Link between leg length and starting walking?

[TabithaTwitchet]

It has been suggested to me that children whose legs are proportionally longer (ie in relation to whole body length) are slower and less enthusiastic at starting to work than children with proportionally shorter legs.

Now I like this theory as DD is 17 months and nowhere near walking yet, and she does have rather long legs when I compare her to her peers - ie their heads are at the same level but her waist is much higher than theirs.

So I thought I'd just run a quick lighthearted poll...

How old was your child when they took their first steps?

Do they have long or short (or indeed average) length legs?

DISCLAIMER - this is only for fun, I know she'll probably walk in her own time, and I should be grateful in any case as she is saving me a fortune in shoeleather

10 months for Ds, long legs, very tall in fact(still is).

Dd, over a year and short legs, long body. Blows theory out of the thread...?

My DS started walking independently at 11mth, pulled himself up to cruise from about 8mth, never any interest in crawling, and has the titchiest legs you've ever seen! (he's 2.2yo now and still in 12-18mo pants, or 2-3yo shorts as full-length pants! Sometimes needs 3-4yo tops, too, but not really a freak !!) Takes after my dad...

My DD took her first (2) steps yesterday at almost 13 months.

Not sure how long her legs are compared to other children her age but she is quite tall compared to a lot of them - higher centre of gravity? some shortarses shorter children were walking a while ago. I don't think her having a tummy like a beer barrel helps balance either

DS has long legs and walked at 11 months

DD has shortish legs (had very sort legs in relation to overall hight when she was baby/toddler) and walked at 11 months too.

DS has short legs and walked at 13mo.

DD has long legs like me and still isn't walking at 15mo. I was also a late walker and i also have ridiculously long legs.

DD has been crusing since 9mo though, we thought she was going to be an early walker. Not so.

my DD is tall but with relatively short legs..and walked at 2...

DD was 8 months when she started walking, she was fairly short in height, cant remember about her legs, they seemed average!

DS1 had quite short legs and was walking at 10 months.

dd has had disproportionately long legs since she was born. She started walking at 14 months.

I have long legs, and started walking at 2.

DS1 short legs - walked at 14 months

DS2 short legs - not walking at 12 months.

Sorry - not helping your theory here am I?!

DD1 was 19 months (such a relief when they finally start doing it!) Is skinny with super long legs and teeny tiny feet. She's just turned 3 and still falls down a lot, I think she has a high center of gravity.

DD2 built a bit more solidly but has only just started rolling over at 10 months so probably another late one!

DS1 was a late walker (16.5mo) and is tall. Legs must be long as he is always growing out of trousers but not T-shirts so much.

DS2 was early walker (9mo) and is shorter than some of his peers, certainly. His school trousers were DS1's in reception but he's in yr 1. And I had to turn them up.

DD average-ish (13mo) and fairly average height/leg lenth I reckon (wears "correct" age trousers and always has)

So maybe theory is a goer.

DS walked 14.5 MO, has the shortest legs imaginable (have to turn all his trousers up)

DD1 - walking at 9 months - short legs

DD2 - walking at 9 months - average legs

DS - walking at 10 months - long legs

No pattern here. My theory is baby with smaller heads walk earlier as it's easier to balance and mine have all had slightley smaller than average heads.

dd1 12 months walking - very long legs (22" at 6 years old, had to measure for bike!) Now has 31" inside leg mearsurment

dd2 18 months started walking - very long legs, longer than her ds's and could ride said bike at 5.

dd1 had 40cm head
dd2 had 36cm head

both measurements taken at birth...

I presume in proportion to overall body length?

If so 9as all mine shortarses overall)

ds1 / ds3- longish - 910 and 9 months; d2 average 11 months (ds3 SN so not relevant)

My Mum reckons its a weight thing as lighter babies have less arse to shift. Mine all quite thin but who knows

Oh ds4 big headwalked at nione months

So don't reckon that one either PMSL

Could it be that

some abbies walk earlier than others-

perhaps?

dd1 has average head and leg length and didn't walk until 22 months

O, well, ds was tall for his age but at present he has relatively short legs. He was a slow walker, around 14-15 months. Dd has long legs at present, walked at 9 months. Can't remember their leg length as a toddler...

Both short legs!

DD - walked at 20 months didn't crawl (bottom shuffler!)

DS - walked at 16 months, crawled at 7

I don't think either of them had long enough legs to support their bodies!

Hope this helps...

I will add to your sample of evidence. DS, unfortunately short legged like his mother, walked at 12 months. DD, long legs (god knows where she gets it from) and in top 5% height wise, only just started this week at 16 months.

son 9 months long long legs
daughter 11 months short legs

Ds1 long legs (in proportion to body length) -walked at 12 mo.
Ds2 short fat legs - walked at 10 mo.