To be utterly sick of the concerned head tilts...

[MuffinMachine]

When I tell people that my 11 month old is neither walking or crawling. And yes they have asked.

They all do the tilt, tut, some have even said "oh dear" and then gone on to recount tales of babies they knew that practically tap danced out of the womb.

I wouldn't even be concerned if it wasn't for these reactions. 11 months is perhaps on the late side but surely it's well within normal, given crawling isn't even technically a milestone? What exactly are they trying to imply about my baby, that she has shit knees or something?

My DS didn't stand up till very nearly 12 months and didn't walk till about 15 months. Baby clinic said that was all well within the normal range (they don't start looking for any problems unless DC is eighteen months or more and still not mobile.

Also, an early walker (9-10 months) is very hard work, as they are mobile but their little brains aren't fully in gear so you can't take your eyes off them for a second.

And i dont think people do it to be kind tbh, they do it to compare.

If its one thing ive learnt its everyone has an opinion on your child. Not speaking yet? Well mine could read the bible by 12 months.

Not walking yet? Mine practically run out the womb.

Oh, is your DC not pointing at objects yet? Mine practically pokes people's out because they're so interested in their surroundings har har har.

Sorry sore spot 😂

I don't understand the issue. My daughter didn't crawl at all. She walked at 18 months when I took the baby walker off her. I had No concern and no one ever expressed concern to me either.

My ds didn't crawl till he was one, and then shot off like he'd been doing it for ages, he walked at 14 months and hasn't stopped moving since. My friends twins didn't crawl at all and didn't walk until they were very nearly 2. At 13, one of them does ballet competitions and the other does tap very well.

11 months isn't late at all, and as you say, crawling really isn't a milestone anyway

Milestones are averages and for every average there will be babies who are way ahead of the, and babies who are months behind them.

Neither of my DC ever pulled themselves up on the furniture and tried to walk supporting themselves that way. It worried me with number 1, instead at 17 months she just got up and started walking. Number 2 walked a little earlier at 15 months and like her biggest sister she went straight from crawling to walking unaided.

They also missed out the rolling over milestone. DD1 did it once and she immediately burst into tears and never did it again. DD2 was never seen to do it (although she may have been spinning like a top when my back was turned).

Like all the other babies mentioned on here they are normal, healthy young women now. Being late starters hasn’t held them back.

11 months is really early! Your MiL and SiL are acting really strange!

You and your SIL are a pair of weirdos. It’s perfectly normal. What next, you going to be back on here in 12 months because she hasn’t finished Harry Potter yet

I barely crawled. I bum-shuffled until 15 months, at which point I finally decided to try walking. My mum blames the other children at my childminders - I could say "get that" and they'd bring me the toy I wanted, so she thinks I had no incentive to walk

Yes, agree, I would find that very frustrating. You are right to not be concerned and to just ignore them. There are a million things your baby is learning at this age, that's why they all do things at different times.

And your sil is an idiot for saying she should have proper shoes 🙄

Honestly, once they start crawling and walking the trouble begins . Just make the most of this stage and thank yourself lucky you got slightly longer than most...

Ha - nothing like having a baby to reveal peoples bitterness, competitive nature and bullshit. My ds sat on his bum for well over a year without even trying to get around. I’m sure everything will be fine. Don’t forget Helen Mirrens saying that her only regret is not telling more people to foxtrot off!

I think people -possibly including me with pfb tend to be quite competitive with babies and what they can do ......but in reality given that your baby is meeting other milestones and HV isnt concerned, in 6 months time everyone will have forgotten. Its not like you put what age you could walk/sleep the night/crawl/ride a bike on your ucas form or cv!!

If it helps, I walked exceptionally early, skipping crawling (7m3w), and I still never hear the end of it from my mum.

I'm actually dyspraxic, so it's hardly like I'm some physical marvel for having walked early! My body is always a patchwork of bruises and scabs.

My dd didn’t even sit up until she was 11 months! She walked at 18 months and sort of skipped the crawling stage-she used to roll everywhere.

I did get it checked out in the end as she was a late sitter and she does have hyper mobility. She had to have a bit of physio.

She’s now 11 and still bendy, doesn’t have great strength but can do everything quite normally!

I used to get comments about the rolling but I really couldn’t have cared less.

My daughter refused to walk independently until she was 22 months old. She’s now 4 and doesn’t in any way stand out as different from her peers who walked younger.

The plus side of a late walker is that they’re a bit more aware of what’s going on around them, better able to follow instructions and less likely to have terrible falls, in my experience.

4 DC, one crawled, I also had a roller, a bum shuffler and one that walked everywhere on her knees (My Dad suggested putting coconut matting down to get her on her feet!) I can't recall when they walked but not especially early, they all got there in the end one way or another

Am I the only person who wouldn't even have imagined raising this with the health visitor?

11 mos is early side of average for walking.

Mine walked at 15 mos, 16 mos, and another 16mos who hasn't taken his first step. But he's a strong baby, cruising, switched on, can stand -- so you know what, he'll get there.

Seriously, don't worry.

Next time your sister in law mentions 'proper shoes' for a non walking baby give her this link with your own concerned look and head tilt. It explains that it is bad for their foot development, coordination and walking skills to put them in shoes too early.

www.babycentre.co.uk/x1048252/is-it-true-that-babies-need-to-wear-shoes-sometimes-so-their-feet-develop-normally

Mine didn't walk until 2 years old, now that is late!

She's 4 now and perfectly ok!

Ignore them my Ds didn’t crawl properly till after one and didn’t walk until almost 17 months. Now he is 22 months and running around like a little whirlwind never sits still

That really isn't late. I go to lots of baby groups where I see loads of babies around 1 year old that aren't walking/crawling. Maybe phrase it to people in a more positive way, you probably come across as concerned when you tell people, hence the head tilts. Just say youre happy he's not walking yet as you are not looking forward to the running after him all day phase.

I didn't crawl at all and walked around 13 months. DS did crawl a bit, but didn't walk until 15 months.

Why are people "pretending" to be concerned?

Ha. My DD isnt walking independently yet - she's 18 months! Nothing wrong with her she's just not ready yet, her sister didn't walk until 16 months so my children have form for being lazy in this regard.

I must say I've never got the sympathy head tilts, although I do find it irritating that she's not walking yet from an inconvenience perspective but they get there in their own time. Ignore it OP.

Ignore them! My DS1 didn't crawl until about 11 months and didn't walk until 18 months. He was too lazy!