Will he get bandy legs from standing too early?

[marsup]

DS (5 months) loves standing up supported for balance, but taking all his own weight. OFten he won't even let us sit him down on our knees, for example, but wants to stand. My MIL says he'll get bandy legs from doing this so young. Should I not let him do his 'standing' game? It does happen several times a day but not for more than 5 minutes at a time, at a guess.

NO! MiL should always be taken with a pinch of salt

DD stood up really early and was walking at 9 months - think its an old wives tale really.

no my son was cruising round the furniture at 8 months and his legs are fine

utter rubbish! says so in my babybook to, its an old wives tale.

got lots of this myself DD pushed to standing at around 12weeks and was crusing well by 6.5/7months.

dd2 crawled at 6 months and two weeks later cruised around furniture. she walked at 11 mths and now is a stonking walker, 13 months old & v confident.

MIL used to go on about this too, load of old cobblers! HV told me it's good, helps baby build up muscle in legs and back in preparation for walking. Now I'm on No3, MIL doesn't say anything due to DSs having a huge lack of bandiness, but still get the occasional tsk from aging aunties (on DH's side of course ! )

Mums are there to say things like this. gods way of testing your patience for when the baby grows up and becomes an obnoxious teenager! take no notice. The only problem will be you having very tired arms, as I found out !!

DS could stand supporting his own weight at 10 weeks old. Grinning like a banshee all the while. The HV muttering to a physiotherapist in our post-natal group "10 week old babies aren't SUPPOSED to do that!"

I don't know what bandy legs are, but DS is now 4yo and his legs look ok to me.

Bloody hell, zebra, 10 weeks old???

marsup, it's an old wive's tale. They all have 'bandy legs' until two-ish or even older I think. Dd was standing at about 8 months, walking at 10 months and her legs are straightening out beautifully at 20 months.

Well my daughter hasn't. She was up on her feet all the time from a very young age and she is now a happy, healthy 2 year old, without bandy legs. DD was always doing this and was cruising holding my hands from 5 months - she's just fine. I could hardly stop her anyway. What should you do instead??? Ignore your MIL!

That's a relief! DS can keep on happily standing. He particularly likes it when I'm lying on my back so he is much taller than me. But you're right,Ixel, it is hard on the arms!

snap zebra
soooo glad someone else's child did this that young as I have been getting hell from mum and baby groups about letting ds do this but he seems perfectly capable and can support his own weight for a minute at least with big grin on face
my other ds was same and so far legs seem fine - he also walked at 10 months so I guess ds2 is going to be similar
everyone at mum and baby group was more worried about his back - it made me a bit nervous - guess all your kids backs are ok then as well??

Yup, back seems ok, too! I get to frequent all the early walkers but late talkers threads.

My DS1 also took weight on his legs very early, can't remember exactly when. It was his preferred stance for months - didn't want to sit on your lap. He was walking supported from 6 months (before he could sit up !) - it killed my back because he was so short He didn't walk unsupported until 12 months. No sign of bandy legs.

I think my twins also did this from about 4 months (but it is all a blur so can't be sure I haven't just made that up ).

I think little babies tend to do this more than big babies - presumably because their muscles are more able to support their weight.

Heavy children who walk early (usually boys) can develop bandy legs, due to the weight deforming the very pliable bone, BUT if this happens, it always gets better and has gone by the age of 2. There are no long-lasting effects. Bandy legs can also be inherited from one or other parent (usually the father), in which case it is not likely to improve!

zebra - I have seen threads on early walker/late talker links, but I actually didn't find we had that at all. DD also talked early too. Mind you, she didn't get teeth until 13 months and was rubbish at crawling They really are all different aren't they!?!