Q&A: When can I expect my 9-month-old to start crawling?

You are not the first parent to wonder if or when your baby will ever crawl, as there is a very wide range of ages at which babies start crawling. While some are avid crawlers by 7 to 9 months, others can take an additional month or two to master this skill. When they do, their styles of crawling can also vary considerably—from a traditional right-left-right orderly approach of alternating hands and knees to an all-out on-the-belly commando crawl or even more "unique" methods of crawling. Let me also point out that some babies actually never quite master crawling—skipping right over it as they move on to scooting, cruising, and walking.

In short, when babies start crawling can be so variable that it's not always considered a true milestone. What really matters is watching to make sure that babies—especially those who aren't crawling—are otherwise growing, sitting, moving, and developing normally. If you have any reason for concern, it's always important to have your pediatrician check things out. Otherwise, simple techniques such as giving babies plenty of floor time and tempting them to move by setting toys just out of their reach can encourage them to crawl.