What Is the Difference between Baby Creeping and Crawling?

Each milestone of your child is important. So, you should be very vigilant that your baby progresses and achieves the milestones well in time. For that, it is important that you know what milestones are achieved by the baby at what time.

We get so carried away with the excitement of seeing our child grow that we often get confused between milestones. The most confusing milestones are baby crawling and baby creeping.

To help you understand the difference between baby creeping and crawling, here is a brief explanation of both.

Baby Crawling

Baby crawling is the movement when the baby moves around in commando style, that is, tummy crawl. Usually babies start crawling by 7–9 months. Crawling shows that your baby’s upper body is gaining strength and your baby has developed enough strength to pull his or her body forward.

This is the first independent step of your child. Crawling gives a sense of power to the baby as now they can move around freely to fetch a toy or any item which amuses them. Baby crawling is also a sign of neurological development. Crawling involves multiple skills

• Motor skills for moving forward, supporting the body weight and maintaining balance.
• Vision skills for looking at and focusing on a target.
• Cognitive skills to map the way to reach the target.

Why Baby Crawling Is Important?

1. For better hand and body co-ordination.
2. For strengthening body muscles and gearing the body for further milestones, like creeping, walking, jumping, and climbing.
3. For learning how to balance the body.
4. For developing visual and spatial skills.
5. For learning primitive reflexes.

Baby Creeping

Most parents do not know that this milestone even exists. They often confuse baby creeping and baby crawling as a single milestone. However, baby creeping is the next level of baby development. When your baby graduates from commando crawl and lifts their body off the floor, that is, crawls on hands and knees, it is known as baby creeping.

This stage portrays that your baby’s legs, arms, shoulder, and back are well developed. Also, your baby’s primitive reflexes are developing, which will help them have a better balance, posture, and movement.

Why Baby Creeping Is Important?

1. For better co-ordination and body rhythm.
2. For development of fine motor skills.
3. For better visual skills.
4. For better movement and conceptual skills.

Babies enjoy exploring. This new freedom of movement will help them grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. Crawling and creeping also provide them with the assistance to gear up for the next developmental stage, that is, standing.