There are some things to be aware of when your baby starts pulling himself up to standing:
- Babies should learn to stand and walk in bare feet so they can use their toes for balance and experience the tactile sensations on the bottom of their feet.
- Babies will sometimes go up onto their toes when standing or cruising, but they should not weight-bear on their toes for a long period of time in an exersaucer or jumper. If it is too high for your baby, place a pillow or book under her feet so she can weight-bear through flat feet.
- Make sure your home is baby proof! Bookshelves should be tethered to the wall, window blinds should not have cords, and choking hazards should not be on sofas and end tables.
- Lower baby’s crib mattress to the lowest level.
- Continue to encourage crawling.
- Allow your baby to take your hands and try to take a few steps around the house. This is great practice for walking.
- If your baby is falling a lot and lacking in leg strength, try these strengthening exercises.
- The ability to squat to pick up a toy from the floor then stand back up takes a lot of core, quad strength, and balance. Try to encourage this by placing desirable items in the middle of the floor when your new walker is walking by.
References:
American Academy of Pediatrics https://www.aap.org/en-us/Pages/Default.aspx
World Health Organization http://www.who.int/mediacentre/infographic/new-born/en/
Center for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov
American Journal of Occupational Therapy https://ajot.aota.org
American Occupational Therapy Association. https://www.aota.org
Leach, P. (1997). Your Baby & Child. Random House.