Your baby's first steps
Your baby’s first steps
Many parents remember their child’s first steps for the rest of their lives, but that doesn’t mean there should be any pressure to reach this milestone. Relax and with a little gentle encouragement, let your child develop at their own pace.
Stages of development
Babies tend to take their first steps between 9-12 months of age. Before your baby can walk they may start to show you they’re preparing for this next step. This might include pushing up from the floor, rocking on their stomach, pulling up into a sitting position, scooting around on their bottom or crawling on all fours. Crawling in itself is a milestone, some children start out by crawling either by using the arms and legs on the same side or by moving both legs and then both arms. This is entirely natural, and children usually progress to crawling with opposite arms and opposite legs all on their own. Many children also practice pulling themselves up and walking while grasping the edge of a table, or walking while balancing with the help of a parent.
By the time they are 10-18 months, your baby should be confident enough to walk around on their own. If your baby is a late-walker, this is unusual, though it may not be a cause for concern. For peace of mind, talk to your doctor, but bear in mind that babies have different timetables and may reach this and other milestones at different times to their peers.
What you can do to help
As your baby learns to stand up, they may need some help in getting back down again! When you pick them up or support them, show them how to bend their knees so they can sit down without toppling over. Then let them try it for themselves.
Be encouraging. There’s bound to be the odd fall or setback, so always make sure your baby has a soft, safe environment in which to practice their new skills. You can also hold off introducing walker shoes until your baby is used to walking around on different surfaces, such as cool grass or warm bedroom flooring. Going barefoot can help to improve balance and coordination.
Start off encouraging your baby to walk by standing or kneeling in front of them and holding out your hands. Or you might hold both their hands and walk them towards you.
You could also get your toddler to use a push along toy that they can hold on to as they walk. Look out for toddle toys that are stable and have a wide base of support.
Nutrition for development
Ensuring your toddler gets enough goodness from food alone can sometimes be a challenge. Aptamil Growing Up milk 1+yr is specially developed to help support your toddler from the inside. Made with our special blend of GOS/FOS prebiotics and 40 times more iron than cows’ milk, for brain development and healthy blood, it can help provide the key nutrients your growing toddler needs as part of their balanced diet.
If you’d like further advice or support, please get in touch with our team of experts. Call us free anytime on 0800 996 1000, or use our confidential instant messaging service, Live Chatfrom 8am to 8pm.