The first months of a baby’s life require great effort on the part of the parents. This is because the newborn cannot fend for himself and requires our help to perform any movement or activity. As the months go by, the newborn baby begins to develop new skills, with it comes the crawling, and eventually the first steps.
The milestone of the first steps is one of the most awaited by parents, because it marks the arrival of a new stage in the life of the little one. But what happens when our baby decides that he doesn’t like to walk and prefers to be in our arms? Naturally, parents think that something is wrong, but it is not always the case.
A baby will begin to walk when his physical, emotional, and social skills are adequate. There is no age as such at which our baby should start walking, this can happen on average between 12 and 15 months of age. But again, there is no written rule for this.
If your baby is already starting to walk, but prefers to be held, he/she may be going through a stage called separation anxiety. The term refers to the need for attachment that a baby has with the parents, and it arises when the baby is aware of his independence, which causes distress at not seeing or being close to his parents.
You may wonder how you can carry out your daily activities when your baby only wants to be held, and it is certainly a challenge. Babywearing is one of the most viable solutions to keep your baby close while your hands are free for other activities.
Talking to the baby while we are in another room can soothe his distress and at the same time stimulate his need to explore the world. Placing stimulating objects at a certain distance can also be a great help for our baby to find it attractive to move from one place to another.
If you have any concerns regarding their motor skills and development, it is not a bad idea to consult with your pediatrician. Remember that each baby is unique and has its own rhythm, if your intuition makes you think about seeking help, do not hesitate.
First of all, we must always keep in mind that there is no such thing as too many arms, that’s right, there is no contraindication to holding our little baby in our arms. It will not do him any harm, much less delay his development. Babies act by instinct, and contrary to what we believe, their development does not depend on us, since we are not the ones who teach them to walk. So, if your baby asks for attachment and affection, that is exactly what he needs at that moment. Let’s remember that our baby will only go through this stage once in life, and in the blink of an eye he will grow up and stop needing our arms, enjoy each stage and don’t rush his natural processes. Eventually he will walk, run, and be more independent than you can imagine.
