A walking thread

[xprincessx]

Just thought i'd post this to get some opinions although just want to reiterate I am not at all worried just curious

My LO is 13 months and started pulling to stand at 10 months. He started to cruise around furniture at about 11 months. The past 2 weeks I have been a bit impatient so been helping him practice standing unaided. 2 weeks ago as soon as I let go of him he would fall down immediately. But with perserverance he can now stand unaided for 15+ seconds (sometimes more sometimes less).

What I did was get on the floor with him and hold him at arms length, count "1, 2, 3" with a big smile on my face and let go. I never allowed him to fall as I can see he is unconfident so I always caught him and made a massive thing out of it after he stood. But now how do I progress to walking?

I mean I know I can't force him and I wouldn't want to but are there any fun and exciting games I can do with him to encourage walking and to make him a bit more confident. I would LOVE for him to be walking by Christmas as we are going to my niece's christening by then and it would just be nice for him to walk in the church himself etc (of course I wouldn't be bothered if he couldn't do it by then)

I know he is well within the average range but I know he is more than capable it's just he's scared of hurting himself I reckon.

BTW he will NOT walk with his walker or any other push along toys. He pushed them but doesnt move his feet so his knees just buckle so can't do that.

And a couple more q's
- How old were your LO/'s when they started walking
- How long after first steps until they were confident enough to walk properly
- Was it progressive or did it happen "overnight"

Thanks ladies x

 

[Broodypants]

I think it's best to let them progress at completely their own pace but make sure you make a big fuss and give them plenty of praise and encouragement when they do it!

Does he walk around holding your hands?

Erin walked at 14 months, she'd been cruising for quite a while before that and then progressed to walking around holding our hands - that was a tiring few weeks cause that was all she wanted to do and would come over and grab our hands and lead us off!

She didn't walk overnight, it was a gradual process from standing unaided to taking a few steps, then on holiday she started walking the length of a room but she would still prefer crawling and then suddenly she realised walking would get her somewhere a bit quicker! She's been walking properly for about eight weeks now.

I'd say the whole process from first shaky steps to proper walking was about a month or so.

x

 

[xprincessx]

I think it's best to let them progress at completely their own pace but make sure you make a big fuss and give them plenty of praise and encouragement when they do it!

Does he walk around holding your hands?

Erin walked at 14 months, she'd been cruising for quite a while before that and then progressed to walking around holding our hands - that was a tiring few weeks cause that was all she wanted to do and would come over and grab our hands and lead us off!

She didn't walk overnight, it was a gradual process from standing unaided to taking a few steps, then on holiday she started walking the length of a room but she would still prefer crawling and then suddenly she realised walking would get her somewhere a bit quicker! She's been walking properly for about eight weeks now.

I'd say the whole process from first shaky steps to proper walking was about a month or so.

x

Hi

Thanks for responding hun

No he doesn't hold hands and walk...never has done. He hates holding hands with anyone at any time. If you touch his hands he swipes them away

x

 

[Hellodoris]

Evey took her first steps just before her first birthday, she had been cruising like a pro from about 10months.. yet we are still waiting for her to have the confidence to walk by her self. she will walk whilst barely holding one of my fingers, she'll now walk between furniture in the living room, and she'll use her walker happily. Just need her to gain the confidence to know she can do it. I always cheer whenever she does take steps and she loves that, I keep saying give her a couple of weeks and she'll be walking.. hmmm.... ahh well I'll be moaning when she does!

 

[Bernie]

Its different for every child and how confident they are i guess. My eldest will be 3 next month and she was crawling at 9 months and walking around the sofas at 10 months. She didnt walk properly til she was 16 months and its was a gradual thing. Me and my OH used to let go of her and she would just stand therefor a bit and fall to the floorWith my youngest daughter Millie she will be 15 months next week and still cant walk i guess my girls are late walkers Millie wasnt crawling til she was 11 months and she never sat up unaided til she was 7 months.Millie will now walk with her push along walker now though but she seems lazier then what Olivia was at that age. I guess just keep encouraging him he will get it eventually.I know what you mean though it is easier when ther are walking and my Millie is so heavy she hurts my back so im hoping she will walk in time for xmas.

 

[starangel27]

my son started walking just before 13 months and within 2 weeks he was running he rarely walks he just trys to run everywhere but hes still pretty unsteady on his feet esp if tired.

 

[_Vicky_]

IMO experience you just have to go at their pace giving them lots of opportunity.

I have two very late walkers Fynn took first steps at 18months 3days started tottering about at 19months 3 weeks and 6Days but it's only the last two weeks at 21 months he is choosing walking over crawling.

Sam is a different story he has hyper mobile ankles (double jointed) so hasn't made that first step yet.

Sam has physio and all kinds of appointments (as he wasn't walking by 18 months) and without fail they say there is nothing you can do to speed the process xxxx

 

[taylor197878]

brooke learnt to walk 2 days before she was 1 now a week on she is getting there can take 12 steps she is now letting go off funiture and walking although only manages a few steps,

it can be a slow progress all to do with comfitance.

brooke was crusing since 10 months.

 

[RachA]

Esther was about 12 months before she would stand holding on to the side of the cot.
She took her first proper unaided steps at 18 months. I would say it then took her about 4 months before she was walking as if she knew what she was doing. Before then she always looks as if she was going to fall over!!

You can't force them to walk before they are totally ready for it - it could cause problems in later life if you do. My siblings forced me to walk at 8months old and i've had minor back problems since i was about 17 years old!

 

[NuKe]

- How old were your LO/'s when they started walking
9 months 2 days
- How long after first steps until they were confident enough to walk properly
about 2 weeks! pops is utterly fearless and always has been!
- Was it progressive or did it happen "overnight"
it was pretty quick actually, she went from pulling to standing to cruising to walking within about 6 weeks.

 

[Sazzoire]

Lucy took her 1st steps at 13 months but didn't walk confidently until 14 months... now, I can't keep up with her!

x

 

[hattiehippo]

Tom was cruising at 9 months, crawled at 10 months, would walk holding 1 finger by 11 months but then didn't walk on his own until 14 months. A bit like your LO he just did not have the confidence to try it but because he spent so long holding hands when he did walk he really went and was a confident walker within 2 days and started running about 1 month later.

I don't think there is really alot you can do especially if he won't walk with a walker etc. And if his knees are buckling it really doesn't sound like he's ready at the moment as he doesn't know what to do with them to step forward - its a really different movement to step forward or backward than to sidestep and cruise on furniture.

I'd just keep encouraging him and being really excited whenever he tries to walk or stand.

 

[Jchihuahua]

Daisy took her first steps at 14 months but didn't walk confidently until 17.5 months. She still can't run though.

 

[mummyclo]

How old were your LO/'s when they started walking, F started walking properly last week at 11 and a half months
- How long after first steps until they were confident enough to walk properly. About 2 weeks
- Was it progressive or did it happen "overnight", It was Progressive, he just got better and better every day he took more and more steps although he had been cruising for over a month before any proper walking x

 

[Lu28]

I personally wouldn't push it, just gentle encouragement.

Aisling walked at 17.5 months and we totally by passed the wobbly stage, she was confident straight away

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Ruby walked at 17.5 months too. Late walking is the norm in mine and OH's families for some reason.

 

[Nats21]

And a couple more q's
- How old were your LO/'s when they started walking

Callum was 14 months when he started to walk

- How long after first steps until they were confident enough to walk properly

- Was it progressive or did it happen "overnight

He did use a baby walker (one of those push along ones rather then one they sit in) and walked with it really well but when we did try and get him to walk by himself he just didn't want to know, then one night he just did a couple of side steps towards his piano push along toy (he'd been walking well for a few months by this time aided). He then over the next week took a couple of steps every day but would mainly crawl. A few weeks after starting to walk he just seemed to have a spurt and started walking all over the living room, since then hes walkings come on brilliantly. He still very occasionally crawls around the room but mainly walks now xx

 

[KiansMummy]

Kian walked at 14 months.
He was quite late in developing with a lot of things which i put down to being premature. He crawled at 11 months, but has been pulling up and cruising on furniture from about 10 months. From about 12 months he used his push a long walker to get around and used furniture to cruise much more than crawling. I also used to stand behind him and hold both hands and kind of walk him in fron of me if u know what i mean. At the begining of october (so just before 14 months) he started letting go of furniture and balancing / standing unaided, and then from there i kept jus kind of standing him up at arms reach and encouraging him to walk to me, and holding just one hand as apposed to both hands and walking him ne3xt to me, and within a couple of weeks hed got it, and once he realised he could walk he got more and more confident really quickly, we are just trying to master walking with reins now when out and about, as he doesnt like sitting in the pram the same, buthe likes to go his own way and do his own thing rather than holding my hand lol . Hes only been walking id say 3weeks?? But he looks like nhe has been doing it ages, he climbs now as well and can access things he couldnt before, it is true wha people say once there walking the fun really does start,

- How old were your LO/'s when they started walking-14 months
- How long after first steps until they were confident enough to walk properly-a week or so not long at all
- Was it progressive or did it happen "overnight" - it was pretty quick tbh

HTH xx

 

[BabyJayne]

I agree in that I would just let him do it at his own pace - they find their comfort levels and seem to know when they are ready for the next stage. You are doing the right thing with plenty of praise when he does stand alone - but honestly, I wouldn't try and rush it.

Madeline was 12.5 months when she took her first steps. She was walking holding both hands for a few months before that, but didn't crawl until about 10/11 months. It took her a while to be really confident in walking - I would say a good 2-3 months. She's pretty quick now - but still doesn't run. She does, however, do a very funny quick walk x

 

[JakesMummy]

My eldest was 13 months when he began taking a few steps, more towards 14 months was when he walked across a room, yet like your LO he was cruising around 10/11 months. So to think it took a while to go from cruising to standing/taking a few steps, it may take a while longer for his confidence to build, to walk.

With my LO, it took a while from standing to walking - a good couple of months. At the time I felt frustrated for him, well probably me too LOL But looking back now, he was the kinda kid that took his time with everything.

What you are doing is more than enough and he will get there very soon! Sounds like he is well on the way. Its like learning to ride a bike - it takes time and skill with patience thrown in, but once you learn, its a skill you learn for life. Learning to walk is treated the same - imagine how scary it must be for him!

Give it another month and I bet he is taking steps by then!