At the second half of a baby’s first year, they begin learning how to explore different kinds of movements. One of those movements is the good old crawl back and forth! A good point to remember is that a baby’s first movement is not always forward. Often, it’s backward, sideward, all around, even. IT can get terrifying to allow your little one to move on his own, but giving him time to explore on his own is important to his growth and development.

So here are a few tips on making sure that you and your baby both enjoy this time of exploration and fun!

1. Tummy time is crucial time. As a newborn, you have to give your baby plenty of time to play on their tummies. Their torsos can only gain strength by muscle improvement and exercise on this area. This is the same strength that they need to be able to crawl. Start tummy time with them early on a few wells after birth!
    
2. Turn crawl training into play! Try to motivate your little one by incorporating toys into the learning process. Lay out your little one’s toys around him and test if he can reach them while trying to crawl. As they succeed, lay them out at longer distances and before you know it, your little one will be crawling more than you expected!
    
3. Childproof your home and provide a lot of space for baby fun. Now is the perfect time to build your baby’s own exploration space that’s safe and conducive for his growth and development. This can also be a mind-soothing activity for you as a mom! Enjoy putting in decors with soft materials and matting the baby room with all sorts of fun colors for you and your baby.
    
4. Give your baby the ultimate head start! Your palms are integral to your child’s crawling process. During his first few tries at moving forward, hold out your palms under his feet when he is on all fours and allow him to give off a little push. 
    
5. Take your time, Mom and baby! There is no need to rush your baby’s development. In fact, rushing causes more harm than help. Give your baby plenty of time to just learn in his own pace. 

If your baby isn’t making any progress for what seems like a reasonably long time, or if he is only using one side of his body to move and drags around the other, contact your child health care provider and consult accordingly.

With these #SweetMommy hacks on crawling, movement training with your little one will for sure be sweet and memorable.