What made your late walker take his/her first steps?

[Excelsa]

My DS is not walking yet. He's nearly 22mo. We've been seen by community paeds who have said that he has mild hypermobility and will start walking in his own time (we've splashed out on boots - well, eBay priced Piedro boots).

He's a speed crawler, and has a variety of amusing crawls, including one that sends him sideways whilst he moves his arms and legs as if to go forwards. Sort of like a crawling version of a moonwalk. He furniture walks lots and stands up to play with his train set at a table (and he's been doing this for months and months). He'll walk with us holding onto one finger (down from holding both hands about 6 weeks ago).

But he will not let go. If he even gets a hint that I might be trying to remove my finger from his hand he'll go floppy and drop to the floor. He's never tried to stand up independently. We walk with him as much as we can but seemed to have reached a bit of a plateau. He just doesn't yet have the confidence to let go.

So I was wondering... if you had a late walker (18m +), what were the final steps to them taking their first steps?

[mawbroon]

DS1 was 20 months when he took his first steps. He saw his younger (by 7months) cousin doing it and he obviously decided he was going to do it too!

The first day, he took two steps unaided and the next day, he could walk up and down the kitchen, but it took until he 4yo before he would walk any distance and he was physically extremely cautious for years. There was a point where park or softplay was just a complete waste of time/money.

[Excelsa]

I know what you mean about softplay. I also find going to playgroups quite troublesome at the moment as my DS can't join in with his peers and if he tries to crawl about he'll more than likely be run over by a little tikes car.

[naty1]

Mine was only 13m but was cruising from 8m so in a way slow and lacking confidence.
1 taking to the park uncomfortable crawling even on the soft tarmac.
2 )shoes , walked 3 steps that week.
3) put tables a couple of steps apart and lured her with raisins.
Spent lots of time walking holding her hand getting her confidence
Some are happy crawling and dont have confidence.

[sometimessunshine]

Strangely it was wearing a pair of trousers on his head. However, it transpires he has lots of gross motor problems and sensory problems so perhaps the trousers did make a difference ;)

[holfin]

DD was 19.5 months and I think it was the realisation that unlike when crawling, she could actually carry food toys if she walked instead

[Flywheel]

My dd was a very late walker and the first steps were a very short distance, from coffee table to me sitting on the couch, so just 2 steps. You could try standing him somewhere and then enticing him over to you, a short distance away with a favourite toy or something. It sounds like he has all the skills and just needs a not of encouragement. Try not to worry - he'll get there soon.

[DearDarling]

DS was 24 months and 2 weeks when he walked. Nothing in particular made it happen, we were in the living room one Saturday evening, I was watching The Voice and my husband was on his phone (so not paying DS much attention) and we noticed him standing up for a long time which was unusual. Then he suddenly set off across the living room! he was then walking around all evening. The next 3 days he didn't walk, then after that he walked all the time. I think your DS will do the same - just decide one day that it's the right time!

[Longdistance]

Dd2 wasn't as such a late walker, but was happy crawling.

My dm had her on her own one day, she bribed dd2 by waving a biscuit at her. Hurray, I thought, but I wasn't there and missed her first steps :(

[RaisingSteam]

I don't know but he was just ready at about 20mo. As he's got older I've realised he's quite risk averse, he has been hard to teach to ride a bike and swim too. He is good at things once he's realised he can do them, it's a confidence issue as far as I can tell. He's a very energetic and physical child generally.

TBH bribery helped with the bike. Smarties?

[fillie]

Have you tried standing him at a walker? You know, one of those little trolley things, I had one from ikea. A little girl I cared for as a CM used it when she was late walking. It took LOTS of encouragement: massive amounts of constant applause and cheering! But she got there in the end, she was very reluctant to walk without holding onto someone/ something, this trolley gave her confidence walking independently. It still took even more encouragement and some slight trickery ( me holding out my arms to her then ducking out her way) to get her to take even one or two steps without the trolley but it provided a good confidence boost.

[givemecaffeine21]

My DD was 16 months and I asked her to go to her baby brother's cot and give him a kiss. She let get and staggered the 3 steps there. She managed this a few more times, then a week later DH and I sat a few feet apart on the floor and got her to walk to each of us 'go to mummy' then 'go to daddy' etc. We kept getting further apart until she was walking 10 steps unaided and after that she was away. She had been cruising for months!

One thing that helped her balance was putting her in wellies as she hadn't worn them before and didn't think she could sit down in them...discovered by accident of course, but I did get her standing alone for good periods of time in them, looking a bit worried, but learning to balance well! Prior to that if you let go of her she'd just sit down straight away. I was desperate for her to walk as DS is 11 months younger and a big lad so carrying both was killing me!

[Excelsa]

Thanks everyone!

Naty1 – the cold weather and wet grass did initially seem to be a deterrent to dropping to his knees but now this boy will crawl bare-kneed on gravel!
Sometimessunshine – how did that work? I like the idea of some magic head trousers for walking, but don’t think my DS will catch on. Will try it for my amusement – trousers on head and socks on hands might do the trick.
Holfin/Longdistance – he slides things along the floor in quite an efficient manner and unfortunately he’s not bothered enough by food for it to be an incentive. I have the melted chocolate in my coat pockets to prove it.
Flywheel – he will happily drop down and climb up again for any distance that he deems too far, and distances that were too far for him when he first started cruising are now easier as he’s grown quite a lot in that time.
fillie – he walks happily holding onto the walker (and has for 4 months). I hid it as I started to think it might be deterring him from trying without. Since it’s made no difference I might get it out again but if anything he’s a bit tall for it now.
RaisingSteam – yes – he’s definitely risk averse. He used to yelp at his own sneezes.
Givemecaffeine21 – how lovely that your DD’s first steps were to kiss her baby brother (what a nice story for when she is older), but I know my DS will say ‘no no no no NO’, if I him to walk/go anywhere. He’s a big fan of ‘NO’ at the moment. With him being that bit older I think he is enjoying asserting his (non-toddling) todderly control over this.

My feeling is that he will be like DearDarling’s DS and just suddenly decide to do it one day. DearDarling – did he try to stand up on his own first or did it all happen in one go?

I need to stop catastrophising and just let him be/support him as much as possible. It’s just so hard to see what his peers are up to (and have been for some time). I long for him to be jumping in muddy puddles!

[DearDarling]

hi
Yes he used to get up and stand on his own but wouldn't take a step! Oh and he never crawled, just bum shuffled. Your DS will get there in the end, try not to worry. It will be amazing for you when he finally does it.

[Excelsa]

I thought I'd post a bit of an update for anyone who may stumble upon this when searching for threads about late walkers...

My little boy (now nearly 23mo) finally started walking last week. I'd noticed him looking a little more confident when standing and playing, i.e. letting go for a second or two, but his actual first steps were in nursery last Friday. Over the weekend, with a lot of encouragement, he started walking more and more and today he's been walking happily around the house.

He's still building in confidence, and if he wants to go faster, he'll drop down to crawl, but he's walking, he's a toddler! I am so relieved!

Right, I'm off to find something else to stress about. Good luck and strength to all the other non-toddling toddlers and parents of late walkers out there.