8-month old not crawling... very very worried

My 8-month old DD has always *hated* tummy time. When I say *hated*, I don't mean fussing a bit, but can be easily distracted by toys etc.
I always got down on my tummy with her, like they tell you to do, and tried every trick in the book to distract her. She didn't care! She would *sob* and *scream* like she was being murdered!
I practice Gentle Parenting so this was especially hard on me, and tummy time was few and far between for a while.

About a month ago I felt like I needed to step it up, and she now tolerates it, and has quit sobbing and screaming. She fusses a bit, but I have to work hard to entertain her in various ways to try and keep her there. I try to give her an hour of tummy time a day, with two 30-minute sessions.
She can roll from tummy to back, but has absolutely no interest in rolling from back to tummy.
I think it is because she simply prefers her back, and has no desire to roll back to the horrid tummy position!

Now to the issue with crawling - I am worried that she isn't going to crawl at all, and despite health professionals telling me this is a normal variation, I also keep reading (well, Googling) that non-crawlers end up having speech problems, A.D.D., and dyslexia, just to name a few scary things.
I have been in tears many times about this. :cry:

I know the issues have something to do with right-left brain development, which non-crawlers do not get. But surely there are other ways to develop the brain in this way??? Anyone know?

Also, if anyone has any positive stories about non-crawlers who are now school-aged children, and who do not have any problems whatsoever, please share! I have heard every scary story in the book and don't need to hear any more...

nah hun, worry yourself not. Neither of mine like tummy time, neither crawled before 8months and both are fine in terms of miles stones.
My DD is nearly ready for school and she's been able to recite the alphabet since 18months and count to 10 since 1. She has not trouble talking whatsoever - could do it under concrete I reckon. She's also very left handed so uses much of her right brain. There is nothing wrong with her co-ordination and her fine and gross motor skills are A-OK too.

Does that help a little bit?

:hug:

Hugs hun STOP googling!!! Its not your friend it gives you all sorts of things!!

DS1 rolled tummy to back 5 months and back to tummy at 8 months, was not crawling (commando) till 10 months and didnt get on hands and knees and crawl until 13 months and didnt walk till 21 months!! He is a happy 2 year old, when he did walk he was much more confident and balanced than others who had done it earlier!
He also was not fussed by tummy time would scream and cry after a very short amount of time, DS2 is the same well maybe tolerates slightly longer.

Not all kids crawl and some will only crawl for a few months then just walk.

Hope that helps to see that other kids do things on there own time line as well.

:

---

Hugs hun STOP googling!!! Its not your friend it gives you all sorts of things!!

---

I totally agree on that.

All children develop at different stages. My DS1 never crawled as in on his hands and knees. He only ever commando crawled and then walked. He walked when he was 20mths old, no development problem, it was just quicker for him to get to things commando crawling than attempting to walk. He is a very happy intelligent boy. My DS2 didn't walk until 18mths.
My DD is 8mths and doesn't crawl either. She rolls to get to things she wants.

It truly is nothing to worry about, and if you have any concerns don't google, talk to your Maternal Health Nurse.

Your DD will get there in her own time, that I can be sure of.

HTH :hug:

Wow since when is not crawling at 8 months a bad thing? My DS didn't crawl until 9 months, my DD1 didn't crawl until 10 months. DD2 is nearly 8 months and not crawling, and I'm not worried in the slightest.

My DS has excellent language skills, and like Kim's DD - could talk under concrete too.

My sister never crawled...went from zip to walking. She is now 17 on a scholarship at a top private school. Apart from being a bit of a prima donna she's just fine ;)

Relaaaaxxxxx. Dd didn't crawl till ten months and then walked at one. She also hated tummy time, so I neve did it. She was furniture surfing long before crawlng anyway.

Crawling doesn't need to happen in babyhood anyway. If you little one skips crawling you can always teach them later...

After ten years working with under-fives, I have LOTS of positive stories of littlies who didn't crawl at 8 months. Or 10 months. A few from 12 months. One as late as 16 months. I wouldn't be in the slightest bit concerned about it.

Tummy time - some kids do just hate it. It's not a BIG deal. As someone said, they can be taught to crawl later on - even 18 months is a fine time to learn to crawl (and what kid wouldn't want to get through a tunnel, into a cubby etc at that age?)

My sis was a non-crawler. Bum shuffling was just more efficient for her. She's working on her second degree at the moment. Sure, she's flaky and a little absent-minded, but that's personality. She certainly never had ADD.

DS just started rolling and draggin himself a little at 8 months. Didnt' crawl til 9 months. I thought that was normal :)
I'm not really sure if he liked tummy time or not as I rarely remembered to do it. He seems fine though.

my DD didnt sit up til 9 months, only just started crawling 2 months ago (12 months old) and is nowhere near walking. and she certainly isnt stupid. i didnt walk til i was nearly 2 and i got a scholarship to a private girls school... stop googling

My girls loved tummy time and could lie there for ages - they didn't crawl until 9 and 10 months respectively so liking tummy time isn't an indication of early crawling. Both were also not walking until after their first birthdays (14 and 13 months) and they both have well developed language. I think kids who move later are too busy developing their other skills like talking so they tend to be better talkers - but that's just my anecdotal evidence.

My mothers group has about 15 members. Only 2 bubs were crawling at 8 months.

Please don't stress. Your little one will get going when they are ready.

In the meantime you have the gift of knowing that when you put your little one on the floor they will be in the same spot as where you left them.

Sam wouldn't consistently and deliberately roll until he was over 9 months old. He didn't crawl until he was 10 and a half months old. He then walked two weeks after his first birthday. Yes, he has a mild speach delay, but I think that comes down to being a dummy addict more than anything else.

As for me - I did not crawl. I skipped crawling and went straight to walking. I was dux of my school without even really trying so it didn't effect my intelligence at all!

Stop googling and let your baby be themselves. Enjoy being able to know that she will stay where you put her and keep out of mischief - because that won't last much longer regardless of what else you do!

BW

My ds didnt crawl till 10.5 months, never rolled over without help and despised tummy time with a passion. He didnt walk till 16 months. He was happy getting around however he chose.

He is now the most active, talkative little man going around. He can read his name and can even speak some Spanish (thanks Dora)

I was worried too, but as long as you do ehat you can to encourage and teach your little one, you're on a winner!

i couldnt agree more, kids do things SO differently and at such different times, if she was 1 maybe id be looking into it, but 8 months would be pretty normaly i think. DD didnt mind tummy time but didnt crawl till 10 1/2 months, and even then it wasnt a proper crawl....one leg bent one leg straight...looked very funny, but only did that for a few weeks and was walking by 11 months (well...wobbling) and is now 2 and pretty well rounded :) .

I remember when my DD was tiny and i was worried about milestones, a friend told me ''by the time they are three they have all pretty much got the the same level and it doesnt matter who did what first then'' i always remembered that and just let DD do her own thing! :) hugs to you.

8 months is not late at all for crawling. My DD is a week shy of one year old and only does a half assed commando crawl, and out of my mother group only 2 babies are 'proper' crawling and only one is walking. BTW she loved tummy time and first rolled at about 4 weeks, so you see huge variations on development milestones which are all OK.
I know it is hard not to worry but on this one it really isn't time for concern, and it won't be time for concern for quite awhile yet.

Thank you SO much everyone.

Maybe I didn't express myself properly - it's not that I want DD to crawl *now*, I just became worried that she wouldn't crawl at all. I just read so much anecdotal evidence about non-crawlers, it freaked me out.

I don't think she will ever want to roll from back to tummy.... does it really matter??
Reading all your stories, it doesn't seem to.

DD can't get around by any means - she is just content to sit there. I was just worried that she might not have progressed by 1 year. Sounds stupid now that I'm writing this down....

Suffice it to say, I am no longer worried. And I have stopped googling. :lol:

P.S. This forum is amazing. I have used other sites and you might get 1 response... I have received so much support here in just a few hours. Thank you.:loveshower:

At 8 months I would not worry but I know can be frustrating as my DD is 13.5 months and not crawling and only just commando crawling. I want a moving baby like all her little friends, so we can enjoy play centres and parks more. The past week she has shown signs of cruising and can go from sitting to tummy so she is getting there. She loved tummy time but has never rolled. Apparently she is very verbal so might be making up for lack of mobility in that regard. We do crawling exercises here and I crawl around and point at other babies crawling to encourage her but she is a fair bit older than your DD and not crawling at 12 months is less "normal". I have never googled so have not worried from that aspect, just resigned myself to fact she will do in her own time.

:

---

She loved tummy time but has never rolled. Apparently she is very verbal so might be making up for lack of mobility in that regard.

---

WYSIWYG, did your MCHN ever say that not rolling was an issue? Mine has said I can get a referral to a physio if DD hasn't rolled from back to front in a month or so. But I'm not sure if that's really necessary, or if it's just to put my mind at ease.
Also, my DD is already *very* verbal too, babbling all day. She has always been very, very alert, since the day she was born! I think she is just very observant... I can almost see her thinking... I think she will crawl if and when she feels like it.

The mchn never seemed fussed about the lack of rolling but I never really expressed any concern either and up until recently had a useless one anyway. I always put her on her tummy and she was happy there so as she was rarely on back apart from sleeping gave her little practice to roll that way, and she doesn't the other either. At 12 month check she told me to put her on top of fit ball and hold then roll side to side front to back so that as she felt herself falling would try to correct and strengthen muscles that would help with crawling. My DD was in a brace 2 to 6 months, so lots of people blame that for her slowness to move, but lots of babies roll and crawl in a brace and the brace people said is down to personality rather than anything brace related. I know it is her personality from the way she is about everything, but if I had time again at 9 months I probably would ask for exercises or something if had another non roller because looking at way she moves she is quite a stiff baby.

My little boy is almost 9 months and still doesn't crawl - which has disappointed me, but he had always loved tummy time. I'm sure things will be ok :hug:

My DD was not interested in rolling and I was a little worried. But she did not seem to want to move so thought if she is happy I am happy. When she started crawling at 10 months she will roll now when she needs to. It still does not interest her greatly. She will try and sit up before resorting to rolling. My MCHN is great and never seemed worried about the lack of rolling

As many PP have said, do not rely on Dr Google. I used to and do not anymore as I got really stressed out about literature on ex-premmie babies. Did my head in. Had my poor happy DD destined to be hit with every possible emotional issue on no grounds whatsoever. I have decided BB is the best resource as the real experiences of other parents is far more reliable. And everyone is so lovely.

Enjoy your DD's relative stillness while it lasts!

My Ds3 was not crawling or even rolling at 8 months. He hated tummy time too. He would sit up with a pillow around him but thats about it. then suddenly at 9.5 months he started crawling. He still didn't roll until 12 months and was walking at 13 months..

My Ds 2 was crawling and rolling at 6 months and we thought he would walk early but nope he was 18 months before he walked. He had issues at birth so there was concern about his development but it just turns out he didn't want to walk :lol:

Ds1 on the other hand was crawling at 8 months and walking well by 13 months..

DD well I actually can't remember her crawling :blush: Dh tells me she did :lol: and was walking by her first birthday

so every child is different. I don't think not crawling by 8 months is a concern if other parts of her development are fine.. Can she support her weight if you hold her hands ect...

My 10.5 month old is not crawling. She shows no interest at all. She can roll, but almost never does because she never lays on the floor.

FWIW, I was a non crawler and I don't have ADD, autism or any of the other google problems.

Hon it is normal, please try not to worry, I know its hard. My first child didnt crawl til 14months walked at 19 months. She sat on her bum and shuffled to get toys. There is nothing wrong with her as far as I know, she plays well, communicates well and makes friends easy at Kinder. My 2nd child totally different crawled around 7-9 months into everything, and walked at 14 months. Julia my oldest thinks about things more and is quieter than my 2nd born Tara who still is into everything, runs around like a mad one. I didnt push tummy time with both my kids, I did of course give them time on tummy each day, but if they cried and cried, I would let them go back to the position they were comfy in.

DD had hip dysplacia but wanted to comment anyway because of your comment about speech, etc. She didn't crawl until April this year, at the grand age of 13 months. She still isn't walking and she's now 15 months. But she can TALK! She can count. She knows some ABCs. She can say the names clearly of her favourite TV show characters (and Pontipines isn't easy!!). She tells me if she wants a bottle and even if she wants milk or water in it. She finishes the last words of lines in her favourite books when we read them to her.

I have been told numerous times that studies show if a child doesn't develop in one area as you would expect, there is another area that they are excelling in. Just relax. She will do it in her own time. And as the others have said. Google is NOT your friend. Don't do it to yourself. Come in here to vent and ask away. I mean, I have a headache today and if I google it, I'm sure I'll end up being convinced that I have a brain tumour :P

Be kind to yourself and try not to stress.

Corelly x

:

---

WYSIWYG, did your MCHN ever say that not rolling was an issue? Mine has said I can get a referral to a physio if DD hasn't rolled from back to front in a month or so.

---

GRRRR sorry, just saw this. My MCHN told me that I should really worry if DD wasn't walking by now. What a crock. She was in a brace for eight months. Spoke to my surgeon about it and he laughed and said some kids with no problems at all don't even try to walk until they're 22 odd months old. She also told me to roll DD on an adult exercise ball to get her used to moving, head first towards the floor. Yeah right. The surgeon just about had kittens at this one. Take it with a grain of salt. See a physio if you want to, put your mind at ease.

Corelly x

Hi there,

My DD1 didn't even show signs of moving until 10 months and only rolled once during that time from tummy to back. She hated tummy time too. When she did start crawling at 10 months it was straight going, no rocking first or anything, she just got up and crawled. Two months later, she got up and walked a week after her first birthday. I was a little bit worried but then started to notice that her fine motor skills were a lot more advanced than her gross motor ones. So I just assumed that everything can't develop at the same time! She was also delayed in her speech, only about six words until she was two but then within a month of turning two she was saying sentences. I didn't go to my MCHN after the 6 month check up. I had too many bad experiences so I didn't have that outside influence worrying me I guess (my MIL on the other hand....) LOL. DD2 is the total opposite of DD1 and is doing everything early. My best friend never crawled and she is very 'normal'. I'm really glad that everyone has put your mind at ease. Sit back and enjoy your baby as she develops in her own time. She knows what she's doing ;) xx

:

---

. She has always been very, very alert, since the day she was born! I think she is just very observant... I can almost see her thinking... I think she will crawl if and when she feels like it.

---

She sounds similar to my DD (7.5 months). She watches everything but takes her time when attempting new things and isn't crawling yet either. I took her to see an osteopath when she was 5 months old. She was a very unhappy girl and I was concerned that her quick delivery had caused problems for her. While she didn't hate tummy time she would always seem very frustrated if on her tummy for more than 5-10 minutes at a time. After that first visit she has been a different baby. She had never been able to roll from back to side but started that same afternoon. She is so much happier and loves her tummy time now. While she isn't quite crawling, she's getting quite good at moving around in circles.

A couple weeks ago, I noticed that DD was getting very frustrated when on her tummy. She was trying to get up on her hands and knees. As I watched her attempts I noticed she seemed to be avoiding putting too much weight on her right hip. I mentioned it at her next osteo appointment and that night, she was straight onto both her knees.

So while I agree that different babies focus on learning different skills, there could be something subtle going on with your DD that makes tummy time uncomfortable, so maybe having her checked out by a baby osteo or chiro or physio is an idea. But if she seems perfectly happy, I wouldn't worry.

Also have you read the Wonder Weeks? It's all about babies' development and has great suggestions on how to encourage babies to explore each stage using their own interests.

HI!I just wanted to tell you that my DD didnt start crawling untill 11 months and shes only just started walking properly now at 17 months,her speech is very good for her ages,i really believe that they all are so different,I had to take DD to the physio from 4 months as the health nurse picked up a head tilt and since she hated tummy time with a vengeance it was reallyhard to help her along,the physio gave heaps of great tips and help to get her to like it but honestly they seem to get it in own time i think,so then she started sitting up and rolling late and i thought shed never crawl i said it to everyone(since DH was a bottom shuffler)but she did finally at 11 months,i also never thought she'd walk and thought something was wrong but now she walks really well just like normal.I know it can be really worrying because ive been there but im sure it will be all ok!

My DS rolled tummy to back and back to tummy at 9 weeks and 12 weeks of age and continued to do so.He wasn't a huge fan of tummy time either so I just went with whatever he was comfortable doing. He commando crawled around 6 months but never crawled properly until well after he started walking at 15 months of age. He prefered to bum shuffle and drag one leg behind but he has met all his milestones and most certainly doesn't have a speech delay or ADD or anything else for that matter.
Please stop googling and enjoy your precious bub. She will do all the things she's supposed to in her own time ;)

To bring this to you from another angle - my DS1 who crawled at 6m, walked at 12m is dyspraxic. DS3 who crawled at 4m and walked at 7m is probably not going to be ready for school. I am still fighting with TT and he has some big time speech delay issues. He still does not hold a back and forth conversation with me at 4yo. A lot of what he says is illegible to everyone but me and DH. Everyone was certain when he started walking at 7mo that he was some kind of genius like my eldest sister who also started walking at 7m - admittedly including me. I tend to look at it as though I have failed him.

Not only is google not your friend, but anyone can publish anything online without censor. Is the information you are reading derived from years of peer reviewed study? Or just someones anecdotal observation which could actually be saying that in some cases parents are not helping their children with their milestones at all?

IF you see evidence that there is a delay with your DDs speech, seek help then. I don't think forcing her on her tummy is going to teach her anything useful, iykwim. Sit her down where she is comfortable and talk to her instead.

Nothing to worry about!! Completely normal :D

My DD crawled at 10.5mths and walked at 14mths (that day she turned 14mths!)...... all normal :D she's a fantastic talker, well advanced ahead of many other kids her own age in terms of how she talks and how many words she says etc..... I believe in the case with my DD, she was too busy learning to talk to worry about crawling or walking until those ages....

They do it when they are ready ;)

:

---

there could be something subtle going on with your DD that makes tummy time uncomfortable, so maybe having her checked out by a baby osteo or chiro or physio is an idea.

---

Thanks for that - DD actually saw a physio at nearly 4 months because of a flattish head due to back sleeping (another thing I worried about for no reason - her head is now perfectly round!) and the physio checked her hips etc, when I mentioned that she hated tummy time.

You guys are the BEST!!!! I feel I can actually ENJOY my baby now.... so glad I found this forum.

EDIT: OH another reason why I was freaking out - in the purple baby book that the MCHN fills out, the 8-month checkup bit lists 'Rolls both ways, back and front' which made me think that was the 'deadline', and therefore, something was wrong. Stupid book!!
I mentioned that to my MCHN and she said "It should really be 8 or 9 months, not 8"... like that's a huge difference! So I was still freaking out after that!!

All good now though! xx

Oh good, glad you're feeling better.
Don't worry about what books say, ok?

goddess, i spent the first 7-8 months of my DDs life stressing and fretting over what the books said, why wasnt she sticking to this routine, why isnt she doing this etc etc until someone said to me... the babies dont read the books do they? then it clicked... just like us adults, some days theyre more tired, sometimes less, sometimes hungry, sometimes not, some people are active and go to the gym, some of us prefer to watch tv on the couch! just like our babies we are all different

oh and enjoy the non crawling, i have loved not having to chase DD round until very recently, now i never get a chance to rest! its ablessing in disguise

I haven't read all of the replies to this thread, but I just wanted to let you know that I have a 20m DS who never crawled. Once he started rolling he didn't do anything else until just after 12m when he started bum shuffling. He has always been a fantastic talker and started speaking and saying lots more words than some of his other friends much earlier than them, had a good 50 + words at 18m. I have never worried about the fact that he hasn't crawled and it hasn't seemed to interrupt his development at all. I hope this helps a little.

UPDATE! Just in case anyone is still subscribed to this thread -
Guess who attempted her first little crawl today??? Yes! She has started to crawl!! Just a few little scoots... but on her hands and knees! That's crawling, right? :)

Sure is crawling, way to go.

Regards,
Dianne

My DD didnt crawl until she was 11 months! she commando crawled a bit before then and it wasnt until she was in daycare that she saw others doing it and kind of got the hang of it. She walked 2 months later. She is now 3 and is very articulate and her language skills are very impressive. I wouldnt be too concerned at 8 months, she still has plenty of time. I also didnt do much tummy time as she hated it too. And don't google - google is not your friend when it comes to medical things!! :D