Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

to put my 9 month old in a baby walker?

115 replies

buggerlugsandbananafeet · 30/01/2011 18:24

I have recently started using a walker for my 9 month DD. It was bought by my mum, who says that as a baby i loved mine. So i popped DD in it and she too appears to enjoy it.
She isn't in it for hours and hours but some of the mums at playgroup have told me that walkers are really bad and can mess with development.
Is this true and if so, why the hell do they still sell them?

OP posts:

altinkum · 30/01/2011 19:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rhian82 · 30/01/2011 19:48

I saw a paediatric physiotherapist for DS when he was little (about something completely different), and she asked if we used walkers or door bouncers. I said we had a bouncer and she pulled a face a bit, and said all physiotherapists hate both those things, because they can cause issues with babies' feet development - especially the bouncers, because they reach down with tip-toes, and can apparently keep their feet in that position when trying to walk.

She did acknowledge, though, that babies love them! And said that as long as it was just for short periods, and he wasn't spending hours in them, it should be fine.

OldMumsy · 30/01/2011 19:49

My twins loved these and I dont think they were held back in any way.

YankNCock · 30/01/2011 19:53

I thought the issue with them was that they can get moving quickly on wheels (particularly on hard flooring) and bump into things like tables...and things on the table fall off onto them.

The other thing my mom (who was a health visitor in the U.S.) said was that the baby's feet should be flat when using the walker, not dangling or on tiptoes as this can harm development of leg muscles/ligaments.

I used a walker from when DS was about 5 months, but took the wheels off so it was more like a standing play station. His feet were always flat and if he was fully sitting his knees would bend a bit. He could practice his standing and get his legs stronger, but didn't go anywhere. Very handy!

CointreauVersial · 30/01/2011 19:53

Another baby walker fan here - my three all went through a phase where they loved being "upright" but couldn't yet stand. They didn't do much walking about as such, but mostly played with stuff on the tray and bounced a bit on their feet. I never used it upstairs, or for long stretches, or where they could get into trouble, and they were all walking by 1 year.

roomonthebroom · 30/01/2011 19:55

I worked for Clarks years ago when they still taught us how to fit shoes PROPERLY. On one of the training courses they showed us a video of paediatrician talking about foot development and walking etc and he said that if babies spent too long in a baby walker they tend to walk on their tiptoes and it can shorten the tendons in the back of the legs in the same way that wearing high heels all the time can for women. I guess the baby would have to be in one for really prolonged periods though, so not sure if YABU.

Original poster

buggerlugsandbananafeet · 30/01/2011 19:56

I like the taking the wheels off idea. Might give that a go.

OP posts:

YankNCock · 30/01/2011 20:03

Taking wheels off was great. Now that DS (17mo) is running around getting underfoot all the time, I look back fondly on those extra months of him NOT being mobile.

velouria · 30/01/2011 20:13

Dd had one but it was a bit pointless really, we were living with mil at the time and had a very small living room(mil bought it).

I don't see any problems with using it,dd liked it and was walking at 11 months, just a waste of money though, they are used for about 3 milliseconds.

Rhadegunde · 30/01/2011 20:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

valiumredhead · 30/01/2011 20:17

pigletmania I totally agree - can't believe the harsh punishments! I also think if they were that bad they wouldn't be on sale in the UK.

Tee2072 · 30/01/2011 20:21

I was told point blank by a paediatrician to not use one. Period.

Good enough reason for me.

TheVisitor · 30/01/2011 20:23

My kids loved theirs. :D I'd alternate my triplets between a walker, baby nest and bouncer, 20 minutes in each. Kept them amused whilst I got on and did stuff. As long as a child is well supervised and not left for prolonged periods, I don't see a problem.

mumbar · 30/01/2011 20:24

YANBU, DS sat in his from 4 months with no wheels on as he preferred being upright to play. He sat unaided at 5 months and walked at 10 months. He used his lots too.

It didn't cause any problems for him - BUT I did get told repeatedly IWBU.

Francagoestohollywood · 30/01/2011 20:36

It was a life saver for us! We used to put ds in it while we were eating, it gave us 20 minutes of freedom.
Of course you need to baby proof the room, put stair gates etc. And don't use it for long stretches of time.
An active baby is bound to love it.

Gillybobs · 30/01/2011 20:43

Keep it fairly low so they arent on tip toes.

I couldnt have survived without it - my 2 adored it and both walked at 10 months. I never left the room when they were in them or used them upstairs.

Common sense applies as with all things.

Your baby will love it

NellieForbush · 30/01/2011 20:44

YABU if you leave your dd in one all day, at the top of the stairs while you have a lie down. But assuming your dd likes being in one for short periods while she is supervised then YANBU at all.

BTW, my friend's ds has problems with shortened achilles tendons and he has never used a baby walker/bouncer.

BuzzLightBeer · 30/01/2011 20:48

Its no use listening to people who say I used one and my kid is fine therefore they are fine. Most kids in cars without car seats would be fine, but the ones who aren't fine would probably make you think twice.

Canada didn't ban them for nothing. The American Pediatric association doesn't advise against them for nothing. They haven't decreased in popularity for nothing. They used to be the leading infant product in injury causing. Skull fractures were the most common type of fracture, they were associated with burns, broken bons, finger amputation, broken teeth, and even death .

This isn't conjecture or anecdote. This is published data by experts.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16510623
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16494707
aapgrandrounds.aappublications.org/cgi/content/extract/3/1/1
www.marshallbrain.com/cp/walkers.htm

Use one, don't use one, up to you. But don't discount worldwide reliable scientific research in favour of "theres nothing wrong with my kid".

Francagoestohollywood · 30/01/2011 20:54

But if a child in a baby walker gets burned by a hot cup of tea, it's not the baby walker's fault, is it. It is the lack of parental supervision.
I agree that leaving a child in a baby walker for a long time can cause problems with baby's posture, feet etc.

BuzzLightBeer · 30/01/2011 20:56

it is if the wheel along faster than you realise and hit the table with the tea on it. Seriously, you think the 15,000 a year injuries were just down to crap parenting?

Francagoestohollywood · 30/01/2011 20:57

Yes

BeautifulBlondePineapple · 30/01/2011 20:59

DS1 had a walker and was in it from 6 months. He absolutely loved it and would have whizzed around in it for hours if I'd let him. It certainly didn't delay his walking as he walked at 8 months! And can't say that it's harmed him long term either - he's 5 now & very sporty. And he doesn't have bandy legs or anything.

As long as you're sensible about the length of time she's in it for and it's in a safe area then go for it!

BuzzLightBeer · 30/01/2011 21:00

Funny that lots of doctors and a couple of governments disagree then. Can you link to your published research on the subject, if you know so much about it?

NellieForbush · 30/01/2011 21:00

Well according to the first link you gave buzzlightbeer there were 5100 injuries in 2001 of which 74% were from falls down the stairs. So on the whole I'd say that was crap parenting.

Use them sensibly.

BuzzLightBeer · 30/01/2011 21:02

or don't use them at all, even better.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5