3 mo. old insists on being held standing--will this cause hip problems?

[blake201]

So ever since she was 9 weeks old or so, my little babe has been insisting on being in a standing position pretty frequently (yes, I said 9 weeks!). She often gets cranky lying down (especially on her tummy... baby HATES tummy time!)... but instantly smiles and laughs when held up under the arms, and she pushes up off our laps with her incredibly strong legs to get herself into a standing position, locking her legs in that position. Sometimes she bounces up and down. Here is a photo example from when she was 9 weeks, being supported by her daddy.

This all seemed pretty cute and innocent to me, especially since it makes her giggle and laugh so much, but then my husband read in The New Father that any weight-bearing on her legs (no matter how strong) at this age is dangerous. My parenting books don't say anything about this that I know of (I've got The Baby Book and What to Expect the First Year, among others) and I had a hard time finding info about this online. And when our pediatrician saw her doing it, he just remarked on how active and alert and social she was for her age.

So what does current research and thinking say about this? Do we not let her "stand" even though she seems to LOVE it? Or do we just make sure that instead of balancing her, we support most of her weight ourselves when she does this?

Is this the equivalent of using that popular baby carrier in which baby dangles painfully from her crotch? (We babywear frequently, but always with slings/wraps/structured carriers that allow babies to have their legs angled up).

Just to be clear, we don't own any seats or exercaucer/jumper devices that would hold or prop her in a seated or standing position. I'm talking about when she's in our arms only.

[staceychev]

Both of mine did this too. I always thought it was because they took after me and were early walkers. (Well, DD1 was, at 10 months. I walked at 9 months. DD2 is just about crawling at 6.5 months, but is also pulling herself up and can stand supporting herself at a table.) I never really saw any problem with it.

ETA: really adorable picture, by the way!

[mom2happy]

Mine all did that starting at the 2 month age and were happy and held in that position frequently.
None has a hip or leg problem and one even had to be x rayed the other day for a soccer injury. His hips are perfect!

[jsh7809]

mine did that too, and thought she is genetically predisposed towards hip dysplasia (I had it as a baby), so far all of her scans have checked out fine! she does seem to want to walk early, but is only 5.5 months now, so, we'll see.

I mostly just wanted to say - your babe is such a cutie!!

[Knitting Mama]

Cecilia was and still is like that as well. So far, no problems! I think that it's not really the same as the crotch-dangle carriers if she's actually bearing weight on her feet.

[mommariffic]

OH she is CUTE!

My DS is 3 months and loves loves loves standing. If he's grumpy? Stand him up. Bored? Stand! Hungry? Okay hungry doesn't work but you get the idea, the guy just loves standing and he's strong! My daughter was like this and walked at 10 months so maybe that's what I'm in store for (and you too!)

[ErinYay]

V was very much the same way- she wanted to be standing, and would bounce herself, from a very early age, too!

At 9.5 months, she's been taking 1-2 steps alone for a bit over a week, and tonight took three! She seems to have really figured out what the whole stepping thing is about!

So, IMO, it's not harmful as long as baby's the one to decide when to stop standing, and you may well end up with an early walker!

[Abraisme]

I agree with the others, I don't think it's harmful. My dd loved to stand and my mother made a comment that I shouldn't force her to stand all the time. Uhm, she wanted to stand, I had to force her to sit down! She also started walking at 9.5mo, so it's probably cooralated.

[Nicole730]

I agree with pp. My son did that too and has no problems that I can tell so far, he's 2.5 now.

[newmamalizzy]

Sounds just like my DD. She DID have hip dysplasia and was in a harness from two weeks to 2 months, but her orthopedist never limited this behavior and her hips are now just fine. Dr. Sears makes some mention of babies' natural progression from floor to sitting up to standing up and how exersaucers and walkers thwart that progression, but I really don't think there's anything to worry about.

[blake201]

Wow, thanks everyone! So now I wonder what that book my husband read was warning about. I still haven't found anything concrete about it. I'll just try to make sure we're not MAKING her stand, but like I said, it's really initiated by her, and it makes her SO happy! (oh, and thanks for the compliments, she is indeed a cutie!)

[P.J.]

That picture is so cute ~ the looks on both of their faces are hilarious!

My baby is also very strong and physical and active, and he loves being held standing. In the Sears Baby Book it even has two pictures of this position under the three month old development section (pp.478 & 483 in my edition). It also says something about how it is safe, and it's a belief from our grandmothers' generation that it causes harm (p.483 next to the picture), so go ahead and do it.

[CookAMH]

My DS loved this too, at pretty much the same ages, if not earlier. He's very healthy at 17mo! I personally never worried about it and books can scare too much.

[SilverFish]

yep, my baby was exactly the same way! i remember my mom telling me she thought i was exaggerating it in new parent bragging style, and couldn't believe it when she witnessed it for the first time. like yours, standing distracted her from almost everything, but at 7 months, i haven't seen any advanced motor skills because of it. she doesn't adore standing like she used to, probably because she can sit unassisted though... we'll see if she walks early.

i think the appeal of standing for such a young babe is simply that it is a physical skill they CAN do... when you can't sit up or move around, standing is kind of it!

[Llyra]

That's an "old wives' tale" that seems to be particularly persistent in our culture. It is perhaps true that too much time upright in a device that causes baby to dangle from the crotch-- like a Bjorn, or a jumper, or an exersaucer-- has the potential to be harmful. Those are controversial, and no harm has been conclusively proven, but it's probably a good idea to limit time in them to a half hour or so. But standing, holding onto you, because baby is enjoying it is completely harmless and fun. If baby's legs were too tired, baby would get tired of it and fuss and let you know to stop.

Before we had scientific explanations for problems like degenerative bone diseases, and rickets, and scoliosis, and similar orthopedic problems, people came up with explanations for them that seemed reasonable-- like this idea that standing as an infant can cause problems.

[BtotheG]

Adorable baby!

DD always wanted to stand at that age, too. I think as long as it's baby-led (ie, baby decided to stand and when she's had enough) it's fine. The problem with walkers and carriers is that the baby doesn't get to decide the position, or how long she's in the position.

FWIW, DD stood early and walked at nine months.

[akat]

My first did it too, and walked at 9 mo. - my second could hold his weight the day he was born, and has loved 'standing' since then. He's 8 mo. and 1 day and cruising like a pro.

[rhiOrion]

Your kid is so cute!

My dd has always been like this. I don't really remember a time when she didn't like to stand. I mean, I'm sure she didn't come out of me standing, but it certainly seems that way.

She's just always had good leg strength and liked to be upright. Like a PP said, it's frequently a fuss-stopper.

She loves the jumper, too, but we don't keep her in there for long periods of time or anything.

There are old wives tales about standing too early making them bow legged, but I think it's completely just an old wives tale.

[treeoflife3]

one of the only things that made kiddo happy was not just holding her in a standing position, but actually helping her jump. at a few days old. DAYS. I hope its not bad becaues you better believe I let her jump as much as my arms could stand it (even though she HELPED by moving her strong legs a bit to jump!)

I've said since then that she just hates being a baby and is ready to be a BIG girl. People always say watch out! when they learn to roll/crawl/walk/talk but with my kid? She gets EASIER the more she can do. Less frustration from her not needing help to move around and do things I do. She still loves to jump too (although she was only into the jumparoo for a short time, I'm sure because she didn't like that it was a contraption helping her when she wanted to do it alone) and is seriously all over the place. Once she can talk (she only has a few words and some signs currently) I think we'll have a really really easy kid and relationship.

Honestly, if it makes baby happy then I really can't find myself avoiding doing it. When you are a tired new mom and standing makes your kid relax and laugh? well you are probably going to go with that!!

[blake201]

Originally Posted by P.J.

That picture is so cute ~ the looks on both of their faces are hilarious!

My baby is also very strong and physical and active, and he loves being held standing. In the Sears Baby Book it even has two pictures of this position under the three month old development section (pp.478 & 483 in my edition). It also says something about how it is safe, and it's a belief from our grandmothers' generation that it causes harm (p.483 next to the picture), so go ahead and do it.

I just checked my copy and you're right--I'm not sure why I didn't find it in there when I looked before. I do wonder why he says they only do it for a few seconds, though--she definitely does it for MUCH longer than that! But I feel a lot better.