Help with Walking

My little guy was a week late and didn't even try to walk until 14 months. He finally started walking at 16 months...

Don't worry about it. My daughter didn't walk until almost 14 months and she was full term. No need to stress.

i would call your local child find office (early intervention 0-3) and get your babies assessed. you may be able to get therapy services in your home for the babies. many babies are just late bloomers but at 10 months adjusted they you should be bearing weight on their legs. the worst that can happen is that they don't qualify but you still walk away with some great ideas from the team of therapists that evaluate them.

i found most helpful toys with wheels that they can stand up with and push around the house. when they figure out that the toy helps them reach new things or move better, they use it more and more.

A few minutes in an exersaucer or jumper( hangs in the doorway) everyday will strengthen their leg muscles. Then they will be used to being vertical and find an interest in it. They are still young. Good luck.

My advice is to wait for them to progress at their own paces. My youngest of three walked at 15 months without ever doing much crawling or rolling or anything. My niece was the same way. If you pressure kids into progressing beyond their natural abilities, you will only frustrate them and yourself. Enjoy the time you have before they are mobile and getting into everything and destroying everything you thought they wouldn't--and invest in a good double stroller for outings.

Good luck!

As a mother of two premies, They are just developementally delayed. My son born at 32 weeks started to walk at 17 months and my son born at 25 weeks didn't walk until he was 22 months. I was worried like you, but you really shouldn't until they are at least 2 and not walking. It is really good for them to crawl, it helps with their reading ability later on.

until they do get to the interested point, an exersaucer is a great way to get them used to being vertical, and helps to build up those muscles in a way that will never put too much strain on them. Just a thought.

I wouldn't worry about it at all. lots of babies don't show any interest in walking until much later. I know that most people think that 1 is the magical number for babies to start walking but it just isn't true. Now I'm not trying to make you feel bad but my daughter walked at 9 months. Now her cousin didn't start walking until he was 16 months and my sister was upset. But her doc. told her that he would walk when he was ready and he did. He is very smart and social and happy but for whatever reason he wasn't ready to walk for a while. My daughter and him are very similar and I don't think that my daughter is smarter than him just cause she walked sooner. So don't sweat it, they will walk when they are ready. It could be in a month it could be in 5. Just be thankful that they are giving you a little more time before they start walking and then you will be on your feet 24/7 chasing them around.

A.,

How can you encourage them to walk? Well, you can't. You're right, they will do everything when they are ready, and there isn't anything you can do that will speed them up. All you will accomplish by trying to push them is to stress yourself and your kids. At ten months of age, I know several babies who are not walking or crawling. As long as their doctor isn't worried, I wouldn't be either. There is a very broad range of normal developement. Once they are ready to go, they will go. I know that every milestone our babies hit is exciting, and it's tempting to push them into doing new things. I try to remember that once a baby stage is gone, it's gone for good. All those wonderful grown up things are still out there, and they will happen, but these wonderful baby moments will never come again. Try to enjoy where they are at, and don't stress yourself or your babies out by pushing them to develop faster than they are ready to.

Also, as a second time mom, let me tell you that things really do get harder once they are mobile, so enjoy the peace of mind that you have now that they will stay where you put them!

Cheers,
S.

PS - An exersaucer or bouncy seat will not help them walk faster. The question is not one of leg strength, but of balance and abdominal/back strength. The muscles babies develop in exersaucers and bouncy seats are not the same ones they use to walk. Although there is certainly nothing wrong with putting them in those things if they make your kiddos happy!

Hi,
To encourage my twins to walk and stand I used a thing called Hop'n'Pop. It is a stationary jumper toy and the only way to make the toy make music is to put their feet on the ground and start bouncing. My boy walked on his first birthday and my girl walked between 13-15 months. Have their toys up so they have to pull up to get them like on the couch and toys that encourage them to stand and walk. We had one of those ride on/push toys. Once they are walking they will take off:) Mine are 22 months now and I can't keep up :)

I echo what the other moms are saying here. Don't force the walking-it will come. But it does seem by 10 months they should be doing some moving around on their own and weight on their legs. I believe it was at about 10 or 11 months that I had my twins evaluated with Child Find through my local school district because I thought they weren't doing all they should (by the way-doc said they were fine). They were wonderful-put my mind at ease about several things, but did identify some places we could improve, and have been just great about working on them. My twin who was determined to be on track just started walking at 15 months, and my twin that needed some help started crawling about 14-15 months. With the awesome help they are giving, he's making huge progress, plus I feel much better having someone (in addition to their doctor) making sure they are progressing as they should be.

Hi A.,
I think since they are just 10 months you shouldn't worry just yet. The crawling and walking tend to come on their own without encouragement and at the pace that is best for the children and their own bodies. Maybe some concern in another 6 months but for now enjoy your independence, once you have 2 on the move you won't stop!
Have fun,
SarahMM

My triplets all walked at very different stages. My littlest one started walking at 9 months, the middle at 14 months and the biggest at 16 months. I was worried for a while but it didn't take long before they were all running around like crazy girls. They are perfectly up to date now with their skills. I really thing you need to let them progress at their own rate as long as you are encouraging them to stand with tabel toys, etc... When they are ready they will walk and you will be amazed at how fast they catch up. Mine are now17 months old. Hang in there

don't push them into walking first if they aren't crawling yet. they need to develop in the right order, sitting up, rolling over, crawling then walking.

my 20 mo. old just barely (finally) started walking. he just wasn't confident enough to do it. it also took him until he was a year old to actually crawl (he would army crawl but never get up on his knees). So, you're not alone!
For your twins, i'd get them a jumper, one of those that hang in the doorway. That'll get their legs working! then just encourage them to get on their knees...with them on their tummies grab their thighs from behind and lift them to their knees. do this every now and then so they get used to the feeling. once they do it on their own rock them back and forth on their knees. then place a toy out in front of them to encourage them to move toward it.
they'll crawl soon enough then walk then get into everything! good luck!

My frist is petite and was 5 weeks early. My second was only two weeks early and would have been normal weight at ful term. But both only walked a little over 14 months. Mine are 15 months apart so I was like begging my first to walk so i would't have two babies around. She learned pretty quickly in about two weeks. Niegther really crawled. I did do back massages especialy at 6 months to help them sit up. Look into message therapy for their backs and maybe that will help. and yah, I relate...it seemed everyone else's big babies were walking at 9/10 months. I only had one friend whose walked later at 13 months. Every child is different and will walk when physically ready. Do't worry until maybe 15 months or so.

I also have twins that were born at 35 weeks and are still very small for their size. One of them has a heart condition and is consistantly one month behind her sister. They were crawlers and didn't start walking till they were 13 and 14 months old. Do you twins pull themselves up? We would take their hands and walk along side of them. If they stand on their own then just sit in front of them an arms length away and clap and tell them to come. Make it a game. Hold a toy they like and tell them to come get it. They'll get it, don't worry. My girls are 16 months old and are just now in 9-12 month clothes. When people see them walking they can't believe it because they look so little. Once they start walking you wish you never taught them how because they are into everything now. Good luck.

we had the same problem with our now 8 month old. We took her to the dr. for her 6 month and was the same way-hardly wanted to put any weight down. Our dr. suggested getting a jumper (not the kind that hooks on the door as the frame can sometimes get pulled down). It is a free standing jumper and she absolutely loves it now! And she is actually wanting to be standing all the time, has started taking steps when we are holding her, etc. It is so much fun to see how fast they can do it when they want to!

play with them and help them

No need to worry too much, but don't ignore your gut either. At some point you can get them re-evaluated and perhaps get a little early intervention for it for ideas/strategies/ways you can work on gross motor development within the context of your day.

Hi A.. I would not worry too much about not showing any interest in walking. I have a really good friend who had a little girl a month premature. She never really tried crawling until about 13 months and she did not start walking until she was about 18 months. She was just a really relaxed, mellow little kid. She decided on her own when she wanted to. With my son I would encourage him by getting him a bouncer and give a big reaction whenever he pushed his feet up against me. But every kid is different so don't let other peoples " well my kid can do this" attitude make you nervous.

Hi A. - it sounds like you're doing a great job and you're right- be patient. I'm a pediatric physical therapist (and new mom) and as they probably told you at the evaluation you had- we correct for prematurity until 2 years of age. Do your kids seem to be uncomfortable with pressure on their legs or do they just refuse it? If you're feeling anxious about this down the road feel free to email me ____@____.com I'd be happy to talk to you more.

Don't worry about it so much! Many babies don't walk until they are 1 1/2 or so, whether they are preemees or not. My brother did not walk a step until he was 17 months old and now he is a very smart and successful computer programer, he got all A's in highschool and college and he was the captain of his highschool football team. My point is that the age a baby learns to walk has nothing to do with his or her intellegence or future athletic ability. Some babies are just more carful than others, maybe they tried to walk and fell so they are wary about trying again for a while. You can hold their hands and help them stand and walk, but don't use a walker, studies have shown that babies who use walkers do not walk any ealier and often walk later than babies who did not use a walker, and of course they can be dangerous around stairs. Just relax and enjoy your babies before they start walking, it is a wonderful time in your life that will never happen again.