Dear Helen, is it normal that my baby is still not crawling?

“Dear Harper family, is it normal that my baby, who is 9 months old already, is still not crawling? When I put her on her stomach, she started crying. It has been that way ever since she was born. As soon as I put her on her stomach, she starts crying and she makes it clear that she doesn’t want to be on her stomach. What should I do?”

Dear Mom,

The motor development of a child takes place according to a certain order and regularity.

While the age at which a particular motor activity is mastered can vary from child to child (e.g., some kids start walking sooner and some start later), the order of occurrence of these skills is universal.

This means that motor skills develop in the same order for each child (e.g., all children first master holding up their head and torso before sitting; all children master sitting and then walking, etc.).

The only motor skill that is not universal and does not occur in every child is crawling.

In fact, about 6% of children simply skip this phase, and instead of crawling, use other methods – rolling, relying on their stomachs, even crawling with the butt (known as a monkey crawl).

So, if your child of nine months is still not crawling, there is no need to worry or force this motor activity.

It is possible that this phase will soon appear (it usually occurs between the 7th and 9th month) or it will simply skip it.

What is important, however, is to make sure that the child’s development of motor skills is proper and in accordance with its age.

This can be determined through a detailed examination by a pediatrician.

During this period, it is mostly important that a child is able to explore its environment in its own way and that it is strengthening the body for walking.

Generally, by the ninth month the baby should be able to sit completely independently and without support.

It is possible that occasionally it loses stability, but it should be able to balance itself by relying on its hands.

Also, at this age, children begin using their legs and knees, making hopping movements, which is a preparatory action for crawling and straightening up, and finally walking.