- When do Babies Start Walking
- How do You Help Your Baby When he Starts Walking
- How Does it Happen?
- Why Doesn’t a Baby Walk?
- When You Should Start to Worry
When do Babies Start Walking
According to pediatricians, it’s quite hard to say exactly when a baby will start walking due to the fact that all babies are different. There are babies who are fidgets. They like to discover the world around them and move freely and independently. At the same time, there are less active babies. They are careful observers who like to sit and watch everything what’s going on around them. Such like babies show no desire to start walking.
Some babies are very good at crawling. It’s fine for them to move in such a way. Some babies don’t stop on this. They start to stand up and move step by step while holding on a chair, an armchair or wall. Sooner or later, all babies learn to coordinate the movements of their legs and arms and hold balance. There will come time when they’ll make their first steps.
You shouldn’t start to worry if your baby didn’t start walking by the time he/she turned 1 year old. It doesn’t mean that there is a case of his/her development delay or he/she will start to speak later than he/she should. Sometimes it so happens that those babies who started walking a bit later are the first when it comes down to talking.
How do You Help Your Baby When he Starts Walking
You may help your baby while he/she is making his/her first steps. However, you shouldn’t be too much eager to help. If your baby falls down, don’t come to him/her immediately. Such a reaction on your part may scare your baby. You’d better tell him/her something in order to calm him/her down. The fact is that falling down is usual and there is nothing to be scared of here.
If you are too much protective of your baby, he/she will never learn to cope with difficulties. It’s better to give him/her a chance to learn how to walk, stand up, climb and step down by himself/herself. This way he/she will learn to be independent from the very early age.
How Does it Happen?
When a baby is only several weeks old, he/she is already able to push off with his/her legs of a tough surface. He/she’ll be able to walk if you help him/her stay in vertical position. Still, it’s only a reflex now. A baby’s legs is not yet strong enough to keep him/her standing. This reflex will disappear in a couple of months.
When a baby is, approximately, 5 months old, he/she’ll try to push off with his legs and jump (when sitting on your lap). You should also keep him/her under armpits. Such like jumping will be the favourite activity of your baby for the next couple of months. The muscles of his legs go on developing. He/she learns to turn over, crawl and sit down.
When your baby turns 8 months old, he/she’ll try to stand up holding on the items of furniture near by. If you leave your baby standing near a sofa, he/she’ll start to cling to it. Once he/she improves this skill, your baby will walk around all the flat for the next 2-3 weeks. Maybe, at some point, he/she will stop holding on something and be able to hold balance for some time. Soon after it, your baby will be able to walk freely. He/she will also try to take toys from the floor while standing.
By the age of 9-10 months, a baby will learn to bend knees and sit down from the standing position.
By the age of 11 months, a baby will learn to stand without support, sit down and bend. He/she will also be able to walk holding a mother by a hand. As for him/her being able to walk on his/her own, this is hardly going to happen in next 2-3 weeks. Many babies start walking on their toes with their feet being turned outwards.
By the age of 13 months, 75 % of babies are able to walk on themselves. Still, they can’t yet walk with a firm tread.
Why Doesn’t a Baby Walk?
In case a 1 year old baby doesn’t have any congenital pathologies but he/she can’t walk yet, there may be the following reasons for it:
- Genetic disposition. As a rule, such things as being able to walk early or vice versa are inherited on the genetical level;
- Unhealthy diet;
- Negative previous experience. For example, a baby could fall down and get hurt when making the first step;
- No motivation on the part of family members;
- Spending too much time in an enclosed space (for example, in play-pen);
- Use of baby walker. Those babies who get used to moving with the help of it, are afraid of walking by themselves. They don’t feel confident.
When You Should Start to Worry
If your baby is happy, communicative and active, he/she will start walking when it’s time. If your baby is older than 1 year old and he/she doesn’t walk yet, you should go to a doctor. He/she will be able to define the reason for it and tell you more exactly when a baby starts to walk. As a rule, the reason for it is a weak tonus of the muscles. Sometimes, the reason may have to do with the baby’s spinal cord. In this case, you need to consult your doctor as soon as possible.
Video: When should my baby start walking?