Expert recommends ‘lime trick’ to get your toddler to take their first steps: ‘Walking is...’

Taking the first steps is a baby’s greatest milestone. Parents sign up for whatever it takes for their baby to get those little feet walking–be it costly gear to consulting experts. But a pediatric expert revealed an interesting “lime trick” that beats any fancy walkers. Two limes are all toddlers need to stand up on their feet and get walking. Developmental physical therapist Olivia Reyes (@thebabypt) vouched for the parenting hack and explained the functionality of the limes was less about the fruit and more about the child’s own abilities. 

Many people consider the ‘lime trick’ to be a myth where babies hold limes in each of their hands, which naturally enables them to walk. However, the magic lies not in the fruit’s superpowers but in the science of balance and some confidence. Despite the ambiguity around the myth, Reyes affirmed that the “lime trick” did work, but beyond the potential of sour fruit. In a stitched video with a TikTok mom, Reyes shared footage of an 11-month-old baby boy, Mateo, who could barely stand but balances himself on both his feet as soon as his parents hand him two limes.

“In order to walk, we have to be able to stand by ourselves independently, like he’s doing here, for at least 10 seconds, giving counterbalance and helping him stay focused on the target,” she elucidated. Surprisingly, Mateo is seen toddling forward towards his mom with a smile on his face, almost forgetting that he was still a crawler, making for a special moment. “Mom is very close by, making him feel a lot more successful to see it,” the expert added. The post was liked by 33,800 people while Reyes expressed in the caption, “The lime myth makes a lot of sense when your baby can stand already! Love to see it!” 

Meanwhile, the comments were flooded with stories of toddlers’ antics and how some kids show a similar balance with other objects like chocolate and toys. “My nephew snatched 2 chocolates and ran. First time walking, or rather running,” stated a top comment by @redrock50. While @asia_my revealed, “My daughter stands for over a minute and will hold things in her hands and still doesn’t walk, and she’s 18 months.” A hilarious comment by @ocd1984 said, “My dad would put us into a large paper bag and we felt like we were stable holding on to it.”

Although some parents may be under the misconception that there is a right age for walking. Reyes suggests that the “age range” is huge for when babies take their first steps. “First steps are not the same as walking,” the pediatric expert told TODAY. She personally prefers standing exercises because it is the first time babies balance their entire body weight in a vertical position. “Before then, they crawl and roll ... horizontally, which distributes their weight over the body,” Reyes explained, who considers walking to be a “metric of time.” 

You can follow @thebabypt on TikTok for more videos.