Standing too soon?

[eilidhfi]

DD has been able to stand supporting her body weight since she was about 3 weeks old. MIL told me that she'd get bandy legs if I let her do it cos her bones aren't strong enough yet, so I stopped letting her do it.

Anyway, DD is now 4mo and will pull herself up on the furniture and look about with a big cheesy grin on her face, so are her bones strong enough to support her yet?

[iwantasecondone]

My dr told me that it was absolutely fine. Mine has been doing the same. Hates sitting...

[quickdrawmcgraw]

I think if they're doing it by themselves they're probably ok.

[belgo]

don't worry about it. My dd1 was the same. She's just naturally very strong.

[eilidhfi]

Oh good! She's kind of umstoppable now...

[solo]

My Hv told me off when she saw Ds doing it, also saying he'd go bandy. I think it makes sense really as their bones are still very soft. I didn't encourage it with Dd.

[solo]

I've seen two very bandy toddlers this year too, so I'd be cautious...

[FabioVicePeeperPlopper]

You could also argue it's strenghtening their muscles to prevent later bandiness.

I dont' think it'll make her bandy.

[thebecster]

My DS did this too, and was walking unsupported at 8 mo. His legs are perfectly straight, with very well defined muscles! (he's 2 now). If she's doing it herself, then I'd have thought her bones are strong enough. I think there's sometimes a problem if parents are 'encouraging' them to stand before they're ready, but short of rugby tackling DS every time he stood up, there wasn't much I could have done anyway!

[mrsbabookaloo]

I'm not sure on this, but I think it's an old wives tale about the bandy legs... you can't really stop them I don't think.

Hopefully somebody who actually knows will come along.

[belgo]

no it doesn't cause bandy legs. Nutrient deficiency causes bandy legs. It's not a good idea to force a baby to do this, but if they are doing it naturally and of their own accord, then there's no problem.

[solo]

Isn't that ricketts belgo? Vitamin D deficiency.

[belgo]

ricketts is apparently making a bit of a come back unfortuately, due to vitamin D deficiency and sunlight deficiency.

[eilidhfi]

So not encouraging it but not worrying too much when she does do it is the way forward? Bit of a minefield this parenting lark!

I'm off to find something else to worry/feel guilty about

[belgo]

yes that's the way forward

[catweazle]

My 19 yo was 5 months old when he started pulling himself up and has perfectly straight non-bandy legs.

[Hulababy]

Don't worry about it. If they can do it and their legs support tham, they they are developmentally ready to stand.

DD was always an upright baby. She was cruising from 5 months. Nothing wrong with her legs now.