CRAWLING BENEFITS:

6 Fantastic Ways to Get Baby Started
Crawling in the Right Direction

Some experts have noted that babies these days have begun crawling later on or even skipping this important milestone. There’s speculation that it’s due to back-sleep rather than tummy-sleep for reducing risk of SIDS. And while you should follow those recommendations for safety, it’s just as important to be focused on when your baby should start crawling.

This skill requires them to develop those important cognitive abilities and fine-tune those motor skills. Your baby stands to gain many benefits by crawling:

• Building muscle strength. Just like you do tummy time with baby to strengthen those neck muscles, crawling time is important to help coordinate muscles for movement. With each attempt, those muscles of the shoulders, arms, and back become stronger while firmer abs and hips, bringing all of them together in harmony.
• Better posture and balance. While you’re sure to miss those days when you had a little wobbly, jiggly baby, crawling helps give your baby better posture and balance thanks to this building of muscle strength.
• Joints become more flexible. Crawling encourages a wider range of motion which boosts flexibility. This helps fine-tune those joints from the spine to the wrists and all the way down to the ankles.
• The brain further develops. Crawling helps babies explore and that exploration boosts neural functions, speeding up brain development. Thanks to the crisscross movement your baby makes when coordinating their hands and feet, the nerves and the hemispheres of the brain all gain traction, coordinating together to help your baby grow and thrive.
• Improved visual development. Babies use their eyes to guide them during this navigation as they crawl on the floor. From this, they get better hand-eye coordination. The more they crawl, the more the improve their depth perception.
• Improved body structure. Just by crawling around, bearing weight on the hands helps give them a better ability to grip.

As you can see, crawling is much more than an adorable milestone you’ll take tons of photos of. It really helps your baby grow in so many ways. Don’t worry if your baby hasn’t started taken off crawling just yet. There are a few things you can do to encourage crawling!

1. Make time for tummy time

As soon as you can after birth, start giving baby tummy time. Set them down on a receiving blanket on the floor or a mat on their bellies several times a day. Sing them your favorite songs or give them newborn toys to encourage them. This helps them hold up that tiny little head which will eventually lead to crawling!

2. Don’t carry baby all the time

Yes, we should carry and cuddle our little precious bundles. There’s no spoiling them by holding them too much but encouraging them to come to you will get them to take that first step (or rather, crawl!). Sit your sweet baby on the floor nearby you and invite her to come to you. Since she thinks you hung the moon, she will do anything to get to your side. She won’t come crawling the first time, but repeated attempts will bring results!

3. Let them move

Don’t just hand your baby toys. Place these things just a little out of reach and see how they react. From baby toys to the miracle worker in my own home – tinfoil balls – your baby will soon figure out how to come and get it.

4. Create space that is safe and supervised

Often times, with these bits of encouragement, babies take off crawling when we least expect it. That being said, make sure you take the time to baby proof your home in advance. This way, you’ll have peace of mind as your little one explores yet be able to allow them to save themselves. While you want to block the stairs or keep baby out of the kitchen, setting up a safe space they can explore, perhaps with access to cabinets with safe items (like pots, pans, and wooden spoons for example) is an ideal way to encourage baby!

5. Limit time in supportive baby devices

Car seats, baby chairs and strollers are part of our daily life but overusing these items might be one of the reasons why kids crawl later or don’t crawl at all! Baby devises provide so much support, your little one isn’t forced to use their own muscles to support their weight.

6. Try anti-slip crawling tights for added confidence

If you’re worried about your baby sliding on hard surfaces as she explores your designated exploration area, you should check out anti-slip crawling tights. These have gripping patches on the knees that add stability and aid in balance as she goes off crawling. They cut down on the frustration factor while adding a measure of protection that parents love. Plus, they’re totally stylish!

Anti-slip crawling tights is a new concept for you? Or maybe you are already a pro user who spend a lot of money with a product that haven’t met you expectations?

Before starting my brand, I spent probably a year talking with moms, researching, reverse engineering, testing various designs and materials, visiting factories, until I understood what product features are the most annoying to mothers and most beneficial to babies. So, I created a post where I share my experience what to aware of when choosing baby crawling tights.