Why Do Babies Push Backward Before Crawling Forward?

If you've noticed your baby going backward instead of forward when attempting to army crawl, you're not alone. It's a common occurrence that can leave parents wondering what's going on. The crawling journey is a unique process for every baby, and going backward before moving forward is a normal part of that progression.

Let’s explore why babies often go backward before moving forward during the crawling process. Understanding the developmental reasons behind this phenomenon can help you support your baby's crawling journey.

The Army Crawling Process

Babies undergo a series of milestones as they develop their crawling skills. During tummy time, they begin by pushing up through their arms to lift their head and explore their surroundings. As their strength and coordination improve, they may start pushing themselves in circles and then backward. This backward movement is an essential part of motor development. It helps them learn how to push up onto their hands and knees.

Transitioning to Forward Army Crawling

Moving forward requires a slight adjustment in technique for babies. They quickly realize the need to engage their legs more actively while learning to pull themselves forward using their arms instead of pushing up and back. This coordination between arms and legs is an important aspect of mastering forward crawling.

Encouraging Forward Movement

While it's important to let your baby explore and practice pushing backward, you can also provide opportunities to encourage forward movement.

Try This:

Create a play space in a corner of the room, positioning your baby on their tummy with their feet touching the walls.

The corner acts as a natural block, preventing backward movement and encouraging forward exploration. Place toys slightly out of reach to motivate your baby to reach forward and crawl toward them.

Another Idea? Introduce Obstacles.

Create obstacles of varying heights that your baby can attempt to navigate over. This could be as simple as placing cushions or soft toys in their path or using crawling tunnels or ramps. These obstacles motivate your baby to push up onto their hands and knees and develop strategies to move forward. Obstacles also foster spatial awareness and problem-solving skills.

Did you learn something new?

For more ideas about how to set up the optimal crawling environment, check out my book!

P.S. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for skilled physical therapy intervention. While I am a physical therapist, I am not your child's physical therapist. If you have questions or concerns about your child's health and/or development, please contact your pediatrician.