12 week old trying to walk - product advice

[Insomnimummy]

My DD is almost 12 weeks old and has been demanding to be held upright so she can walk with our support. She has been doing this for the last 4/5 weeks and now cries if we do not help her.

I'm very proud of how fast she is developing, but its exhausting and painful spending most of the day hunched over someone whos under 2ft, helping them walk!
I have been seraching for products to help my DD develop her muscles and practise walking, such as door bouncers and walkers. However I can't find any that are suitable for a 3 month old, they all appear to start at 6 months.
Does anyone know if and where I can get a baby walker for a 3month old? At this rate by the time she reaches 6 months she will no longer need one!

[birdybear]

Why don't you go to a public pool, rather than a school one?

[Martorana]

She really really shouldn't b supporting her own weight at 12 weeks- her hips and knees and ankles aren't ready for it yet.

[Insomnimummy]

The public pool is a drive away whereas I can walk to the school pool, and the public pool is 6 times the cost to use! Anyway we have a place at the school pool in 2 weeks time .

Like I said I am going to see the HV at the next drop in clinic (mon), and I'll hold off on the walker until I've spoken to them.

As for the shoulds and shouldn'ts, I say balls to that! Kids developed fine before we had a million 'experts' picking apart every single thing we do.
My DD shows no sign that anything is wrong. And whats the difference between letting her support her own weight whilst jumping around on my lap (which the majority seem to think is ok) and letting her take steps on a surface (which the majority think is insane - balls to that also ).

[FannyFifer]

You will totally look back on these posts in about a year & be morto.

[Insomnimummy]

You know what - I came onto this site to get support and friendly advice from other parents. And instead for the most part I get picked apart by a bunch of harpies.

Thanks for the solidarity mumsnet!

Perhaps some of you should look back on your posts and question why you find it necessary to drag others down. Its a shitty way to make you feel better about yourselves.

For those of you who were kind - thank you, its a shame there aren't more of you here .

I'm off to a website for dads - all the advice and none of the bitchyness

[furlinedsheepskinjacket]

just ignore the nasties op

[ExBrightonBell]

Ah, don't flounce OP. It's the internet, anyone can post anything. The trick is to not take it personally, and ignore anything you don't like. (Or report it if it breaks the rules of course).

[TheCountessOlenska]

Lol @ Fannyfifer. This may be the greatest pfb thread I have ever read
"crawling slowly next to her"
oh come on OP it is a bit funny!

[LtEveDallas]

You know what - I came onto this site to get support and friendly advice from other parents. And instead for the most part I get picked apart by a bunch of harpies

Doesn't it make you wonder why people have reacted the way they have? Especially people with their own babies, or those that have had more than one child. Have you considered at all that maybe you are mistaken about your child's behaviour?

[Layl77]

Let me guess first baby?
It's quite normal all mine have done this too, two of them were walking at 9months. Holding bottle and teeth I don't see the correlation or development link? Products aren't going to help as you will naturally take her weight or stop when she starts to wiggle to one side but they for and are not natura for babies to be in. Sling or your arms are best.

[CecilyP]

'I am not supporting her weight when we do this - she is'

Only one way to find out if that is true and that is to let go, but I wouldn't recommend trying it as you already know what the answer is. It is natural to think your baby is special but no baby is so exceptional that they stand or walk at 3 months. As my friend's mum when DS was that age, 'they like to feel their feet', and that is all your DD is doing.

While some people are totally against walkers, others think they are fine, but there are sound physiological reasons why they are not recommended for babies under 6 months. There are other products like door bouncers that can be used for younger babies.

[Tweasels]

This has gave me a chuckle.

Oh OP don't go off in a huff. You've had good advice here, the best being to stop trying to encorage your baby to walk. She can't even sit up FFS, think about the logic there.

Chill out, enjoy your baby, get over yourself.

[girliefriend]

I don't feel better about myself just worried about your pfb having bandy legs that's all - sorry and all that

[NAR4]

Congratulations on having such a clever little baby.

You are clearly putting a lot of time and effort into helping her develop new skills. I wonder if you are putting too much pressure on yourself to help your dd progress though. I have 5dc who have all been early developers, but never put inthe time and effort you are discribing. For example, my 5th dc was carried around in a baby sling most of the time because he cried when I put him down and I had too much to get done (cooking, housework etc.) To hold him all the time. He still (much to everyones amazement) started walking around unaided and unsupported at 7 months.

Personally think equipment such as door bouncers, walker, jumperoos etc are expensive, used for a very sort amount of time, take up space and do little to aid development. They do however give parents a welcome break, because little ones find them entertaining. Only you know if you have the space and money, but please don't have unrealistic expectations of these pieces of equipment.

You're doing a great job but your dd will still meet all her milestones without the effort on your behalf.

[Glasshammer]

Sounds like a nightmare. Walkers etc are 6 months plus for a good reason.

[bigTillyMint]

DD(14) was like this! She would hold herself ridged up straight when you held her on your knee. She only crawled for about 2 weeks, but she was walking unaided by 10mths.

We did have one of those bouncer things you hang in a doorway from 3mths, and then she had my friends 30odd year old baby brick trolley from about 6mths.

[Sleepyfergus]

"Congratulations on having such a clever little baby"

This is exactly what the OP came on to hear

FFS, if babies were supposed to walk at 3 months old, we'd be overrun with them. A child of that age is NOT supposed to walk. It's a reflex action you are misinterpreting. Sure, she might want to be upright to see what's going on, but she isn't trying to walk. Fact.

Why are people on such a rush to turn their babies into doing things these days. It's not a competition. Jut enjoy your baby and take each day as it comes. Believe me, you'll be thankful for the stationary periods when you have to have eyes in the back of your head to keep track of them.

[lonnika]

I think that is rude and unnecessary Sleepyfergus at what point has the op said she wanted to hear that her baby was clever? She has said she wants to support her child's development - what is wrong in that !!

[littleducks]

I think I spent time demonstrating how to crawl to my pfb dd . In fact I remember my mums voice going a but funny when I hold her about on the phone.

I got (by then a toddler) dd to demonstrate to baby ds while I popped to the loo or drank tea . He was stubborn, ignored her and became an excellent bottom shuffler instead (used to fly across the room, using one hand to propel himself like a chimpanzee and the urge to push along a toy car).

[BertieBotts]

DS did this as well. Don't take any notice OP :) He was cruising at 8 months, exactly 2 days after he started to crawl.

It's likely that her legs are strong enough to kick up and pretty much support the weight of her upper body, but of course she wouldn't have the co-ordination or balance to actually walk yet.

A bouncer - either a door bouncer or jumperoo type one is a great idea as long as she can hold up her head, DS loved his, he'd kick away for ages. You might have to put a couple of yellow pages down so that she can reach the floor. He also liked being in a sling as he could look around at the world but I could never "froggy" his legs, they had to be out right from newborn as he was kicking them out and stretching the fabric, as though he was trying to stand up. It IS a reflex, even though they are quite strong. They don't know what they're doing, they just know that it feels nice to push against something rather than just kicking into the air.

One of the piano things that sticks to a wall or the end of the cot that they kick might be good too.

I think some posters are being a bit mean. It's nice to be excited and possibly a little overboard with your PFB! I do agree that actually encouraging them to walk is a bit unnecessary and products like baby walkers can be harmful, but if the baby likes kicking and pushing with their legs, IMO, there's no harm in letting them have something solid to kick against. It would be worse to avoid something that makes her happy just for the sake of "ooh you shouldn't be doing this yet!"

[BertieBotts]

I think the bandy legs thing has been disproved BTW.

[LittleBearPad]

Give your baby a break and let them do their own thing when they can.

[UniS]

D's was a stander. He would cheerfully stand and lean on me or the sofa well before 6 months. he liked bouncer time and standing in a walker . crawled at 9 months.walked at 14 months.

[Purplelooby]

(At risk of being called a Banshee...) it's not the bandy legs that is the problem, it's the hip thing.

My parents used to walk my DS along the floor (holding his waist or whatever) at 3.5 months and I was FURIOUS at them for it. It made my life more difficult because all he wanted to do was stand up on my knee yet he couldn't roll over or sit up so I spent my time making him lie down under a toy or do tummy time. He say up at 4.5 months and then got bored of trying to walk. Thing is, babies don't know what's best for them!