Baby Not Crawling at 9, 10 or 11 Months? What's Normal and When to Ask

Not crawling at 9, 10 or 11 months is often normal. Zero to Three says crawling starts anywhere from 5 to 13 months, and about 7% of babies skip it. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that's no cause for concern as long as your baby gets around another way and uses each arm and leg equally.

Is it normal for a baby not to crawl at 9, 10 or 11 months?

For many babies, yes, though the sources don't all draw the line in the same place:

• Zero to Three: crawling starts anywhere from 5 to 13 months, half of all babies start at about 8 months, and about 7% skip crawling altogether.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): crawling is usually mastered between 7 and 10 months. A few children never crawl and get around in other ways, like scooting on their bottoms or slithering on their stomachs.
• Pathways.org: most babies start moving with alternating arms and legs between 6 and 9 months, and by 12 months most are crawling confidently as their main way to get around. It also suggests contacting your baby's healthcare provider if crawling hasn't started by 9 months.
• CDC: its milestone checklists list what most babies (75% or more) can do by each age, and crawling isn't on the 9-month or 1-year list.

So a 10-month-old who isn't crawling yet is inside Zero to Three's range but past Pathways' check-in age. If your baby sits on their own, reaches for toys and finds other ways to explore, that fits what the AAP calls the important thing: being able to explore their surroundings. It's still a good thing to mention at the next checkup. For the bigger picture, here's how crawling usually develops.

Baby not crawling but pulling up to stand?

That can be normal. Zero to Three says some children skip crawling and go right to walking, and the AAP says babies this age pull themselves up to stand every chance they get, because walking is what they want to do next. Pulling up to stand is on the CDC's 1-year checklist, so a baby who's doing it has reached that milestone.

A few things help once they're up:

• Show them the way down. New standers may not know how to get back down. If yours cries for help, the AAP suggests showing them how to bend their knees and lower themselves without falling.
• Anchor the furniture. Zero to Three says babies who start to cruise, walking while holding on to furniture, often pull up on dressers, bookshelves and TV stands, so secure those to the wall with anti-tip brackets.

What causes late crawling in babies?

In most cases, nothing is physically wrong with babies who are slow to crawl, Zero to Three says. Some reasons it can take longer:

• Size. Zero to Three says babies who are a bit bigger or heavier than typical may crawl later, since pushing up onto all fours and moving the extra weight is harder.
• Being born early. Zero to Three says babies born prematurely may crawl later, too. For the first 2 years, the AAP suggests using corrected age: subtract the number of weeks your baby was born early from their age in weeks. A 10-month-old born at 32 weeks, 8 weeks early, has a corrected age of about 8 months. More on preemies, crawling and adjusted age.
• Other interests. Some babies are busy with skills that interest them more, Zero to Three says, like using their hands to figure out how objects work.
• Sleep position. A 1998 study of 351 healthy, full-term babies, published in Pediatrics, found that back sleepers reached several motor milestones later than stomach sleepers, including crawling. All of them reached every milestone within the normal age range, and there was no significant difference in when they walked. The researchers said that's no reason to abandon the AAP's sleep position advice, and today the AAP says to place babies on their backs for every sleep and give them plenty of tummy time while they're awake.
• Slippery floors. Pathways.org says a slippery wood or tile floor can make it harder for a baby to push off, and suggests practicing on carpet or even grass.

How can I help my baby start crawling?

Your little explorer needs floor time and a reason to move. Ideas from the sources above:

• Daily tummy time. Pathways.org says daily tummy time from birth onward builds the core and shoulder strength babies need to get up off the floor. Here's how tummy time leads to crawling.
• A toy just out of reach. Pathways, Zero to Three and the CDC all suggest it. The CDC's version: put toys on the floor or a play mat a little out of reach and encourage your baby to crawl, scoot or roll to get them.
• Hands-and-knees rocking. Pathways suggests holding your baby up by the waist and gently rocking them forward, so they get familiar with the motion.
• Floor over seats. Zero to Three recommends plenty of time on firm, safe surfaces like the floor, going barefoot to strengthen foot muscles, and skipping baby walkers and long stretches in seats.

Then give it time. Zero to Three's advice is not to rush crawling and to let your baby build skills at their own pace. For more ideas, see how to encourage your baby to crawl.

One honest note, since we make a padded onesie: it won't get your baby crawling any sooner, and for practice Pathways suggests bare knees and feet on carpet or even grass. Marina started ComfyCrawlers in 2006 after her son kept getting red marks and bruises crawling on tile. Our onesie has diamond-quilted padding sewn into the knees, elbows and bottom, all 100% organic Peruvian Pima cotton, padding included, so knees get a softer layer for everyday crawling on hardwood or tile (see the Green Tea colourway).

When to talk to your pediatrician

A late start on its own is often nothing to worry about. These signs, from the AAP, Pathways.org and the CDC, are worth raising at a checkup, or sooner if they worry you:

• Your baby isn't sitting on their own by 9 months.
• Your baby shows little interest in reaching, rolling or shifting their body to explore.
• Your baby strongly favors one side of the body when moving. Here's more on babies who crawl on one leg.
• By 12 months, hands-and-knees crawling isn't your baby's main way of getting around.
• Your baby has lost skills they used to have.

You know your baby best, and the CDC's advice is not to wait: if your child isn't meeting one or more milestones, has lost skills, or you have other concerns, talk with your child's doctor and ask about developmental screening. The AAP recommends screening for general development at 9, 18 and 30 months, so the 9-month checkup is a natural time to bring up crawling. A short phone video helps, since babies don't always crawl on cue at the doctor's office.

If you or the doctor is still concerned, the CDC suggests asking for a referral to a specialist and calling your state or territory's early intervention program.

Common questions

Is it OK if my baby skips crawling?

It can be. Zero to Three says about 7% of babies skip crawling altogether, and some go right to walking. The AAP says that's no cause for concern as long as your baby gets around another way, coordinating both sides of the body and using each arm and leg equally. Pathways.org still encourages crawling, so keep offering floor time.

At what age is crawling considered late?

There's no single cutoff. The AAP says crawling is usually mastered between 7 and 10 months, Zero to Three's range for starting runs to 13 months, and the CDC's 9-month and 1-year checklists don't include crawling. Pathways.org suggests checking in if crawling hasn't started by 9 months, or if hands-and-knees crawling isn't your baby's main way of getting around by 12 months.

Is bottom scooting instead of crawling normal?

It can be, but the sources differ. The AAP says bottom scooting instead of crawling is no cause for concern as long as your baby coordinates both sides of the body and uses each arm and leg equally. Pathways.org calls scooting normal occasionally, but says it shouldn't replace hands-and-knees crawling. The CDC's list of possible signs of cerebral palsy includes a baby older than 10 months who scoots on their bottom or hops on their knees but doesn't crawl on all fours, though it notes that some children without cerebral palsy may show some of these signs too. If your baby is past 10 months and scoots or hops instead of crawling, have your pediatrician take a look.

Is late crawling a sign of autism?

Crawling isn't on the CDC's list of autism signs. The signs with ages attached are social and communication ones, such as not responding to their name by 9 months or using few or no gestures, like waving goodbye, by 12 months. The CDC does list delayed movement skills among related characteristics, so if something about your baby's development worries you, ask. The AAP recommends autism screening at 18 and 24 months, or whenever a parent or provider has a concern.