For both babies and parents, pulling up and standing are fascinating developmental milestones. These vital skills aid in the development of a baby’s legs and arm muscles and provide them with a new, upright perspective on the world.
Standing is the precursor to cruising and walking, implying that your baby will become much more mobile in the near future.
How to assist your child with standing on their own
Limiting your baby’s time in a standing activity center is one of the best strategies to assist them in learning how to stand. It might sound paradoxical; after all, they will be standing.
However, babies do not use similar muscles in an activity center as they do while walking. For this reason, they will not be able to practice balancing and standing by themselves.
Instead, give her lots of time on the floor and try the following strategies:
Purchase some standing toys
Activity centers that double as learning tables instead of stationary activity centers are the ideal plaything for your newly standing (or nearly-standing) little one.
This kind of toy is robust and tempting enough to keep the baby upright as they pull up; or encourage the baby to move around the table to test out each play station.
Every day, go for a 15-minute stroll
Create a trail for the baby to walk on by using cushions as blockades. You can clap your hands as you watch your little one try to walk towards you from one end of the walkway.
There will be some tripping, but doing this for 15 to 40 minutes daily is an excellent method to make sure the baby is always walking. This is one of the most effective workouts for assisting your little one stand.
Make a secure path
It’s your responsibility to keep your child safe as they begin to pull themselves up. Childproof the house by erecting barricades at sharp edges or corners and tightly fastening furniture (such as cabinets and bookcases) to the walls.
This will prevent them from tipping over when your baby is using them to lift themselves up. To avoid falls, ensure that you don’t leave any slippery magazines or papers on the floor. Make sure to clean up spills on smooth surfaces as soon as possible.
Set him free
Allowing your baby to explore the floor is essential for learning how to stand. When you allow the little one the opportunity to roam around, he or she will most likely take advantage of it, reaching out for anything they can grab, such as a chair or table.
If the baby does reach out for assistance, ensure that the object is adequately weighted, free from sharp edges, and securely anchored to the wall or floor, so it doesn’t hurt the baby.
Make it a game
Put a few of your baby’s toys on the sofa, then position the baby so that they are able to grasp the cushions and pull themselves up to stand and fetch their toys triumphantly. (A sofa is preferable to a chair for this activity because it will not tumble over.)
This rewards the baby’s interest while also giving them the opportunity to practice how to pull up, reach, and grasp all at the same time.
Keep an eye on the baby’s toes
So the baby’s feet don’t trip them up, keep the baby barefoot or in skid-proof slippers or socks.
Alternatively, a lap
Allow your baby to pull up on the sofa or the baby learning table while you hold them in your lap if they require a secure (and gentle) landing. After a few days, the baby might feel confident enough to do it on their own.
Encourage the baby
Become your baby’s biggest supporter. Make sure you congratulate your baby every time they get to stand. Encouragement will help a lot, so a few encouraging words, a grin, and a clap can help him develop a positive self-concept.
It will allow the baby to be proud of their achievements.
Lend the baby a hand
Allow your baby to cling onto your fingers as they learn to stand on their own.
Participate in group activities
It’s beneficial for little ones to be around their peers, so schedule a play date or go to your local library’s baby events to foster your baby’s interest in other babies.
Your baby may copy what they see if they observe others pushing themselves up and standing without the help of an adult.
Provide them with safe furniture.
To help your baby stand up, they will try to use the furniture around them. The furniture in the locations where they typically stand up must not be unsafe or shaky enough for them to fall over.
Furniture is essential for babies to use as a source of support, and they will rely on it frequently to help them stand and walk.
Is it harmful for babies to stand up too soon?
It is a fallacy that allowing your little one to pull themselves up to stand will result in her becoming bowlegged.
Holding your little one in a standing position is also acceptable. (Actually, this can be beneficial because it will strengthen your little one’s leg muscles.)
So, if your baby is a late stander, don’t worry; everything will be OK. Furthermore, what you consider too early for you might be ideal for your little one.
One disadvantage of newborns that can hold themselves up by eight months is that they might not sleep as well as they did previously, according to one study.
Unfortunately, once your little one learns to stand on their own, the crib is a terrific location to practice—even if the baby is half asleep.
When do babies begin to stand up?
Your little one will start to pull themselves up on everything they can hold between the ages of 9 months and 1 year, from the sofa to your legs. The baby has been getting ready for this moment for months, believe it or not:
- Made early attempts to raise the shaky head as a newborn.
- The baby continued to lift her head during tummy time as a 2- to 3-month-old. At this point, some little ones can also tolerate some weight on their legs while being held.
- Your baby’s arms grew stronger and more coordinated as they clutched for toys during months four and five, and the baby was probably able to push down on their legs when the feet were on a tough surface like the floor.
- At six months, your little one was probably jumping about a little and could maintain their weight on the legs as you held them, giving their muscles good exercise.
All of the baby’s hard work has paid off, and the baby now has the strength to lift themselves into a standing posture.
This is a perfect moment to lower your little one’s crib mattress to its lowest setting. The reason is, if the baby can pull themselves up on the crib rail, they will be able to pull themselves over it immediately.
Another thing to anticipate as your little one begins to stand is that they will not be able to fall on their own immediately. So, you will have to show them how for the first couple of tries.
However, you might have to wait a bit longer for your little one to get up on their two feet by themselves.
While some ten or eleven- month-olds will be able to stand for a second or two on their own, most children do not attain this milestone until they are around thirteen months old.
They also often do not stand particularly well without support until they are fourteen months old.
What milestones can you look forward to once the baby is standing?
You can expect your baby to walk soon after mastering the ability to stand on two feet, initially while they hold on to the sides of furniture or your hands, and then unsupported.
The baby may love to play with a walking toy, such as a push toy that they stand behind and push (think baby shopping cart).
As your baby toddles forward on his/her ever-stronger legs and feet, these wheeled playthings provide a spot for him/her to hold on and balance.
After your baby has mastered standing and walking, the little one will progress to increasingly challenging movements.
You can expect your freshly minted little one to attempt climbing stairs (even if it is only a couple of steps) and even run between the ages of 18 and 24 months. The baby may even be kicking a ball by the age of two.
But, for now, appreciate your little one’s first attempts at standing, and be ready to document them. This, like many first-year milestones, will be forgotten before you know it.
Safety tips to keep in mind as they learn to stand:
- Ensure that any close by furniture is fastened to the wall or floor or weighted in case the little ones try to grip on or pull themselves up using the furniture while falling.
- Stay away from the staircase.
- Walk and stand only on the ground, not on higher surfaces such as sofas or beds.
- Keep your baby within reach and away from hard or pointy things.
- When the baby first learns how to walk and stand, they should only do so on soft surfaces.
It is fine to remain cool when your child falls unless they require assistance or there’s an indication of injury.
If the little one sees their parent being calm, they are less likely to become agitated. Give the little one a moment to gather their thoughts before getting back to movement!
Conclusion
Once your little one has mastered the ability to stand and walk, they become highly adventurous. Therefore, you must remain vigilant always to ensure the baby is not up to mischief!
Furthermore, once your baby learns to walk and stand on their own, the next stage is to teach the baby to run.
Jumping and climbing are two other activities that little ones will discover once they have learned to walk.
It is a joy to watch little ones stand and walk, and it’s an occurrence that every parent enjoys seeing. Make a point of photographing the important moments when they strive to stand up so you can show them later.
Make sure you’re always available to help them when they need it and encourage them to try it on their own. You’ll see that babies respond positively to your encouragement over time, and you will be busy trying to persuade them to sit in one spot.