Walking Tips

Updated on April 04, 2009
C.W. asks from Topeka, KS
26 answers

Hello! I am trying to get my 11 month old to take her first steps and we are having a hard time. She is walking around all the furniture and loves walking with her walker and us holding her hands, but she always sits down when we try to get her to take a step on her own. Any suggestions on how to help her begin??

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C.B.

answers from Kansas City on

she'll get it C., they all have their own pace. i had a friend who had a very tiny baby and she didn't walk until WELL past her first birtday (like 15 or 16 months? can't remember exactly). they all pick their own time. sounds like you're working with her which is good. just be patient!

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M.R.

answers from St. Louis on

I don't have any suggestions but my 2 year old did the same thing and he finally started walking on his own about 15 or 16 months, so I wouldn't try to push her she will start walking when she is ready and then look out.

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S.W.

answers from Columbia on

Don't worry about it I have 4 sons the oldest was 13-14 m he would walk for 2bout 2-3 m in his walker he had one of those old ones and he would lift it to get in the kitchen had a small step & to go over things but when you took him out he sat down walked when he was ready one walked at 17m & one at 11 youngest was 8m was climbing everything by 11-12m not fun.Just relax & enjoy by the time they are 2 you can not tell who walked early or late.

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V.Y.

answers from Wichita on

patience She will walk when it is time. Don't push it

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L.B.

answers from St. Louis on

She'll do it when she's ready

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J.P.

answers from St. Louis on

Don't worry she's still in the "normal" range of walking - which is a large range.

My son did the same thing - seemed very timid to let go of the furniture or us. One day his 2 year old cousin came over, he watched her for a few minutes and then took off after her. From then on he was a walker. Do you have any friends or relatives with younger children who are walking? Maybe if she saw them, she'd be encouraged to try it on her own.

Good luck.

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M.B.

answers from St. Louis on

Hi!
Have you tried letting her walk just holding your finger. She probably is perfectly capable of walking on her own, but she may be scared. She might feel more secure with just holding your finger even though shes basically doing it on her own. It would probably help her with balance too. I wouldnt sweat it though. My daughter was 14 months before she walked. The kid could say a full sentence but wouldnt walk on her own. Practice is always good and fun, but I def wouldnt worry about her not walking just yet. Not saying you are worried but I thought I would throw that in there! =)

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J.E.

answers from Kansas City on

I'd say just let her go at her own pace.

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S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

Give her a break! She will walk when she is ready.

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T.M.

answers from Columbia on

my son did that too... up until one day he just decided the day was the day- and started taking a couple steps! don't worry, she'll do it in her own time :).

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A.S.

answers from Kansas City on

No worries. It sounds like she's well on her way. There's not much you can really do to speed it up. Just let her take her time, and encourage cruising along furniture. You might try taking away the walker if she's not walking on her own within a month or two or three. She might be depending on that instead of walking on her own. She's still only 11 months old, it's perfectly normal for kiddos not to walk until after they are 1. She'll do it when she's ready.

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L.W.

answers from St. Louis on

C.,
Does she have any toys that she can get behind and walk/ push? I bought my niece a walk behind/ ride on toy made by PlaySkol (sp?) when she turned one. It was a grow with me type of toy. She loved it. She pushed it everywhere and did not notice that she was the one making it go and not the other way around. However I love ride on toys for the first birthday. Unless it is for my son who rather quickly figured out that he could lift them up to ride over his older sister who is sitting on the floor watching TV and not paying any attention to him. I guess boys will be boys.
Other than that I would not push her too much to walk she will when she is good and ready. All you can really do is just cheer her on when she does let go of the furniture and moves from one piece to another.
Enjoy her not walking. She will soon be running from you.

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M.E.

answers from St. Louis on

I know it's hard to be patient, but she will do it when she's ready. Progress from two hands to one and then eventually try to have her walk between 2 people, taking a few steps. My daughter is finally walking at 16 months! She just wasn't ready yet.

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B.S.

answers from Joplin on

Don't sweat it ! She's almost there ! If she is doing all that you say she is, and I have no reason to doubt it, she is going to surprise you very soon with her first real steps all by herself.
She is doing fine, just try to be patient a bit longer.
Oh, and don't carry her from place to place any more than you have to. She will get so frustrated with having to crawl from room to room that she will stand up and walk.
Just relax Mommy, she's getting there !
:)

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J.H.

answers from St. Louis on

My husband and I will sit on the floor across from each other with our feet close together ("padding" for falls) and encourage our little one to walk from Mommy to Daddy. We practice by holding their hands while they walk, encourage them to walk to you from an object.... other than these types of things I think you just have to let them take their time,, eventually things just "click" in my experience and suddenly they are doing things without issue that they were having trouble with the day before. So, I'd say gentle encouragment and time will do the trick.

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G.N.

answers from St. Louis on

Sounds like your doing great. She seems like she is a little unsure of walking, let her go at her own pace. Walking holding onto things is a start. My son used to push my kitchen chairs around. You can always have her fav toy and while she is standing holding onto the couch you can hold up the toy and have her reach for it seeing if she will let go and reach for the toy. Baby steps keep reassuring her she is doing a great job. She will get it soon. My son walked at 12mths.

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C.S.

answers from Kansas City on

I wouldn't worry about it. She's probably has a very independent side to her and will just do it when she's ready. My daughter refused to let us help her walk on her own. She cruised all over using the furniture to help her. One day, just after she turned 1, she started taking steps on her own and the next day she practiced dropping things and picking them up again. After that she was good to go. Your daughter will get it soon enough!

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T.M.

answers from St. Louis on

Be patient - she will walk by herself when she is ready. I have a 16 month old that didn't start walking (she was born 5 weeks premature) until this past February. Believe me - once she does start walking on her own you will wish she wasn't!! haha

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B.C.

answers from Joplin on

C., all kiddos develope at their own rate. She will walk when she is ready. You can purchase a toy that she can push/walk behind, they sometimes help establish confidence, balance. Hold your hand out to her and encourage her to take a step to you. Walk places holding her hand...praise and encourage = ) They grow up fast enjoy all the moments = )
B.

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A.P.

answers from Kansas City on

A good way to try if she's ready...mom and dad sit on the floor across from each other. Dad lets baby face mom and hold on to dads pointer fingers. Then mom holds out her hands and excitedly tells baby to come to mommy.

I'd start out really close first so baby only needs one or two steps. That will build baby's confidence as you scooch back a little each time. It worked for my hubby and me, although my daughter walked around like a drunken sailor. Too cute!!
Have fun!
Angie

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V.F.

answers from Topeka on

Children will walk when they are good and ready. Don't force it. It is actually better for their legs if they are over a year before starting to walk. I had 3 kids. First walked at 14 1/2 months, 2nd at 10 months and 3rd and 13 months. Let her be ready when she is ready.

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A.P.

answers from Kansas City on

A good way to try if she's ready...mom and dad sit on the floor across from each other. Dad lets baby face mom and hold on to dads pointer fingers. Then mom holds out her hands and excitedly tells baby to come to mommy.

I'd start out really close first so baby only needs one or two steps. That will build baby's confidence as you scooch back a little each time. It worked for my hubby and me, although my daughter walked around like a drunken sailor. Too cute!!
Have fun!
Angie

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M.K.

answers from Kansas City on

Just give her time. You can try holding out something she wants and praising and encouraging her even if she does just sit down, but the truth is, she will walk when she is ready, and there is no rush. One day you will turn around and she will be gone!

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V.P.

answers from Kansas City on

When my kids stared walking they did it on there own without help. she is scared to walk by her slef and will do it as soon as sheis not so scared to do it on her one

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R.H.

answers from St. Louis on

I actually saw this technique at the daycare that my children go to, and they do sell a MUCH more expensive version at the stores. You take a blanket, one of the thinner, flannel ones work best, roll it up holding opposite corners (so that the blanket would be at optimum length) and you wrap the middle of the blanket around your daughters waist and hold both ends of the blanket behind her. This will give her the reassurance that you are still there holding her up, and it gives her confidence to use her own body to walk. Once she starts to get the hang of walking with you holding her, gradually ease up on how much you are holding her up. She'll just keep walking and not realize that you are not helping her. I have seen this work time and time again at the daycare. It doesn't happen overnight, but it seems to really move things along.

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K.B.

answers from Wichita on

Good Morning C., Don't stress to much, she will one day just take off and go on her own. Our eldest didn't walk alone until he was 13 months, our youngest was 8 mon.. UGH..
Our grand daughter (9 now) Really never walked she went right to running. A couple of other gr son's would walk until they fell down then crawl like crazy. Zane our youngest gr son was one in Oct. he didn't even try walking until around Christmas he is 17 months now and waddles
really fast, he looks unsteady on his feet but he gets to where he is going...lol

So C. just give her a little space and time,she will get it soon enough then you will be wishing she were still crawling when she starts grabbing things she can reach now :)

God Bless
K. Nana of 5

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