not walking at 16mo

[saycheeeeeese]

I know 16 months is still little but my DD just won't do it, she can do it but prefers to shuffle along on her knees.

She walks to me from other people but is quite wobbly, but she can walk the length of a room and we go out walks with her and hold her hand (she can walk fine that way) but tends to drop to her knees when you let go.

What can I do to encourage her?, I do praise her when she does it. Is this a normal age for her still not to be walking?

Please reassure me.

TIA

My 14.5 month old DD has never even stood up! She bum shuffles everywhere and is just not interested in walking or even standing. Your DD obviously can walk but maybe crawling is quicker for her at the moment so she prefers it. Sounds like you're doing exactly the right thing in encouraging but not pressuring her.

I asked for advice on here a while ago and had lots of reassurance from lovely people.

Oh, and my mum loves to tell everyone that I didn't walk until 18 months. I'm a very competent walker now!

Thanks fishcalledwonder

Shes my pfb so I think im just paranoid and fed up throwing tights outespecially when all her peers plus younger have been doing it for months, one lady in the supermarket was shocked when I told her she DD couldn't walk yet and said "usually its the boys that are slow"

my dd was didn't crawl till 15m and didn't walk unsupported till 22m. I did take her to the dr and she was subsequently diagnosed with mild hypermobility, but nobody would even refer until she was 20m so i wouldn't worry too much yet.

a wise poster on here recently said you never see someone walking down the street and think 'wow, they're a good walker, i bet they started early!'

My dd isn't walking either and is 17 months now ...

Well that's very true 2tired

She's a very good talker though, I suppose they can't be good at everything all at once :)

I've always been told that before 18 months, most health professionals won't be concerned at all if your child isn't walking. Your DD can't see what all the fuss is about when she has a perfectly good way of getting around! She will walk when she's ready.

Please don't worry. I was posting the exact same thing just before Christmas. My dd was a knee walker too and people at mum and tots groups would say "how funny it was" and "how they'd never seen anything like it." She walked only holdin onto our hands and when she had enough did the knee shuffle. My dd is 18 months now and she wasn't one of those ones that just decide to walk she did it more and more day by day so just keep doing what u r doing. I promise your little one will walk just hang on in there. :) it's great when they do start walking. :)

cupcake I get that too, all the time, how odd it is that she knee walks and no one has ever seen a baby do it before etc.

Im looking forward to her walking for her sake because I can tell she's frustrated about it!

I blame wooden floors, honestly think they have hindered her and had we had carpet she might walking by now

We have carpet and our 16 month old has no real interest in doing anything other than crawl/walk on her knees. She'll do a very wobbly walk if you hold her hands but other than that much happier with her usual methods.

:) they do get frustrated dont they. Especially when u r out and they r in the pram, u can't let them out of it because they will just walk on their knees and get covered in dirt. All of my dd trousers were so dirty on the knees I couldn't get the stains out lol. It's nice when people stop looking at ur child in a puzzled way too. I used to think, so what she walks on her knees at least she makes the effort lol. I think my dd was just a cautious perfectionist and wanted to wait until she had it perfectly. Perhaps urs is the same? I'd love to know how it goes and I hope ur little one walks really soon. It's frustrating for them but it is for us parents too and it's a relief for both when that big milestone happens.

I really woudn't be concerned at all. Your dd is making progress and health professionals wouldn't investigate until at least 18months. I do sympathise with the irritation at the comments that others can make though!

Thanks cupcake will keep you posted :)

Arthur everyone either makes shocked comments or really patronising ones like shes abnormal!

Its nice to know I don't have to worry about it yet!

I get the comments too. DD does a strange bum shuffle from side to side. It looks a bit like she's rowing a boat! Took her to an active tots class and the helpers practically stared at her with their mouths open!

My dd did the knee-walking thing too and didn't stand unsupported until she decided to walk properly at 19mo. She still preferred to be on her knees but gradually realised that her feet were quicker as she gained confidence. She's now 25mo and leaping about all over the place. In fact she just yesterday started jumping properly with both feet leaving the floor

Don't worry about your dd, she'll get there. And ignore other people. I just used to tell people that I didn't want to talk about it.