DD started walking independently then stopped :-(

[MoragG]

DD is just over 18 months. She has always been a bum shuffler, so I didn't expect her to walk early. For the past couple of months she has been walking with me holding both of her hands over her head. Just over a week ago she walked independently for the first time. Sadly I was not there to see this, as I had had to go into hospital very unexpectedly for a minor op. According to DH he got her to walk with just one hand and then let go and she walked several steps on her own. She did this several times the next morning. But once I got home from hospital later that day she would not do it any more! She will now walk with her walker (which she would never do before), or with one of us holding one hand, or with each of us holding one of her hands. But she just won't walk on her own any more even though we know she can do it - she just sits down. DH is finding this very frustrating, and we don't know why she has regressed. Any suggestions - does anyone else have DC who started walking and then stopped? I am wondering if she has been affected by me being away and my op, as it has meant I haven't been able to pick her up as much as usual, and I think she has been a bit upset by this. Or did she maybe get a fright if she stumbled and fell while she was walking on her own? DH says he can't think of a specific incident, although she did fall a few time as she was unsteady. Can I do anything to encourage her to walk on her own again, or should I just wait for her to find her confidence again? I was so upset to miss this milestone, and now it seems like it almost didn't happen!

My DD started walking on her own when she was about 15 months and apparently could do about 7 steps (DH showed me a video) - this happened when DH was on holiiday with her visiting his family, on her return she could only do 3 steps at a push and it took till she was about 17 months till she could walk unaided again (so 2 months) - I think it was alot to do with confidence etc - as I had no doubt that she could physically do it. On the bright side just over a month later she is walking as well and as quickly as her cousin (2 months younger) who had been walking since she was 12 months old.

DD 12 months has also done exactly this - took 4 unaided steps one day last week and 6 the next day. Will now only do 1 or 2 but usually by accident, then she plops down and crawls off.
She is also very happy to walk around with me holding her hands and sometimes with her walker toy.
Have mentioned to a couple of friends with now-walking 16-18 month olds, they did the same thing and general consensus is what BeeMyBaby said, totally a confidence issue. They realise they can do this new thing but it's all a bit 'wooooah what was that??' so until they get that they can ACTUALLY, REALLY do it, they stop for a bit until they're really confident and then zoooom, they're off :)

Thanks both for the reassurance :-)

yep, DS did this. Walked outside, on ice (!) quite happily for a few days and then wouldn't for about a month before he plucked up the courage again! Don;t worry, none of them crawl or bum shuffle into school , she'll get there!