Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

Original poster

Is a baby "standing" on legs bad for them?

19 replies

Snowgirl1 · 05/03/2012 12:06

Our 9 week old DD seems to like "standing" on her legs (with us supporting/holding her body, she's not freakily advanced or anything...) - but a friend hinted yesterday that it was bad for DD, but quickly stopped what she was saying in case she offended and now I don't know whether we should do this with DD. Is it bad for their knees??

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets · 05/03/2012 12:08

No help from me but I await replies. DS is 6 months and can hold his weight on his legs, he just doesn't have the balance to stand.

SweetGrapes · 05/03/2012 12:19

They love pushing up and bouncing - but not sure when to start. The old wives tale says they will get bow knees if they load bear too early.
Mine were def bearing load, pushing up and bouncing (while held on my knees) at 4 or 5 months and no bows in sight. They used to love it. Not sure about 6 weeks.

Truffkin · 05/03/2012 12:24

My DS loves this too and he has also pulled himself up to standing a couple of times when I've grasped his hands to just sit him up

He is now 14 weeks old but has liked to 'stand' with me holding him (under his arms) since he was probably 6 or 7 weeks.

I've not heard this is bad for him. It's not like he's weight bearing frequently. He probably does it a few times a week when we are playing.

LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 05/03/2012 12:25

They should do it themselves. If you are pushing it (putting her in position) it is not good. If they can manage on their own let them (not really helpful there).

Bumpsadaisie · 05/03/2012 12:25

Both mine stood from about 6 weeks ish if you held them lightly round their ribs. At 9 weeks DS could stand for as long as you like with you just holding his hands. He's four months now and can stand on the floor with you holding one hand.

DD was the same - no bow-legs.

ChunkyPickle · 05/03/2012 12:27

I got told the bow legged thing - mine was a stander, and absolutely loving a door hung baby bouncer at not much over 2 months (only supposed to go in once they have good head control).

He doesn't have bow legs, and was walking alone at 8.5 months (cruising a month or so earlier than that), and barrelling around the house with a 3 year old with great confidence by 9.5 months

It's only anectodal, but I googled and could find no reason why it would cause bow leggedness

On the down side, it's a nightmare having a mobile baby who can't even slightly speak/understand :)

Bumpsadaisie · 05/03/2012 12:27

Yep, my DS also pulls himself to standing from a sitting position if I am holding his hands. He needs me to pull a bit too but he really can nearly do it himself.

Truffkin · 05/03/2012 12:30

Having researched a bit more, pushing through their feet and wanting to 'stand' is listed as a 3-month milestone by several baby info websites. No mention of the bow legged thing. Just an old wives tale from the days when newborns should just sleep and eat rather than play?!

AmberLeaf · 05/03/2012 12:34

I dont know either way but what about that step reflex thing?

Long time since I had a little one, but im sure I rememeber seeing that in the red book! why do they do it?

cornflakegirl · 05/03/2012 13:59

There was a tribe featured in Inside the Human Body who trained their children to be early walkers by getting them to weight-bear from an early age. None of them looked like they were bow-legged.

SweetGrapes · 05/03/2012 16:05

I remember the step reflex - that's at the 6 week check, isn't it. I was most impressed.

AmberLeaf · 05/03/2012 16:14

Yes! I knew I wasnt imagining it!

Clever little things babies.

Original poster

Snowgirl1 · 05/03/2012 18:37

Thanks everyone, glad to hear that it won't damage DD! The friend who mentioned it to me is in her 50s, so maybe it's out-of-date advice from when she had her children.

OP posts:

bamboobutton · 05/03/2012 18:39

i had the bow legs guff from MIL, i laughed so hard i nearly broke a rib.

AnEcumenicalMatter · 05/03/2012 18:44

My eldest niece was a stander from a very early age and always wanted to be on her feet. She walked unaided at 9 months and now, at 10 years old, is a very talented gymnast. I think she gets her co-ordination from the other side of the family

Her 2 siblings have shown no such inclination for wanting to stand/walk early.

CecilyP · 05/03/2012 21:27

It isn't bad for them because their legs are not actually bearing their weight; the person holding them is doing that. If you let go when they weren't strong enough, they would simply fall over.

mercibucket · 05/03/2012 21:32

Both my boys would lock legs from a few weeks old and had excellent neck control. They walked at 9 month and are v sporty now. Anecdotal but I'd say it just shows a tendency to athleticism

Fishpond · 06/03/2012 03:11

Yep totally fine - just with regard to stepping reflex: it supposedly "disappears" after a few weeks right? Wrong! If you put your baby in a bath with water up to their bellies while standing, they will continue to step - it's just that as they get bigger, there's more weight which they can't lift as easily, but water is a fab equalizer!

NorthernChinchilla · 06/03/2012 09:22

Glad to hear this, my DS has been doing this for the past few weeks (he's 12 weeks now).

We have a horrible feeling that he may be mobile early, as he's having a damn good attempt with his crawling motion and pushing himself along on the mat when being changed...

I was hoping he'd be a happy, immobile potato like his mother who did sod-all til 18 months !

Flip