17 m/o not walking. tips?

[Deardinah]

Just that really. She walks with a walker but does not have confidence to let go and walk with us holding her.
Cruises brilliantly, crawls like greased lightning!
We try to encourage and hold her arms to make steps with her but she gets so cross and cries or just goes floppy and drops to the floor.
Everything has been checked with physio/docs no issues. I know they walk when they want but I can't help but think we're just not doing enough.
Any tales of late walkers and what you did to help, or if you just left baby to it?
Thank you.

I'd almost given up hope he would ever walk, but he dud finally at 18 months. He had waited to get his confidence up and was off. No staggering walk stage -it was almost straight into running. He takes his time and is careful about things in general, though (never had to worry about him climbing anywhere dangerous), and loved sitting in his buggy, being pushed around (evebtually went cold turkey after he turned 4!) so the lateish walking makes sense now that he is 6.

Ds2 walked 3 days short of 18 months. He was a late crawler too. No idea why, perfectly normal in all respects, although not the most sporty child now.

Almost exactly the same as TheToys: v cautious child who preferred people to get stuff for him than go after them himself!
Suddenly at 18mo decided to walk, but had spent so long watching other people that he was immediately quite good at it, by 2.5 walked a good mile to nursery 3 days a week without complaining, by 7 could happily walk 12 miles.
She'll be fine!

A woman from my NCT class claimed her DS was a late walker because he was more cerebral btw. You could always do that?! 😉

Watching with interest as 15 mo DS is just not for letting go! He can walk really well but only if you let him hold a finger (down from whole hand!). If you dare to take it away he just sits.

He's not cautious in any other aspect however as he's managed to climb on his activity table, couches and onto window ledges etc. It's very odd and starting to get fed up of comments from others.

Dd didn't walk until 22 months. But didn't even stand till 20. (Up till that point she did see the physio once a month at the drop in for some exercises to help strengthen her lower back/quads) but apart from that left her to it and one day it was like the penny just dropped for her and off she went

My 17 month old started to walk a few weeks ago, then had a nasty virus and has stopped again!!! I just think they'll do it when they're ready. My mum keeps saying 'he won't be 18 and crawling'
It's hard as everybody asks is he walking yet!!!

21.5 months my DS walked. They do it when they want to. Don't worry

Thank you, I think I'll just leave her to it then. I'm not worried just gutted she misses out a bit at parties/soft play. I'm a bit jittery about her getting trampled/fingers trodden on.

I felt the very same, my bum shuffler wasn't interested in soft play, the park, walks .... Because he couldn't walk hahaa!

But literally one day, 21.5M he was off ... 2 laps of the lounge & now I can't keep up with him!

The walks & parks are great now thou

DD just started walking aged 19m. She does have some delays due to seizures. She has been cruising, pushing a walker and taking one step for ages and it was s-o-o-o frustrating. One day she just decided, and set off, and as others have said is pretty stable, can step over obstacles, stop and turn round, and walk a fair distance, very quickly. If your daughter has built up the muscle strength and can use the walker and just lacks confidence, I'm sure one day soon she will step out and be off!
That said, you can try walking between 2 adults, or holding a hoop (you go backwards holding the other side - this gives better arm position). Arrange the furniture so she has gaps in cruising with something enticing on the other side. Try giving her small objects to hold in each hand, this means they can't drop and crawl.

DD is 17 months and won't stand or pull up - is even reluctant to put weight on her legs. She's a bum shuffler though which everyone tells me delays walking... I was one myself and didn't walk till 19 months. I share your worry at parties! I always worry that she's going to get trampled but big brother is pretty protective and keeps an eye out...

DD crawled at 13 months, walked at 19 months. Perfectly normal just not in a hurry to do anything. Always been good with fine motor skills as spent so much time sat on her bum playing with fiddly things. Still not that confident physically (not 2.5) and struggles with things like soft play so we have started Gym Tots to try and give her a bit more confidence and strength. We didn't do anything to encourage walking...accepted that she would do it in her own good time, like most things!

Similar boat at the moment, DS is 17mo and still cruising or walking holding my finger or hand, but even then not for long. He has taken several steps together on his own but this will happen and then not happen again for days on end. He drops down and crawls whenever he wants to actually get anywhere.

I'm not too fussed as he is making progress but I'm sorry for him that he can't enjoy the playground/ park like others his age. He's also very tall so there's babies about half his size happily toddling along while he needs lifting here and there (mulch ground in playground isn't great to crawl on!). I'm 39 weeks pregnant and I never thought that he still wouldn't be walking at this point but some things just can't be planned!

My older DD walked at 17mo and DB at 18mo so I expect it's just genetic and he will take off one of these days.