The ability to walk is a major developmental milestone for infants. They'll need this ability forever, but learning it can be a real pain.
You've experienced the joy of hearing your baby's first coos and smiles. Long ago, they got the hang of lying on their bellies, and now they can easily lift their heads off the floor. Currently they are able to sit, scoot, crawl, and stand.
The first year or so flies by and you miss all these moments. And as your little one nears their first birthday, you may even see them cruising and, gasp, walking.
Is there anything I can do to make this growing phase less difficult? Browse My Baby Nursery for all your infant care needs.
Find out how to properly encourage walking and what can be more harmful than beneficial as your baby develops their gross motor skills at this exciting period.
FAQs About Baby Nursery
Do baby walkers and jumpers help my baby learn to walk? NO - baby walkers and jumpers don't help a baby develop their walking. In fact, walkers and jumpers can impede or delay your baby achieving these important milestones. The more time babies spend in a walker or a jumper, the more delay they experience.
It is a vital part of your speech therapy activities. They encourage speech because of the presence of rhythm and rhyming words. It brings your child closer to you; you are both having fun and learning too!
Hypotonia, or poor muscle tone, is usually detected at birth or during infancy. It's sometimes called floppy muscle syndrome. If your infant has hypotonia, they may appear limp at birth and not be able to keep their knees and elbows bent.
Try sitting on the floor with them. Take one of their favorite toys or stuffed animals and hold it out a couple steps in front of them. As your baby's mobility increases, consider placing toys in a trail throughout a room to see if they'll move around from one toy to the next.
Hypotonia means decreased muscle tone. It can be a condition on its own, called benign congenital hypotonia, or it can be indicative of another problem where there is progressive loss of muscle tone, such as muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy. It is usually detected during infancy.
When Do Most Babies Learn to Walk?
Around the ninth or tenth month, many babies make the transition from pulling up to cruising (or walking by holding on to furniture).
You might witness your child's first toddling steps when they "hit altitude" and make their first efforts at releasing go of whatever piece of furniture (or portion of Mom or Dad's leg) they're using to keep upright.
Although the average age at which children begin walking is 12 months, many don't begin doing so until long after their first birthdays, often not until as late as 18 months (or, in some cases, as early as seven months).
It could be in her DNA; maybe she'll take after you or her dad.
Body type and personality also have an impact. A thin, active infant is more likely to show off her skills before her calmer Buddha-baby counterpart. While some children are more careful and will only take a step if they are quite certain they won't fall, others are complete daredevils and will jump in feet first.
Your child will walk, but it will be on her schedule, not yours, and not any time soon.
Sure, there are ways you can provide a helping hand (and a pair of clapping hands as she racks up her wins!), but rather than fixating on the final goal, enjoy the process of getting there.
Babyproof Your Home and Learn How to Get Your Toddler Walking
Your first priority should be to ensure your child has the best possible start in life:
Throw away any loose items that could be dropped on someone's foot.
Relocate any decorative pieces that are prone to breaking.
You should use plug covers and corral extra cords.
If you're having trouble babyproofing your entire home, you can isolate the most dangerous areas by closing them off or you can create a secure zone by enclosing a risk-free section of your property with gates.
This is helpful because infants who are encouraged to move around will explore everything in their vicinity, even if they aren't yet walking. The extra peace of mind you'll both enjoy thanks to baby proofing is a nice side effect.
The Foundation Must Be Solid.
The proverb goes that you need to learn to walk before you can run. To get up and running, you first need to take a seat. Therefore, your infant needs to develop strong abdominal muscles before he or she may learn to stand and walk.
The babysitter could even sit on the floor with their feet up on a small stool (or bench, foam roller, cube chair) if necessary (under supervision, of course). Get them moving up and down and all around by having them reach for toys on the floor.
This is beneficial because it gives your child the opportunity to practise important developmental milestones like pulling themselves up to a standing position. When your baby is learning to cruise and pull up, it is using the strength in its upper body. By requiring one to use a stool, one can strengthen one's legs and lower body. It also stresses the need of having one's feet under one's body for stability.
Check that they have reached all previous targets.
Make sure your kid is at the right stage of development before he or she starts walking. Do not force them to act before they are prepared.
Your child should have mastered the skills of crawling, standing with support, standing unassisted, and cruising (walking while hanging on) before you expect them to walk without assistance.
Even though some infants and toddlers crawl, others immediately start walking. To be sure, learning to walk is the most obvious and obvious milestone for a youngster, but I think it's important for every kid to master the art of crawling first.
If your infant has reached all of these milestones, you can begin walking instruction. If you don't already have the ability to walk alone, you should first focus on standing and cruising.
The Intentional Adoption of Bare Feet
If your infant or toddler hasn't begun walking yet, here are some helpful hints for getting them started. Keep things light and simple.
Absence of socks. Remove footwear. No shoes at all. Putting weight on your feet is the first step in building strong toe muscles.
Many little muscles work together to keep us upright as bipeds (animals that walk on two feet). Grasping the ground is easy for your foot muscles when you go barefoot.
It will encourage your baby's delicate muscles to exert more effort as they seek the optimal ground conformation for walking.
Going barefoot provides your youngster with a wonderful sensory experience and aids in walking. They'll be able to stimulate all the receptors in the soles of their feet by walking barefoot on various surfaces.
Increased awareness of one's feet is a result of these impulses reaching the brain and being processed there. Also, this can aid in the process of walking.
Socks aren't allowed either, since bare feet are the norm. New walkers don't need the traction that socks give, so don't let them wear them.
That's why it's useful: It is called proprioceptive feedback. Shoes may dull the messages your baby's brain gets about what surfaces are underfoot. Walking barefoot also improves stability by creating stronger foot muscles.
Wearing Shoes That Can Withstand Wear and Tear
These are some suggestions for getting your infant or toddler up and walking if they haven't begun already. Keep things light and simple.
Put away the floppy-soled baby shoes in the cot. No longer will those be effective.
Your infant will benefit from sturdy ankle and sole support in their footwear. Check out My Baby Nursery, where they have the widest selection of high-quality baby clothes.
Remember, your kid has not yet used the muscles of their ankle and lower legs very much yet therefore you may need to provide external support to get those muscles active.
It's ideal for kids to go barefoot, but shoes are necessary for when you need to go out.
Additionally, your kid may not do well walking on bare feet and may perform better in solid shoes due to the fact that every child is different.
They can help the wearer feel more stable by preventing their ankles from rolling or swaying.
Take It Slowly
Don't push your child too far too soon, and don't expect him or her to run across the living room the second they take their first steps.
They will start off by taking very small steps, perhaps just one or two at a time. Keep a close eye on them while you instruct. Sitting at a distance of three feet might be too much for them if they can only handle two degrees right now.
Raise the starting distance as they become more comfortable.
Prove Your Worth By Offering Help
To go on a short walk around the living room, hold your child by the trunk and not the hands.
Your baby will walk more normally, without putting too much weight on his or her toes, if you prop up his or her trunk as he or she learns to walk.
In order to build a healthy pattern of movement in the legs, infants need to learn to bear their weight evenly throughout the entire foot, including the heel.
Why it helps: Again, leading with hands means your kid tilts forwards and doesn't bear weight equally through the legs and feet. Even though your baby is moving slowly at first, it is important to let him or her feel in charge while they learn to walk.
The Power of Inspiration and Encouragement
If your infant or toddler hasn't begun walking yet, here are some helpful hints for getting them started. Keep things light and simple.
To motivate your youngster to keep trying, be sure to praise his or her efforts.
Everyone needs a little encouragement now and then, so it's important to recognise and applaud even the smallest achievements, like taking two steps in the right direction.
A child is most inspired by seeing their parents happy. If you're spending time with your kid on a regular basis, you might witness an improvement in their skills.
Dispel Their Worries
Assure them that there is always something solid to hang on to by keeping furniture and other objects close by.
Make sure you're close enough to them at all times, and have your arms outstretched in case they stumble.
Their apprehension should subside and they could even be able to take a few more steps after realising they won't be wounded if they fall.
Initiate Action
Sometimes infants need a little push to get moving. Attempt to join them on the floor by sitting there. To help them along, please hold out one of their favourite toys or plush animals a few paces in front of them.
As your baby gets more mobile, you might try setting up a toy trail around the room to see whether they follow it. Replace toys on a regular basis to keep them exciting.
This activity is useful because it promotes the development of gross motor skills necessary for walking, including both crawling and walking.
By doing this, you're encouraging your youngster to get up and explore their surroundings. It makes the exercise of walking more like a game than a chore.
Reduce Help Slowly
You can carry your infant in a variety of ways, including under your arm, on your trunk, or in your hands. They will require less and less help as they mature and develop physically and intellectually.
If you want to help your child learn to walk, you should gradually provide less and less assistance as they progress.
Possessing Positive Role Models Is Essential.
What could be more inspiring to a kid than witnessing someone else their age succeed? In many cases, a baby will gain the motivation to start walking after seeing another youngster of the same age making an attempt.
They may take comfort in witnessing their peers' successes and failures, such as when another youngster is praised for taking their first steps while the subject in question is praised for taking two.
This is where daycare or a childcare centre comes in handy; however, if your child has other relatives or friends nearby, arrange for frequent play dates.
Make Their Muscles Stronger
Your child's leg and trunk muscles need to develop and strengthen before they can begin walking. Make sure they have the opportunity to do so by providing it.
Infant leg muscles can benefit greatly from time spent standing. You can hold your child under their arms if they can't yet support their own weight.
They are exercising those muscles any time they are on their feet, whether or whether their legs are straight.
Effort and perseverance throughout time
As far as tips for learning something new go, this is the most crucial one. One of the best ways to improve at anything is to practise it repeatedly.
Your baby will not learn to walk without your assistance if you take him or her out for a stroll once a day. Set aside many sessions per day to help them hone their skills.
Whether it's first thing in the morning, after lunch, or right before you get into the shower, make it a point to work on your goal several times a day.
Regularly engage in these processes and drills. When your child understands what is expected of them and what will happen next, they will feel more confident and excited to take part.
The selection of baby monitors at My Baby Nursery is unparalleled.
You Should Constantly Set Them Down Standing Up
Instead of sitting your kid down after you've held them, put them in a standing position.
Putting them down while seated may be the norm for you, and it may be the easiest for them, but you should use every chance to have them get up and put weight on their feet.
If they immediately sit down after you set them down, you're still sending the message that you want them to stand up.
Force It
Another option for mobile walking help is provided by mini shopping carts, baby strollers, and other push toys.
Regardless of the sort of flooring you have in your home, you should select a plush toy that is durable enough to prevent it from being dragged around.
Some products are more effective on carpet than on hardwood floors, so it's important to read reviews.
Keep in mind that your infant is the driving force behind stuffed animals. A number of them are far quicker than others. If that's a worry, look for models that let you adjust the weight to slow the action.
That's why it's useful: The "dynamic assistance" provided by a push toy is just what your baby needs when they begin to walk independently. In addition, they provide entertaining opportunities to practise various forms of physical activity, such as squatting and reaching.
Let Them Use The Furniture As Scooters
If your infant or toddler hasn't begun walking yet, here are some helpful hints for getting them started. Keep things light and simple.
Your infant will first take steps while clinging to household items. They will be placing a lot of pressure on it, so make sure it can handle it.
Provide them with a continuous string of couches and coffee tables to use as a makeshift roller coaster.
Supported walking, like cruising, is beneficial because it strengthens the hip and thigh muscles. Your infant will eventually become less dependent on their hands, and they may even forget that they require them.
Get Started With a Stable Base
Despite your fears, the ideal place for your infant to learn to walk is on hard surfaces like hardwood or tile.
Use the soft or uneven surfaces to test their balance once they've mastered the easier ones.
Using carpet, mattresses, couches (under supervision), and grass are great for sensory experience and developing balance once they have mastered standing and walking.
Better with Two Adults Than One
It is recommended that two individuals be present rather than one while teaching a kid to walk.
This is just the boost of confidence and enthusiasm your kid could need to begin going. In this method, an adult might give the youngster moral support from afar.
What You Shouldn't Stress Over
The fact that your kid isn't cruising by month ten or walking by her first birthday isn't reason for alarm because every baby develops at her own unique speed.
Parents may only hasten their child's growth by giving them ample opportunity to practise in a stimulating, nurturing environment, such as during play.
As you watch your baby waddle around, you may also notice a few peculiarities that are, of course, very normal:
The Danger of Slips and Tumbles.
Your child's early attempts at walking may remind you of a boxer through a gruelling match: she bobs, weaves, and even dives.
Naturally, she is still honing her walking abilities. (Additionally, she hasn't developed the adult or even child-level depth perception or adequate near-vision that she will need.
In addition to her endearingly clumsy coordination, it's likely that she just didn't see the armchair until after she bumped into it.
Make sure your house is childproofed and keep a close eye on her, but don't worry too much about the inevitable (and many) falls she will take.
Your child may cry after tripping and falling, but she is probably more upset than hurt.
Keep in mind that she is engineered to withstand a beating and keep on ticking thanks to her pliable skull and built-in bumpers (her hefty posterior and soft diaper). She'll probably forgive herself for all those embarrassing falls before you do.
Diffuse Plantar Fasciitis, or Flat Feet.
If you take a careful look at her, you might be surprised that she is able to walk at all given her fat legs and little flat feet.
Her feet may appear flat, but it is because she has a lot of baby fat.
By the time she's 2 or 3, the excess "fluff" should have disappeared, and her natural arches would be plain to see. Maybe her toes point inward, making her feet look like half moons. Another lingering trait from infancy that took its sweet time to mature.
Feet with Crowded Toes.
Toeing-in, or a mild pigeon toe deformity, is common as well; it results from an inward rotation of the shinbones (called "internal tibial torsion").
Thankfully, after six months of her initial step, it normally corrects itself without any intervention. If the pain persists, the doctor can prescribe stretching exercises to alleviate it.
Some children will toe-out in their second year, then switch to toe-in in their third or fourth.
If her walking and running are unaffected by the toeing-in, then it's probably not a huge concern even if it doesn't right itself. (If this is the case, consult your physician about corrective footwear.)
Having Legs That Are Bent Inward.
She may have somewhat bowed legs after being coiled up for nine months within you.
Usually, a child's bowed legs will straighten out by the time she's 18 months old (but they may persist until she's 3). Even before she learns to walk, you can assist her legs align by holding her up while she stands.
Heel-toed steps.
Some young children can't get enough of walking around on their tippy-toes, which, oddly enough, is great for developing coordination and balance.
In extremely rare circumstances, tiptoeing can be an indication of tight muscles in the heels or feet, but more often than not, it's just a quirky habit that fades away over time.
As a measure of safety, observe if your kid can actually flatten her foot. If she is unable to do so, or if she is still walking on her tiptoes after the age of 2, you should take her to the paediatrician to rule out any possible developmental disorders.
In the event that you observe your child favouring (or stumbling to) one side, falling excessively, or if her legs seem unreasonably stiff, it is imperative that you consult your paediatrician immediately.
Applaud her bold steps (that cell phone video will come in handy now) and delight in her exciting new experiences.
Conclusion
The ability to walk is a major developmental milestone for infants, but learning it can be a difficult process. To make it easier, it is important to encourage walking and babyproof your home to ensure the best possible start in life. Babyproofing is important for infants to develop strong abdominal muscles before they can walk. Babysitters should sit on the floor with their feet up on a stool and get them moving up and down and all around by having them reach for toys on the floor. Barefooting provides a sensory experience and aids in walking, but shoes are necessary for when you need to go out.
It also improves stability by creating stronger foot muscles and helps the wearer feel more stable. Take it slowly and don't push too far too soon. Encouragement and encouragement are key to helping infants learn to walk, such as holding them by the trunk and not the hands, proppping up their trunk, and encouraging them to bear their weight evenly throughout the entire foot. Setting up a toy trail around the room encourages the development of gross motor skills necessary for walking, reducing help slowly, possessing positive role models, and making sure the child has the opportunity to develop and strengthen their leg and trunk muscles. Push toys, mini shopping carts, baby strollers, and other push toys are great options for mobile walking help, but it is important to select a durable plush toy that is durable enough to prevent it from being dragged around and provide a stable base for supported walking.
The ideal place for an infant to learn to walk is on hard surfaces like hardwood or tile, but soft or uneven surfaces such as carpet, mattresses, couches, and grass are great for sensory experience and developing balance. Two adults should be present to provide moral support and encourage confidence and enthusiasm. The most important details are that toeing-in, bowed legs, heel-toed steps, and tiptoeing can all be signs of developmental disorders, and that it is important to consult a paediatrician immediately.
Content Summary
- The ability to walk is a major developmental milestone for infants.
- You've experienced the joy of hearing your baby's first coos and smiles.
- Browse My Baby Nursery for all your infant care needs.
- Find out how to properly encourage walking and what can be more harmful than beneficial as your baby develops their gross motor skills at this exciting period.
- Your child will walk, but it will be on her schedule, not yours, and not any time soon.
- Throw away any loose items that could be dropped on someone's foot.
- If you're having trouble babyproofing your entire home, you can isolate the most dangerous areas by closing them off or you can create a secure zone by enclosing a risk-free section of your property with gates.
- The proverb goes that you need to learn to walk before you can run.
- To get up and running, you first need to take a seat.
- Therefore, your infant needs to develop strong abdominal muscles before he or she may learn to stand and walk.
- Get them moving up and down and all around by having them reach for toys on the floor.
- When your baby is learning to cruise and pull up, it is using the strength in its upper body.
- Make sure your kid is at the right stage of development before he or she starts walking.
- To be sure, learning to walk is the most obvious and obvious milestone for a youngster, but I think it's important for every kid to master the art of crawling first.
- The Intentional Adoption of Bare FeetIf your infant or toddler hasn't begun walking yet, here are some helpful hints for getting them started.
- Absence of socks.
- Remove footwear.
- No shoes at all.
- Putting weight on your feet is the first step in building strong toe muscles.
- Grasping the ground is easy for your foot muscles when you go barefoot.
- Going barefoot provides your youngster with a wonderful sensory experience and aids in walking.
- Walking barefoot also improves stability by creating stronger foot muscles.
- Wearing Shoes That Can Withstand Wear and TearThese are some suggestions for getting your infant or toddler up and walking if they haven't begun already.
- Put away the floppy-soled baby shoes in the cot.
- Your infant will benefit from sturdy ankle and sole support in their footwear.
- They will start off by taking very small steps, perhaps just one or two at a time.
- Raise the starting distance as they become more comfortable.
- Why it helps: Again, leading with hands means your kid tilts forwards and doesn't bear weight equally through the legs and feet.
- Even though your baby is moving slowly at first, it is important to let him or her feel in charge while they learn to walk.
- The Power of Inspiration and EncouragementIf your infant or toddler hasn't begun walking yet, here are some helpful hints for getting them started.
- Attempt to join them on the floor by sitting there.
- As your baby gets more mobile, you might try setting up a toy trail around the room to see whether they follow it.
- Replace toys on a regular basis to keep them exciting.
- Reduce Help SlowlyYou can carry your infant in a variety of ways, including under your arm, on your trunk, or in your hands.
- If you want to help your child learn to walk, you should gradually provide less and less assistance as they progress.
- Make Their Muscles StrongerYour child's leg and trunk muscles need to develop and strengthen before they can begin walking.
- Make sure they have the opportunity to do so by providing it.
- Infant leg muscles can benefit greatly from time spent standing.
- Your baby will not learn to walk without your assistance if you take him or her out for a stroll once a day.
- Whether it's first thing in the morning, after lunch, or right before you get into the shower, make it a point to work on your goal several times a day.
- Regularly engage in these processes and drills.
- You Should Constantly Set Them Down Standing UpInstead of sitting your kid down after you've held them, put them in a standing position.
- Force ItAnother option for mobile walking help is provided by mini shopping carts, baby strollers, and other push toys.
- That's why it's useful: The "dynamic assistance" provided by a push toy is just what your baby needs when they begin to walk independently.
- Let Them Use The Furniture As ScootersIf your infant or toddler hasn't begun walking yet, here are some helpful hints for getting them started.
- Provide them with a continuous string of couches and coffee tables to use as a makeshift roller coaster.
- Despite your fears, the ideal place for your infant to learn to walk is on hard surfaces like hardwood or tile.
- Use the soft or uneven surfaces to test their balance once they've mastered the easier ones.
- Naturally, she is still honing her walking abilities. (
- If her walking and running are unaffected by the toeing-in, then it's probably not a huge concern even if it doesn't right itself. (
- Usually, a child's bowed legs will straighten out by the time she's 18 months old (but they may persist until she's 3).
- Even before she learns to walk, you can assist her legs align by holding her up while she stands.
- Heel-toed steps.
- Some young children can't get enough of walking around on their tippy-toes, which, oddly enough, is great for developing coordination and balance.
- As a measure of safety, observe if your kid can actually flatten her foot.
- If she is unable to do so, or if she is still walking on her tiptoes after the age of 2, you should take her to the paediatrician to rule out any possible developmental disorders.
