Does weight really Stunt mobilization?

[JordanKX]

I thought I'd reached a place where I was OK with DS's chunky monkey status. But this week...

we went to a library time. DS is barely 13months. there was another baby, 11months. I saw him. He had Hair for days and like 9 teeth. But he wasn't walking, you could tell he was just a baby (where as DS was definitely the oldest in the group)

And the other Dad comes up to me and asks about DS's walking, curious if his son is not walking because of his Size... and when he saw DS being so chunky (and also not FULLY walking... he's walking, but not 100%), he questioned if it was because of the belly.

Like the belly is keeping them from walking.

Last WBV, DS was 35% for height, 85% for weight. He is a big boy, big belly, double chin, oh yes. But so much less than he used to be - he used to be BMI of 22%, now 18%. He's definitely getting smaller, more proportioned. He loves food, all food, everything, all the time.

But... has that really stunted his ability to mobilize?
I don't think so... at all.

This other baby, just because he had hair and teeth (things DS does NOT have, even at 13months, only 2 teef)... he's still just fine As well. He's a boy, in my opinion. He'll get around to it. So many reasons he's not walking yet. That lil boy is only 11months. I really don't feel like weight is the limiting factor.

It scared me though. I mean, I have so many people inputting on DS's life... grandmother, MIL, you pick. I've managed to shrug them off.. but when this other parent was concerned for their child.. and compared them to DS...

Does weight stunt becoming mobile?

[Dar]

Nope. My kid walked at 8 months and was 28 pounds at a year - she stayed in the 95th percentile or above for weight for years, and also hit all her physical milestones early.

They walk when they walk, and many babies don't walk at all until 13 months... or 15 or 17. Your chunky boy is just fine.

[mckittre]

My bottom of the charts skinny guy didn't walk until 13.5 months. Now at 20 months, he's super mobile (still only weighs 22lbs though). My friend's 2 roly poly girls both walked at 10 months. I don't think weight is a big factor.

[~PurityLake~]

My oldest daughter was 9 pounds 9 ounces at birth and was 20 pounds by 20 weeks and broke 30 pounds before a year. She was very active, walking on her own by 10 months and climbing everything by a year old. She's now 5 years old, 43" tall, 44 pounds and healthy.

My younger daughter was 5 pounds 5 ounces at birth and didn't reach 20 pounds until she was a year old. She was also a 10 month walker, but skipped knee-crawling in favor of camel - walking before walking (feet and hands, no knees on ground, butt in air), and not only crawling up to the counters, but like a monkey, scaling smooth surfaces using just her toes and fingers. I have pics of her literally climbing the walls. She is now 4 years old, 38" tall, 37 pounds, and still the active monkey.

So yeah, baby weight has nothing to do with when a toddler learns to walk. A lot of it is simply personality.

[physmom]

Definitely not! DD has always been in the 90+ percentile for height/weight (as a younger infant she was even closer to 95+%). She also has a MASSIVE head that's in the 97th+%. So she's not a little kid by any means! Before she was 1 she was already wearing 2T clothes...

That being said she took her first steps at 8 months and was walking well before she got to 10 months. She's always been really early with her gross motor milestones. Now if weight affected fine motor skills maybe you'd be on to something there.

[LadyCatherine185]

I just had to chuckle a bit at this. My DS was always in the 95% for weight, and his head circumferance ABOVE the 100%... He was crawl/scooting at 6 months, and walking at 9 months old. Rolls, chub, and all.

[SubliminalDarkness]

DS1 was a chunk. DS2 was skinny. They both walked right at 12 months, almost to the day.

It just varies from one kid to another.

[physmom]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

I just had to chuckle a bit at this. My DS was always in the 95% for weight, and his head circumferance ABOVE the 100%... He was crawl/scooting at 6 months, and walking at 9 months old. Rolls, chub, and all.

He's so cute! I love that picture!!!

[butterfly_mommy]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

I just had to chuckle a bit at this. My DS was always in the 95% for weight, and his head circumferance ABOVE the 100%... He was crawl/scooting at 6 months, and walking at 9 months old. Rolls, chub, and all.

Oh love the rolls Super cute!

DS was and still is in the 95% for weight. He didn't start crawling till he was about 11 mons or so but he was walking while holding onto stuff from about 10 mons but only started to walk independently at about 14 mons and was running at 19 mons.

[just_lily]

Of all of the babies I know, all of the early-normal walkers have been smaller, and all of the late-normal walkers have been the chubby ones. My DD was on the small side (about 19lbs at a year) and walked at 10 months. My best friend's DD is bigger (30lbs by a year) and didn't walk until 16 months - my poor friend thought her arm was going to fall off from carrying her everywhere!

But that is just my experience, and definitely not a universal truth. Clearly the PPs experiences show that it can go the other way as well.

And the important thing is that they all did walk, and well within the "normal" range. If your DS is already 13mo than clearly he isn't going to be an "early" walker, but he is in no way behind yet. And by 2yo most kids are losing their baby chubb and running around, and you have no idea who hit what milestones when.

So I wouldn't go so far as to say that it "stunts" mobilization. Your son will get there, and it really doesn't matter in the long run if it takes another month or two.

Plus we don't really know which comes first - it is a chicken and an egg scenario. Maybe the smaller kids slim down because they are running around, not the other way around. So don't worry. And ignore all the people who are telling you to do otherwise.

[LadyCatherine185]

Thanks mamas. He has lost almost all of his chub now though.

[JordanKX]

Thanks ladies!!! Like I said, I was really OK with his chunkiness... and I'm not worried about his walking... he's getting there. I wear him so much, Why would he walk? I totally get that part :-)

I just needed a little reassurance that the belly wasn't getting in the way. THANK YOU! :-)

[sagewinna]

My middle dd was 27 lbs at 9 months old. She walked at 11 months. My skinny neice was 15 months before she walked without holding on to furniture!

[mommy_to_2angels]

Chunky Monkey (AKA JJ) is 30lbs at 16 months. He's been a big boy right from the start and has hit 80% of his milestones early. Walking was at 10 months, he didn't crawl until 11 months tho... But he was climbing right around 10 months too! Sooo I would say it's just dependent on the child themselves, not the size so much.

[coldandsleepy]

Grey's always been gigantic. He was up to 29.5 lbs at his 12 month WBV. He crawled at a normal time (7 months) and walked at a normal time (11.5 months) and is a really good walker now at 12.5 months.

Maybe size is an issue for some babies, but I doubt it's often the most important factor... I think it's like anything else, toddlers are just going to do things when they do them.