Baby wants to stand up

[Dillybear]

This is just a quick one, and even as I’m writing it I know it’s ridiculous. I don’t have anyone I can ask in real life though, so I’d be grateful for a little advice.

My DD is eight months old and can pull herself up to stand. She’s still a bit wobbly and I am always with her when she’s trying to do this. Standing is currently her favourite thing to do and she gets a bit grumpy when she wants to stand and can’t. I look around my home for things for her to pull up on, and there is almost nothing that is the right height or safe, even with my help and very close supervision. At the moment I sit on the floor with her and she mostly just holds onto my shoulders and feels pleased with herself. Or holds my hands and takes these funky little steps. It’s very cute! Just wondering if anyone had any ideas of what she could use for standing, and especially for pulling up to stand. Not asking for anything that she can use independently, just something sturdy and safe, if a toy then something that will last a while as I’m sure in the next couple of weeks she’ll be doing something else haha. Thanks so much.

Would she be happy in a baby walker?

Baby walkers aren’t safe.

Can she hold on the sofa? DD2 was weird and never pulled herself up on anything, she would just stand up in the middle of the floor and then started walking when she was 9 months old.

Sofa, coffee table?

You could get a little kids table from ikea that she can use for drawing or Lego later on too.

DD was an early stander - she'd mostly use the sofa or chairs iirc, we certainly didn't have anything in particular to help her. If she was assisted to standing in the middle of the floor she'd just stand for quite a while looking pleased with herself before plopping back onto her bottom and crawling off.
If she can't already, try to teach her how to sit down from standing safely!

Vtech activity table? DS absolutely loved it and he would always pull himself up to stand, even when confidently standing he used it plenty. I bought one second hand and sold it for an okay price too, so might be worth a go!

www.wilko.com/en-uk/vtech-play-learn-activity-table/p/0499371?gclid=CjwKCAjwz6_8BRBkEiwA3p02Va_FsnLkiS14wjjm3rFB9Qy3ugb7MVFdGu0QVJELtrOCMHD2E2PkkBoCaNoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

We have an activity table, from argos if I remember rightly. DD used that to pull herself up then spent ages playing with all the buttons/spinny wheels etc.

DS used to use DD's little chairs and table set to pull up on and stand against. And climb on top of soon after Would have long term use if you have the space. He also tried using it as a baby walker and pushing it along!

Thank you everyone for these suggestions, this is just what I was hoping for! She doesn’t seem to be able to grasp the sofa very well, and the coffee table she sort of swings underneath it that makes any sense. But maybe a little chair or something would be good.

@Thatwentbadly can I ask why baby walkers aren’t safe? I have looked at them but as they seem to have wheels mainly I’m worried about her falling. She seems to want to bypass crawling and just stand, so as she is young she is physically not there yet for walking. Though I do think if she carries on like this she will be an early walker.

The unnatural position of their hips can cause damage.

Here is a leaflet about baby walkers from NHS Shetland explaining why they are not good. They have been banned in Canada.

www.shb.scot.nhs.uk/departments/physiotherapy/Myths_About_BabyWalkers.pdf

[quote Cloudybean]Vtech activity table? DS absolutely loved it and he would always pull himself up to stand, even when confidently standing he used it plenty. I bought one second hand and sold it for an okay price too, so might be worth a go!

www.wilko.com/en-uk/vtech-play-learn-activity-table/p/0499371?gclid=CjwKCAjwz6_8BRBkEiwA3p02Va_FsnLkiS14wjjm3rFB9Qy3ugb7MVFdGu0QVJELtrOCMHD2E2PkkBoCaNoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds[/quote]
Yes, these are great. I got one on gumtree for £5 when DD was small and it’s done both our children since then. They love it and have spent hours standing at it playing

I took the wheels off a wooden walker so LO could stand but not push if that makes sense? I don't want him to use one at home to 'walk' but I know he has used one in the nursery

She will figure out how to pull herself up using your sofa etc.

So babies walk at hunger than your DD so she's not too young or physically 'not there yet'. There's no need to encourage her though, by buying things or giving her your hands to pull up - tempting though it is as it is so cute! Just let her find her way.

My DS was walking at 9 months, sounds like she's ready to go so won't be long.

@MJMG2015 she gets quite grumpy when she wants to stand and she can’t, and tries to pull herself up on me. It’s a big part of how she wants to play at the moment, so that’s why I’m holding her up a lot of the time. Believe me, I’m in no rush for her to be walking! It’s much easier when she stays in one place.

@OnTheBenchOfDoom thank you I will look at that link

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions.

I’ve just looked at the leaflet and it seems to suggest that the wooden trolley type toys are okay once baby can stand independently, it just doesn’t encourage sit-in walkers. Thankfully I wasn’t thinking of anything like that, partly because I don’t really have space for/want another massive lump of plastic in my house haha! But it’s really good to know.

The activity tables are quite good but do just take up a lot of room

We just got a simple v tech walker thing that folded

I wouldnt bother buying anything specific. My DD used to pull herself up on nappy boxes etc.

She also walked unaided at 8 months old though....

Old-fashioned wooden playpen.

We didn’t find the vtech table very stable while pulling to stand. DS knocked it over several times and hurt himself. We ended up taking the legs off again until he was standing confidently without putting weight on it.

Baby walkers you push with wheels are ok, it’s the ones they sit in which aren’t recommended.

Tbh, furniture like sofas, bookshelves, coffee tables etc worked just fine.

DD used to cruise round sofa to her toy box, then stagger to a big wooden bead maze thingy we had. She had a Vtech activity table, but this was a bit too wobbly for early attempts. When she was more steady on her feet she used it for balance while playing. But I’d say the sofa was pretty crucial.

Someone got the vtech sit to stand music centre for my DS. It's possible to adjust the height as they grow. If you live near me you are welcome to have ours as I'm planning on finding a new home for it. I live in north Essex.

@niclw that’s so kind, thank you. We’re nowhere near, unfortunately, but I do really appreciate the offer

My dgs walked at 8 months. I was bloody gutted - he was a nightmare!

@Dillybear we got our wee one a push-walker (so he can push around). Best thing ever. It may take her some time to get the hang of, but she'll have fun and it's her height and safe (so long there are no stairs).