Little compares to the heartwarming rush you get when your baby takes her first steps. While you may be at the office when you get the news about her initial unassisted stroll, remember: You helped her reach this lofty goal, and you'll be there to watch many meaningful steps thereafter.Your baby will typically begin walking between 11 and 17 months, says pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, MD, editor-in-chief of The Wonder Years, a guide to early developmental milestones. "Babies choose the most energy-efficient way to get to their desired destination," she explains. For some, this means crawling or some variation of it, including rolling, tummy slithering or scooting on their bottoms. Others may simply pull themselves up to standing and begin to cruise, holding furniture or walls. Just know that it's all normal. Still, it's a good idea to consult your pediatrician if your baby hasn't moved independently by 12 months or walked by 18 months.Your job in your baby's journey is to shower her with praise and encouragement and make sure that from early on she gets lots of time to play and explore on the ground, often called "tummy time." This is crucial to the development of crawling, standing and walking. To get your baby moving, Dr. Altmann suggests activities like waving a rattle while she's on her tummy and encouraging her to move toward it or prompting her to follow a ball. This crawling-around stage is one you don't want to skip by trying to get your baby to walk too soon. When she's closer to the walking stage, help her take steps while holding both your hands. Eventually, she'll hold only one hand and then maybe just a finger. When she's steadier on her feet, stand a short distance away and call her over. "Working parents needn't fret about time constraints," assures Dr. Altmann. As little as 20 minutes of constructive playtime morning and evening will do the trick. Soon your little stroller will be on the go—and you'll be left in her wake trying to keep up!

Walk This Way

While toys and other products are fun, children don't learn to walk better or quicker with them, says Dr. Tanya Remer Altmann. Here's the scoop on developmental props:

Mobile walkers may cause injury to little limbs and are not recommended.

Stationary play stations are fine for short durations but may hinder balance and muscle-strength development if used for more than two 20-minute stretches a day.

Push-and-pull toys can be fun and helpful, especially for toddlers still unsteady on their feet.

Shoes are good for cold weather and the outdoors, but let early walkers use bare feet indoors to grip the floor. Look for nonslip, flexible shoes for maximum control.