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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Parents of late walkers - come and cheer me up!

33 replies

Ceebee74 · 15/03/2010 21:08

DS2 is nearly 16 months and not walking yet. I know this isn't particularly late but it feels like it as every baby I know of the same age is walking and has been for ages.

Tbh he is nowhere near walking yet - he can cruise very confidently but has only just started letting go and even then, only very briefly before his hands drop again or he collapses to the floor.

It just feels like his 'babyhood' is going on and on and I do feel sorry for him when he is the only baby at nursery in the 1-2 room that isn't walking - I have images of these toddlers running around having fun and DS2 sat pathetically in the middle

Come and convince me he will walk at some point

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rubyslippers · 15/03/2010 21:12

DS walked at 17 months

friends of mine had children who walked even later (post 20 months)

all were fine, just late

sunshineonarainyday · 15/03/2010 21:12

Don't worry! DD was 14 months when she started crawling and walked the week before she turned 18 months. He'll get there in the end.

MinnieMalone · 15/03/2010 21:13

My DD is 16 mths old and still not walking either. DS walked at 10 mths so I assumed DD would be an early walker too - WRONG! .

I am trying to be chilled out about it, as she does weight-bear and cruise, and will take a few steps holding on to my hand. She even took a couple of tiny steps independently a few weeks ago, but nothing since then. She is a very fast crawler and just prefers to get around the way she knows best, I think.

You are not alone, anyway. My DD is big for her age and she does get some funny looks. They'll get there in the end, I am 100% sure...

newlark · 15/03/2010 21:14

dd didn't walk until 18 mths (and i wouldn't exactly have said she was "cruising confidently" at 16 mths) you wouldn't be able to tell from looking at her with her peers now (at 3) . I did worry about her missing out on stimulation at nursery as all the other her age moved out of the baby room about 6 mths earlier but it wasn't that big a proportion of her time. On the plus side hwne she did finally walk she seemed to progress very fast and I think had fewer tumbles than younger beginning walkers as she had better coordination imo

KirstyJC · 15/03/2010 21:17

DS2 is 16 months and not walking yet either. I was worried at first (DS1 walked at 11 months) but when I went to the doctor for something else I mentioned it, and she said that loads of babies (esp boys) don't start walking until 2 years! As for nursery, he has them all wrapped around his chubby little finger - he points and squeals/grunts at what he wants and they all run to get it for him - other babies included! On the rare times he does need to move himself he can crawl at the speed of light! I'm sure your little one is the same and isn't missing out in the slightest.

As long as he can pull himself up to stand, and has started to cruise, don't worry. Once he starts running around you'll long for the days he was less mobile!

squeaver · 15/03/2010 21:18

17 months here.You'll be amazed how quickly it happens. Don't worry.

organiser · 15/03/2010 21:18

My daughter didn't walk till she was two. Someone recommended some ankle boot shoes and I nearly jumped for joy when she tried them on in the shoe shop and tock her first steps. She just needed that extra stability. I bought them from an Independant shoe store as Clarks etc don't really stock pretty girls shoes with ankle support.

moaningminniewhingesagain · 15/03/2010 21:19

As a parent of 2 earlyish walkers, I am . DS is 14m and has been walking confidently since 11m. He has been climbing everything in sight since 12m.

If I try to, ooh I don't know, peel a potato or something selfish like that, I look back and he is on the dining table on his hands and knees. Or on top of the coffee table. Or scaling the bookcase. Currently making short work of using the highchairs(tripp trapps) as ladders. Enjoy it while you can

If he's cruising well it sounds like he's progressing nicely.

SoMuchToBits · 15/03/2010 21:19

Ds took his first steps at 16 months. I wasn't particularly worried as all my family were late walkers - one sister started at 15 months, I was 17 months, and other sister was 19 months. But we all got there in the end.

Ds is now 9 years old, and is fairly active (he loves cricket and is now in the county under 10s squad) so I don't think there's anything wrong with him. But I know how you feel - I remember going to the park with the NCT group when he was about 14 months - all the other toddlers were toddling around, and I had to pick ds up to move him anywhere!

But also agree with other posters, when he did start walking he didn't fall down too much, as he already had reasonable coordination.

fairylights · 15/03/2010 21:24

yes my ds started "properly" walking at about 17 months and it felt like it took FOREVER to get there!! He is 3.5 now and its hard to imagine.. although he is unbelievably clumsy (falls over his own feet on a regular basis) so i figure that co-ordination wasn't and probably won't be one of his stregths in life!
it will happen though.. have patience

Original poster

Ceebee74 · 15/03/2010 21:24

Thanks for all the messages - you have cheered me up

I guess I am a little bit worried as he started cruising around his 1st birthday so hasn't really progressed for 4 months do you think I should be concerned about this?

I guess the PN threads on here don't help as DS2 is definitely the last baby on my PN thread not to be walking

God yes, the constant picking up and having to move him anywhere becomes very tiresome and he is getting heavy!!

DS1 was 14 months when he walked but he walked confidently and perfectly then so I think he would have walked much earlier but has always been a perfectionist and never did anything (crawling, sitting etc) until he could do it perfectly

OP posts:

CarGirl · 15/03/2010 21:26

17 months for my youngest, tbh she was a dream baby until she learnt to walk, wish she'd waited until she was at least 2 in hindsight!

Original poster

Ceebee74 · 15/03/2010 21:27

Actually what I should add that although he can't walk, he can feed himself perfectly and also hold a pencil properly and draw with it....I figure he might be concentrating on the fine motor skills??

Oh he also only has 5 teeth so he does seem very much like a baby

OP posts:

Firawla · 15/03/2010 21:33

sounds like mine, he was good on the fine motor skills but didn't walk til 15.5 months
now @ 20 months he never stays still, they all get there in the end
just try not to worry about it, it sounds like he will get there in his own time if he's cruising well doesn't seem like there's a real problem or anything cos he's weight baring?

chipmonkey · 15/03/2010 22:30

ds4 was my latest walker at 20 months but his fine motor skills are much better than his brothers and he talks better and understands more than ds2 and ds3 at the same age.

It's not like it will be on his CV and at least you won't be one of those awful MILs who goes on about Tarquin walking at 6 months!

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 16/03/2010 06:05

CeeBee, my daughter started pulling up at nine months, cruising by ten months and took her first unaided step at just after twelve months.

Cue me racing out to buy her First Proper Shoes.

And then she stopped.

Worked on her language skills for a bit.

At fourteen months, took ten steps in a row! Raced out, bought another pair of shoes since her feet had grown by now.

And then she stopped again, worked on her language skills for a bit.

At almost 16 months, she's now starting to walk more than she crawls. I suspect her of deliberately screwing with me. And I haven't yet put the shoes on her.

harimosmummy · 16/03/2010 06:33

My DS didn't walk until 15MO and even then he prefered to crawl.

He is now 21MO and walks everywhere.

He refuses to use a buggy and will happily walk 2-3 miles (more if required)

tartyhighheels · 16/03/2010 06:40

dd didn't walk until well over two - now at 6 really athletic and accomplished dancer

Finbar · 16/03/2010 07:24

17.5 months here. Apprently I was equally late - so much my Mum took me to the Doctor to have my hips examined!

rabbitstew · 16/03/2010 07:46

Ds1 walked at 23 months and needed help to get there. Ds2 walked at 17 months and needed no help whatsoever. In my experience, your child is hugely unlikely to need any help if he can pull to stand and cruise, as he clearly has sufficient strength and joint stability to walk as and when he feels ready.

nappyzoneloveslindor · 16/03/2010 07:55

My dd walked at 17 and a bit months on Mothers day some years back- worth the wait - she was a bit podgy from all the sittign around but very chilled out - in comparison my 2nd walked at 9 months and was torturous, enjoy being able to relax a bit mroe because once they are off so are you!

rabbitstew · 16/03/2010 07:57

ps does your ds2 have rolling over ankles, or otherwise seem very flexible in his joints? Bot my ds's are, and it's a common cause of later than average walking. In ds1's case, it caused more problems than this, but this is not the norm. I am very flexible (ie hypermobile) and, besides being a late walker, it has never caused me any issues - just been a big benefit in sport and piano playing!

girlsyearapart · 16/03/2010 08:00

almost 18 months for dd2. The ankle boot type shoes helped her too.

It definitely throws you if there are others to compare to. dd1 was confidently crawling up the stairs at 7m, walking at 12m, dd2 still not sitting up confidently at 8m and nearly 18mo to walk.

Besom · 16/03/2010 08:01

Dd was 18/19 months when she took her first steps.

Now at 22 months I'm surprised by how physically confident she seems to have become in a such a short time (climbing up slides in the park etc).

She is also a big talker.

Original poster

Ceebee74 · 16/03/2010 08:22

These messages have made me feel better

Rabbit how would I tell if he had rolling over ankles/flexible joints? I haven't noticed anything particularly odd with him.

I guess I am just impatient aswell as I think when he does start walking, him and DS1 will play together so much better.

Tortoise I love your story about the shoes I eventually gave in and bought DS2 some cruisers when he was 13 months as it seemed ridiculous that I was wrapping him up in the cold weather yet his feet were just in socks . Anyway, we got some in the Clarks sale for £10 thinking that he would only be in them for a month or two....3 months later he is still wearing them and they are looking a bit tatty!!

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