My Toddler Won't Toddle

[dullified]

My not so little man is now 18 months but he still isn?t interested in walking. He has a very cautious personality which is fantastic in many respects (picks up sharp objects and hands them to me, closes the stairgate behind himself etc) but he just will not take a couple of steps unaided. He won?t even walk with you holding just one hand. He?s been checked out by a lovely physio at Sunshine House who has ruled out any physical problem. He?s just super cautious plus has very flexible ankles. He didn?t bear any weight on his legs until after he was 1 so they will take a little longer to strengthen up. Anyone know any nifty little tricks to get him to take those first unaided steps?

Thanks.

[Mellors]

No nifty tricks, but I just wanted to reassure you you're not the only one. My son didn't show any signs of walking at all, then one afternoon, age 19 months he got out of bed after his lunchtime nap and took about 5 steps. By the end of the weekend he was running up and down.

My daughter also din't walk until post 18 months. Just runs in the family I think.

[dullified]

Thanks Mellors. Yes I suspect there are no nifty tricks I can use he will just have a sort of walking epiphany one day. I look forwad to that moment :)

[Mellors]

I have to say that schlepping around a massive non-toddling toddler was wearysome indeed. You have my sympathy!

[Belle]

My little boy was almost 17 months despite what felt like ages of 'cruising' and I met/heard of many many people with children who didn't walk till anything up to about 23 months, all of whom were perfectly normaly. I know how frustrating it is but in the end I decided not to do anything different really (he also didn't want to walk holding my hand at all) and gradually (a step here, a step there) he did do it under his own steam. I don't know if you have wooden floors, but we do and we always wondered if that was a factor (i.e. maybe harder to get a grip/more risk of slipping).

[Keef]

Our daughter is 19 months, and hasn't been walking that long. She did a few steps, then seemed to decide crawling was preferable, and that was that for a good month or so. Then one day she just went for it, and once she had decided to go for it, there was no stopping her. I now miss her crawling, as I'm running around after her!

[gwod]

2 of my kids didnt walk until after 18 months. It was, as mellors says, very wearysome carrying a giant toddler - especially at one time I had a newborn as well as the non toddling toddler (15 month gap, yikes!)- but on the upside, I did get some excellent upper arm toning! Also wanted to add that neither of my "late" walkers seem to be developmentally any different from my other 2, I think they just had bigger heads so were a little more top heavy!!! I wonder if one of those toddler trampolines that you can get that they hold on to a bar and bounce on would get his leg strength up...or you could just wait it out....

[Fuschia]

DS1 walked at 10 1/2 m

Twin II (G) at 14m

Twin I (B) not till 18m

There is no rhyme or reason...

[Ruth_Baldock]

How did everyone cope with a newborn and a non-toddling toddler? I might as well 'come out', I'm expecting again and I am absolutely bricking it that Baby Baldock The Elder, who will be 19 months when Baby Baldock The Younger makes his/her appearance won't be walking. He started to walk, then had enough of it, and has crawled ever since. FREAKING out about this, sorry to hi-jack the thread OP!

[Fuschia]

Ruth: congrats.

I think you will find that if you stay indoors for a babymoon for a few weeks, by the time you are ready to get out and about, he wil be walking!!

[Pickle]

My son didn't walk until he was 21 months - his ankles were (and still are) very weak and he's double jointed which doesn't help. We had him checked out at Kings when he was about 19 months old and they didn't have any cause for concern at all. It meant I had 6 months with a baby and a non-walking toddler, however in some ways I think it made my life a bit easier as at least he couldn't run off!

My husband's family have a history of bottom shuffling followed by late walking, so we knew it was "normal".

My daughter walked at 13 months, obviously takes after her Mum :) (although was a complete pain with it, as unlike her cautious brother tends to go head first into everything)

[Helen GV]

Ruth, congrats!

[gwod]

Super congratulations Ruth, I'm so happy for you.

Dont worry about stuff like how will everyone get around - I wish I could tell you some magical knack but the truth is you'll all just muddle through. Anyway, a walking toddler is no more or less trouble than a non walking one. In both instances you'll sometimes just have to scoop both your kids up to get everyone travelling in the same direction!

[Mellors]

Congratulations!

I was heavily pregnant with No 2 before my son walked, and I have to say it was really hard work, but the bottom line is that you just have to get on with it, so you do. My tolerance for just sticking him down on the floor no matter where definitely increased (e.g. park cafe by cash desk when trying to pay), and I also roped in friends with no kids/family/a walking kid to help where possible. It will be fine!

[HAL9000]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned a baby-walker thingy - http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Babies-R-Us/Toys/Walkers/Chicco-DJ-Baby-Walker-in-Seventy(0031480)?cm_mmc=Feed-_-Google%20Base-_-N%2FA-_-Chicco%20DJ%20Baby%20Walker%20in%20Seventy

[dullified]

Congratulations Ruth (it's ok I'm not possesive about threads and I love hearing new baby news)! I did try a baby walker when he was younger but he just leaned forward in it. I now have one of those push along vtech baby walkers but he's not interested. The toddler trampoline looks fun and good exercise plus would make a perfect Christmas present from Grandma.

[Mellors]

Toddler trampoline takes up loads of room and they get bored of it really quickly - defo try and get one second hand/borrow one off here if possible. Mine was passed round and round until I eventually got shot of it! Its a bit of a 5 minute wonder (or was for my kids).

[Fuschia]

Dulified, we had a toy that required standing to drop balls in the top and DS1 used to stand at it foir ages. I think any pull up to stand toy, or arranging things on a coffee table, will all encourage him to get on to his feet.

Also, conversely, putting him in An old snowsuit and letting him crawl around in the park etc I think encourages mobility generally (and reduces the focus on walking itself)

They ball get there in the end. There is no difference between my 10.5m walker and my 18m walker, now!

[canadianlisa]

We have the v-tech walker as well and it was a hit. That being said my little girl got a mothercare wooden one for her birthday which I have found much sturdier - it has rubber wheels with grips on them so it seems safer on the wooden floors and we don't have half as many accidents with it as we did with the other one. I think they are half price at the moment at mothercare online. Maybe worth a look as he may feel more secure with it?

My girl is also not toddling much- she's nearly 14 months and only just standing on her own. She is a demon crawler though! It doesn't matter I am sure that we won't have 13 year old's who crawl around ;-)

[berryberry]

I have this great toy that is a little fort around your baby and the can just hold on and toddler around it. I got it for my son when he wasn't walking and it helped a great deal. We went the whole fisher price jumperoo, cruise n crawl, sit n bounce route. I think it helped massively and we had an early walker in the end. I'm about to sell the cruise n crawl toy if you are interested in it?

[HAL9000]

We corralled our little one between two sofas arranged face to face with toys on both sides. She would pull herself along the corridor during play. We gradually increased the width of the gap until she had to take an unsupported step to reach the other side - thus, she was walking unaided by around 10 1/2 months.

[BeccaL]

Mellors, have to disagree in our experience - our daughter still loves her toddler trampoline even though at nearly 6 she is borderline too big for it. Also good when they are a bit bigger for wearing them out before bed if they have too much energy!

[Fuschia]

standing in a shallow swimming pool is also fun