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Talk to me about baby walkers
I had felt sure we wouldn't get one of these for E, but having spent the night with our godchildren, she had a go in their little girl's walker and loved it. Their one is really old and a hand-me-down from her brother and sister so not still available.
Any recommendations? Or tips on what's good and bad to look for?
TIA x
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Hmm, H wouldn't allow N to have one as he's a children's physio so doesn't agree that they are good for babies. I do know the society of physios tried to get them banned a few years ago. I know they force babies to walk before they are developmentally able to and sit them in an unnatural position. Tip toes isn't good for them either. Also there are loads of accidents from them as parents just leave their children in th and don't watch them.
Obviously it's up to you if you get one! It's your decision. Plenty of babies have one.
My mum brough A a walker that has activity things on the front but his a few months away from using this yet as his only just learnt to roll. She said when my brother was a baby she got him a wooden thing that had bars and he could hold onto and a try at the front that he could put things in. She said he used to use it to walk to his toys and then put them in the try. He walked aided with this from 11 months x
WLLLS! We had our 8 month review on weds and was told if we had one not to use it, or limit use to ten minutes a day. We haven't got one as I was already aware that they weren't great for development and they are actually banned in Canada.
We too were advised by a physio that they arent good for their development and not to use one
J had the ELC push along one with activities on the front which he loved from 6 months and still plays with now. We were advised not to get the sit in ones either
Interesting reading this, does it apply to things like door bouncers and jumperoos or are they ok?
We didn't bother, not because of hip issues but because I think you need masses of space for it to be worthwhile.
As long as you're sensible and don't leave the child in there for ages I can't see that much of a problem with them.
We had one - just gave it away as it took up so much space and we never used it. Not money well spent imo.
We haven't and won't get one for all the reasons already mentioned. I also quite like my furniture and ankles, so didn't want them constantly rammed into.My eldest was a late walker and I still wasn't tempted as I figured she needed to get around in her own time. Anyway, things get more difficult once they can get around - why make it easier? We had the Vtech walker (useless until they can virtually walk as it has no brakes, so she used to lean on it and land on her face) but the better one was a 'box' from mothercare which had activities, including a shape sorter, on each side, wheels and a handle to hold onto. As it was heavier it didn't move unless she actually pushed it when walking.
Hmm, interesting opinions, thank you.
E spends ages in her Jumperoo already and isn't on tiptoes in that so I'm hoping that's OK.
I'm not worried about our furniture (or ankles!), she has a VTech pushalong walker thingy which she likes playing with but it is too fast for her and regularly runs away from her as she puts her weight on it.
Am still unsure. It's the space thing as well as whether it's bad for her that bothers me x
If you're unsure, get one 2nd hand so at least it won't have cost much if it doesn't get much use/ not enough space etc. I saw one outside a charity shop today and thought about it for oh, about 10 seconds! (My house is tiny though and already full of too much baby and toddler stuff.) Would she get a lot of use out of one if she spends a lot of the time in the jumperoo?
Good idea LWO. I guess we saw how brilliant their 12 month old is at walking and thought it might help E get mobile as she's very frustrated with her immobility. But it's a good question x
Is she cruising? I bought Isaac a buggy and dolly as he was actually taking the p1ss (he'd literally run round the furniture holding on, and would also stand unsupported but just wouldn't move) so got him a buggy from asda and a 'baybeeeee' and he LOVES it and pushes it round everywhere, he walks now and it really did get him moving, with L he had one of those wooden trolleys with bricks that got him moving but Isaac didnt like it x
I agree with above re walking on toes- I did. My parents were told it was due to my sit in walker. Children made fun of the way I walked which was really upsetting as a child and it took me a long time to teach myself how to walk properly (it was also painful) and there are still times when I catch myself on tip toes or my H will point it out. I have been adamant that we will not get one for our children in case the same happened to them. The push along walkers are great. E had the Fisherprice dolls pram and we are going to get M the colourful VTech one.
never bothered with a sit in one, for physio and space reasons. If you mean pushalong the Chicco penguin one is fab. You can slow the wheels down, meaning it doesn't run away with them, like the popular vtech one.
In my experience, they don't help teaching them to walk. C had a baby walker, he didn't walk unaided until 17 months. If anything, the wheels make them lazy. J never had a baby walker, he just had one of those Vtech walker/activity station things, and he was walking unaided at 10 months.
When they get frustrated at not being able to move, is when they start learning to move.
Maybe I just need to chill about her complete lack of any mobility. Difficult when she's one of only 2 babies in our NCT group that isn't crawling/walking/cruising.
Thanks all x
AP- She isn't very old so please don't compare her to your NCT group. E was 10 months old when she crawled properly (we were also a little concerned at the time as she seemed 'slow') and then she walked 2 months later when most of her NCT group couldn't. They all develop differently and honestly, enjoy it while your E can't move anywhere! It's bliss
WS is right, J was about 10 months when he crawled and 16 months when he walked, the ladt by a mile out of everyone we knew but he got there in his own time
Wehad a walker and just made sure O was always able to reach the ground properly. He was only ever in for small periods at a time and it helped ease his frustrations!
Please try not to compare though. I know its hard but they all do things sooo differently. o sat early...was commando crawling but wouldn't go on his knees, and wasn't pulling up/cruising. Then all of a sudden at 10 months pulled himself up on sofa one day and started cruising ...by 10.5 months he was walking! He only learnt he could crawl on his hands and knees just before his birthday! She may suddenly just do it all in one hit, but trust me, life is sooo much easier when they aren't mobile! X