Bottom shuffling is where a baby moves around in sitting by “shuffling along” on their bottom. Babies who bottom shuffle usually do so instead of crawling.

There are lots of different opinions about bottom shuffling, why it occurs and what to do (if anything) about it.

If your baby is bottom shuffling- it’s a good idea to see a Paediatric Physiotherapist. Sometimes bottom shuffling can be an indicator of difficulties with general development or gross motor skills. An experienced Physiotherapist can assess your child to determine whether there are any issues that need to be addressed. Specific activities tailored to your child’s needs can be developed for you to practice with your baby at home.

At other times bottom shuffling is not indicative of any developmental issues- Sue was a bottom shuffler who grew enjoying playing sport and being active.