When a baby is born we cannot wait to see how they will walk and talk like a big kid. Although the newborn days are the most adorable with that warm cuddles and baby smell, none of us can deny the fact that we have imagined our little babies as toddlers or kids. During the first year of a baby’s life, they learn a lot. They will roll over, lift their head, sit by themselves, crawl and stand up with help. Most of the babies walk in the first twelve months.
The baby books and baby blogs you have read would have told you that your baby should be walking by the age of one. Your elder child or the niece might also have started to walk before their first birthday. All these reasons will sum up to worry your head if your baby is not walking by twelve months. But what you should remember is every baby does not grow at the same pace so they will not reach the milestones at the same age. All the babies have their own timeline and you will have to respect it.
If your baby is not walking at least by fourteen months, should you really worry? Let us talk about the skills your baby needs to learn for walking when you should worry that your baby is not walking and when to meet a doctor.
CONTENT
1. Should not I be worried that my baby is not walking?
2. What skills does my baby need to walk?
3. How to teach my baby to walk?
4. When to be concerned and consult a doctor?
1. Should not I be worried that my baby is not walking?
I know how it feels when your baby is lagging behind in the development milestones. As parents, we want our babies to grow healthy and happy. So a delayed milestone might look like a sign of a health problem to the parents. If your baby is not walking at even fourteen months, it is not necessarily indicating a developmental issue.
Some babies will not walk at the expected age but they will be good at other motor skills. They will hold and grab things, stand up by themselves and make bouncy moves by themselves. If your baby is also like this, there is no reason to worry about it. They are still learning the skills for walking and will definitely start walking soon.
You will need to consult a doctor if your baby is not walking at eighteen months although he is good at other motor skills. For the babies who are past fourteen months but do not show any motor skills as sitting up, standing up, or bouncy movements, seek medical attention immediately.
The babies who are born prematurely will be late to reach developmental milestones than the other babies. When monitoring the developmental milestones of a baby born prematurely, adjust their age to avoid any confusion. You can calculate the age from your due date to get the adjusted age.
2. What skills does my baby need to walk?
Newborns have weak leg muscles and they cannot support their own body weight. As the baby grows up in age and size, these leg muscles will become stronger. Usually, babies sit by themselves and start to crawl around at seven months of age. When held upright, they will make bouncy movements from their legs. These actions will strengthen the baby’s leg muscles and make them ready to walk.
Before starting to walk without help, babies will grab the furniture around them and stand with their help. You might have noticed your baby make steps by lifting one foot at a time while holding onto something like a chair or a couch. These signs will appear around eight to nine months and they will indicate that your baby is ready to walk soon.
Babies develop muscles strength of the legs at different ages. Some babies will walk as earlier as nine to ten months of age while some will not walk until eighteen months. Walking is a complicated process that combines the skills to balance the body with the confidence to move. Your baby should also master the skill of coordination to take one step after another without falling down.
3. How to teach my baby to walk?
With little help and guidance from the parents, some babies will learn fast the skills needed for walking. Below is some exercise that you can practice with your child as well as few things you should avoid to stop delays in your baby’s walking.
Let your baby play on the floor and sit with them. Encourage him to stand up while you hold their hands. Move forward step by step so your baby will also attempt to make steps. This exercise will strengthen the leg muscles of the baby and boost his confidence to walk alone.
If you are carrying your baby around the house or wearing him most of the time in the day, stop it. Let them play on the floor and explore the surrounding. When your baby is on the floor, he can learn new motor skills such as crawling, scooting, and standing by holding furniture. These activities play a major role in strengthening the leg muscles of the baby.
Baby walkers do not help your baby to learn to walk! In reality, baby walkers can cause delays in your baby’s walking. There are many accidents reported from the use of baby walkers so it is better not to invest in one. Push toys can help the babies to learn skills for walking but you should always watch the baby carefully if you are giving them a plush toy.
Do not put shoes on your baby until they can walk well. Shoes can do no help in teaching your baby to walk. Babies can easily balance their bodies when they feel the floor directly on their feet. So shoes can actually complicate the process of walking for a baby. Shoes are only needed when your baby is ready to walk outdoors or when you need to protect their feet from cold.
4. When to be concerned and consult a doctor?
If your baby is not walking by 18 months, it is better to meet a doctor. You can go to a doctor earlier if you suspect that there is a problem with your baby’s legs. In some cases, delayed walking can result from a foot or leg problem such as developmental hip dysplasia, rickets (softening or weakening of bones), or conditions that impact muscle tones like cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. If your baby seems to limp or if the legs appear weak or uneven, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.