19.5 month old twins - unexplained late walking

[Beyondtheshore]

As the title says really - I have 19.5 month old twin boys (18.5 months if you adjust for slight prematurity) who still aren’t walking. They can pull to stand, cruise and walk with a push walker, and one of them can climb stairs and stand up independently, but they just can’t (or won’t) walk. They had a physiotherapist appointment last week, and were given a clean bill of health - the physiotherapist wasn’t concerned, said muscle tone was good, the movement they were doing they were doing properly, checked hips and joints etc. So there doesn’t seem to be a ‘reason’, as such, just one of those things.

Which is a relief, but I’ll admit I’m getting a bit frustrated. They’re so heavy to carry around, and now the weather is less good it’s harder to let them just crawl around in the park; they get so wet. I feel like they’re missing out on things; so many toddler classes are ‘walking - 3’ or whatever.

I suppose I’m just having a bit of a moan, it’s getting me down today! Can anyone relate, or have any words of wisdom? I feel like I’m the only person in the world with toddlers who can’t actually toddle!

No advice I'm afraid but I do feel your pain as the mum of a fellow late walker. DS took his first steps at 17 months (but only because we encouraged him) and was a few days away from being 19 months when he decided that walking was now his way of getting around, rather than crawling. We also saw a physio who reassured me that it's very very common, particularly in boys. Your boys will get there. I found it so frustrating though, especially with things like the park etc, as you do.

My only tips would be trying to stop them crawling as much as poss and encouraging walking as a way of getting around, so walking holding hands a lot around the house. Appreciate this is much more difficult with two! Maybe concentrate on the one who can stand indenpendently as he sounds as if he's closer, and the other will no doubt follow suit.

Thanks. It’s a relief to hear from someone who’s been through similar. Rationally, I know they’ll get there eventually, and that there really are worse things, but I’ve never come across another baby of their age who doesn’t walk, and I’m honestly starting to feel like they’re going to be crawling through the school gates (ridiculous, I know!)... Just feeling a bit down about it today.