How to encourage baby to walk?

[Weebumshuffler]

DD is nearly 16 mos and not yet walking. She is making progress (has gone from bum shuffling to crab crawl to cruising and can go from sitting to standing with no support and hold her position for quite some time, a minute or more!) But this is where we have levelled off, she then takes one step and falls into my lap or sits down on her bum and goes back to shuffling to where she wants to go.

I know al babies go at their own pace but it feels like she’s not interested in walking?. I’m aware bum shufflers can walk later because they can use their hands so don’t “need” to walk like crawlers do. And of course I love her and enjoy every moment with her, but she does seem somewhat frustrated that she can’t get around quicker. And she’s quite heavy and it’s tiring to carry her! Any suggestions for encouraging her to walk or is it just waiting until she’s ready?

Honestly just wait.

My oldest was a bum shuffler and didn’t do any cruising. I was concerned and even the health visitor wanted to refer her but I held off. Then when she was 18 months, she just stood up and walked across the room. Didn’t stop then.

Just wait. If she can stand from sitting without support she's nearly there. I would give it a couple of months and she'll be walking.

Buy her one of those push along walkers, she'll soon be running around

Time to watch...

DS was about 16 months too. We lived in a flat at the time and he had a push along walker (that came with wooden blocks that we removed). He used to totter up and down our corridor with it for ages. Sometimes, when he thought I wasn't looking, he'd let go with his hands. I think he wanted his own space and time to practice rather than have us hovering. Then, one day, he decided he wanted a piece of fruit that was on the other side of the room and he just walked over to it and that was that!

Leave them to do it when they’re ready.

Having had one who was a late walker and one who was early, the late walker had a much easier time of it. My early walker was an absolute nightmare for both walking into stuff and face planting. She had constant bruises - often on her face, from various mishaps due to the lack of spatial awareness, balance and strength that comes with those extra few months. We didn’t have any of those types of issues with our slightly later walker.

My friend had a bottom shuffler, she was 17 months before she walked. Don't worry about it, she'll just take off one day herself........then you'll be running after her🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Do you see many other babies or slightly older children? I think it can give babies a kind of lightbulb moment when they see what children can do and copy their movements.

When you say she's quite heavy - I think slightly sturdier babies are sometimes slightly slower to walk as it just takes more strength. Not implying you have a fat baby or anything! :)

You can also tempt them if they're cruising, sit a few paces away and offer out a bit of food or toy or something, she might just waddle over!

Mine has just started at 16.5 months. Did the odd step here and there and has been able to stand independently for a while but as with yours, she has no interest really.

Even now a week or two into walking she won't walk all the time. Some days we get hardly any steps at all.

Strange my first just walked one day and that was that. This one definitely not as interested!

Look, they all walk when they are ready!! Leave her to it.

Two of mine walked at 13 months. DC2 didn't walk until 15 months and the nursery were just waiting for her to start walking to move her from the baby room to the wobblers room!

Do you know any baby that didn't have issues who never walked?

Make the most of it. The minute they start walking, you have trouble on your hands!

My bum-shuffler didn't properly start walking until he was 20 months, getting on for 21. He finally decided to go for it when we were staying in an Airbnb with lots of open floor space so I'm afraid there's nothing for it, you'll just have to go on holiday! 😂

Will she walk with you holding her hands? It's a bit back-breaking for you but fun for her.

Oh I completely agree with that, my DS was 8mo when he started walking and they've just got no sense of danger whatsoever. I used to cringe when people saw the bruises on his face wondering what they thought I'd done to him😂

Yep - I had days where I didn’t dare go out in case someone called social services due to DD’s latest mishap.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Oh, the thing about sturdier babies is so true. I always thought DS was a late walker because he had such a massive head (9th percentile for weight when he was born, 99th for head...) and it took him much longer to learn how to balance it/for his body to catch up. He's 4.5 now and wearing a hat for age 8-10 years.

@NoCloudsAllowed thank you, yes she’s massive, >95th percentile for length/height and weight. It’s all proportional but she’s bigger than most 2 year olds we know!

@glusky yes, she walks holding both of my hands or even just one and she’s quite good, goes quickly and has good balance, but some days has zero interest and just lifts her arms saying “Up up!”

@Roollie yes its funny, she just doesn’t seem keen to do it. She can do all of the bits and she’s a clever girl so it doesn’t seem like she can’t work out how to do it..just that one or two steps are enough? She loves music and dancing and I reckon she’ll be chuffed to bits when she realises she can move so much more whilst standing and walking!

she is in nursery part-time and sees lots of older children walking, and we have toys at home (a baby walker, a baby buggy, a play table that can slide around, her high chair) she uses to walk with-again she goes so fast with them (we’ve got a long corridor she can race up and down) but feels like she’s already been doing that for a month or so.

I will be patient and grateful for the incredible arm muscles I’m getting from carrying her around.

Just leave her at her own pace. My two both didn't walk until 18 mo. They weren't big either, they were small for their age. Both are grown up now, fit and sporty, and being "late walkers" had no effect on them whatsoever.

My friends DD is/ was like this.

Similar build and very articulate!
Crazy articulate!
She's a better walker now and physically all fine but she is a master and at getting what she wants 😅

They joke she is just a lazy baby.... It's not the right word but she definitely was training them to "fetch for her" (as so smart!) which they had to consciously work to break the habit of.

To encourage walking more they put things out of reach like toys etc and would also say mummy is busy here. If you come over here then mummy will pick you up.

@GreatGateauxsby oh that does sound a bit like DD, she’s got a new word every day but even from early on was pointing, grunting/vocalising, and shaking her head to communicate what she does and doesn’t want. We’ll have to keep an eye on this too! She is not afraid of reaching for things (even tries to climb on the sofa!) but i suppose just doesn’t feel ready to walk yet.

Don't do this, they're not recommended unless the child is already walking. Just wait and let them develop at their own pace, it's not good to force it as their muscles may not be ready

Why do they need encouragement? Why can't they do it when they are ready?

Chocolate buttons 😂put DS up at wall to balance, moved back a few steps, held out button. Off he went after a few tries.

Apparently my wife did this (obviously when she was a baby, not so much now... )

It could be a confidence thing? I think mine is the same. I have no concerns about her actually walking, just think she will be happier when she can confidently walk around. She also adores music and dancing so I have the same thoughts here! She will get there in her own time, I am sure it won't be long.