One day, as you and your little one are sitting on the living room floor, something quite amazing happens. With a determined look on their face, your baby pulled themselves up off the floor and into a standing position for the very first time! Yes, they used the coffee table to reach this new height, and maybe they did tumble onto their bottom three seconds later, but you can’t help but cheer and clap with excitement. And soon, they’re giggling along excitedly too, loving the attention.

After a few months, you notice your baby doing their best to get up without the use of a coffee table or sofa, but it looks to be a real struggle. You’re fairly certain they’re progressing just as they should, achieving all sorts of milestones every day. But you also wonder, when will they manage to stand all on their own without mine or the furniture’s help?

When will my baby stand up on their own?

Standing alone (without the help of people or furniture) will typically be achieved around the time of your baby’s first birthday, once they’ve acquired the necessary balance and confidence.

But how exactly will they get there?

What are the standing milestones?

Over the 3 to 6-month period, your baby’s legs will gradually begin to strengthen, though they won’t support their own weight until they reach the 6-month mark, and even then they’ll need your support to do so. They’ll be hugely excited by this new vantage point and will love to bounce and jiggle about.

Between 7 and 12 months, they’ll learn to grab onto nearby furniture and pull themselves up. But while the muscles have strengthened, their balance still needs some work, so free up plenty of floor space for safe tumbles.

Once they reach 9 months, they should find pulling themselves up to standing a little easier, though sitting back down will still be a bit of a struggle, leading to a few harmless bumps. They will also pull up onto their toes first, but eventually develop the sturdiness that standing on flat feet brings.

From 10 months to 12 months, they’ll start to really get the hang of it and eventually stand all on their own!

How can I encourage my baby to stand?

To help and encourage your baby to stand, you can:

Whilst sitting down, hold them up in a standing position on your lap.

Place toys and objects out of reach, encouraging them to pull themselves up and retrieve their toys. They’ll need to be sat next to a coffee table for some support getting up.

Let your baby crawl around the home and explore their environment (with you keeping an eye out).

Set up playdates with fellow babies and children so your baby can watch and imitate their peers.

Offer lots of encouragement with smiles, claps and cuddles, and be there to comfort them if they have a tumble.

When should my baby stand up?

On Unii’s Baby Development Journey, we look at when your baby will stand up.