Expert answer: The BabyCenter Editorial Team
Definitely. When your baby starts crawling – which usually happens between the ages of 6 and 10 months – he or she will choose the most energy-efficient way to do it, says pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, editor of The Wonder Years: Helping Your Baby and Young Child Successfully Negotiate the Major Developmental Milestones.
If your baby's arms are initially stronger than the legs, he or she will push or scoot backward. This is common, says Altmann, and doesn't mean that your baby's skipping a developmental milestone.
Backward crawling will keep your baby busy, and he or she probably won't be bothered by it. As your baby's legs get stronger, learning to crawl forward will be easier.
However, some backward crawlers need enticement to get things moving in a forward direction. To encourage your baby, put a favorite toy just out of arm's reach. The struggle to get there might frustrate your little one, but wait a few moments to see if your baby can reach the toy without your help. This will help strengthen the muscles needed to crawl forward.
Note: It's okay if your baby never crawls in a forward direction, or skips crawling altogether. The important thing is that your baby gets mobile. Find out more about the fundamentals of crawling and babies who don't crawl.