Crawling is important and is one of the first movements that allows your baby to cover a lot of ground, fast! However, highly-anticipated milestones like this can sometimes prematurely pull our focus away from other milestones that deserve our understanding and attention. Here are some physical milestones to celebrate before crawling, which usually emerge for babies between months 7 and 10:
Head control:This milestone isn’t just for newborns. In the first six months, it takes a lot of practice for your baby to become adept at lifting their head and turning from side to side.
Rolling over:Many babies will be focused on rolling between 4 and 6 months. It’s a powerful workout that builds strength in their core, head, and trunk and helps them grasp weight shifting—an essential precursor to crawling.
Reaching and Grasping:The ability to reach and hold objects is foundational. What a baby is motivated to reach for with their hands will also inspire them to engage larger muscles as they coordinate their whole body to discover more with their hands!
Planking:When this milestone emerges, it’s hard not to smile! Seeing your baby suddenly lift up on all fours can be surprising. It may only last a few seconds, but it’s a testament to their strength and a sign that they’re getting ready to move.
Celebrating these “inbetween” milestones marks your baby's progress and can also be calming for you, reminding you not to rush the next thing and appreciate where your baby is right now.