7 Tips to Teach Your Baby to Crawl (Nanny's Way)

Your baby's down on that floor right now, honey, up on them little hands and knees, rocking back and forth, wanting to go so bad and going nowhere. Backwards, half the time, and you're sitting there worried something's wrong with your baby. Most likely, sugar, your baby is right on time and just needs a little help from you. I've been minding babies for near on fourth of years, and I've got seven little things for you to try this week. But the one that fixes that backwards crawling, it ain't even about your baby's arms. First thing to know is when this even starts. Most babies get to crawling somewhere between six and nine months. And to do it, your baby needs two things, strong enough arms to hold their weight up off that floor and the wiggle to move them arms and legs together. That's the whole job. And every one of my little tips builds one of them two things. Number one, tummy time and plenty of it. Now I know what you're thinking, baby. My child's already sitting up. They don't need their belly no more. Yeah. Oh, but they do. When your baby's on their belly and pushes up on them arms to lift their chest off the floor, that's building the very muscles crawling needs. So lay your baby on their belly and set a favorite toy just off to the side out of reach. They'll dig in with them arms and turn their whole body to get it. And every turn makes them shoulders a little stronger. Number two, get your baby reaching. When your baby's sitting up nice and proud, take a toy and put it just past where they can comfortable reach, not way out yonder or they won't bother. Just past their fingertips. So they got to lean out and stretch. And when they lean, one little hand comes down to the floor to catch them. That baby is the very same thing they do when they crawl. You're teaching them to hold up on one arm and they don't even know it. Number three, teach your baby to get down out of sitting and back up again. See, once they learn to sit, we get lazy. I've done it myself. We plop them down and leave them there. But you want your baby moving between sitting and laying down on their own. So when they're on their back, roll them gentle onto their side and at both little hands out front and press soft on their hip to bring them up into sitting. One hand drags along the floor to hold them. Do it a few times a day and soon they'll be doing it. They own self. Number four, get your baby comfortable up on their hands and knees. Some babies get up there and slide right back down flat because they ain't strong enough to hold it yet. So give them a hand. Lay your baby belly down over your leg so your thigh takes most of their weight and their hands touch the floor on one side, their knees on the other. Put a mirror or a toy in front so they got a reason to stay up and look. A few seconds is plenty. Now here's the thing most folks miss, honey. A baby can get strong as an ox up there and still not go forward. And I'm fixing to tell you why. And listen, if this old nanny's making things simple for you, go on and tap that subscribe button, sugar, so I can keep helping you and your baby. Number five, once your baby's up on their hands and knees and rocking, help them learn to go forward. When they reach out with one arm, take your hand and give the opposite leg the tiniest push, just a nudge. Then they reach with the other arm and you nudge the other leg. You're showing their body the pattern, arm, opposite leg, arm, opposite leg. Some babies get it in a day. Some take a couple of weeks. Both are just fine. Number six, and baby, this is the one I promised you. This is the one that fixes that backwards crawling near about overnight. Look down at what your baby's crawling on. If it's slick hardwood or shiny tile and your baby's in little footy pajamas or leggings, well, no wonder they keep sliding backwards. They can't get no grip. It's like you and me trying to run up a hill in socks. So take them pants off, leave your baby in just their diaper and get them down on a rug, a carpet or a towel spread on the floor. Now them little knees and toes can grab hold and push. A whole lot of babies folks think are behind. They ain't behind one bit. They was just slipping. Give them something to grip and watch them take off. Number seven, the last one. Go easy on them walkers and jumpers and bouncy seats. I know they're a blessing when you got to cook supper and a few minutes won't hurt. But every minute your baby's strapped in one is a minute they ain't down on the floor doing the real work. The floor is where crawling gets learned, sugar. So when you can set your baby down where they can move and let them fuss a little. All that fussing is them getting stronger. Now do them seven things, honey, and give your baby time because they're all on their own clock and there's no rush in it. And if something's truly got you worried, you tell your baby's doctor. That's what they're there for. But one of these ordinary days, you're going to set your baby down across the room and hold out your arms and say, come here, baby, come to me. And them little hands and knees are going to carry them all the way to you for the first time. And you're going to cry. I do every time. Now, some little ones pull up and stand before they hardly crawl at all. And that scares a lot of mamas for no reason. Let me tell you about that one next. Come on.