Is your 1-yo walking?

[Mom to Brandon and 2 cats]

I'm asking because DS is 1 week shy of 1 year old. There are two other babies in our housing development that are younger, and both of them are walking. DH is mildly stressed out, thinking that DS is "behind". Also, because DS only has 2 teeth, and most other babies we see that are younger have 6 to 8.

I keep telling DH that "every baby is different", and DS will probably talk in full sentences first, or something like that. I dunno, though, he doesn't have any "real" words yet.

I thought walking and talking were 1-yo milestones?

TIA!

[deborah_r]

I wouldn't worry too much yet. Some babies walk at 8 months, some at one year, and some at 15 months. In my playgroup of about 10 babies, they were all over the board on these things. I fI had only been comparing with one or two of them, I would have gotten myself all worried probably!

In answer to your question, mine started walking 2 weeks before his first birthday.

[tippy]

Don't sweat it, really! My ds just started walking at 17 1/2 months!!! It isn't good for you, your dh, or your ds to compare him with other babies. All babies develop at their own pace. Albert Einstein didn't talk till he was 4 years old and he was a genius!

[toomanystrollers]

To put your mind at ease:
1st babe: 13 months
2nd babe: 17 months
3rd babe: 12 months - just starting to cruise :)

[slknight]

No, Alex was not walking at 1-year. He was great at cruising, and actually started cruising pretty early - around 8 months. But he just didn't want to let go. He started walking right before his 14-month birthday.

I really wouldn't worry about it too much. I know, I know, easier said than done.

HTH

[jk3]

My DS is 13 months old and he is cruising but not walking on his own. It doesn't bother me in the least because all babies ARE different and it's normal for a baby to start walking on average at 14 or 15 months. Some babies start at 9 months and some at 16 or more. Walking + talking are 1 year milestones meaning they should happen at some point during the year when the child is one!


Jenn
DS 6/03

[DDowning]

I agree with others, the range can be anywhere from 8 months to 18 months. Carson started taking his first steps 3 days after he turned 1. Literally, he would take maybe 4 or 5 steps and then fall back on his backside. We would act like idiots, happily clap and say "yay!!!!" to encourage him. Well it caught on. Every time he takes independent steps now, he'll inadvertently fall at some point, look at us and clap. He's looking for his applause! Its too cute! Now, three weeks later, he can walk across the room and he's much more confident about it. He's still a little wobbly though and still prefers cruising and/or crawling. Just this past week, he's been able to get to a standing position from the floor instead of crawling to a table or couch to pull up. I think he'll likely take another week or two to get it down pat and then its off to the races!

HTH!

[ncmommy]

Not to worry! I still see babies that look smaller than my DS walking around. DS started taking steps at 14 months, but even at 16 months he has a strong preference for crawling. He is a very steady walker, but crawling is so much faster!

[Sarah1]

Audrey did not start walking until close to 14 months.

She is now 20 months, and doesn't say more than about 20 words, either!!!!!!!! :P

HTH :)

[kristine_elen]

Jack took his first steps (without the support of the couch, etc.) when he was 14 months old and didn't really start walking till a month or so later. He's 19 m. now and walks very well -- so don't sweat it! (He also didn't have any "real" words at age 1.)

[StaceyKim]

I honestly wouldn't worry about it-like PP's said. It seems that boys walk later than girls in general. Most of my friends with boys walked a few months after their 1st birthday and some even later.

To answer your question, my DS started walking right after his 1st birthday.

I also heard that understanding words as opposed to speaking them is more important at this stage.

HTH!

[Jen in Chicago]

Don't worry! Jude started at 11 mos, but each child starts at their own pace. I would not be surprised of my niece starts around 18 mos b/c she loves to sit and take things in.

[lfp2n]

DD didn't walk til she was nearly 14 months, I think I read in the What to exect toddler book that the average age is 13-14 months with a huge spread of variation on either side.
Also DD only had 2 teeth at 12 months, now at 15.5 she has 6, but my mum said I was late on the teeth front too.

Lucy DD 3/03

[MichelleRC]

My DS did not walk until 16.5 months. He never really toddled, just took off running one day.
He is now 20.5 months and although he babbles constantly, there are not a whole lot of "real" words I can make out. I know he understands though, which I was more concerned about.
HTH!

[KGoes]

DD started walking at 10 months but at 11.5 months has not a single tooth. Using DD's daycare as a study group, most of the babies actually start walking about 14 months - some as late as 16. None of the babies in DD's room does much more than babble.
Your DS is fine!!!
Kelley
DD born 7/03

[bunnisa]

nope, no walking here, either. DS was a late crawler, too. My mom has had to do some adjusting because my brother and I both walked at 8 months. Have to say I'm actually pretty glad DS wasn't walking then!

Bethany
It's a Boy!
William Eric
6/03

[votre_ami03]

Nolan will be 1 yo on the 22nd & is walking. He cruised for mos & took steps from here to there for about a month. All of a sudden, he started to walk. It will happen over night. You are right, you can't compare.

Nolan's Ped said 12 mos was average, some start at 9 mos & some at 15 mos (or greater).

His vocabulary is small, mamma, dadda & ba ba, although he said "whoa" the other day & something that sounds like "gogg" for dog & an "uh oh" here & there.


Christy, mommy to Nolan 7/22/03

[amp]

I would not worry about it. Many babies don't walk until after their 1st birthdays. That is just a common landmark for people to plan on. It doesn't mean your son is behind. He'll get there when he's ready. And as for talking, I wouldn't worry about that either. I don't think not talking is considered an issue until well after age 1 (but I can't remember how many months).

[jal]

Our son has been cruising while holding on to the furnature since about age 6-7 months. But he didn't transition to walking on his own until almost 13 months. And like you, most other people we knew with children the same age all seemed to be walking by 1yo.

But a great example of how each child is different can be seen in my nephews and neices. My two older sisters both had their first child within a couple of months, one was a boy the other a girl. Around age three, the girl could talk up a store and repeat anything you said. But the boy hardly said anything and my sister was worried that he might be developementally challanged. But what someone had to point out to her was that the little girl didn't have great hand-eye coordination, but yet her son (whose daddy fixed cars out of their garage for extra money) knew how to manuver and operate daddy's car jack and could jack up his wagon like daddy jacked up cars.

[khakismom]

Kathleen walked at 10 months, Ellen at 12 months. But like everyone has said, every baby is different. My neice didn't walk until 16 months (she was too stubborn to do it because everyone wanted her to), and my little brother was 17 months (he was just too lazy and was content to crawl).

I really believe that babies generally after the 1-year mark have the ability to walk, but will do it on their own time, when they want to.

(Same with teething, every baby has their own schedule, usually determined by the parent's teething when they were babies. Ellen really only has 2 teeth too, on the bottom. She does have three peeking out from the gums above though that just popped thru.)

So try not to worry and compare. I'm sure your DS is just perfect. :)

[Melanie]

My son took his first steps at 13 1/2 months. He really started talking around 15 months. Your son is really young still, I wouldn't be concerned at all. Ds had a (girl) friend who was talking in sentences and singing songs by age 1 and another (boy) friend who rarely talked until over age 2.

[Mom to Brandon and 2 cats]

Whew! I KNEW there was nothing to worry about, just needed the affirmation! Thanks a bunch!

[sweetbasil]

Ya just never know...DS#1 was walking at 9 1/2 mo, and DS#2 just started walking a week after he turned 1 year. But, as we joke, DS#2 has a bigger load to lug around- he's 6# shy of his 2 1/2 years older big brother already!

And about talking- DS#1 had about 20 words he said clearly by 1 year, and DS#2 has about 3. DS#2 understands a whole lot, but I think he's pretty quiet b/c he's got that fast, skinny, chatty big brother to watch and listen to all day! LOL!

Your DH sounds a bit like mine- really into averages-- almost too into averages; and you're right- your DS is completely normal and doing things in his own time. Enjoy it while it lasts- walking, talking 1 year olds are more exhausting than the quiet, crawling ones, IMO ;)

[jubilee]

My youngest DS just started walking on Father's Day, and he was 14 1/2 months old.

[Elilly]

I went thru the same worry when DD was 1. She didn't walk until 14 1/2 months and I was really worried about it. Then after she took a few first steps she was off and running- literally. As for speech, the same thing. Now Colleen won't stop talking!

[hellosmiletoday]

FYI, I remember reading that the age a baby walks is more a factor of his/her temperament...I believe it was either What to expect or AAP book. So I'm not going to worry about when my 2 mo old walks :)

My mom told me that I started walking much later than my brother...but we walked differently. My brother was constantly falling, whereas when I finally started walking, I would take careful steps. This totally coincides with our personalities!

[barbarhow]

Jennifer-Not to worry-Jack just started walking just after 15 months. Now 12 days after he started he is nearly running around. The 1 year milestone is an average. He will have you chasing him around in no time.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

[sntm]

LOL, Jack was a big cruiser from about 9 months on, could walk great while holding on to our hands but would not let go! All the moms at daycare kept assuming he was already walking. He took his first independent steps two days after he turned one and within a month is running all over the place! So they definitely go in fits and starts. If your DS walks later, he'll probably advance to running faster.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[mamicka]

DS started walking at 9 months & has been running since at least 11. That being said, at 13 months, he can't wave & barely claps. He can babble the 'ma', 'da', 'ba' (although never used a bottle) sounds but basically grunts & groans to communicate. Each baby is so different that the range of normal is really wide. I know I've heard that some very normal babies don't walk until 18 months. I know that it's hard, but don't sweat it. Enjoy each milestone as it comes, whenever that is :).

[starrynight]

Every baby is different like you said! My ds talked later but walked sooner than his sister, she talked sooner and clearer but didn't walk until 15 months. She was cruising and pulling up at 7-8 months just wouldn't let go and walk alone. The baby is 10 months and she isn't pulling up, cruising or anything but she is doing things the other 2 kids didn't do until later like throwing and rolling a ball. They all do something sooner than the other but eventually they all reach their milestones!

If it makes you feel better most docs don't worry unless a child isn't walking at 18 months or isn't pulling up at all by 13 months. At least that's why my ped told me when I was worried about my dd not walking at a year. 2 days after I called early intervention to get her on the wait list incase she didn't walk by 18 months she started walking LOL.