When Do Babies Pull to Stand?
A Pediatric Physical Therapists Guide To Supporting Your Little One With Pulling To Stand
First, let me just say - this is SUCH an exciting time!!! Our little one’s navigating pulling up to standing is really the first step in exploring those upright skills that will build off each other and over the next few months, progress to those first precious steps. It’s the first time they’re seeing their world in a whole new way, the first time they are learning to really use their legs, and the first time they are really learning to be upright, balance their bodies, and begin to move upright against gravity- and as with all the milestones that came before it, pulling to stand is a progression of skills and a building on the foundation our little ones spent so much time prepping during tummy and floor time!
That being said, when can you expect pulling to stand with hand support to start?
Most little ones begin to explore pulling themselves up on furniture or with the help of your hands around 9 months of age.
Interestingly, pulling to stand often happens almost simultaneously with mastering crawling on hands and knees for many children. In fact, one of the most common questions I get is about little ones that are JUST starting to crawl and immediately start pulling to stand too - so many parents think that means they’re going to skip crawling, when in fact it’s USUALLY the opposite - and they are actually in the final stages of transitioning to crawling as their primary way of getting around!
How long after pulling up will my baby walk?
One of the most exciting things about seeing your little one start to pull up to standing is knowing that walking is likely coming soon too! Pulling up to stand is often when we start to realize those first precious toddling steps are on the horizon (and so is seriously ramping up baby proofing 🤪- all my baby proofing must haves are here if you’re entering this phase!) - but how far away really are those steps?
Let’s talk about it!
In general, pulling to stand with hand support is expected around 9-10 months of age.
From there, little ones begin to work through cruising progressions, which is when they are side stepping along furniture while holding on, often beginning around 10 months. They first begin to side step, then will progress to cruising along inner corners of furniture, then outer corners of furniture, then on vertical surfaces. All of this usually occurs within 4-6 weeks, at which time they’ll also begin letting go with one hand while in standing. Letting go with one hand progresses to brief periods of letting go with both hands, beginning to transition between two items placed slightly apart while standing, and beginning to balance in standing with no hand support. In general, independent steps are expected between 12-16 months of age, after a child has worked through the progression outlined. Literature often references 12-18 months As the average for independent walking, however in my opinion, if by 16 months you aren’t seeing strong signs that they are progressing through the skills mentioned above, I feel it’s worth bringing to your pediatrician’s attention and beginning to discuss whether Starting the process for a PT evaluation (which can take time!) may be warranted.
More on ministones here - aka, for walking, the “smaller skills” and signs that show your little one is progressing through upright skills and the foundation for steps is being laid.
Looking for shoes for your soon to be walker? Check out our Complete Shoe Guide!
What’s the Best Way to Set Up a Play Space to Encourage Your Baby to Pull to Stand?
When it comes to setting up your little one’s play space that is on the cusp of crawling and pulling to stand, one of the biggest things to consider is the height of the furniture around them. But what IS a good height for them to pull up on? Let me explain!
When a child is first starting to pull up on furniture, it’s very common to see them predominantly use their ARMS to ‘muscle’ themselves up, with both legs often remaining together & moving as one unit. This happens for two main reasons - one, because their arms are typically stronger than legs as a result of all the floor time, pressing up & strengthening of their arms in earlier months. And two, because learning to dissociate your legs, meaning the ability to move and use legs separately from each other, is a complex skill that takes time for our brain & body to work through!
Because of these common findings, it’s often helpful to give them LOWER surfaces to begin pulling themselves to standing on. Think, around their belly button height, or the height of a couch with the cushion flipped up. Having a lower surface allows them to lean forward into their arms more, allowing their arms (which remember, are typically stronger!) to assist in the movement, help reduce some of that ‘muscling’, and allow them to work on separating their legs from each other with the assistance of gravity. As they become stronger and more proficient at pulling to stand, you’ll begin to see them transition into standing through a half kneel (one leg forward in a lunge position while the other stays back). At this stage, slightly raising the surface they are pulling up on (around their nipple height) can be really helpful in further refining the movement, strengthening, and ultimately progressing to the next upright milestones, like cruising along furniture with hand support!
How to teach standing babies how to safely get down?
Now that your little one is pulling up….what the heck do you do to help them get back down?! First, please know that getting ‘stuck’ in standing is SUPER common for little ones new to pulling up. Not only does getting back down out of standing take a lot of motor planning, it also takes A LOT of strength through their legs, and with a very specific type of muscle contraction (eccentric) that is one of the hardest to nail down!
One of the simplest ways to help them get ‘unstuck’ in standing is to help them work in smaller ranges of motion to learn both squatting and returning to the ground through a half kneel. But how do we do that? Consider furniture height!
Start by placing a sturdy item about half the height of what they are pulling to stand on in an “L” shape next to them. For example, if they’re pulling up on the couch, try placing something approximately the height of a diaper box (on it’s side) or a laundry basket flipped over with a motivating item on top of it. Encourage them to reach for the item, which will allow them to work in mid range of the squat, gaining strength and control in smaller ranges of motion rather than needing to do a full squat or just plopping to their bottom to get out of standing.
More on what this set up looks like is shown in this post, and the Milestones & Motherhood Walking Masterclass has EVERYTHING you need to support your little one from pulling up through independent steps, if you like to have all the tips, tricks, hacks & set ups in one easy to access place! You can find more about that here.
Are there Toys that are good for encouraging pulling up & other pre-walking ministone skills?
Absolutely! While you certainly don’t NEED any or all of these items in order for your little to meet their milestones, there are definitely toys that as a pediatric physical therapist and mom of 3 myself, know were/are super motivating and fun for this stage! My top picks for this age and stage are here.
All in all, if you have a little one working on crawling and beginning to explore pulling to stand, I hope this information helps - and don’t forget, if you’re looking for all the tips, tricks, play space set ups & purposeful play activities that are FUN, encourage connection, and support the exciting milestones your little is working through, be sure to check out the Milestones & Motherhood Motor Masterclasses!
Want More Help With Pull to Stand?
For developmental questions, tips and guidance related to milestones about tummy time, rolling & sitting, crawling and walking, check out KC’s developmental Masterclasses linked here.
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