Encouraging baby to take the first steps...?

DD is almost 12 months old and has been walking confidently with a push walker for nearly 2 months. She also walks well next to me holding just one hand (or finger), but doesn't really use it much to balance at all. When she stands concentrating on something in her hands she balances beautifully until she realises she's not holding on anymore, and then she loses confidence and sits down. The same thing happens when walking next to me, she's barely got a feather touch holding on, but if I gently coax my finger out of hers she straight away sits down.

I'm sure she's capable of taking those first steps, but she seems to lack the confidence in herself to try. Is there anything I can do to encourage her?

I know some babies don't walk until much later, and it wouldn't worry me a bit if she's the same, it just seems like she's at the stage where she could if she just let go.

I think confidence comes with time..she'll walk when she is ready to! Considering she's not yet 1 I think she is doing great! DD is 13 months and has only just started walking holding our hands, although it's a really odd half sideways crab walk and she relies on our hands so much. She's still a long way off walking as she is very wobbly. It will happen, probably when you least expect it!

I agree.. i think just give her time. She will get there when she is ready. DD didnt walk until she was about 14 months, DS was before he turned 1. So they are all different and she will work it out. ;)

My DD is doing EXACTLY the same thing! She's 16 months old and she's managed to take two solo steps a week ago and the other day I watched her go from our couch to our tv cabinet which meant she couldn't hang on to either for a second. But with each day that passes, I see her get a little bit more confident so I know it won't be long. She wants to walk if I put shoes on her, as opposed to just having socks on. Good luck to your little one!

My ds was doing exactly the same thing for ages and was almost running round furniture but just wasn't walking on his own until one day he just did. Took a couple of steps between things and then it was a few more over longer distances and now he only crawls to get to something to help him stand up. She will get there very soon I think

Again, my DD was exactly the same. It was like she didn't know she could walk by herself, even when she clearly could and would 'accidentally' do it from time to time. DH and I encouraged her by sitting on the floor facing eachother and getting her to take a few steps between us but this didn't really help as it got her into the habit of lurching forward to be caught which she thought was a great game, but was totally unsafe if there was nobody there to catch her. Then one day she just 'decided' more consciously that she could do it, and started taking purposeful steps between furniture that was close-ish together. She just practiced and practiced and practiced for a few days 'till she got it. Now there's no stopping her. Sounds like your little one is right on track and will be toddling independently before you know it. Just enjoy these last few days or weeks of your baby not being a 'toddler'... these moments go by waaaaay too fast!

:

---

my DD was exactly the same. It was like she didn't know she could walk by herself, even when she clearly could and would 'accidentally' do it from time to time

---

DD was just like this, one day we were at playgroup and she just took off after an older boy (sign of things to come perhaps?) and that was it.... she just got it, and after that she was walking everywhere. I think she just needed to be distracted from trying to do it, if that makes sense - it's like she was overthinking it, and not believing she could do it, and when she forgot to think about it, she just walked.

My DS was the same, it took him two months from the time he took his first unassisted steps to when he actually had the confidence to start walking. I personally think it's best to let them get there in their own time, after all, once they start they're going to be walking for the rest of their lives, so what's an extra month or two in the scheme of things.

Thanks for all the replies, good to know it's normal to be a little unsure at first. I'll just let her progress when she's good and ready :)