How To Encourage Walking In Babies

Aimee, my youngest girl learnt to walk early.  She started to cruise at age of 9 months and before her first birthday, she could walk confidently. I remembered that she didn’t like to be swaddled when she was a baby and it gave her freedom to move her legs.  I also often put her lying on her tummy and tried to attract her attention with her toys so she would lift her head higher. I sang rhyme songs to stimulate her feet, such as “This Little Piggy” to wiggle her toes or “Incy Wincy Spider” which she would feel that my hands went up and down along her leg.  These fun exercises benefit her to strengthen back muscles and leg muscles.  If we can help the babies during their stages of development, we can encourage them to walk early.

Here is what I read from Parenting. com, the tips to encourage your baby to walk early and there is an opinion if Walker actually helps them to walk.

How to encourage walking

It takes most babies about 1,000 hours of practice from the time they pull themselves upright to the time they can walk alone. To help prepare your child for taking those first few steps:

From birth:
The single most important requirement for walking: strong back muscles, which babies develop by lifting their heads while lying on their tummies. So make sure yours gets plenty of tummy time while awake. Place interesting toys and objects just out of reach for motivation.

Once she can sit:
Help her practice her balance and mobility by rolling a ball back and forth with her. Or hold a toy in front of her and move it from side to side, which will encourage her to lean this way and that. As she lunges forward or crawls, she’ll develop more strength in her neck, back, legs, and arms, as well as more control of her hips  – enabling her to pull herself up to a standing position  – and safely plop down again.

Once she can stand:
Let her walk in front of you while you hold her hands  – and periodically let go of one hand so she can experiment with balance. Or stand a few feet away from her and cheer her on when she’s standing on her own. Offer lots of encouragement and praise.

Once she can cruise:
After she has mastered standing, she may start to leave her handprints all over the house as she cruises from the wall to a chair to the coffee table. Help her by arranging sturdy furniture so she can make her way across the room. She may not yet be able to sit from a standing position, which she’ll want to learn to do before walking on her own. Be close by so you can help ease her butt down with your hand; then she’ll be able to sit without hurting her bottom.

Should I buy a walker?

The short answer: No! Canada has banned the sale of walkers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics supports a similar ban in the United States. Each year, thousands of children end up in the hospital due to injuries from using walkers, such as toppling down the stairs or reaching a hot stove.

Bouncers and elliptical seats aren’t good ideas, either. While they hold kids in an upright position, they don’t help them learn to walk any faster. In fact, these devices may even delay walking if they’re used too often. A child’s body is not aligned correctly when he sits in one of them. Your baby’s much better off on the floor or in a playpen.

More From viviana

• Summer Activities for Kids – Explore Nature and Nature Projects for Kids
• Tips and Techniques to Improve Memory Skills for Kids
• 2 Blog Awards for Resources for Moms and Kids Blog

viviana Recommends

• Pinterest has More Traffic Than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn Combined use it to promote your business  (verenetta)
• Stumper: How to speak to other kids about your special needs kid  (none)

Ask viviana To Recommend Your Posts

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.