How much walking should a 14 month old be doing

[HowManyDucks]

DD is a confident walker and has been for a few months. I often go out without the pushchair but also rely on it a lot to get around. I don't have a car and live in a place with lots of busy roads. Im worried I'm not letting her walk enough. It's really exhausting as every few steps we have to stop for a daisy or a flower or a piece of chewing gum.

Can you please help to manage my expectations? When would you expect a toddler to be walking most places and not in the pushchair?

I try to give her 1 walk around the block everyday but I'll often end up carrying her some of the way. I also let her out to walk around when we get to where we are going, eg. The park/library etc.

My first child didn't even walk til 16 months!
I wouldn't expect to be going without a pushchair til they are around 3 (they would be walking some parts, being pushed the rest).

Thank you. I should have said in the OP (sorry to drip feed). We live in a small flat so there isn't much space for her to walk around at home and sometimes I feel that she has too much energy at the end out the day. She's not crawling at all so I'm guessing that some later walkers are probably more active!

About 3 years old to be going out properly without a buggy.

At about 18 months I’d expect to wander up the road to post a letter, or to jump from the car seat to wander over to the park.

In your situation- busy roads, no car, needing to store shopping and bits, I’d expect you to be using a buggy until near school age and that’s absolutely fine. You also don’t really know if you’ve got a runner yet.

I wouldn’t expect them at all at 14 months to have to walk anywhere
My Ds also walked early at 9 months, but if was taking him for a walk around the block at 14 months I would have taken his little trike with handle for him to sit in when he gave up walking or expect to have to carry him when he got bored

I don’t think I went anywhere ‘walking’ without pram or sling until he was about 2.5 years. So he gradually walked more and more but always had option of resting or me just needing him contained or faster

She will be doing lots of walking round the house. If it is safer for her to be in the pushchair when out and about then this is what you must do.

On another topic, little ones walking/being pushed alongside cars get lungs full of fumes because they are at exhaust level. Pushing her along will get her through that quicker, which can only be good.

There’s no requirement and agree with PPs that we didn’t ditch the buggy until my older daughter was 3.

If you are worried about them having too much energy at the end of the day we always do lots of silly physical play before bath time. So chasing back and forth with a towel, throwing her on the bed, holding hands and jumping on the bed (her jumping not me…) which can help.

Neither of my two were walking by 14 months so really not much expectation at all. Just pottering I’d say

Take the buggy with you and let her choose. They often ask to get in.

mine only got to their feet at around 14 months, they could crawl at high speed so walking slowed them down. Always took them out in the buggy because little legs get tired and at around 3 would do the short walk to the park. Mine was fond of their buggy, some aren't that keen, my friend's toddler prefers to walk and we take her bike out with us so she can sit on that and get towed along if she is tired. They are all different

Take them to a park in the buggy release and let them wander at will

My niece was like that, she would start a walk with great keenness but was always happy to hop in for a ride

I think what you are doing is right. Use the pram to get to your destination, then let her walk when she's there. If there's not lots of space to run around at home, I'd go to the park each day and let her run around there. I'd say like the others probably around 3 to not need it

My first child didn’t even walk til 17.5 months and second was 16 months. I would say to expect them to walk comfortably for a fair distance without needing a pushchair you are probably looking at close to 3 years old. My youngest was still sometimes needing the pushchair right up until a term before she started school as she regularly fell asleep after preschool on the afternoon school run.
Some children will be much more energetic but I wouldn’t expect too much too soon.