5 Signs Your Baby Is About to Start Crawling
Crawling doesn't usually appear out of nowhere. Babies spend weeks building toward it — and if you know what to look for, you can see it coming.
1. They're Rocking on All Fours
When your baby gets into a hands-and-knees position and starts rocking forward and backward, crawling is typically days to a couple of weeks away. The rocking is your baby's nervous system figuring out the weight-shift required to move forward. It looks like they're about to go but can't quite get there — that's exactly what's happening.
2. They Can Push Into a Seated Position
Babies who can push themselves from lying down into a sitting position independently have developed the core and arm strength that crawling requires. If your baby is sitting confidently and transitioning in and out of sitting without help, the muscular foundation for crawling is in place.
3. They're Belly Crawling
Many babies go through a belly-crawling phase before getting up onto all fours — dragging themselves forward using their arms, often with legs trailing. This is sometimes called army crawling. It shows your baby has figured out the forward-movement concept. Hands-and-knees crawling usually follows within a few weeks.
4. They're Reaching Far Beyond Their Base
Watch how far your baby reaches for objects. When they start lunging — reaching so far forward that they nearly tip over and catch themselves on their hands — they're practicing the weight transfer that crawling requires. The bigger and more confident the reaches, the closer crawling is.
5. They're Frustrated on Their Belly
A baby who used to be content during tummy time but is now visibly frustrated — grunting, craning their neck toward something they can't reach — is telling you they want to move and don't yet know how. Once the frustration of wanting-but-can't-reach reaches a threshold, most babies figure out forward motion quickly.
Getting Ready
- Clear small objects from the floor — anything that fits in a mouth becomes a hazard the moment your baby gets mobile
- Put a play mat down if you have hard floors — knees and elbows will be getting a workout
- Consider what your baby will be wearing — padded crawling clothes make hard-floor sessions more comfortable and keep babies from developing sore spots that discourage exploration
Crawling is one of the most exciting milestones. Once it starts, your baby's world expands overnight. Enjoy the lead-up.