When do babies start cruising?

What are the stages of cruising?

Seeing your baby discover skills they never knew they had is fascinating. Although there are no hard deadlines to their development, here’s an outline of what you can expect.

• Newborn to two months. Your baby will already be displaying the instincts needed to walk. If they feel a surface under their feet, you might notice them bracing against it.
• Five to ten months. At around six months, your baby will take their own weight if you help them. They’ll likely be bouncing up and down with their feet on your thighs with you supporting them.
  
  During this phase, your baby might learn to sit, roll over and possibly crawl - activities that will help them develop strength and confidence. 
• Seven months to one year. In this phase, your baby will probably develop the ability to pull themselves up from a sitting to a standing position using furniture (or a convenient leg) for support. They won’t cruise straight away, in fact, it’s more likely they’ll come back down with a bump!
  
  As your baby gets better at standing, they can enjoy this new perspective. Pretty soon, they’ll want to explore. Pull-ups® Explorers are designed especially for this important phase. They flex and protect both day and night, helping Big Kids explore, learn and develop. 
  
  As their balance and confidence develops, your baby will start to cruise - tentatively at first, but before long their mobility will improve. Moving potentially harmful or valuable objects out of their way suddenly becomes a priority, find out how with this guide to baby-proofing your home.

• One year onwards. How long it takes for babies to walk after cruising depends entirely on the individual. The progression from baby cruising to walking isn’t always a quick one. Although we take it for granted, walking is a complicated business, demanding significant strength, balance and coordination. Although your baby will cruise and walk in their own time, there are ways you can help.

How to help your baby when cruising

Your baby will do their own thing in their own time, but you can help them learn to cruise by trying the following:

• Give them lots of practice by helping them stand - on your lap while you’re sitting or leaning against the cushions at the back of the sofa.
• Encourage your baby to pull themselves up by putting a favourite toy just out of reach on a sofa or a low table. 
• Your baby may stand and not know how to get down again. You can help by bending their knees to show them how to sit down safely.
• You can also encourage your Big Kid to walk if they’re feeling confident by sitting or kneeling in front of them, holding their hands as they walk towards you.

Baby Steps

As we’ve outlined above, babies take the step up to being Big Kids from around eight months. Don’t worry if yours doesn’t stand or cruise as soon as they reach this age. When your baby does become an explorer though, they’ll need the right equipment for their adventures. Find out more about how Pull-Ups® Explorers can help them explore, learn and develop.