Getting Baby To Walk

In a few rare cases when bowed legs don t resolve naturally by age 2 your baby s knees can be turned outward.

Getting baby to walk.

Cheer baby to her first steps by sitting on the floor and guiding her slowly as baby gains her balance let her walk on her own. Your newborn s legs aren t nearly strong enough to support him yet but if you hold him upright under his arms he ll dangle his legs down and push against a hard surface with his feet almost as if he s walking. What you can do. It is best if they crawl for 3 months first before walking to build their core strength and gain visual perceptual skills that will last a life time.

Infant play grocery carts or musical walking toys with wheels and handles can bring joy and assistance to beginning walkers. How babies learn to walk. The most common trick to help your baby practice putting weight on her feet is to walk behind her while holding both of her hands. Infants can practice walking by cruising back and forth alongside a sofa or short bench.

Avoid getting your baby a walker as the american academy of pediatrics aap discourages the use of walkers for babies. Bowed legs don t cause delayed walking or affect your baby s ability to learn to walk. Stand your child next to the sofa and let him hold on with one hand as you hold his other hand for balance. Socks and shoes serve as your child s first line of defence against cold and rough objects on the floor.

For outdoor excursions keep the shoes lightweight and flexible. Give her enough support that she doesn t topple over but not so much that you re straining her elbows or shoulders. Slowly move back and forth along the furniture and practice walking. Let her walk barefoot.

Children learn to walk between 9 and 18 months of age. This is a reflexive action and he ll only do it for a couple of months. You can also hold your baby s hand or give them a blanket to hold while. Studies show they can actually slow motor development and cause back problems for babies.