how long from first steps to full blown walking??

[Fairy45]

My 9 month old has been desperate to walk since 3 months old, weight bearing etc n loves being walked round when you hold her hands. She crawled at 7.5mo and instantly started cruising. Last few days shes been letting go and just standing before very casually sitting down. Last night she let go and took 3 steps to the next piece of furniture. She did this a few times so it wasnt the fluke i thought it must have been. How long will it be before shes off properly? Just wondering really. Also when do you buy shoes?

[megletthesecond]

Mine took ages. I was looking at their red books and ds took steps in the Nov but didn't need shoes and have an outdoor walk until the April.

I'd leave her in warm socks for now and not buy shoes for some time yet, let her little bones get used to balancing first.

[mrsnec]

From that stage my dd was properly walking a week before her first birthday. I have tiled floors in every room and astro turf in the garden so she went barefoot in the house for a bit and had shoes a bit more substantial than pram shoes for going out. About a month after that I got her the start rite Mary Jane type things, a pair of wellies with handles and a pair of trainers.

[cookielove]

Ds took his first steps at 11 months (although he was premature so he was 9 and 1/2 corrected) he was properly walking around 13 months! We got him the cruiser shoes first 6 weeks after he took his first steps. He could have probably gone for the next stage but I wanted to keep him in a softer shoe. They protected him from the elements fine!

[nam207]

DS didn't crawl. At 12 months he went from sitting on his bottom to walking in 3 weeks but he wasn't confident to let go of my hand (even though he could have done) for another couple of weeks.

We kept him out of shoes for as long as possible and when we did use them they were soft ones and just for outside.

By 15 months he was properly running around confidently so we got some barefoot shoes for him. These seemed to fit his high instep better and were good for his feet.

[cornishglos]

It varies a lot. My ds was weight bearing early. Rolled 4 months, sat 5 months, crawling and cruising 6.5 months. Didn't take his first steps until 12.5 months but within days he was off.

[CalpolOnToast]

About a month I think. He was 14 months but had been cruising pretty much since he could crawl at 8 months. However a short while before he got walking properly he had a sudden increase in strength and I could tell that he wouldn't have been able to do it before that.

Had shoes early but he just wore them for warmth in pushchair, was just socks when he was playing.

[Florin]

First steps on a Sunday afternoon. Walking across the room the next day by Tuesday he was walking into town. That's my ds though once he does something he goes all the way. He didn't take first steps until 13 months but once he did he over took all his friends who had taken first steps earlier as they didn't properly walk until much later. They are all so different but get it in their own time.

[TwoLittleBlooms]

dd2 was crawling at 7.5 months, cruising from about 8.5 (and standing without support but not moving) and then walking at 11.5 months - have only just bought shoes 2 weeks ago (13.5 months) and she only wears them occasionally (maybe 3 times) and only outside as they are quite hard first walkers (got them from clarks but she has big feet so had to skip the softer shoes as they didn't do her size! 4.5 g) Always had and still has barefeet in the house (socks when chilly) and socks outside in the pram - don't put shoes on her in pram but do have them in the change bag just in case.

[SansaClegane]

DS1 and DS2 both took their first steps just as they turned 10 months. DS1 was full on walking about 2 weeks later (as in no longer crawling), DS2 was more cautious and probably took 1-1.5 months until he made the switch.
DS3 took first steps on his 9 month 'birthday' and switched to walking only about a week later, outdoor walks at 10 months. He was desperate to keep up with his brothers though
In short, there's no hard and fast rule - they all decide in their own time!

[Fairy45]

Thank you! It was more curiosity than anything and also there are some gorgeous summerry shoes haha! Shes only done a couple of steps again today, cant believe how quickly they turn into little people. Not babies long enough!

[TiredOfSleep]

Dd went from first steps to walking confidently in about 2 weeks! She'd been cruising since about 7 months, before she was crawling, and was standing barely holding on for a long time before she was confident with balance. As soon as she was confident standing not holding on, she was quickly walking. At about a year old.


I bought snugglefeet shoes. They're basically moccasin soled slippers with elastic so they last for ages and they allow full movement of toes etc. Perfect for walking outside when not muddy.

[BertieBotts]

It was 6 months for us. DS was pulling up at 8 months and I saw him take 3 clear unaided steps when he was 10 months, but I don't think he realised that he'd done it. He didn't walk until 16 months.

[Rinceoir]

My DD was cruising at 8 months, didn't let go of furniture until she was 14months- let go on Friday, took some steps that same day. Didn't bother again until the following Wednesday when I took her to the park. I was chatting to another mum who asked if DD was walking yet, to which I answered no. About 5 mins later DD stood up and ran. She needed shoes pretty much straight away-she walked really well from the start.

[Juanbablo]

I would say a month from first steps to confident walking. And around 3 months of confident walking before getting properly fitted shoes. That's the advice I got from a friend who is a podiatrist.

[FellOutOfBedTwice]

Quite a long time for DD. Cruising and shaky steps in the April (10 months) (end of) and wasn't walking properly until the beginning of October (15 months). Once she started walking there was no stopping her though and she went all out and was running around the park within a week of her first outdoor walk.

[jobrum]

juan thanks for posting that, my mum has been on at me since dd started taking steps when holding hands. She's 14 months and I think v close to walking on her own. Dm keeps telling me that me and my brother weren't walking properly when we had pur first shoes and it would mean that we could get her to stand by the car if she had shoes on wheile we were loading it up (she would just sit down and crawl away!). I told her that the advice on the Start Right website was to wait until they were confident walkers before shoes - and they want to sell them!

Sorry, bit of a rant! It's interesting reading all the different experiences. What type of shoes did people choose when they did buy them?

[Juanbablo]

jobrum there are a few "barefoot" brands which are soft and flexible and good for developing feet like Bobux, Happy Little Soles, Vivi Barefoot, Livie and Luca. They can be more pricey but there are second hand sites on Facebook. They can also tell you the characteristics of a barefoot shoe. I know converse is an acceptable brand.

[jobrum]

Thanks!

[Rinceoir]

I went with barefoot shoes. My DD is very hard to fit though- she has tiny narrow feet. I found happylittlesoles really good, as they stock sizes our local shops don't. She's nearly 2 now and wearing a 4 (with lots of growing room) in a very narrow fit, when she started walking she was a 2.5 and it was almost impossible.