About half of babies, will be able to sit by themselves around 6.5 months.

Most babies, 90%, will be able to sit by themselves around 8 months.

Crawling could be commando crawling, pulling themselves along on their tummy, maybe arms pull together and toes push off and then maybe they start to use arms and legs alternately. Crawling can be on hands and knees with stepping on each side of the body. We’ve seen babies that bunny hop on hands and knees, babies that crawl on feet and hands like a bear, bubs with leg preferences, having one up and one down, there are those who stay in sitting and shuffle on their bottom and some don’t even crawl at all.

Floor mobility appears from around 5 months to 13 months, which is a normal range for typically developing children. Some babies will love to move and choose to do it often, others may not enjoy it as much. Every baby is different and this is okay! Every baby develops at a slightly different rate and this is normal! Each baby has their own strengths, interests, confidence level, personality, size, opportunity and desire to practice and explore and this feeds into when and how they choose to move.

We recommend seeking help from your GP, child health nurse or paediatric physiotherapist by 9 months of age if:

1. Bub is feeling super stiff (difficult to bend or straighten legs or arms) or super floppy (feels like a sack of potatoes that’s about to slip through your hands when you hold them!)

2. Prefers to stand on one side or only uses one arm to pull up with or play with (Asymmetrical)

3. Difficulties with feeding solids, maybe choking, gagging or refusing many foods

4. Doesn't seem to hear noises or their name when called

5. Struggling to hold their head up in tummy time or reach for toys in front

6. Not rolling, or showing signs of rolling, by 7-8 months

7. Not sitting independently by 8 months

8. Not crawling, or showing signs of crawling (what we call mini milestones ie on hands and knees), by 10-11 months