Ok so my LO is pulling up o everything-chairs, stationary bike, desks, the walls, things I didn't even know she could pull up on effectively. When she falls she figures out the right way but still she never goes for the safe places, except the couch. Anyway she is also cruising around and figured out that if we help her she can walk upstairs and that's all she wants to do now. We are taking her to Gymboree which is helping her want to walk even more but I don't know what I can do at home. Sometimes she wants me to help her walk other times she just wants to do her own thing. She doesn't like relying on me too much so I didn't know if there was something I could do or buy to help her walk faster. I feel bad because I know she wants to and I just want to help her! Is there anything I can buy or do to help develop the muscles and coordination to help her walk sooner? Thanks!
Thank you for all the awesome responses! Yeah she is only 9.5 months old but she is so desperate and I feel bad for her when she becomes so frustrated but then refuses my help at all! Personally Im completely fine with her walking later than this but she is so desperate that I want her to learn for her sake! Sorry if I didnt make that clear. When she started crawling my life became infinitely more difficult so I can only imagine how walking will change the dynamics with her. I just hate seeing her so frustrated! Thanks again!
Something she can stand behind and push. Fisher Price used to make a little push walker for this very ting. I do not know if they still make it, though.
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My son started walking at 12 months. He pretty much went from crawling to trying to walk. I don't remember him pulling up on things too much. We were scared that he will not walk for a long time because he never pulled up on anything much. We encouraged him by holding both of his hands at first to walk. Then we just held one of his hands and one day he just got up and started walking on his own but of course he was still wobbly and fell alot but now he is 14 months and walking pretty stable. I think don't push her too hard but just try to help her but once she gets frustrated or anything like that stop and let her rest.
She sounds like she is doing great.. just follow her lead.. If she wants your help then help.. If she wants to do it herself, that is excellent.
1 Hint, once she is REALLY walking on her own, but still wanting to hold your finger, instead hols a toy and let her also holds onto the toy, once she starts to walk, while she is not looking at you, let go of the toy and see if she will walk without your help..
She may notice you are not there and sit down, but she will get the idea she can do it..
She's doing fine. It's always been amazing to me how they know what they want to do and keep trying even though they fail time and time again. I think there are some lessons here for the rest of us. She will walk when her body has developed enough to allow her to walk. You can't make that process faster. It's biological. The frustration is a normal part of life. Don't we all get frustrated at times? I wish I could cry and scream when I was frustrated. She sounds like she is doing great. Enjoy! Soon she will be running around and you will be running to catch up.
I know there is alot of controversy about using "walkers", but unless you have steps that they could fall over, then it might help her cruise around and protect her from getting hurt. I personally did not use one, but I know people who still do and their kids seem fine. Maybe look for one at a resale shop. I wouldn't spend alot of money on one, though, because she is only going to be cruising for a short time. I wouldn't have her spend hours in one, but maybe some time when you are trying to get something done in the kitchen and need her to be safe. If you could borrow one to try out, even better. Again, I know that some people think they are dangerous, but I imagine that is because people don't use them properly or don't pay attention to their kids or leave them in there unattended.
My doc said don't use those walkers or the jumping thing you hang in the door because they are unsafe and develop the wrong muscles.
Just sit back and enjoy watching her figure things out. Part of her development is in the process. Don't rush it. Sometimes we can get a bit over zealous to "help" our kids. The following saying is so true for so many different circumstances:
"Prepare the child for the path not the path for the child." We will harm our children if we try to spare them from ever experiencing frustration. They must learn how to deal with all the obstacles in their path. Enjoy watching her learn how to deal with frustration.
This just made me chuckle :). I remember wanting my first to walk so bad! She started walking at 9 months!! AMAZING! Then my second I was good with him waiting, but again, around 10 months. My third, I was hoping he would chill for the first year or two!! No such luck, again around 10 months. When they start - they GO!!! But I think if she is pulling up and cruising she's good! I wouldn't buy anything special. She will get it soon enough :). Enjoy mama!!
Sounds like you are doing fine with the things you are doing now. She is learning. And she is strengthening those muscles, too. It is a process. It is good that she is wanting to and working hard. It doesn't sound like she needs encouragement, just a helping hand once in a while. No rush on accomplishing the end goal! She will do it, sooner than you probably think. And she doesn't need any contraptions to help her.
Enjoy these days!
sounds like she might like one of those bouncers that attaches to a door frame!
She'll get it on her own and it is frustrating-but I really believe there is some brain development required for them to make the final connection. You don't want her skipping developmental areas just to keep her from getting frustrated. Anyway-dealing with that frustration is also teaching her something. Just like us parents to want to make life easier for them!!!
My middle never crawled, rolled everywhere starting at 4 months and walked at 8 months, ran at 8 months and 1 week. She started pulling up somewhere around 6 months. She climbed EVERYTHING and was sooooo clever-she would look at the drawers in the bathroom and pull them out,bottom one the most, middle one less, top one just a little and make stairs to climb. Her goal from probably 2 months on was to MOVE! She figured it out but I do wonder- she is my dyslexic one. While there have been studies done both ways with nothing definitive, there is a theory that by skipping the crawling, etc and rushing into walking-sometimes kids also skip the brain development required for other things.
But I totally understand you wanting to help her- mine got so frustrated and we did get her an old fashioned walker which she LOVED!!! (One story house) It gave her exactly what she wanted-freedom at 6 months to get around upright-but did it shortchange her elsewhere? Who knows?! I think she still would have walked at 8 mnths-hey!-it may have even slowed her walking development since it accomplished her goal without working as hard. But if that baby is cruising she'll figure it out soon enough.
Good luck.
If you can get something that she can push, that will give her the chance to be mobile before she is actually walking on her own. I found this little Diego car that you could push around for my first son. My little one is nine months and starting to try and push it around. They love getting mobile! But don't worry she will get it regardless:)
