she sits up really well and goes on her tummy throughout the day but has not yet tried to crawl.It will happen all in due time and then watch out:)Also some kids skip crawling all together and just start walking.My son crawled for a short period of time and then walked alittle after 9 months.Good luck :)J.

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A.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

Hi there,
I see that everyone else said not to worry, and I agree, don't worry! It's so hard when everyone around you has babies and they seem to be doing things faster than yours. It's so hard not to compare. But, like all of the other writers said, they all develop differently. I read somewhere that the average age for crawling is anywhere from 7 months to 12 months. Our little guy crawled backwards for the longest time, and then one day when we weren't even paying attention, he finally crawled forward! It sounds like you're doing all the right things as far as giving him lots of tummy time. He'll be doing it b/f you know it!

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S.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

My 2nd did not crawl until 11 months, and walked a day before she turned 18 months. As you can tell I was concerned. She is a very strong-willed child and I firmly believe that was part of the problem. She learned early on if she screamed things were brought to her. She is now a strong-willed 3 1/2 year old with absolutely nothing wrong with her developmentally.

BTW my 3rd crawled at 9 months but the 1st was at 6 1/2 months. They are all so different!

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K.G.

answers from Madison on

I wouldn't be worried at all. All three of my boys were closer to 9 months when they started getting around. The first army crawled with his arms, the second pushed himself around on his back with his feet, and the third got it perfectly. Every baby is different. I have heard that some don't crawl at all and go right to walking. One thing that helped get my third get going in the right direction, was when he was on his tummy I would put my hand against the bottom of his feet. This caused him to push against them and pushed him forward on the floor. It makes them get up on their knees and learn to push forward. Let him go at his own pace. Believe me before you know it he will be into everything!

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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

My boys didn't crawl until closer to 9 months and I know others that waited even longer. It's not a big deal. They'll start when they're ready.
My oldest despised tummy time and would scream if we tried to make him do it.

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N.J.

answers from Minneapolis on

my first son started around 10 months...

my second son didn't start crawling until he was 10.5 months, he didn't really start talking either when I though he should either, his big brother was active enough for the both of them that my younger one really just sat back and 'took it all in' for a while...

now my youngest, is on fire, scaling, climbing, rolling, running (he also has red hair, so his fire comes from that I think)

I would suggest to relax and not go by exactly what 'the book' tells you he should be doing (unless it is an extremely underdeveloped milestone)

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