Your thoughts on baby walkers please

[cupcake78]

DS is 10mths will not crawl or shuffle and is getting incresingly frustrated when he is not walking. We have tantrums everytime he has to go into his pushchair and when he sits in the floor he just gets louder and louder and more frustrated that he can't move. He can only walk with help and would happily do it all day long. We have a door bouncer which works for about 15 mins but then he gets sick.

Our house is small but I am beginning to wonder if a baby walker would be a good idea for him. It would have to be one he can sit in not just hold onto as he will not pull himself up or hold on to things without me being there.

Any help would be great. I'm not looking forward to another week if frustrated baby and stressed out mum.

[SquiffyHock]

We have one of these which both of mine loved. They were upright and independant but no danger involved!

[SquiffyHock]

independent

[lizinthesticks]

Your thoughts on baby walkers please

I would definitely employ one if I could afford.

[Seuss]

My 3 dcs had a sit in one - it was a bit of a family heirloom - mammas n pappas I think? IMO as long as you use it safely and don't leave them in there too long and still help your ds walk without one I don't see any prob.

[AlexanderPandasmum]

I had a rainforest jumperoo which ds really loved and it kept him happy while I was busy. It's like a baby walker but he bounced in one place and there was catchy music and lights which reacted to the bouncing.

I know that mothercare do the safer 'slo-go' walkers. I think the problems are supposed to be safety (crashing into things) and also the fact that it encourages babies to walk on their toes not their feet?

[ZacharyQuack]

How about a wooden trolley? Much more versatile than a walker, and safer.

[bluenosesaint]

lmao at liz

I don't like them and have never used them for any of my dd's. Dd3 did have something similar to what squiffy linked to but was called learn and groove. It was fab! Only used for around 3/4 months but definitely worth getting.

My dd's have all loved their pushalong walker thingies. Much better IMO.

[bluenosesaint]

"i don't like them" - i am referring to sit in baby walkers here, lol

[Flower3554]

I'm a fan of the hop'n'pop, same principle as the activity centers but smaller so takes up less room. Folds up when they go to bed too.

[Carmenere]

My dp is an osteopath and physio and he thinks that they (the ones that they can actually move around in) are very bad for little feet as they encourage them to use them before they are strong enough. Nature ensures that the babys feet are strong enough to support them by the time they can cruise iyswim.

And my db fell down a spiral staircase whils he was in one in the 1970's. He was ok, but that was a miracle in itself.

[Poppychick]

I'd also recommend the Jumperoo but not sure about baby walker if your house is quite small, they're quite bulky and my experience is that they get stuck then baby gets frustrated. I did use one with both DD and DS though for short periods of time against the advice of the HV and Co. It was handy to pop them in while I did the washing up or other chores. Personally I don't think using them for short periods of time is going to hinder a child's development but then I'm not the expert.

DS also liked Learn and Groove at nursery. Try to pick one up cheap at perhaps an NCT sale, Freecycle maybe as they do quite pricey and there's always the risk that he won't like it.