What's that tugging at your leg? Yep, it's your little one, with a big determined grin on her face, pulling herself up to stand beside you.
Since it requires your little one to coordinate almost all of her major muscle groups at once, pulling up to stand is a major milestone that paves the way for your baby's first steps. Not only is standing great fun for your baby to do — and fun for you to watch! — it's a terrific muscle-strengthening exercise for your growing explorer.
When do babies start standing up?
Sometime between 9 and 12 months, your baby will start pulling herself up on anything she can grip, from the couch to your legs. Believe it or not, she’s been preparing for this milestone for months now:
- As a newborn, she made early attempts at lifting her wobbly head.
- As a a 2- to 3-month-old, she continued lifting her head during tummy time. Some babies can also bear some weight on their legs while held at this stage.
- Around months 4 and 5, her arms got stronger and more coordinated as she reached for toys, and she was likely able to push down on her legs when her feet were on a hard surface such as the floor.
- At 6 months, your baby was most likely bouncing up and down a bit and could support her weight on her legs as you held her, further giving her muscles a workout.
Now all that body building has paid off, and she has the strength she needs to pull herself up to a standing position.
This is a good time to bring your baby's crib mattress down to its lowest height, since if she can pull herself up on her crib rail, she's probably just a short step away from being able to pull herself over it. Another thing to expect as your baby pulls up to stand: She won’t be able to get down on her own right away. So you’ll have to show her how, at least for the first few tries.
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You may have to wait a little longer before your baby starts to stand on her own two feet, though. While some 10- or 11-month-olds can stand alone for a second or two, most babies don’t reach this milestone until they’re about 13 months old — and they usually don’t stand without support very well until 14 months.
Is it bad for babies to stand too early?
It’s a myth that encouraging your baby to pull herself up to stand can make her bowlegged. It’s also perfectly fine to hold your baby in a standing position. (In fact, that can be a good thing, since it helps strengthen your baby’s leg muscles.)
So if your little one is early-to-stand, rest assured that all is well. Besides, what seems early to you may be just right for your baby.
One possible drawback for babies who can pull themselves up by 8 months: They may not sleep as well as they had been, one study found. Alas, once your baby discovers she can pull herself to stand, her crib is a great place to practice — even when she’s half asleep.
How to help your baby stand on their own
One of the best ways to help your baby learn to stand is to limit her time in a standing activity center. It may seem counterintuitive — she is standing in there, after all — but babies don’t use the same muscles in an activity center as they do when they walk, so she won’t get to practice balancing and standing on her own.
Instead, give her plenty of floor time and try these tactics:
- Make it a game. Place some of her toys on the couch, then position her so she can grab hold of the cushions and pull herself up to stand — and victoriously retrieve her toys. (A couch works better than a chair for this game since it won't topple over.) This will reward baby's curiosity while allowing her to practice pulling up, reaching and grasping all at once.
- Invest in some standing toys. Unlike a stationary activity center, activity centers that double as learning tables are the perfect plaything for your newly standing (or almost-standing) baby. This type of toy is sturdy enough to bear her weight as she pulls up, and enticing enough to keep her standing there — or get her moving around the table to try out each play station.
- Create a safe path. Once your baby starts to get the hang of pulling up, your job is to make sure she stays safe. Childproof your home by putting up barriers to sharp corners or ledges, and securely fasten furniture (like bookshelves and cabinets) to the walls with anchors and brackets so she can’t tip them over if she uses them to hoist herself up. To prevent falls, make sure papers and slippery magazines aren’t left lying around on the floor and that spills on smooth-surfaced floors are wiped up quickly.
- Watch her feet. Keep her barefoot or in skid-proof socks or slippers so her feet won’t trip her up.
- Give her a helping hand… Let your baby hold onto your fingers to help her balance as she stands on her own.
- …Or a lap. If your baby needs a safe (and soft) place to land, let her pull up on the sofa or her learning table as you hold her in your lap. That may help her feel secure enough to try it on her own after a few days.
How long do babies stand before walking?
You may have to wait at least another few months. One study in the journal The Lancet — which looked at how long it took children in different countries to meet their milestones — found that the median time between standing alone and walking was about two to three months.
Keep in mind that some babies march from one milestone to another in a straight path, from standing to cruising to walking. Others prefer to take it slower, pausing for a while so they can work on other skills before moving on to tottering around on two feet.
The window for this milestone, like so many other gross motor skill milestones, is wide open. Every baby develops differently, and at her own pace — and there's not much parents can do to speed up a baby's development timeline, besides providing lots of safe, fun opportunities to practice during playtime.
Of course, if the other babies in the playgroup are happily pulling up, it’s only natural to wonder why your little one isn’t standing yet. Chances are, she’s more focused on meeting other milestones and hasn’t gotten around to this one.
If you’re concerned about her development, however, bring it up to your pediatrician at her next checkup, especially if you’ve noticed the following signs:
- She can’t bear weight on her legs if you hold her. In this case, she might not have the muscle tone she needs to stand up.
- She can’t sit up alone. If she can’t sit up alone or needs to be propped up at 9 months, it may be another sign of muscle weakness.
- Her body seems overly floppy or overly stiff. Certain conditions can affect your baby’s muscle tone and cause developmental delays.
Your pediatrician may want to evaluate her or give you a recommendation for a specialist or physical therapist, depending on what might be causing the delay. Remember, if your baby needs extra help, it’s better that she gets it as early as possible.
What milestones can you expect after standing up?
Once your baby is standing on two feet like a pro, you can expect that walking — first while holding on to your hands or the sides of furniture, and later unassisted — isn’t that far behind.
Once she’s off and tottering, she might enjoy playing with a walking toy, like a push toy that she stands behind and pushes (think infant shopping cart). These wheeled playthings give your baby a place to hang on and balance as the toddles along on her ever-stronger legs and feet.
After your little one conquers standing and walking, she’ll move on to more adventurous movements. From ages 18 to 24 months, you can expect your newly minted toddler to try stair climbing (even if it’s just a few steps) and even running. And by age 2, she might even be kicking a ball.
But for the moment, savor your baby’s first tries at pulling to stand — and be ready to record her efforts. Like all first-year milestones, this one will be a memory before you know it.
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