My 11 month dd can walk but cannot stand up or sit down alone! HELP!!

[TaraQ]

My dd has never crawled but has wanted to be walked around using our hands for months. She has taking her first steps alone this week and now will happily let go of us and walk away (even though she is still a little wobbly). The problem is though that she does not know how to sit down again! Plus she cannot actually stand up alone either (although she can pull herself up on the toybox etc). Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like she needs a crash helmet!!!!

It's relatively common for early walkers to walk before they can stand up unaided. They get the hang of it eventually (in DS's case about three weeks after he started walking -- before that he'd have to fall over, crawl to a wall, pull himself up and then toddle off again). I can see that if your DD can't crawl, though, then it must be frustrating for her, because that won't be an option.

Oh, interesting thread. My daughter is a year old and has been able to walk really quite well for about two months (and has been walking with plenty of help for about three months). However, she will absolutely not countenance letting go of the safety finger. She's determined that wherever she goes someone will accompany her. I find it a little frustrating as she can stand up on a soft mattress unaided, so clearly no problems with balance. I really think she could do it alone but she just doesn't want to let go of me. Any tips? We have been experimenting with taking teddy for a walk (she and I both hold one paw) and she can do it, but as soon as she realises that she's been cut loose from my finger, she just sits down and cries until I offer her my finger again. I see other babies who can't balance anywhere near as well letting go and taking off into the great unknown and it's so frustrating! I think she'd be so happy if she could walk alone and get to places under her own steam. She has never crawled and always hated 'tummy time'.

Also, I meant to ask, she can get from sitting to standing with ease but not from lying to sitting. Is that normal?

lucicle my dd sounds v similar!! She also wants the safety finger most of the time. However she will walk alone if she is carrying something - have you tried that? Admittedly she cannot walk v far and is v wobbly still but if you give her something to hold on to she will let go of your hand! My dd is exactely the same - cannot sit up from lying but can pull herself to standing from sitting. I'm sure they will get the hang of it eventually but it does mean that you need to have your finger ready all the time!! x

lucicle -- I did once read a post from someone whose DD, in the same situation, would walk along happily holding a helium balloon. Could be worth a try...

Helium balloon is a fabulous idea. She loves them. She walked about 200 metres yesterday all in one go when her grandparents took her to the park - so no problems with stamina!

Tara, it's nice to know there's someone out there who's being towed round the house by a lunatic baby!

I meant to say "it's nice to know there's someone ELSE out there who's being towed round the house by a lunatic baby"! Missed a word out, sorry.

Pipe - have you just put this on here to scare the OP?