Too Early to Start Standing?

Updated on June 29, 2011
A.E. asks from Watertown, NY
25 answers

My son is 6 months old and he is starting to stand on his own and a lot of people have been telling me to make him stop because he could become bull legged, but my son will get fussy if I make him sit. Any ideas?

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T.C.

answers from Dallas on

I'd let him stand. My cousin (who is more like my nephew) was walking by 7.5 months. I'm guessing he'd have to have been standing by six months too!

7 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Standing helps strengthen his bones and muscles.
Also bow legs is a developmental stage.
They go from bow legs, to knock knees, back to bow and then straighten out by the time they are about 2nd or 3rd grade.
I wouldn't worry about it.
Tell people there's no keeping him down!

5 moms found this helpful
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B..

answers from Dallas on

That's ridiculous advice. My son was pulling himself up right after he started crawling, at 5 months. He's fine. That's an old wives tale. If a baby wants to hit a new milestone you can't stop them!!

4 moms found this helpful

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S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

that's pretty silly advice. My daughter only wanted to stand from the time she was tiny. If we were sitting in a chair, she wanted to be standing. At her first doctor's appt (only a couple of weeks old!) she used his fingers to pull into a standing position instead of sitting. She's 4 and fine. If your kid wants to stand, let him stand.

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K.P.

answers from Seattle on

Thats just an old wives tale. Dont listen to it. If your son is expressing the want to stand, then let him! He is probably just going to be an active little guy early. My son was walking very early too. Now he is a runner, and a climber lol.

Let the boy do what makes him happy!

5 moms found this helpful

G.T.

answers from Redding on

oh good Lord. Let him stand! Getting bow-legged is an old wives tale. It will make your baby very strong to let him exercise his standing muscles and all other muscles he has. Sounds like he'll be an early walker :)

4 moms found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

The person to ask, of course, is your pediatrician. I've never heard any such warning before. My children were standing that early, and I have a five-month-old grandson now who wants to stand whenever he has the chance! He can't pull himself up yet, but when somebody's holding him he may as well be saying, "Let me get my feet on something solid, folks!"

3 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

my kids were both standing before that, that bow legged thing is a myth. all babies look bow legged at first because their little limbs are stretching out of the fetal position permanently.

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

My cousins baby walked early and did get bow legged but his legs straightened as he grew. Lots of babies are standing by 6 months. It's normal. Let him stand.

I'm feeling a bit puzzled by why anyone would want to stop a baby from doing what comes naturally. This is how they develop. Why would we want to stop development?

3 moms found this helpful

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

I'm wondering how these people would "make him stop?" All babies develop at their own pace, some earlier, some later. My daughter was pulling herself up to stand at that age, she didn't turn out bowlegged.

Just make sure he's safe where he's standing, and as he will more than likely be exploring his world a little sooner than expected make sure your home is childproofed now, and things for him to possibly pull or knock down are moved..

2 moms found this helpful

M.P.

answers from Sacramento on

If he is strong enough to stand - he is fine - LOL ~ I wouldn't worry about it!! All of my kids started standing around that time, none of them are bull legged.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I think that's an old wives tale! He sounds like a strong little boy...

2 moms found this helpful

A.F.

answers from Chicago on

My sister started full-blown walking at 6 mos on her tippy toes! She is 30 now and NOT the teeniest bit bow legged! If your baby is strong enough to support himself let him go and develop at his own rate! :) my 2nd started walking holding onto furniture at 7 mos and walked freely at 9 mos. It means more trouble and oversight by you...superfun!

2 moms found this helpful

C.C.

answers from San Francisco on

If he's able to do it, let him. Babies develop at different rates. My oldest could stand (with help) at 3 months. My youngest didn't even try to stand until more like 8 months. Neither one of them has ever had any issues with being bow legged or anything like that. Let your baby go at his own pace, even if he is more advanced than most!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

both of my sons cruised around furniture at 6 months. !!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.J.

answers from Saginaw on

What...if he is strong enough to stand and stable enough he will be just fine. I know plenty of 7-9 mo old children who were ready and running around.

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L.C.

answers from Raleigh on

our middle child was "walking" while holding on to things at 6 months, his legs are just fine:)

1 mom found this helpful
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M.L.

answers from Tampa on

Oh my goodness, please don't listen to that! I had an aunt who told me if my daughter never crawled, she wouldn't be a good reader! What???? LOL! These crack me up. All 3 of my daughters were walking my 9 months and no, none of them were bow legged. Let him stand! My youngest was standing around that age as well.

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M.T.

answers from New York on

Do you mean bow legged? There is no evidence of that and no reason to force a baby to sit. His body will meet these milestones when he is supposed to. We don't need to stop our children from progressing toward milestones.

T.N.

answers from Albany on

Another myth dispelled!

:)

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G.T.

answers from Rochester on

Ignore those people that tell you things like that. They don't know what they are talking about. I would be worried about a baby that wasn't standing at his age!

I suggest you get a walker so he can play standing up. He is the prefect age for it and will love it. And it will not harm him either.

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

Whether you want him to or not....is not up to you. He is going to do it because he's ready. I had late bloomers in that department. Just be sure you have child proofed the area where he is playing/standing and that there are no sharp corners where he could fall and get hurt.

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J.G.

answers from New York on

I'd let him stand. It just means he's figured out the mechanics early. Our daughter was the same way. She walked by 8.5 months and she has no issues at all.
I think that's an old wives tale...

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A.P.

answers from New York on

Ignore them. My son did the same thing at that age. He walked at 10 months old before he crawled. A lot of older people told me this old wives tale about not letting him stand/walk.
He's 6 and stands just fine.

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A.H.

answers from New York on

Ignore them!!!!! They are plum wrong. Let you son stand if he wants to!

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