Standing too soon?

[eilidhfi]

DD has been able to stand supporting her body weight since she was about 3 weeks old. MIL told me that she'd get bandy legs if I let her do it cos her bones aren't strong enough yet, so I stopped letting her do it.

Anyway, DD is now 4mo and will pull herself up on the furniture and look about with a big cheesy grin on her face, so are her bones strong enough to support her yet?

My dr told me that it was absolutely fine. Mine has been doing the same. Hates sitting...

I think if they're doing it by themselves they're probably ok.

don't worry about it. My dd1 was the same. She's just naturally very strong.

Oh good! She's kind of umstoppable now...

My Hv told me off when she saw Ds doing it, also saying he'd go bandy. I think it makes sense really as their bones are still very soft. I didn't encourage it with Dd.

I've seen two very bandy toddlers this year too, so I'd be cautious...

You could also argue it's strenghtening their muscles to prevent later bandiness.

I dont' think it'll make her bandy.

My DS did this too, and was walking unsupported at 8 mo. His legs are perfectly straight, with very well defined muscles! (he's 2 now). If she's doing it herself, then I'd have thought her bones are strong enough. I think there's sometimes a problem if parents are 'encouraging' them to stand before they're ready, but short of rugby tackling DS every time he stood up, there wasn't much I could have done anyway!

I'm not sure on this, but I think it's an old wives tale about the bandy legs... you can't really stop them I don't think.

Hopefully somebody who actually knows will come along.

no it doesn't cause bandy legs. Nutrient deficiency causes bandy legs. It's not a good idea to force a baby to do this, but if they are doing it naturally and of their own accord, then there's no problem.

Isn't that ricketts belgo? Vitamin D deficiency.

ricketts is apparently making a bit of a come back unfortuately, due to vitamin D deficiency and sunlight deficiency.

So not encouraging it but not worrying too much when she does do it is the way forward? Bit of a minefield this parenting lark!

I'm off to find something else to worry/feel guilty about

yes that's the way forward

My 19 yo was 5 months old when he started pulling himself up and has perfectly straight non-bandy legs.

Don't worry about it. If they can do it and their legs support tham, they they are developmentally ready to stand.

DD was always an upright baby. She was cruising from 5 months. Nothing wrong with her legs now.