My Baby Crawls Backwards
The short answer
Many babies crawl backwards before they figure out how to go forward - it's actually easier to push with your arms than to pull with them. This is a completely normal phase of learning to crawl. As your baby's arm muscles get stronger and they figure out the coordination, they'll start moving forward. Most babies master forward crawling within a few weeks of going backwards.
Parents everywhere have the same worry. You are doing the right thing by looking into it.
By Age
What to expect by age
6-8 months
This is a common age for backwards crawling to appear. Your baby might get up on hands and knees and push themselves backwards, sometimes right away from the toy they're trying to reach. This can be frustrating for them (and funny for you), but it's actually a sign that they're building the strength they need. The pushing motion engages the arm muscles, which will soon be strong enough to pull the body forward.
9-10 months
By this age, most babies who started crawling backwards have figured out how to go forward too. If your baby is still only going backwards and seems frustrated or isn't exploring their environment much, you can help by placing toys just slightly out of reach in front of them and giving gentle encouragement. You can also demonstrate crawling yourself - babies love to imitate.
11-12 months
If your baby is still only crawling backwards at this age and doesn't seem interested in moving forward or finding other ways to get around (like scooting or cruising furniture), mention it to your pediatrician. It could just be that your baby is very happy with backwards crawling and will skip forward crawling entirely to start walking. Or it might be worth checking in to make sure there are no muscle tone or coordination issues.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your baby is under 10 months and has recently started crawling backwards as their first form of independent mobility.
- Your baby doesn't seem distressed by going backwards and is happily exploring, even if it's in reverse.
- You can see your baby trying to go forward sometimes, even if they haven't quite figured it out yet.
- Your baby is also working on other motor skills like pulling to stand or cruising along furniture.
- Your baby is over 11 months, only crawls backwards, and shows no interest in other forms of movement like cruising or attempting to walk.
- Backwards crawling seems to be related to one side of the body being weaker - for example, one arm pushes much harder than the other.
- Your baby seems very frustrated by backwards movement but can't figure out how to go forward despite lots of practice.
- Your baby was crawling forward and has suddenly started only going backwards - regression in motor skills needs prompt evaluation.
- Backwards crawling is accompanied by signs of pain, weakness, or your baby avoiding using one limb.
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
Worrying about your baby means you care. That is a good thing.
Related Physical Concerns
My Baby Seems to Use One Side More Than the Other
Babies should use both sides of their body fairly equally during the first 18 months of life. While slight preferences can be normal, a consistent pattern of favoring one side - using one arm much more than the other, crawling with one leg dragging, or turning the head predominantly one way - should always be discussed with your pediatrician. Early identification of asymmetry leads to the best outcomes.
My Baby Only Army Crawls
Army crawling (also called commando crawling) is a completely valid and normal way for babies to move. Many babies army crawl for weeks or even months before transitioning to hands-and-knees crawling, and some skip hands-and-knees crawling entirely. What matters is that your baby is independently mobile and exploring their environment.
One Side of My Baby's Body Moves Differently
Babies should generally use both sides of their body equally. If one side consistently moves differently, is weaker, stiffer, or less coordinated, this warrants evaluation. Asymmetric movement can indicate hemiplegia (cerebral palsy affecting one side), brachial plexus injury, or other neurological conditions that benefit from early therapy.
My Baby Crawls Unevenly
While some variation in crawling patterns is normal, consistently favoring one side or dragging one limb while crawling warrants attention. Babies should use both arms and both legs relatively equally when crawling. Persistent asymmetry could indicate muscle tone differences, hip issues, or neurological concerns that benefit from early evaluation.
My Baby Still Has the Fencing Reflex (Persistent ATNR)
The asymmetric tonic neck reflex (ATNR, also called the fencing reflex) causes your baby to extend the arm on the side they are looking toward. It should integrate between 4-6 months. If the ATNR persists strongly beyond 6 months, it can interfere with bringing hands to midline, bilateral hand use, and rolling. Evaluation is recommended.
Signs of Ataxia in Babies and Toddlers
Ataxia refers to wobbly, uncoordinated movements that result from problems with the cerebellum (the brain's coordination center). Signs include an unsteady, wide-based gait, difficulty with precise hand movements, and intention tremor (shaking that worsens when reaching for something). If you notice these signs, evaluation by a pediatric neurologist is important.