When Do Babies Start Walking?
Parents of new babies have many important milestones and eagerly awaited “first moments” ahead of them; his first smile, his first hand holding, his first roll, his first word… Perhaps the biggest and most important of these firsts is of course the first step!
When your baby takes his first step and begins to learn to walk, a whole new page opens for both him and you. Your baby, who will be more active and more mobile, will begin to explore his surroundings, move with his free will and go wherever he wants as he wants. Of course, one of the most important questions that parents wonder before this enjoyable and yet challenging period comes: When do babies start walking?
First of all, it should be noted that since each baby has a unique developmental chart, it would not be right to specify a clear standard in this regard; however, there is an average range that can be given to the question of when babies walk. When it comes to walking in babies, your baby will already give you signals that he will start walking during this process before he actively takes his first step. When crawling babies walk, how babies learn to walk and what to do for walking in babies, we answer all of them in this article.
When Do Babies Start Walking?
Most babies take their first steps at 9-12 months. After this, they pass the period of being able to walk without support at the age of 14-15 months on average. Of course, you don’t have to worry if your baby doesn’t start walking just in time; It may take 16-17 months for some babies who have no developmental problems to take their first steps. In the first year, your baby will learn to sit, roll over, crawl, and finally walk, as he will be busy developing coordination and muscle strength functions. Even being able to lift himself by holding on to the ground is a process that takes place after the first 9 months.
After reaching this milestone, it’s time to gain self-confidence and balance. While your baby was holding onto the seat one day and standing next to him, the next day you looked at him, and he started to waddle towards you with uncertain steps. With more practice and practice every day, you’ve had a look over the past few months, instead of waddling towards you, he’s running away from you to get his favorite toy!
How Do Babies Learn to Walk?
The answer to the question of when babies walk at the latest is actually hidden in the walking development of babies. Your newborn’s legs aren’t strong enough to hold him up when he’s first born. However, when you hold him / her upright in your arms, he will hang his feet down and press the soles of his feet against a hard surface on your body, and he will get support from you as if he is standing. While this is a purely reflexive response, it is something she will only perform in the first few months after her birth.
After your baby exceeds the 6-month limit, he/she starts to move up and down and discover the concept of balance by pressing his/her feet to your hips. Jumping on your lap will become one of the most enjoyable activities for him. In this process, his leg muscles will continue to develop and he will learn to roll, sit, and finally crawl.
When your baby is 9 months old, he will try to pull himself up by holding on to something, he will discover bending his/her knees while standing and sitting. For him/her, breaking his knees consciously is a more challenging process than you might think.
After mastering the standing and sitting positions as well, he will learn to move from one piece of furniture to another at around 12 months old and to “step” while doing this temporary. Your baby, who can bend forward and backward, crawl wherever he wants, and realize his mobility, will soon try to tighten his steps, learn to take one step after another and reach his favorite toy, sometimes by holding on to you or one of the seats. Your baby, who will act unbalanced and wobbly at first, will eventually get over this timidity and will have learned to walk completely unsupported towards the 15th month.
How Can I Help My Baby Walk?
From the moment your baby tries to stand up by pulling himself up, he may need your help, especially in sitting back. If he gets stuck and starts crying, your first instinct shouldn’t be to just pick him up and sit him back down. You can contribute to the gait development process by showing him how to bend his knees and how to sit up without tipping over.
To encourage your baby to walk, you can try calling him into your arms by standing or kneeling in front of him. Your baby, who will instinctively want to come to his mother or father, will do his best to reach you, and while doing this, he will unconsciously work all his leg muscles. Taking her hands in yours and walking her in front of you is another healthy option to help speed baby walking. With the help of this type of baby walking exercises, you will both contribute to your baby’s physical development and be a part of a very enjoyable process with him.