Does crawling hurt baby’s knees? Developmental milestones are always thrilling for mommies. Your baby is not the only one excited when they hit the crawling stage.
Part of the fun and excitement is crawling around on your hands and knees running after the little one. But truth be told it doesn’t take long before your knees can’t take anymore.
This leaves you wondering if all the does crawling hurt baby’s knees? Crawling does not hurt your little ones knees.
However, there are situations when moving on all fours may hurt your baby’s knees. Keep reading to find when crawling can hurt the baby’s knees and what you can do for your bambino.
Do Baby’s Get Hurt When They Crawl?
It’s reassuring to know that crawling doesn’t usually hurt babies’ knees. Here is why;
No bony kneecap
A kneecap is a bone that you find at the front of the knee. Babies are born without a kneecap (not in the technical sense anyway).
Or you might say they do have a kneecap just not one that will show up on an X-ray. Babies will only start developing bones in the knee area when they are about three years old.
That’s the reason why their knees are soft and feel spongy when you touch them. So really when babies are crawling around the house, it’s more like their knees are padded with sponge.
Extra padding
It also doesn’t hurt that most babies are chubby little cuties at this age. This gives them an extra layer of fat that absorbs most of the shock.
Therefore, there’s little chance for them groaning in pain at this point.
Less pressure
Most babies don’t weigh enough at the stage to put too much pressure on their knees.
It’s safe to say that if your house is crawl-proof, there shouldn’t be any problems.
When Does Crawling Hurt?
It is possible in certain circumstances for babies to experience pain from crawling.
Below are some of the reasons your little one may get some discomfort when crawling.
Rugburn
When carpets are hard, too much friction as the baby moves will cause a rug burn. Their skin might scrap off, turn red, and it will be sore to the touch.
These burns cause an awful lot of pain; it might put the baby off crawling. To make matters worse, they may get infected if not treated correctly.
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Objects on the floor
Your baby can get grazed or cut buy a hazardous object lying around the floor. This might cause bleeding or scratches.
Irritation
Babies have sensitive skin. Some material may cause bubba’s knees to get irritated or chafed.
Should I Stop The Baby From Crawling?
Alarm bells might be ringing in your head now, and you might be tempted to keep your baby in a walker to stop them from crawling altogether.
It’s essential to remember that crawling is a significant milestone in your child’s development.
Let me explain why. Experts have said that babies prepare for walking by learning to coordinate their movements while they crawl.
Also, crawling helps your little one’s brain develop new connections. This will become valuable later on in life.
For example, once your child starts crawling, they will soon realize how to get across the room to get to their favorite toy.
It might seem like nothing spectacular. But this is when the seeds of memory and understanding are planted in your baby’s mind.
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Crawl Proof Your House
Here are some tips for making your house safe for your child to prevent their knees from getting hurt.
Use a soft mat
When your baby is still learning how to crawl, it might help to put soft mats around the house so their skin won’t get irritated.
Keep them in leggings
We all know how hard keeping the little explorer in one place can be, especially as they get older and get in touch with their inner flash, super speeding their way around the house.
It makes sense to keep their little knees covered in leggings or even jeans. The material will prevent them from getting scratches and bruises on the floor.
Change the rugs
Once your baby starts racing around the house, their knees may start getting chaffed, and appear red from rug burn especially if your carpet is rough.
If it’s a possibility, you might consider changing the flooring altogether. Investing in good nonslip rugs or foam tiles for your floor is another great way to keep the knee ouchies away.
Move things around
If your little explorer discovers new interests (or just wants to break everything in sight), it will help to remove anything that can hurt the baby.
Think about moving any pieces of furniture and decorative pieces in your child’s path.
Keep the house clean
Cleaning up the house every other day when there is a crawler is not a choice. You have to make sure that there are no particles or pieces of anything that might scrape your baby’s knees.
Anything at all, no matter how small can cause bruises, scrapes, or might be uncomfortable.
Hand and knees scavenger hunt
To make sure the floor is entirely childproof, you may have to go on your hands and knees to see if there are any nails, uneven bumps, or splinters on the floor especially if you have hardwood floors. Better you than baby, right?
Watch them like a hawk
It goes without saying that you must keep an eye on where the little racer goes. Don’t let the baby crawl over rough surfaces or very hard floors.
Should I Use Knee Pads?
Knee pads are not necessary; most babies do just fine without them. However, if your house has particularly hard floors, then you might want to consider buying a pair.
If your floors are made of hard tiles, they will likely be very uncomfortable or terribly cold for your baby. A pair of knee pads, store-bought or homemade, would come in handy for baby’s protection.
There are a lot of commercial knee pads available made with protective padding to cushion your baby knees. They are particularly useful for people who love the outdoors.
Crawling outdoor can be very dangerous for your baby’s knees. Stones, grass cuts and the rough ground will most definitely get your baby hurt.
With kneepads, your little munchkin will be protected and will enjoy the outdoors as much as you do. Here is a perfect pair of kneepads for your little one.
There’s no pressure if you can’t afford to buy store-bought kneepads. You can D-I-Y a good pair with stuff you already have around the house.
Or even repurpose some old nonslip socks. It’s a cost-effective way of protecting little bubbas knees.
What To Do When Baby Knees Get Irritated
If your baby has bruised knees from crawling, use diaper rash cream to help soothe the irritation on your baby’s knees.
Diaper rash ointment can also help to stop your baby from chafing. You may also want to talk to your nurse or doctor about some useful creams to relieve your baby’s soreness.
Conclusion
So there you have it, the answer to the question does crawling hurt baby’s knees. With the right precautions, it shouldn’t harm your baby.
If anything, it will help your little one’s development. There’s no reason why you should stop your baby from crawling.
If they need extra protection get some knee pads. And if it does hurt your baby, try some simple home remedies and consult the doctor.
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