Advice please! 19 month old daughter refuses to walk!!

[Secondchance2891]

Hi all,

Could anyone please offer some suggestions?....My 19 month old girl is very tall for her age, and to be fair, my husband and I didn't walk until 18 months apparently. Last month, my little girl finally starting taking steps unaided, we gave her loads of praise and continued to try and encourage. However now she has reverted back to bum-shuffling literally, everywhere! She refuses to walk unaided, she insists on at least holding one hand if not both. If we try to let go she has tantrums, so we ignore her as much as possible (as long as safe). Ultimately though, when she calms down, she will bum shuffle over to where she wants to be. She can climb, walk with baby pram etc, no problems. It's a nightmare trying to take her anywhere, e.g. the park, she will drag her bum along the mud rather than walk, and again, we have massive tantrums!. The HV just said keep ignoring the negative behaviour and praise if she does walk, but when we ignore her, it just encourages the bum shuffle!!! I've got a hernia op in 2 weeks, I really could do with some advice, ANYONE please help!!??

It'll come don't worry bum shufflers are often late walkers. Buy a good pair of waterproof trousers and let her be.

So, she will walk whilst holding someone's hand? It sounds like a confidence thing.

Option 1: Take the buggy and get her to hold on to it (which helps when crossing the road or walking down slippery paths).

Option 2: Find something she will enjoy using instead. A three-wheeled scooter or a push-along trike, for example.

Unless there is a medical reason to the contrary, she will walk unaided in her own time. In the meantime, keep life as simple as possible for you, with the hernia op coming up. FWIW, I still use the buggy sometimes for my 3-year-old as we walk a lot and it's better for her to hop in than to have an overtired tantrum.

She’s probably slightly hyper mobile; many bum shufflers are. My DS was exactly the same; I think he was about 20 months before he got going and I was worried sick.

DS is a star athlete now so it hasn’t done him any harm.

Boots. Buy her some sturdy little boots. That will help.

My nephew refused to walk around this age whilst in hospital. I bought him one of those toys on a stick you have to roll along in front of you, it worked for him, might be worth a shot. Can't see exactly what I mean online but here is something similar, you should be looking for something to reward him with lights/music as he pushes it.

www.smythstoys.com/ie/en-ie/toys/fashion-and-dolls/dolls/my-stroll-and-roll-dolly/p/159198

www.smythstoys.com/ie/en-ie/gift-finder-18-36-months/fisher-price-princess-stroll-along-musical-walker-and-doll-gift-set/p/148260

Good luck with your op OP

You could try taking a push-along walker/toy pram to the park/out with you if she's happy enough to walk with that instead of by herself. We did this with my DD - took her walker to the park and let her practice walking on the paths. She really liked it and it gave her more confidence because she wanted to be independent (ie not holding your hand) but wasn't quite there walking without some assistance yet.

My DS was on the late side of the normal range to walk and I think partly because he was lightening quick at crawling so had no problems keeping up with others. Walking was slower and therefore less fun.

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions.
I may try the walk alongside the buggy, and my husband thinks we should try getting a little trike push-along thing.

I am trying not to worry but it's so hard not to when she's around other toddlers who are half her size and running around!

My nephew spent months having to hold a hand when he learnt to walk.. he walked around 14/15 months but only ever with a hand until 18/19 months. He just lacked the confidence. It hasn’t done him any harm. He eventually let go & has walked normally ever since!

I wouldn’t refuse to hold his hand. It won’t last forever. Just encourage walking as often as possible & let him toddle along with you!

*her hand sorry!