Help Baby Walk

Updated on March 02, 2008
J.L. asks from Encino, CA
11 answers

My baby turned a year old on Valentines Day. She hardly crawls and when she does it is backwards. She goes days with out crawling and then will crawl a few feet one day and not crawl for another three. She can stand up only if she holds my hands and does not try to stand up unaided. I have her on her tummy all the time and try to excercise her as much as possible. Her verbal skills on the other hand are very advanced. She can say a few words in two languages and can point to things I ask her too. I don't know what to do about her mobile skills and I am very worried. Please help with suggestions.

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R.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

You could get her a pusher walker. We got one for christmas and my daughter loves to push it around. You might also buy her some shoes. The other thing to remmember is that all kids are different. My bff has a little girl, about 18 months, who was a very late walker, but she walks and is fine.
good luck.

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A.V.

answers from Grand Junction on

Providing that there isn't any muscular problems (which it doesn't sound like there is) she is just doing what kids do, taking their own sweet time. My daughter didn't walk until she was 15 months. Have you tried putting her in a jumperoo or johnny jump up that hangs in the door frame? My son loves his and it has made his legs stronger. When she is on the floor put her toys just far enough away that she has to crawl to get them. Every child develops differently, it sounds as though your daughter developed much faster verbally and is slower at the physical development. She will get there. If you are really worried talk to her doctor about it.

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L.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi J.,
It is really common that some babies start walking after their first birthday. As long as your doctor is not concerned about muscle strength, I wouldn't worry yourself too much about it and it sounds like you are doing encouragement exercises. We used a walker with both of our children and a jumparoo with our son who just turned one last week (2 days before your daughter). They were both early walkers but I'm not sure if using the walker helped but I know they both really enjoyed it. I've also heard that it is very common for a child to develop either physically or verbally quicker than the other. So you daughter may just be focusing on that growth potential right now. My son isn't even saying mama or dada yet, let alone 2 languages! Good for you. Be patient, it's most likely just her development pace. If the doctor is not concerned, I would not be either.
L.

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D.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi J.,
My husband and I have been reading a lot about child development, especially Joseph Chilton Pearce, a renowned expert and pioneer in child develoment. What he says about walking and talking will totally amaze you. He said that at this age (around one year) a child is focused on either walking or talking, but not both. They focus really intently on one, and then when they master it they move onto the other one. It sounds like your little girl has been focused on language, which is marvelous! Our one-year-old baby boy is the same. He is very expressive, way more than all the other kids in the baby gym. He laughs and says Hi to people in Trader Joe's. It's totally cute. And yet when we stand him up and hold him under his arms, he just sits right back down again. He's just not ready. So don't worry. Like everyone else said, children all have their own unique inborn development timetable, and your daughter is no exception.
I agree with the other suggestions about putting a toy out of reach, etc. You might even get on the floor with her and crawl WITH her...."look at mommy crawl!" We also used to put our hands on the back of our son's feet while he was learning to crawl so he had something to push off of. We didn't push him, he just pushed off of our hands.
The best shoes for a baby learning to walk are NONE. They use the gripping action of their toes to balance themselves, so shoes actually impede their progress, as does holding their arms over their heads (like we all used to do). The latter causes them to NOT develop their own balance.
Crawling is a critical stage of development, linnked to the balancing of the right and left hemispheres of the brain. So you don't want to skip it and go right to walking anyway. Just keep encouraging your little girl by playing and crawling with her, and clapping and getting very excited when she does crawl. And please stop worrying....because little ones have a way of "picking up on" our emotions and you dont' want her to think that there is something wrong with her. I'm sure she's a beautiful little girl...and you're a great mom. So just relax and enjoy each other's company. And her great language skills!
All the best,
D.
p.s. Have you asked your doctor about it at your well-baby check-ups?

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J.M.

answers from Reno on

Hi J.,

It sounds like your child is like every other child "marching to her own beat". Make sure with her DR that all is okay and perhaps try one of those Baby Gyms just for infants to five year olds. It will allow her to see other children move and maybe it will inspire her to get up and do what they are doing!

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T.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

J. I am a mother of two..my oldest is going to be 4 but he was a late crawler (didn't start till about 9 months) and when he did he only used one leg and it looked like he was doing the worm...He also didn't start to walk till he was 14 months...So I have been there...I would first talk to your doctor about your concern to rule out anything medically wrong, then just be patient...Kids do things all in their own time...I have worked with a ton of babies to help them in crawling and walking thru m y work and I have seen that they all do things at their own time...when baby is down on belly put toys out of reach so she has to get them herself...try not to help her too much and let her fuss for about a minute before you do help her...be very positive and also keep in mind that some kids skip crawling and go strait to walking....So simply play with her and let her figure out how to get things she wants, she will be moving in no time...My second baby turned one one Feb. 3rd and he was crawling at 5 months and walking just weeks before his 1st birthday, and with him I didn't encourage him being mobile at all...that was him wanting to keep up with his big brother...so kids do things when they are ready...I hope this helps..good luck....

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L.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

My fourth child didn't crawl on hands and knees until his first birthday. He didn't walk unassisted until 19 months. Only one of my children walked by 1 year. I have a friend whose child never crawled. He just scooted on his bottom, and very quickly at that. He didn't walk until, I believe, 16 months. That being said, ease your mind and ask the dr. He or she should be able to determine if their are any problems with your child's muscle's or anything else. Often children work on one area of their growth for awhile. It sounds like she has been going gang busters on the language development. Like I said, ask your dr., but her development could very well be in the range of "normal."
L.

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L.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

All babies do things when they are ready. I wouldn't go by what other kids are doing or what books say.Like my dad told me with both my kids-they will do it when they are ready and willing-THE BEST advice I ever got. I use to worry with my first one-she would not roll over, but walked at 10 months and my now one year old-crawled at 3 months, but now is just walking here and there. So I would not panic.GOOD LUCK:) L.

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T.E.

answers from Los Angeles on

Don't worry about her mobile skills. I have almost 15 month old that developed very slow with the rolling, crawling & only cruising right now. She tries to walk on her own, but just isn't getting it. Each child will develop at their own pace. Sounds like your little one is very advanced with her verbal skills, that's more then my little one. Be patient!!!

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L.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

As a mom of three late walkers SHE'LL WALK WHEN SHE IS READY!!! My oldest walked at 18 months, middle walked at 22 months and my third walked at 15 months. A push cart or toy can help some but she'll walk on her own!! Don't worry! All my babies are healthy and have no delays physically for walking late other than ruined pants from all the crawling!!!

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P.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi J., My 15 month-old just started walking last Monday. Ironically, I had just taken her to the pediatrician and the MD was concerned that my daughter wasn't walking yet. Literally as soon as we got home from the doctors office that kid just took off walking. Anyway, the MD was concerned my daughter wasn't strong enough (more like stubborn in this case) to walk so you may want to have her examined in a few months, if she's not already walking, just to be sure but it sounds like your daughter is probably doing things at her own pace. :0)

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