My baby girl is 11 months old; should she be using a walker?

Question

She crawls and sits up on her own, but whene we are outside on the patio we but her in a walker, but she drags her feet. Should we let her just crawl around in the grass?

Answer 1

My son was over a year old before he started walking and we were concerned about it. I can't remember what month he was in but he was getting up there. My father bought him a toy that you push and it picked up blocks - he loved this thing and IMMEDIATELY started to walk pushing this thing. He had a walker too but he didn't walk in it much. He just didn't "want" to and you KNOW who the boss is, right? Anyway, he's walking now --- oh he's almost 18 years old LOL. She'll be fine -- all kids are different. My nephew is a genius and he didn't talk the first 3 years of his life - so go figure!!!

Answer 2

Absolutely not!! Do not let your baby crawl around in bug and flea infested grass! Do you know how many cats could have used your yard as a litter box?! Cats carry toxoplasmosis, which could really make your baby sick. If her feet are dragging in the walker, look on the bottom of the walker and see if the height can be adjusted better to fit her. If not, maybe she just isnt ready for that. My baby is 16 months now, we put him in the walker when he was about 11 months. It took him about a month to figure out what he was supposed to do in it, but once he did there was no stopping him. Maybe you could put her play pen outside when you want to be out on the patio. As for walkers being recalled in the 90'S thats strange since I just bought one in 2005. They werent all recalled, and the new walkers now are safer, and the bottoms where the wheels attach are square, this keeps them from tipping over .

Answer 3

I was told that walkers are not good for a baby's development by my pediatrician. And I guess that there are so many accidents involving walkers every year that they've actually stopped making them in Canada and are trying to ban them in America as well.

There is some great information about why Pediatricians and the AAP recommends AGAINST using walkers on this website: http://www.aap.org/family/babywalkers.htm

Here are some key points mentioned on the page:

* Baby walkers send more than 14,000 children to the hospital every year.

* 34 children have died since 1973 because of baby walkers.

I think it's alright to let your baby crawl around in the grass as long as you're keeping a close eye on her. She'll probably really enjoy the feel of it and she'll better learn to use her body and balance in order to get around.

Best wishes.

Answer 4

Well, all babies are different. and it depends on what you mean by a walker. If you mean the things that look like exersaucers but can move around a room, no. Those are dangerous. If you mean a walker that is like a little support for the baby to push in front of her, she will in her own time. My daughter wasn't interested in hers until she was 11.5 months old. She crawls still but will pull up on her walker and practive walking all in the past week or so. She's 12.5 mos. Please don't let anyone else tell you what your baby should and shouldn't be doing. You know her timetable better than anyone.

Answer 5

No your baby shouldn't be in a walker at all. Walkers were recalled in the early to mid 90's and haven't been brought back. if you feel the need for her to strengthen her legs get her a jolly jumper. They can be free standing or attach to a door jamb.
Letting her crawl in the grass isn't a half bad idea. It lets her explore her world and experience different sensations (the blades of grass).
If you insist in letting her use a walker take the wheels off. All it takes is a second.

Answer 6

I don't have any children, but I am an uncle. My sister and brother-in-law used to let my nephew and niece do both. They would let them hang out in the walker while they learned about their own mobility, they would let them crawl around both inside and outside, and they would each grab one of their childs' hands and hold them up as they learned to walk. It was funny with my little niece. She developed this "death grip" on your hand while she held herself up as she learned to walk. She would really grab your hand tightly and not let go. Anyway, they will learn to walk when they are ready, it is not a judgement of their intelligence or coordination. Sometimes little ones want to hang on to being little as long as they can before becoming toddlers while others are very anxious to learn to walk and move on to the next phase of their life. They are as different from one another as adults are. In fact, they say that by the time your child is 1 year old, they have already learned 50% of everything they will ever learn. This sounds far fetched, but if you think about it:

1. they have learned cause and effect.

2. they have learned that different tones in a person's voice means different things, and they can identify with those different things.

3. they have learned basic coordination.

4. while they don't normally speak at this age, they do know what many different words mean.

5. they know how to get your attention when they want something.

I have always wanted to be a father, but I know that love must first develop between myself and a woman, then marriage, and then children. Unfortunately, I haven't found any women that were interested in me. Maybe someday!!!

Answer 7

I started using a walker with my daughter when she was 9 months old she dragged her feet around for a while then she learned that she could push herself backwards and then learned to walk all together a week before her first birthday if your baby is interested in the walker there is no harm putting them in it to develop

Answer 8

Yes, she should be using the walker now. Don't put her on the grass to crawl. Her skin will get irritated.

Answer 9

Yes take her out of that walker girlfriend! My lil guy was in his walker for a while and his physical therapist (for something else) really changed my views on them. They actually prohibit or constrict the baby from learning balance and how to walk correctly. If their in the walker all the time they have that to lean on and support them so when you do take them out of it and try to let them walk on their own they are thinking they have that plastic there to catch them if they fall....u get me? let her walk or crawl around on her own. She will furniture walk at first probably then eventually youll be chasing after her, i promise. but as for the walker i would get rid of it. ask your pedetrician too, to explain more in depth what i mean if you dont get it. kinda hard to put into words....but its a support system they dont need, it hinders them trying to gain their balance. plus if you have her around stairs in it, it is soooooooooo dangerous. good luck to you! shell walk on her own time, dont worry. :)

Answer 10

My mother has worked with Children for around twenty years, so I asked her about your question. She told me that I walked at nine months, but most children don't walk until they're a year old. Anywhere from nine to fourteen months is considered normal. If she seems to be developing normally other than a lack of walking, I wouldn't be worried about anything. She'll be running around before you realize it :) Congrats on parenthood. Enjoy every minute of it- what a blessing!