Your baby has only been in your life just under a year, but already, it’s been a rollercoaster full of milestones both small and large. With every slight achievement your baby reaches, you rejoice. With every large milestone they accomplish, you celebrate. First, she learned to stand, and then she learned to say her first words. And now, you’re looking forward to when she will be able to walk.

Therefore, we thought it would be useful to outline what progress you can expect from a baby when they’re learning to walk, from a newborn all the way up to the age of one year. This way, you’ll be able to help your baby along every step of the way, while having realistic expectations as to when they’ll be a little ballet dancer in the making!

So, let’s look at how your baby will learn to walk during different stages of their first year.

How will my baby learn to walk?

From a newborn to two months: At this early stage, your baby will learn how to use their natural reflexes to first learn how to stand. You will see them bracing their legs against a surface that they can feel under their feet. You might also feel them trying to use their legs when you are holding them upright on your lap. Although it may feel like they’re trying to get going with walking, they’re not yet able to do this as their legs aren’t strong enough for them to even stand yet. They are simply following their basic instincts and natural reflexes.

From five months to 10 months: By this next stage, your baby will have progressed to being able to take their own weight if you are supporting them while they stand. To help them with this, it’s best to let them balance their feet on your thighs. While they are doing this, you will probably find that they have the urge to bounce up and down. If you can see that they are having trouble with this action, or are seemingly unable to bear weight on their legs, it’s best to seek out help from your doctor.

From 7 months to 12 months old: From 7 to 12 months, they should be able to pull themselves up from sitting to standing. However, they will need the support of something sturdy like a piece of furniture, or perhaps your leg. Slowly, they will get better at standing, and will eventually be able to cruise (this is when a baby can move around upright while holding onto something). Eventually, they will have gained the confidence and strength to let go of whatever they are holding on to for support, and they’ll stand independently.

At 1 year: Finally, when your baby reaches the 1-year mark, you will find that they have gotten the hang of bending their knees and sitting down after they have been standing for a little while. You may also see them trying to cruise around the room, as well as standing independently and taking a few bold steps! Try to give your baby as much encouragement as possible during this time. Remember that learning to walk is complex, and it takes balance, coordination and practice in order to get there.

When should my baby walk?

On our Baby Development Journey, we look at when your baby should walk.