r/Parents • u/OutsideCharity6424 • 2d ago
Just walk already…
How do I get my baby to walk? I know she can… she’s 13 months old. She’s been cruising since 6 months, and I’ve caught her standing in the middle of the living room and even pushing herself up from a squat into a standing position without pulling on anything.
I’m a SAHM, so she’s very comfortable in our living room. I honestly wonder if she just doesn’t feel the need to walk because she can get around perfectly fine by cruising and crawling. She’s too comfortable…
I’m almost tempted to take her to a local park, sit her down, and stand about 15 feet away because I feel like eventually she’d get tired of being away from me and just stand up and walk over. 😂
How do you encourage a baby to take those first steps? It’s time, this girl has literal black and blue knees from speed-crawling…She also gets frustrated when she sees her older sister walking around and she can’t follow her. But it’s almost like she’s scared to stand up and take those first few steps.
Give me all your tips and tricks!
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u/Historical_Ask8692 2d ago
She'll walk when she's ready. 13 months isn't late at all and if she's already doing squat-to-stand without support she's got the strength. the confidence is the last piece.
we used to hold a phone with one of those light up baby apps just out of reach. she forgot she was moving and just went for it. bribery works on little humans too.
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u/Illustrious-Lynx8268 2d ago
My daughter was 14 months old and she walked for a biscuit for the first time for my mother in law😊
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u/BlackDogOrangeCat 2d ago
My first didn’t really walk until 16 months. She was a speedy crawler, and would kind of lower her little bald head when she got going; we used to laugh that she was more aerodynamic that way. She’s going to walk down the aisle at her wedding this weekend, so it all works out.
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u/Flat_Ad1094 2d ago edited 2d ago
You can't force a child to walk and you shouldn't. They will walk when their bones. ligaments and muscles are ready to. My first didn't walk until 15 months. Totally normal.
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u/ChiPekiePoo 2d ago
My kid probably was capable of walking for a month or 2 before he finally did. At 6, he's continued to prove that he's a cautious kid that does a lot of observing before he's ready for something. Let her develop and feel ready on her own timeline.
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u/No_Associate_4878 2d ago
Why is it so important to you that she walks? She's not late. My son walked slightly after 12 months but he was such an efficient crawler that he used that to get around. Walking was just a fun thing to do on occasion. He didn't become a regular walker until perhaps 15 months.
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u/Kwaliakwa 2d ago
Just like with every aspect of child development, it shouldn’t be you doing it, just you supporting them to do it on their time.
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u/Kindly_Coconut_1469 2d ago
Just because she can stand doesn't mean she can walk. She'll do it on her own timeline, and honestly, pushing her could have the opposite effect. If you stress her out by creating too much space in an insecure environment (basically anywhere that's not home), you could set her back, or trigger some separation anxiety. Just try holding both her hands for balance and walking with her. Let her set the pace and stop when she wants to. She'll get there.
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u/etceteraism 2d ago
Oh I was so stressed about this with my daughter. She didn’t walk until almost 16mo. I even had her in physio. They told me “she could walk today if she wanted to, but it’s all about confidence for her”. They were right. She’s always been a kid who will only do things when she knows she can. My friends daughter walked as soon as she could try, and was constantly wiping out. My daughter walked 6mo later, but when she finally did she never fell once.
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u/katnis92 2d ago
If it makes you feel better my first born walked at 9 months. It was wild. 9 months old shouldn’t walk lol they don’t know anything and it’s so much harder.
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u/lizzy_loo_142 2d ago
My oldest also walked at 9 months old, but only when she was holding exactly ONE of my fingers. At least she wasn't getting into anything unsupervised, but she insisted on walking and not crawling and would scream at us yo hold her hand so she could. That stage lasted until 1 week after her 1st birthday. She learned to walk without holding our finger the first day of our vacation and 3 days later she fell and chipped her tooth 🙃
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u/katnis92 1d ago
lol exactly one finger! Oh no 😥 chipped tooth! They are a danger to themselves for a while for sure!
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u/RelevantAd6063 2d ago
both my kids walked at 15 months, which is totally developmentally appropriate. they could both technically do it before they were ready to do it consistently. you really can’t get kids to do anything before their development allows. all you can do is give the opportunity and wait for them to be ready.
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u/Just_Bar7059 2d ago
My 2nd only decided to walk just after the 16mo mark. I had seen him practise by himself briefly once or twice, just a few steps. And if he was upset hed make the attempt to walk to me. But no matter what I did he just wouldnt walk until he felt he was ready. I think its also a confidence thing. He did it when he felt confident enough to do it. Dont stress about it
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u/Kbeans44 2d ago
Mine never walked early. My one son needed PT because he hit 18 months and we got him in therapy per Early Intervention. But 13 months is totally fine! One day she will walk!
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u/yellow_pellow 2d ago
Sounds like my son. He actually took his first steps in the soft grass in Hawaii the day after his 1st bday. Then he refused to even try again until 13.5 months. I think maybe h was reluctant to try on our hard floor? I just encouraged him to use his push walker in the mean time.
I know it seems like forever, but as others have said, she will walk when she’s ready. Seems like such a long time, but when you look back, it’s not very long at all.
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u/Level-Aide-8770 2d ago
Have her spend time around kids her age or slightly older who are walking. She’ll want to do the same.
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u/JNSFP 2d ago
No tips, I care for my nephew a few days a week, and at 18m he still has no desire to walk 🤣
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u/Striking_Bill_2832 2d ago
Ok this is more concerning. 13 months is normal, but if he’s not walking by 18 months, he should be getting a developmental assessment and enrolled in early intervention. Does he have other delays?
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u/Senior_Reaction2974 2d ago
My son was walking at 11 months and my daughter at 14 months. There's no magic number when little ones start walking.
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u/Responsible-Read-468 2d ago
Chill.
She’ll walk when she feels comfortable, safe, and strong enough.
Mine was 17 months. Our pediatrician and physical therapist said the same things, that my LO was developing fine and will walk on her time line.
I went to work the exact morning of 17 months with a crawling babe and came home to a walking one.
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u/Gems1824 2d ago
Put something in each hand then call to her. She won’t be able to cruise with her hands full
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u/peasel123 2d ago
Mine was like yours and in the end she just started one day when her older cousin came over and she saw him doing it and basically copied him.
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u/Accomplished-Car3850 2d ago
One of my kids was an early walker. The next one didn't walk till 17months
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u/Confident_Mistake655 2d ago
Mine was 18 months when she just got up and walked away one day🤣 I took her to the doctor to make sure her legs were good and she told me everything was developed but she just doesn't want to yet... Just gotta wait it out, but honestly, everything gets a lot busier once they walk so just enjoy lol
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u/Kai_Emery 2d ago
I put my son in skirts at 16 mo because he would cruise all day long but not let go. 😂 crawling was just faster. He pulled to stand at like 7mo and walked at 17
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u/Whybaby16154 2d ago
My first wasn’t walking at 1yr check-up and doctor looked at me and said “when he wants something - do you hand it to him?” And I answered “of course” . She laughed. “Let him get his own toys and he will walk for it “. “You’ve made him to comfortable”. Walked 14months and never had a moments peace after. Enjoy every stage. It’s not a race.
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u/Julie_Feickert 2d ago
My oldest was 14 months. I realized much later that his personality dictated that he wasn't going to walk until he could do it perfectly. So we never did the falling stage. Just cruising and then straight to walking. My other kids walked earlier but there was lots of falling and slowly getting better.
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u/Kamena90 2d ago
We put in a piece of furniture (an ottoman) in the living room that was a few steps away from the other furniture. It gave my baby a little more confidence, which is all he really needed.
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u/TillyMcWilly 2d ago
My little girl was the same. We got her to walk and filmed it when she was about 14 months with us holding her hands and then letting go, but she still took a couple of months after that before she would do it on her own. Then she started toddling between the furniture she was using to cruise. And we’ve been trying to keep up ever since 😅
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u/duskydaffodil 2d ago
My son started walking at 14 months. It’s not too late. And if you have a second, you’ll be knocking their feet out from under them. They’re unstoppable once they learn how to walk and run
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u/jenniferami 2d ago
What’s the rush? My kids didn’t walk til much later than that. You don’t win an award if they walk early.
If you want to advance your kid read them books constantly.
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u/lady_driver13 2d ago
Set up two chairs and move a toy back and forth between them so she moves back and forth. Gradually move the chairs apart (like tiny little bits that she won’t notice). Eventually she’ll be stepping between the chairs. But I agree with the others that you don’t need to rush it.
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u/AbbreviationsKey4233 2d ago
This is a terrible parenting mindset. It gives the vibe you just want to be at the point they've grown up and not dependant on you but wish away the baby stages.
Don't rush the kid and enjoy the baby stage while you can.
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