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Asymmetrical Crawling in Babies: Explained & Answered

As a mother myself, I get super worried when it comes to my children and when they were infants the worries were even bigger and more extreme.

One of my concerns for my babies was the fact of asymmetrical crawling! If your baby is doing the same thing and they are asymmetrically crawling, you’re going to find out why in this article today.

We will discuss everything you need to know about this type of crawling, including reasons and things you can do to avoid it!

Main Points

  • Asymmetrical crawling means refers to babies that don’t use their knees and hands to crawl. 
  • The condition of asymmetrical crawling includes different types. 
  • The incomplete development of your baby is one of the main reasons that lead to asymmetrical crawling. 
  • Medical conditions include some pain your baby might have and any vision impairment.

What is Asymmetrical Crawling in Babies?

When babies reach the age of six months (some older) start the crawling procedure, as you may know, crawling refers to babies using their knees and hands while moving around in the room or wherever.

Hence the name, asymmetrical crawling is when the baby doesn’t do this movement with the help of their knees and hands, instead, they do some “weird” movements.

To better understand asymmetrical crawling, there are a few aspects of doing this. The types of asymmetrical crawling include bunny hopping, frog leg, hitch walking, bear walking, commando crawling, and bottom scooting.

  • Bunny Hop – instead of crawling properly, your baby kind of hops with the help of the knees.
  • Frog Leg – the legs of your baby sprawl out on the sides of their bodies.
  • Hitch Crawling – when your baby crawls with one leg on the side.
  • Bear Walking – the baby has one hand and one arm forward instead of the knees and hands.
  • Commando Crawl – known as belly crawling is when babies use their tummies to walk around.
  • Bottom Scooting – hence its name, bottom scooting refers to babies using their buttstoo walk around the room.

If your baby crawls like the types or ways I mentioned above, they are dealing with asymmetrical crawling.

Also Read: 5 Finest Diapers for Crawlers

Why Does My Baby Crawl Asymmetrically? – Main Reasons

Checking out your baby when they start the crawling procedure is more than normal and I know that many parents have found at least one of the types that I mentioned above in their babies’ ways of crawling.

Once again, some reasons can lead to asymmetrical crawling because it doesn’t happen just like that!

Muscles

The muscles that a baby has can never be compared with the ones we do, and their muscles are weaker. It is a normal consideration because their body is still developing and they start noticing the movements they can do and the way they can use muscles.

Knee muscles in babies strengthen gradually and the weakness they have at the beginning is a reason why your baby has asymmetrical crawling.

Development

The growing phases of a baby are all different and not everyone can start crawling perfectly when they are six months old. It all depends on the functionality of your baby’s body and it includes everything that is under development.

You should have patience if this is the reason why your baby crawls differently and it is temporary. Your baby will start crawling perfectly once the body reaches the developments it is supposed to reach.

Pain

When I feel any pain, I can clearly show it to other people. Babies cannot do that! You should know that asymmetrical crawling can happen because your baby feels any pain in any part of their body.

When they have any pain, they choose a mechanism to deal with it, and when any of their body parts are aching babies want to avoid that pain. They change the way they walk and crawl and it is one of the most common reasons why asymmetrical crawling can happen.

Vision

The rarest but still one of the known conditions that lead to weird crawling are the problems your baby may have with their vision, otherwise known as vision impairment.

When your baby has poor vision, he or she will crawl differently and not normally. The tilting of their eyes to see moves on to different movements that change the way your baby walks.

It can also happen even if your baby has been crawling properly but know that their vision is getting weirder, the crawling does too.

Can I do Anything to Help My Baby’s Asymmetrical Crawling? – Fixes

Moms and dads are made to help their babies in many ways, and when it comes to asymmetrical crawling there are some things you can have in mind to help your baby get rid of those weird movements and start crawling correctly.

Patience

If your baby’s asymmetrical crawling is because of the development part, the best thing to do is to have patience.

Once your baby’s development phase will be complete, there is no doubt that the crawling will become perfect in a moment.

Encourage

Encouraging your child is never something you should avoid. They have started a life and they find themselves in an environment where different movements are expected from them and they cannot do that in a blink of an eye.

Encouraging your child will also be you getting on the floor with them and crawling along them. There is nothing better than your children watching your movements and copying them.

Medical Help

The vision impairment and the pains your baby are related and bring the necessity of requiring a doctor’s help. So, if you can notice that your baby’s body or just one part is in pain and they have vision impairment, there is nothing better than seeking medical help.Talkk with your baby’s pediatrician and you can solve the problems and asymmetrical crawling in a week or so.

Also Read: Why Is My Babies Poop Smelling like Vinegar?

Final Words

Asymmetrical crawling is a “problem” many babies deal with, and being a parent, I know how worried you may be and how much you want to help!

If you read the article above carefully, now you have some ideas on what asymmetrical crawling is, what leads to that, and some ways how you can help.

The helping part is one of the main things you should have in mind, and that concludes with the fact that asymmetrical crawling has its phases and your baby can start crawling normally.

I hope you liked what you read thus far and you found everything you needed to know about asymmetrical crawling! Good luck!

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