A Developmental Milestone
Crawling: In simple words, it is movement caused due to synchronized movement of the feet (knees) and hands. Babies begin to crawl when they are around 6 - 10 months, and specifically, when they are able to lift themselves on their limbs. It is defined by
Wikipedia as "the mode of locomotion involving the arms and legs. It is the first gait learned by most humans".
Variation in Styles:
Rocking back and forth/jerking ahead while on the limbs is common among most babies. Some babies
cross crawl, similar to the normal walking style (left arm - right leg and vice versa), while some use the
coordinated style (right hand - right leg). Among other styles are the
bum scoot (moving forward while sitting upright) and the
crab crawl (using both arms and a leg). Some prefer moving around on their tummy using just their hands (
Commando crawl) to pull themselves ahead while others employ the
leapfrog crawl, which is leaping rather than crawling.
Importance: Famous child psychologists have evidence to prove the fact that, crawling is indeed beneficial for your baby. It is considered as one of the milestones in a child's development, as it not only helps develop the strength of the baby, but also develops the baby's sense of balance and equilibrium. Apart from the importance mentioned above, it also helps in the gross motor skill and fine motor skill development of the infant; it is also helpful in developing the visual and sensory perception of the baby.
Now that we have a brief idea of the importance of crawling for a child's development, there is no harm dwelling into the detailed description of the effect on the overall development of the baby.
Your Role as a Parent: As a parent, you should be ready to get on your knees and crawl around the house with the baby. As a ritual, keep your baby's toys at some distance, rather than scatter them around him/her. This will boost him/her to move forward and grasp the toys. As far as possible, keep your baby on its tummy; this will motivate it to raise itself on its limbs to move forward. Initially, you might have to lie down in front of your baby, just so he/she can see your face and be encouraged to move ahead. Keep away all sharp and fragile objects that might harm your baby.