Baby's First Steps
Among all the important milestones in your child’s life none may be quite as exciting as the day he takes his first steps. This occasion is a huge cause for celebration since it marks a major advancement in his development.
Most babies begin walking between 12 and 14 months though some can take up to 21 months to begin putting one foot in front of the other. Don’t panic if your baby takes a little bit longer. There is no exact date or timeline for walking, it happens when he is ready. First he has to start crawling, then he has to learn to stand and then he’s ready to walk. If he hasn’t mastered the first two it is doubtful he’ll just up and walk on his own. It will require patience and your constant encouragement to make your baby walk. However, if your baby has not shown any interest or ability to attempt standing on his own after one year you may want to check with your doctor.
Some babies actually enjoy rolling and crawling and if so may hold off on taking the next step and try walking. Again, be patient. They are learning about their world and doing it on their time. Encourage his movement and activity and gently coax him into reaching a little higher each time to get him to try standing up. Did you know it is believed to take a baby over a thousand hours from the time he first stands to the time he can actually walk on his own? How’s that for perspective. A baby will need to develop strong muscles in his back and legs before he is ready to support his body. When he’s lying on his tummy and begins raising his head the muscles in his back will start to develop. More tummy time equals strong back muscles so take advantage of the all the time he spends crawling to encourage his reaching by placing toys just a little further away each time.
Once babies start moving they can be hard to stop. It is suggested that your safeguard his way by removing furniture and other objects that could be potentially hazardous. Low tables with sharp corners, electrical chords, throw rugs, loose end carpets and toys can all cause serious damage to a crawling baby so before you set him on the ground make sure these things are removed or cushioned.
There are many things you can do to encourage walking but one thing that is not suggested is buying a baby walker. Each year thousands of young children inadvertently injure themselves through accidents with walkers. Canada has banned walkers outright and the American Academy of Pediatricians is considering supporting a similar ban in the United States. Also, bouncers and elliptical seats don’t help baby’s to learn to walk any faster and some studies suggest they may actually hinder the development by teaching them to rely on such devices instead of their own two feet.