Your baby's first steps might seem like a small moment—but behind those wobbly knees is a massive transformation happening in your baby's brain. Crawling, standing, and walking aren't just cute milestones to capture on video. They're literally building your baby's brain for balance, focus, coordination, and even future learning.

In this episode, we're diving into Phases 4 through 6 of motor development—from that first belly scoot all the way to independent walking—and uncovering what's really happening beneath those tiny feet.

What You'll Learn:

• Phase 4: Pre-Crawling & Crawling (7–11 months)—how crawling strengthens the corpus callosum (the bridge between brain hemispheres) and why it's essential for reading, attention, and coordination
• What's happening in the brain: How crawling activates the vestibular system, proprioceptive system, and cerebellum
• Phase 5: Pre-Standing & Standing (8–12 months)—why babies must master quadruped (hands and knees) before they can stand
• Phase 6: Pre-Walking & Walking (12–18 months)—why walking is the culmination of everything your baby has been working toward
• Fine motor skills that emerge at each phase (pincer grasp, bilateral coordination, intentional release)
• Sarah's personal story: How going back to crawling transformed her son August's development after he was told to "skip it and go straight to walking"

Why This Episode Matters: In 2022, the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics removed crawling from their milestone checklist. Many pediatric therapists—including Sarah—strongly disagree with this decision. This episode explains why crawling still matters and what happens when babies skip this critical phase.

What to Do If Your Baby Is Delayed:

• Why "wait and see" advice can be harmful
• How the early intervention process works (and why it takes too long)
• Why WeeThrive exists: to give parents tools NOW—not months from now

Key Takeaway: Each phase builds on the previous one. Crawling isn't just about getting from point A to point B—it's wiring the brain for coordination, reading, attention, and emotional regulation. When we skip steps, we miss critical developmental windows.

Free Resource: 📥 Download your FREE Ultimate Baby Motor Milestone Checklist (Birth to Walking)

This visual guide covers all 6 phases and helps you track your baby's progress through crawling, standing, and walking.

Perfect For:

• Parents told "don't worry if your baby skips crawling"
• Babies who are scooting, bear crawling, or skipping hands-and-knees crawling
• Parents whose babies seem "behind" on motor milestones
• Anyone navigating developmental delays or early intervention
• Parents who want to advocate for their child when doctors say "wait and see"

Coming Next: Episode 4 dives deep into tummy time—why it matters, how to make your baby love it (not just tolerate it), and Sarah's best OT tips for success.

About Your Host: Sarah Cook, MOTR/L, is a licensed pediatric occupational therapist and mom of three boys—including one with Down syndrome who is now her strongest, most coordinated crawler. Sarah combines clinical expertise with lived experience and created WeeThrive to empower parents with evidence-based tools to help their children thrive.

Subscribe to WeeThrive Weekly Newsletter for exclusive resources and early access to workshops: weethrivepeds.com

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