Would you recommend a 'push walker' to help baby learn how to walk?

[user242526]

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying a push walker (not the walkers baby sits in as I've heard bad things about them) and I was wondering if it's a good idea...

My DD is 9 months old and we don't have much furniture that she can hold onto to learn to stand up hence why I'm thinking to get a push walker.

Any pros/cons I should think about?

Thanks

Mine had a wooden trolley with blocks in. They loved it and continued playing with the blocks even once they were walking by themselves. The only downside was that once they’re walking they’re into everything haha

@InTheRainOnATrain haha oh dear! id just like to give her some more 'help' as she was a bit behind with learning how to sit so if there's anything I can do to help her walk I'll try it! X

Yes sure, they love them and ideal if. They don’t have furniture to cruise.

We has a sit on push thing and a brick trolley as above. First walked at 10 months, second at 18.

Yes the wooden ones with bricks are great. Toddlers usually take the bricks out and put their teddies/dolls/the family cat/random bits and bobs in it to push around like a pram.
(actual toy prams are too lightweight for beginning to walk).
I always like the old fashioned animal -on - wheels style too.
A toddler can spend hours pushing a stuffed dog around.

I'm another one with a wooden walker with bricks. Ideally with a brake where you can make it harder to push. Otherwise they'll fly forward and knock their teeth out... Your walls and furniture will be trashed as they'll bash into everything, but amazingly mine all learned to steer almost immediately! 360 degrees wheels would make that easier.

I don’t think they do any damage, but unless there is something medically wrong they will walk when they’re ready. I also wanted to encourage walking and then wished I enjoyed their relative immobility a bit more! They’ll walk for the rest of their life hopefully, don’t wish the cute crawling baby stage away, it goes so quickly!

I had a dog baby walker and so did my children.

Lovely toy.

I think they still make them .

Wooden trolley! Mine loved loading them up with toys and pushing them around.

Mine had a wooden trolley with blocks in. They loved it and continued playing with the blocks even once they were walking by themselves.

My siblings and I had one of those. It lasted through all three of us, and we continued to use it in the garden long after we were all walking. As pp said, we loaded it up with anything we wanted to move around. I think the make was Triang, who did a lot of good quality toddler and children's toys back then.

Shes 9 months! She's not behind on anything. Get a walker but don't push her I to too much. She'll get there on her own in her own time.

I remember having a trolly with bricks in when I was tiny!

We had this one when mine were little

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/uppsta-toddler-walker-green-10513896/

The wheels have two settings so you can make it slow for when they're first learning and then faster when they're off and wanting to play.

I really recommend!

DS loved his. He was walking independently at 9m because he hated crawling. He was a demon with his ‘trolley’.
I spent a fortune on a fancy kitchen bin with a lock on it to keep him out of it. First day home he ploughed his truck into it and put a dent in the side. He’s 18 now and we still laugh about his destructive streak.

Mine loved their one but probably more when they could walk/race along with it. I wouldn't be bothered about getting it to encourage walking though as sure they will when they are ready. Not sure mine could even really sit at 9 months without flopping over and was a late walker (17 months) but obviously it's of no significance to the rest of his life

Another vote for wooden trolley with the bricks in. Your skirting boards will never be the same again though. My oldest loved her toy push chair and would race around like a loon (but still refused to walk without it for months).

DS spent 4 months cruising and using props like walkers before he actually walked solo across the room. Just one day had the confidence to do it and took 16 steps at toddler group.
I ended up getting him a really flimsy £5 dolls buggy deliberately so that he had something to hold, but wasn't doing any work for him and it was 3 days later that he went for it.

There's no rush to walk at 9 months though. There's plenty of years for them to find trouble

Personally nah, DC1 had one and

1. it shoots out ahead of them so they just fall over (probably less so on carpet)
2. center of gravity seems to be off if they’re leaning/pushing
3. the blocks are just another thing to tidy up
4. it was one of those toys that just gathers dust but also manages to make loads of mess (the blocks) and gets battered so not in good nick to sell on!

Ours loves it. We added books to weigh it down initially.

Yes.
For learning to walk, it was useful for my first who was a slow learner and late walker. My second never used because she went straight from standing to walking in a couple of weeks.
But both still love it for the blocks and racing across the leaving room, carrying toys around etc.

My oldest loved her toy push chair and would race around like a loon (but still refused to walk without it for months).

my nephew's other granny bought him a doll's pushchair with a doll in it the Christmas he was 13 months, because she didn't want him playing only with 'boys' toys'. He chucked the dolly out straight away, but used the pushchair as a walking aid. He was quite skilful at parking it in corners.

Thank you everyone.

I understand that she's not behind with walking but according to the health visitor she was classed as behind with sitting and almost required a physio referral - ironically she started sitting up a lot better when the HV decided to give her a few more weeks to see if she is able to do it (although she still uses her hands to support her 80% of the time though).

I think that experience has worried me a bit as when I read about what's expected of her at her age (waving, clapping etc) she's behind as she doesn't do those things :/

They go quite fast, maybe slower if you have carpet? I don't think ours really helped mine to walk but you could get one super cheap second hand then doesnt matter so much.

She's more interested in it now at 2. Could you get her a little wooden chair or stool or something and she could aim to walk between that and the sofa when she's ready. Mine was desperate for her own chair :-)

You don't need a toy specifically for that although we had the Fisher Price (I think) pram and Dog walker with telephone - both popular and turn up in second hand shops /NCT sales all the time - no issues with it tipping and both were played with alot.

You need engagement and physical activity. Instead of buying a walker put the money towards going swimming regularly and helping her develop the muscle that she needs. Lots of holding her hands whilst she wonders around the house. Lots of games that mean she's moving on the floor developing the muscles chasing balls or rolled socks she can throw.

The physio referral would have been to rule out any physical issues particularly in the hips, but she learnt with a bit more time so less likely to be a physical problem.

Clapping etc, do you sit down with her lots and do action songs and games? Do you clap when she does something? Have you gently taught her by using your hands over hers?