Bumbo seats/jumperoos/walkers etc...bad for baby?

[serenas_song]

A friend recently mentioned to me that her chiropractor said that things like these are bad for baby's spine and leg development...and I found several articles online saying the same, like this one:

https://www.family-wellness.com/baby-seats-what-works-and-what-hurts/

what do you think? do you use these things? I've been using a Bumbo a little, but I was also about to break out the jumperoo for my 4 month old, but now I'm not so sure...

but babywearing is ok right? how does that work? Seems like if being upright prematurely is bad, wouldn't being upright in a wrap be too much pressure on their spine too?

Makes me mad that we have do do so much research on things that are marketed as safe and even beneficial for babies! but I guess thats the way it is with all things in life...we worship the almighty $$$

 

[Rachel_C]

I tend to think all things in moderation is ok. We have a jumperoo which LO goes in for maybe 5-10 minutes once or twice a day. IMO her position and the bouncing movement in that is not much different to when I hold her on my lap and she bounces. I wouldn't want her in it for much longer. We don't use walkers as I don't think children should be able to move around freely before they can do it themselves.

You are right about carriers, well the mass produced mainstream ones like Baby Bjorns and similar. They are not good for baby's hips or spine and they're not good for yours either. In a better carrier (of which there are many but unfortunately not many high street shops stock them), young babies go in the position they naturally adopt when you hold them to your chest. It's called the 'froggy' position - they lift up their legs like a frog and snuggle into you. There's no problem with that position and the carrier just replaces your arms so it's no different to carrying them. Then, as they get older they stop lifting up their legs so high when you pick them up, so then you put them into a seated position in a carrier. Ones like Baby Bjorns aren't anatomically correct - they let the legs hang down so that the baby is dangling on the front of their parent and the knees are well below their botton. Good carriers position the baby so that the knees are higher than their bottom and the legs are splayed out wide. That way, there's no pressure where there shouldn't be. It's interesting to read about!

 

[rocketb]

I've seen the same about walkers, jumperoos, and bumbos and decided not to buy any for the moment. Floor time is supposed to be the best. I guess once she's more mobile I can always do floor time in her pack'n'play if she needs to be contained safely.

LO's daycare has jumperoos and bumbos. I guess I'm ok with her going in those there for small amounts of time but I may mention something if I see her left in one for too long (I watch her on camera during the day).

I have an Ergo carrier and am still using the infant insert, but she's at the point where she still needs the height from the removable cushion but her legs need to go around me or they push down through the waist strap.

 

[lozzy21]

Fine in small doses I think, we were given a bumbo and it was a godsend when it came to weaning. Even though we waited untill 5 and a half months she was too small for her high chair untill she was 7/8 months old.

 

[TySonNMe]

We used a bumbo for mealtimes. DS also loved the jumperoo. I did not let him use the walker though and was adamant that his daycare not put him in it either.

 

[Snuffy]

Generally I think they are okay in short bursts but so many people seem to leave them in their walkers or jumperoos for far too long.

My daughter was born with DDH and her physio said that under no circumstances should she use a jumperoo or any similar type of bouncer because of the pressure on her hips during her treatment. Her physio added that she wouldn't recommend a jumperoo for any child but definitely not for one with joint problems.

 

[Snuffy]

Just to add, I hadn't heard anything about bumbos. We had one and Amy used it, albeit not much because she wasn't keen - chunky thighs lol.

 

[pinkandfluffy]

In a good carrier babies legs are well positioned - knees above the bottom, in a seated position.

In walkers and bouncers they tend not to be, and 'dangle' a la baby bjorns etc.

No idea on the bumbo issue - my LO used to sit in his while I had a wee. Similarly he had short amounts of time in a jumperoo so I could quickly shovel some lunch down me lol.