Myth: Carrying delays walking
On average, human infants begin walking independently around 15 months. However, this can range from 9 to 18 months!
Some old wives tales around this developmental milestone continue to be in circulation, even though there is zero evidence to support them.
One which some grandparents or great grandparents might still believe is that carrying babies delays walking. They might see continued #babywearing as a threat to your child progressing to independence.
Science clearly shows how the development of the central nervous system works from the head down. In the early weeks babies gradually develop control of their head and neck.
Progressing down the spinal column, like a system activating stage by stage, they gain control of their arms and upper body, their torso and hips, then their legs. Nearly all babies follow the sequence within predictable time frames:
Rolling from front to back (around 3 months), then from back to front (around 5 to 6 months).
Crawling in some manner – commando style, bottom shuffling and/or hands and knees (around six to ten months).
Sitting (around four to six months) and sitting up independently (7 to 9 months)
Supported standing (around six to nine months)
Independent standing (around 11 months First steps (around 9 to 12 months)
Eventually, there’s independent walking (around 14 to 16 months).
However, pottering around on two legs exploring their space is very different to walking as a form of transport. Nomadic people continue to carry young children for 3 years or more. Small legs need to take twice as many steps to match the stride of an adult and developing muscles and bones tire easily.
Expecting a toddler to hold an adult hand and match an adult pace as they move through a busy shopping centre, along a footpath or around the zoo all day is unrealistic. Added to the demands upon their lower body, lifting and holding their arm at the necessary height to hold hands is tiring and can cause discomfort.
What could be interpreted as whining and whinging or flat out refusal to move can be signals of fatigue. Adults who misinterpret this as defiance or laziness will add to the child's distress.
