Encouraging baby to stand/walk?

[minnie1012]

I know I shouldn't rush my daughter but I really don't want her crawling on the hotel floor. I know its Disney but I still get grossed out by hotel floors (I always wear shoes). My daughter is 11 1/2 months and can stand but rarely does it. She has only done it a few times and doesn't actively try. She has bad acid reflux so she spends alot of time sitting up in her high chair/bumbo to digest. I do though put her on the floor all the rest of the time.
We are going at the end of September so she will be 13 1/2 months by then. Do I have any hope of her walking by then if she can barely stand now?

 

[kevschickee]

My 2 kids were so different when it came to this. My 1st was walking at almost 10 months and my 2nd started around 16 months. So I just have to say keep trying. You can always rent a walker and such from a babies best friend www.abbf.com

 

[snoopy5386]

don't push her, she'll do it in own time. My DD crawled at 10.5 months and walked at 15 months. A tip I have heard of is to bring flat sheets from home, enough to cover the floor of the hotel room. They don't take up much space, they are lightweight, etc. And then you'll know she'll be crawling on something clean.

We took my DD for her 1st birthday and she wasn't walking yet. Except for about 10-30 mins in the morning and at night she didn't really have a chance to crawl at all. By the end of the week she was throwing a fit about not being able to move under her own power. I ended up letting her crawl around the carpet in the living seas and on the ground outside of peter pan. Talk about ick! But she survived!

 

[Colleen27]

I know I shouldn't rush my daughter but I really don't want her crawling on the hotel floor. I know its Disney but I still get grossed out by hotel floors (I always wear shoes). My daughter is 11 1/2 months and can stand but rarely does it. She has only done it a few times and doesn't actively try. She has bad acid reflux so she spends alot of time sitting up in her high chair/bumbo to digest. I do though put her on the floor all the rest of the time.
We are going at the end of September so she will be 13 1/2 months by then. Do I have any hope of her walking by then if she can barely stand now?

My youngest went from standing up to first steps in a matter of weeks (then on to almost running in less than 2 months!), so anything is possible.

I wouldn't push or worry over it. If you're grossed out by the floor, just use the spare blanket they have in the room as a playmat if she wants some time to crawl. For the little bit of time most families spend awake and in their room at Disney, it shouldn't be too difficult to distract her or limit her to the covered space.

 

[PebblesMK]

This reminded me of a story I just heard for the first time. I was talking with my aunt and uncle who used to go to WDW about 3-4 times a year (and now live in that area). They had a trip planned and their youngest daughter was just learning to walk and everytime she would stand up, my aunt would push her down in hopes that she didn't learn until AFTER their trip. Hahaha...it cracks me up.

That apparently won't work for you, but it's still hilarious. I will say that kids will be mobile when it's good for them. My niece stood up on her own at about 5 1/2 months (but like yours, rarely did it..even in later months) and was walking right after she turned 8 months. She crawled for a total of two days. She is now 11 months and nothing stops her. Her revelation that she could move was an instant thing. I don't think there is anything wrong with "pushing" her along...just remember that once they learn to go, you don't get to stop either.

 

[patchchild]

Honestly, I'd keep your fingers crossed that she doesn't learn before the trip. Although it makes it more of a pain for the hotel room, you'll be much saner in the parks themselves. When kids learn to walk, they generally want to do that all day long. Forget riding in the stroller, they want to practice.

For the hotel room, what about taking one of the sheets off the bed and using it on the floor. Or call room service and request a couple of extra sheets.

 

[mjkacmom]

I have 5 children, with one who was walking at 9 months, and one who started at 15 months. I don't think there is anything you can do to push this milestone, and I agree with a PP that the trip will be much easier if she's NOT walking1

 

[cuppycake]

I agree with the others that I don't think there is much you can do about getting her to walk until she's interested.

however, you can help stregthen her legs by allowing her time in "stationary" walkers, or walkers if you are okay with them. Then she can practice standing up and putting weight on her legs to get them stronger for walking.

I will 100% agree with those who have said that you'll be better off at the parks if she's NOT walking (as in just learned how). Once they figure it out, you'll be chasing her everywhere, she won't want to be in the stroller-she'll want to practice walking. And, man, they take some hard bumps when they are first learning (on the cement that would stink!).

Just in case, make sure you have a decent pair of walking shoes for her that won't contribute to tripping her up. We loved our Robeez when they were still learning.

Have a great trip

 

[2binak]

Our DD crawled on her hands and knees for the first time ever in our room on our first day at Disney last Fall. She walked along furniture at 10 months, but didn't walk on her own until 14 months and even then, she still crawled quite a bit for the next month until she was confident enough to walk all of the time. Kids crawl and walk in their own time and I don't think there's much you can do to get them to do these things any sooner.

On that trip last Fall, we even let DD crawl on the floors of the baby care centers because she was in the stroller or being held the rest of the day. She loved hte opportunity to stretch out, crawl around and play with the toys and other kids there. Yes it's gross, but once you get past the thought of the icky carpets and realize that your LO is having fun and will come into contact with germs in so many other places, you tend to get over the ick factor.

I agree with a pp who suggested using a spare sheet if you can't get past the ick factor.

 

[minnie1012]

This reminded me of a story I just heard for the first time. I was talking with my aunt and uncle who used to go to WDW about 3-4 times a year (and now live in that area). They had a trip planned and their youngest daughter was just learning to walk and everytime she would stand up, my aunt would push her down in hopes that she didn't learn until AFTER their trip. Hahaha...it cracks me up.

That apparently won't work for you, but it's still hilarious. I will say that kids will be mobile when it's good for them. My niece stood up on her own at about 5 1/2 months (but like yours, rarely did it..even in later months) and was walking right after she turned 8 months. She crawled for a total of two days. She is now 11 months and nothing stops her. Her revelation that she could move was an instant thing. I don't think there is anything wrong with "pushing" her along...just remember that once they learn to go, you don't get to stop either.

That is too funny! My older daughter walked at 11 months and I always the 2nd one would walk sooner when she would see the older one but I guess not. Thanks everyone!

 

[minnie1012]

I actually have one of those neat sheets for the beach and a Mickey blanket that folds up with straps. Maybe I could bring those or some old sheets. We are driving so it shouldn't be too much of a problem bringing something. Her doctor was alittle concerned at her 10 month appt that she wasn't standing or cruising yet so I hope when we go back next month nothing is actually wrong. She is rather chubby so I think its just hard for her to hold up her big belly! She was also very late at sitting up on her own so maybe this is going to be the same thing.

Thanks again!

 

[barnaby1]

Your child will come to no harm crawling on the hotel carpet. Don't sweat the small stuff or you will go crazy raising children. Let her go at her own pace developing and don't push it to satisfy your desires.

 

[abcboys]

I was always ready for my kids to start walking about that age. They want to crawl everywhere and it doesn't matter where...grass, asphalt, rocks. 1 of mine walked at 12 months and the other 2 weren't till 14 months. They were already mobile so I just assumed they knew how to walk instead of crawl everywhere.

 

[PoohGal05]

Honestly, I'd keep your fingers crossed that she doesn't learn before the trip. Although it makes it more of a pain for the hotel room, you'll be much saner in the parks themselves. When kids learn to walk, they generally want to do that all day long. Forget riding in the stroller, they want to practice.

For the hotel room, what about taking one of the sheets off the bed and using it on the floor. Or call room service and request a couple of extra sheets.

My baby will be a year old August 5 and he's not walking yet. My mom SOO wants him to be walking when we go to Disney at the end of the month. I told her I hope he WASN'T walking for the very reason you said!

 

[Colleen27]

My baby will be a year old August 5 and he's not walking yet. My mom SOO wants him to be walking when we go to Disney at the end of the month. I told her I hope he WASN'T walking for the very reason you said!

That's one that I see both sides of. No doubt traveling in general is easier with a pre-mobile baby, but at Disney the fun of getting those pictures of the little one toddling down Main Street to an early morning character breakfast or running up to Mickey when it is finally our turn seems like it would be more than worth taking the trip a little slower to give the baby some walking time.

 

[abcboys]

See, I think a mobile crawling baby is harder than a mobile walking baby. Once mine were mobile i.e. crawling that's what they wanted to do and its harder to find places to crawl when you are walking on say 95 degree asphalt/concrete.

Easier to find places to walk than places to crawl and get all nasty. But...there's really nothing you can do to speed up the process.

 

[minnie1012]

I agree with the less places to crawl around in the parks so that also had me concerned. My other daughter was always good in her stroller and so far this one has been too. My other daughter would go in her stroller till she was 4. I had to stop it because she was getting to big for it. I wouldn't automatically always take her out so I think that helped.

Right now I am just encouraging her to stand. If she walks she walks! If she doesn't I'll bring sheets. Being she will be a year old in 2 weeks I think she should at least be standing on a regular basis. We don't have a coffee table but I have a sturdy bench with storage in it that I placed in the center of the room for her to have something to hold on to. So hopefully she can strengthen her legs a bit and stand more regularly!

Thanks for everyone's points they helped alot!

 

[delmar411]

If you have an exersaucer try putting her in there to help strengthen her legs. That will do double duty as well since she'll be upright and can go in there after eating so it's not wasted time sitting in a high chair or bumbo to digest.

I remember how badly I wanted my 2nd to hurry up and walk. She took her first steps on her first b-day but I was in a hurry as I was due at any time with her brother and wasn't sure how I was going to carry two kids at the same time! LOL

I wanted our 4th to be the baby as long as possible but he was up and running by 10mths! Just couldn't wait to keep up with his siblings!

They never really do take what we want into consideration when working on their milestones, do they?

 

[nemofans]

We took our DS when he was 19 mos old. He was walking by then, but I did have him in the pack n play alot. I also have issue w/sitting/playing on hotel floors, so he played in the pack n play while we were in the room. I brought my own pack n play sheets & put toys in there. He didn't mind it. I did let him walk around in the play areas at MK, AK, & DHS to stretch his legs.
Now for our next WDW trip, our 2nd DS will have just turned 1 yr. Whether or not he's walking, I plan on using the pack n play again.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I'm not sure what you think is going to happen if you let the baby crawl on the hotel floor. Let them have fun and then wash their hands afterward, no harm done.

I just wanted to comment on the suggestion of getting a walker. You might want to research that a little more since they are being discouraged and are banned in some places because of safety issues.