Toddler can walk but can’t stand up on her own

[Simonsayshaveacuppa]

Just this really! She is almost 13mo and took her first steps at 10mo, always crawls to a person or a bit of furniture to pull herself up to standing. She can bend or crouch right down to pick something up off the floor and straighten back up to standing though! Any experiences with this and any tips on how to help her learn to stand up by herself? I’m not massively concerned, just curious really. Thanks in advance!

Sounds pretty normal to me for her to find furniture to pull herself up on. She'll do it be herself when she has had more practise

Do you mean she can walk holding on? That's completely normal but if a health professional needs to know whether she's walking then the answer is no - she's cruising, not walking. If you have to fill in on any kind of development record when she took her first steps this refers to completely independent steps without holding on. It doesn't matter unless she has problems at any point in the future, and its average to walk independently at about 14 months though the normal range is about 8-16 months. By most people's definition and those used by health visitors etc. your DD isn't walking and hasn't taken her first steps, but that's completely fine and normal, she's doing the normal stage before walking unsupported.

My Dd did this for a good couple of months. She’s a perfectly well coordinated 4 year old now! I think she just wasn’t motivated to stand from the floor when she already had a solution.

Your daughter doesn't need any help, and you shouldn't interfere with her perfectly normal development. She is right on track, I promise.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme no it’s definitely walking, not cruising! She crawls to me or a piece or furniture, pulls herself up to standing, then lets go and walks around completely independently. Or alternatively I’ll be carrying her down the stairs for example, then put her down on her feet and she’ll walk around from there. It’s just that if she sits herself down to play with a toy or look at a book or something (or loses her balance and drops to her bum), she won’t stand back up again without crawling to something to pull up on. Does that make sense?

@crazychemist yeah my partner said she just doesn’t feel the need to stand up herself yet because she has a relatively simple way of getting to her feet with me or furniture always nearby

Sounds perfectly normal

She's fine! Just leave her be, so will do it when shes ready.

My youngest son did this too. He learnt how to stand on his own fairly soon afterwards I think. I can't remember how soon but he's 5 now and doesn't have any issues!!

Sounds very normal. It takes a lot of stability and flexibility to stand from sitting. She will do it when she is ready and has developed the correct muscles and strength.

Simonsayshaveacuppa ah ok! Yes she's walking independently then. It doesn't sound like anything to worry about at all at 13 months though - mention it to your health visitor or GP if its still her only way to stand up at 18+ months as it could indicate hypermobility or low muscle tone if it persists long term, but at 13 months it sounds completely fine!

Have a chat with the HV so they can keep a note of it at 18 mths. It can indicate a whole range problems from anemia to vitamin d deficiency to muscle tone issues, or it can be nothing at all. Best to get a second opinion tho

Ds did this! I just dont think it had occurred to him to stand up any differently as pulling up was perfectly efficient. Like yours he could crouch down and stand up again fine so I knew it wasn't a muscle tone/balance issue. After a month or so of perfectly steady walking he started doing it by himself. I did try to help him learn by demonstrating it a lot and making a game of it but I'm not sure whether that made any difference or whether he would have just done it anyway!

Just realised I never thanked you all for your replies on this! I’m not normally rude and ungrateful I promise! Thanks very much, just going with the flow and trusting that she’ll figure it out in her own time :)

Hi, i’m just curious if you remember roughly what age it was when your little girl did actually stand up on her own and walk? My son is 13 months now and is the exact same as everything you’ve described in this thread so just curious :)

@Simonsayshaveacuppa

Hiya, I’m the OP with a different username! She started standing up at 14 months and then by 15 months she was doing it without even thinking about it! As with a lot of things it just happened without me doing anything!