To Jumperoo or not to Jumperoo!

[Foogirl]

According to Abby's physio, Jumperoo is fine (for short periods of time) baby walkers are a big no no because it doesn't actually teach them how to walk, they have to re-learn after they get out of them. For most children that does no real harm, but if your child is having problems getting to grips with it, it can be damaging. The most common myth is "my wee one had a baby walker and was walking at one so they must really work" Chances are that baby would have walked at one anyway!

I'm getting mine back from mum's loft to lend to Dawn, you can try jessica in that when she is big enough!

 

[PrincessPea]

Kirstie - The poster said all babies but especially prems, but what does a poster know when we have all this experience at our finger tips! Fab.

Foo - great, i think we may have a while to go tho!! lol, I was just interested - put her in a highchair in mothercare the other day as I was thinking of getting one to encourage her to bring her hands together when eating and all we could see were her wee eyes over the tray!!! lol - change of plan, got a bumbo instead!!!

Thanks ladies, you really are all fab! xxx

 

[Foogirl]

Foo - great, i think we may have a while to go tho!! lol, I was just interested - put her in a highchair in mothercare the other day as I was thinking of getting one to encourage her to bring her hands together when eating and all we could see were her wee eyes over the tray!!! lol - change of plan, got a bumbo instead!!!

That's hilarious!

 

[Dasy25]

Hey well i looked at all the info i could and i've decided to try it out. Not gonna allow her to be in it for too long. We are grateful for getting to try it out first from Foo. Thanks Foo.

LMAO at the highchair scenario

 

[toothfairyx]

lol @ Jessica. We got a bumbo - he hates it! It makes him barf all the time. Ikea do an excellent high chair with an insert that keeps them upright even when they are small but can hold up their head. They are dead cheap too - worth a look

 

[PrincessPea]

My daughter is HUGE, I dont understand why she doesnt fit in one of the highchairs!!! lol

@ toothfairy - thank you, I will definitely have a look at those.

Jessica doesnt mind her bumbo, depends what mood she is in but think she is starting to associate it with food. Its like a big armchair for her!!! lol. On an aside my Gran walked in the other day, took one look at the bumbo and blurted out 'what on earth are you doing with that huge potty'!!!!!

 

[divadexie]

My son (now almost 6) had a door bouncer and a walker. He walked no problem. He was walking by the time he was one and a half. Me and all my sisters had these things and never had any problems.

I have a door boucer for Anna and she loves it! I make sure she is low enough that her whole feet reach the ground properly. She is still too wee for her jumperoo though and we don't have enough space for a walker here.

 

[vermeil]

our son`s physio said absolutely nothing that encourages him to extend his legs - jumpers, exercise saucers, walkers (illegal in Canada anyway) etc. Here all preemies 29 weeks and under are followed by a physiotherapist and an ergotherapist. Of course our little guy has particularly stiff legs (from lying prone for 4 months in the hospital...) so we spend our time doing flexing exercises to encourage him to bend them. We don`t even let him stand on his tippitoes - despite the thought that he LOVES to, if we ever want him to crawl he needs to learn to bend those knees haha

She said she doesn`t recommend them for any baby, but especially preemies should avoid them.

He loved his saucer too - the one I bought (second hand) before the physio told me. In the basement it stays gathering dust - oh well

 

[toothfairyx]

Can I just be a bit thick and ask why are what seems to be everyone but us seeing physios? Are there motor issues I should be seeing? It's never been mentioned to us although at his last check the consultant did mention his head rotation was good with no neck stiffness. His legs seem (in my limited knowledge) fine. He does lock them out a bit but seems to be when I'm getting him to do something that he doesn't want to do. I know the bliss leaflets on premature baby development says to not use theses things but I would think that they do aid in developing upper arm strength in some way.

 

[SugarKisses]

katie was 13 weeks early & ive just bought her a jumperoo.....i think it will help promote the usage of her leggs & my community nurse hasnt had an objection xx

katie loves hers btw xx

 

[Scottiemum]

Can I just be a bit thick and ask why are what seems to be everyone but us seeing physios? Are there motor issues I should be seeing? It's never been mentioned to us although at his last check the consultant did mention his head rotation was good with no neck stiffness. His legs seem (in my limited knowledge) fine. He does lock them out a bit but seems to be when I'm getting him to do something that he doesn't want to do. I know the bliss leaflets on premature baby development says to not use theses things but I would think that they do aid in developing upper arm strength in some way.

Hi there, my DD had an IVH (brain bleed) so is automatically given physio, OT and speech and language therapy here in Ireland (great really). Because of the bleed it is expected she will have some motor difficulties but its all waiting to see how she develops so its all seen as early intervention. A lot of babies on here have had bleeds and are grand and others without bleeds can have problems so really hard to tell. Not sure how physio etc works in other countries but hope that helps a bit. I wouldnt worry what so ever about your son, he is well monitored by the docs.

 

[25weeker]

I am guessing it is nhs postcode lottery as in Edinburgh the physio sees all babies born below 32 weeks.

 

[PrincessPea]

Can I just be a bit thick and ask why are what seems to be everyone but us seeing physios? Are there motor issues I should be seeing? It's never been mentioned to us although at his last check the consultant did mention his head rotation was good with no neck stiffness. His legs seem (in my limited knowledge) fine. He does lock them out a bit but seems to be when I'm getting him to do something that he doesn't want to do. I know the bliss leaflets on premature baby development says to not use theses things but I would think that they do aid in developing upper arm strength in some way.

We arent seeing a physio either, although we havent yet had an 'official' deelopment check at the hospital.

 

[Marleysgirl]

Andrew seemed to be referred automatically due to his prematurity, they wanted to check that his muscle tone was developing properly. It was meant to continue until he was 2yo but we haven't been sent another appointment since before he turned 1yo.

Andrew loves his bumbo, we use it even now for breakfast feeds.

 

[toothfairyx]

Ah well thats interesting. We are at the hospital next week for the next review so will see what the consultant says, although I think at our hospital the guidelines for things are based on clinical obs and case-by-case rather than age-defined. We didn't get the RVS jabs automatically just because he was a 28 weeker as he didn't need much ventilation whereas I know some hospitals do that automatically. I guess his consultant is checking at his appointment as he tested his neck rotation last time and that seemed to be important to him at that stage. We didn't have a brain bleed either although my friend who is a SCBU nurse did say the scans weren't always indicative of potential future problems.

 

[AP]

I am guessing it is nhs postcode lottery as in Edinburgh the physio sees all babies born below 32 weeks.

Is this like, physio appointments seperate from neonatal check ups?? We only see Hilary at the 6 monthly check ups for like, 5 mins?

 

[25weeker]

I am guessing it is nhs postcode lottery as in Edinburgh the physio sees all babies born below 32 weeks.

Is this like, physio appointments seperate from neonatal check ups?? We only see Hilary at the 6 monthly check ups for like, 5 mins?

Yes the ones at the neonatal checks and like you say they aren't very extensive. Guessing she would provide extra if needed? Although as I have said before so far I haven't been particularly impressed by her checks so don't fill me with much confidence!

 

[pink.crazy]

I've always wondered that too, Toothfairy! I use an American forum as well as this one and ALL of the prems on there seem to get physio.. I got worried at one point and felt a bit like I can't be doing enough to help Leo as they did specific exercises with their babies. I'm glad to have little contact with the hospital but at the same time I want Leo to have all of the support available?

 

[AP]

I am guessing it is nhs postcode lottery as in Edinburgh the physio sees all babies born below 32 weeks.

Is this like, physio appointments seperate from neonatal check ups?? We only see Hilary at the 6 monthly check ups for like, 5 mins?

Yes the ones at the neonatal checks and like you say they aren't very extensive. Guessing she would provide extra if needed? Although as I have said before so far I haven't been particularly impressed by her checks so don't fill me with much confidence!

Phew i thought we were getting bumped there!! Mind you dont even go there.... Ive lost faith in them!!!

 

[Foogirl]

Abby saw a physio at each of her 4 month check ups. I insisted on a referral at 14 months when it was clear she was having some problems sitting and they physio wasn't at the check up. The consultant was loathe to do it but I forced her hand. If she hadn't have done it My HV was going to get a referral anyway. Knowing what we do now - (she's been diagnosed with cerebral palsy) I'm glad I put my foot down. Although to be fair, she would have got it eventually.