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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get my baby a walker?

117 replies

Anythingwithagiraffeonit · 10/05/2011 19:03

I mentioned today to my friend that 7 month DD doesn't seem to be attempting to crawl / lift herself up on her hands and knees etc and she suggested a walker as some babies never crawl and she could strengthen her legs that way etc etc...

I mentioned this in passing to some friends at a baby group and they were horrified... Are they really that bad?

Would I be being unreasonable to get one for her? Are there not safe ones?

OP posts:
NeverSayPie · 14/05/2011 22:30

Yeah them pesky facts, getting in the way. Clearly you don't bother with FACTS!! Hmm

babies don't need wheels, theres a fact for you.

teaforone · 14/05/2011 22:34

Yer and adults dont need wheels either you dont need a car children dont need a bike or rolla skates we dont really need anything so why do we bother with anything what a confusing world we live in :)

ggirl · 14/05/2011 22:39

my ds loved his
didn't do him any harm at all
he walked at 13 mos
obv only let them in it for minimum 12hrs a day
....arf

teaforone · 14/05/2011 22:44

you either want to use them or you dont it is like anything really isnt it

Sidge · 14/05/2011 23:00

My brother sustained a skull fracture by falling down a flight of stairs in a baby walker, 30-odd years ago. The walker was rigid enough that it knocked the stair gate out hence he went down.

He spent his first birthday in a coma.

Those static play/jump things aren't too bad as they don't move and give the baby an opportunity to be upright and playing, but moving walkers are not especially safe IMO.

fartingfran · 15/05/2011 06:10

The thing is, you can have a walker in a totally safe environment but it is still causing the baby to use their legs in a totally abnormal way and may cause shortened tendons. So you have to limit their time in it. Why bother? As usual the mantra of "didn't do mine any harm" gets trotted out like it's some sort of evidence.

When I was a baby there weren't car seats or seatbelts and it didn't do me any harm so you lot are silly to want to use them Hmm

bigTillyMint · 15/05/2011 06:40

DD wasn't crawling at 7 months
She wasn't crawling at 8 months
She wasn't crawling at 9 months

She was walking at 10 months.

She had my friends 30 year old toddler brick-trolley to push aroundSmile

NeverSayPie · 15/05/2011 10:23

Can't believe this is still going on. Surely the most moronic parent can compare the two sides here...on the one hand you have professional bodies of child safety experts, doctors, physiotherapists, and entire governments saying "dangerous, don't use", on the other hand you have " my baby likes it, u know ur bubz hun".

Up to you though.

VJ1983 · 15/05/2011 11:12

Like many others have said, 7 months is young for crawling. DD didn't crawl until 8.5 months but walked at 9 months. She did have a walker and I'd use it again for any other DCs for short periods of time, in an enclosed area with nothing at head height.

PatriciaHolm · 15/05/2011 12:51

There is difference between matters of personal opinions and matters of verifiable statistics such as:

"Injury Database (IDB) data from 9 European countries between 2002 ? 2007 show that over 90% of baby walker injuries are injuries to the head, with 31% of them causing brain injury, and 35% causing skull injury.
Austrian hospital records show that a baby walker injury severe enough to cause a skull fracture or concussion occurs at least once a week.
In the United Kingdom in 2002, over 2,350 children were taken to the hospital after being injured in a baby walker.
Research in Wales showed that 25% of babies hospitalised with burns and scalds had been in a baby walker when the injury occurred."

Even a child in a flat enclosed space with nothing at head height is at increased risk of skull injuries from toppling over.

I wouldn't care so much if it were the adults who ended up getting injured, that's your lookout. But it's not, is it?

TheBride · 15/05/2011 13:02

When we're talking walkers, do we mean the ones with wheels where their legs go through the middle, so they can sort of power themselves around?

What about the ones which are like baby zimmer frames?

ChippingIn · 15/05/2011 13:10

It's another one of those situations where anecdote does not equal data.

Research has proven they are not good for a childs development (tendons etc) so why would you take the risk?

Plenty of people say 'my child is fine' but they really don't know that - often the problems with things like that don't show up until later in life, then no one relates that back to the walker used when they were a baby.... so really, we don't know the 'harm' done by such things on a personal level.

In addition to that, they take up a lot of room - there's no way I'd want something like that kicking around for it to be used for a few minutes a day.

7 months is very young for you to be at all worried about crawling/lifting herself up. Trust me - she will move soon enough and you will wonder what the rush was!! Make the most of her staying where you put her!

zukiecat · 15/05/2011 13:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IprivateI · 15/05/2011 13:27

Your child will walk/crawl when ready. Don't force her with this crap device. It causes problems with their legs and many children end up walking on their tip toes. I thought they were banned in the UK - obviously not. Don't do it.

nometime · 15/05/2011 13:38

Ds's used them - though it was several years ago now -probably before they were banned! They loved it. I was always there and they were supervised, it was just some fun for them and gave them another aspect on life!! Be sensible it's not a babysitter but I can't see how a little time in one is going to harm your DC.

foreverondiet · 15/05/2011 13:39

Babies do stuff at their own pace. My DS2 for example didn't crawl until his first birthday and didn't pull himself up until around then. He is 13 months and showing no interest to walk.... he'll get there in his own time.

In terms of the walkers, do you mean one they push or one they sit in? In terms of the sitting in ones, there are concerns that they might cause damage to babies hips/legs if they are not ready to put weight on them so can't see why its worth the risk (even if the risk is tiny) - am pretty sure thats why they have been banned. Jumperoo has same risks.

RobynLou · 15/05/2011 13:43

as many others have said 7m is early to be worrying about crawling. my DD didn't crawl till 9m, but was walking at 11m.

she did very occasionally go in a door bouncer we were given, but I think they're ok so long as the baby doesn't weight bear.

Bunbaker · 15/05/2011 13:47

"I mentioned today to my friend that 7 month DD doesn't seem to be attempting to crawl / lift herself up on her hands and knees etc"

First of all I think you are worrying unnecessarily. Seven months is extremely early to expact a child to do these things. DD wasn't even sitting up on her own at that age. She was crawling at 12 months and walked unaided at 16 months. Children develop at different rates.

As for baby walkers, I think they are unnecessary and a waste of money.

sweetkitty · 15/05/2011 14:00

I didn't have one for DD1 due to being in a small flat, my mother was horrifed and insisted she wouldn't learn to walk as they strengthened their legs.

DD1 walked at 12 months.

If you actually look at the way a baby moves, they hurl themselves body first and only their tiptoes are on the floor, I think you can always tell if a newly walking baby has been in a walker as they walk on their tiptoes a lot. Walkers DO NOT strengthen legs as the babys bum and therefore weight is supported by the seat of the walker, their legs are not bearing any weight at all.

DD2 never had one she walked at 11 months.

DD3 well a friend gave me a brand new one, she did enjoy being in it but the minute she started to pull herself up I took her out of it. She walked at 11 months.

DS was in his between 6-9 months and has just started walking at 12 months as well.

I think the danger is if the baby is content in them to leave them in it for long periods of time. I personally know someone who would get their DD up, fed and changed then into the walker all day and she would even feed her lunch and dinner in there, the poor wee thing was only "let out" for nappy changes, but apparently she loved that walker. Took her ages to walk and then it was on tiptoes only.

Personally they are OK I wouldn't spend £40 on one and they take up a huge amount of room and if you can stand your ankles getting clattered into all the time then get one.

Most babies aren't crawling at 7 months, mine were usually 8-9 months and judging by most babies on DSs post natal club, some aren't doing it at 12 months, some are bum shufflers, maybe you have a bum shuffler instead. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

DontCallMePeanut · 15/05/2011 14:02

DS didn't crawl until he was 10 months old. She'll crawl when she's ready. Baby walkers are truly horrible IMO

worraliberty · 15/05/2011 14:06

All 3 of mine had walkers and loved the little bit of independance they gave them. I'd definitely recommend them OP.

ShinyMoonInAPurpleSky · 15/05/2011 14:06

Ds was crawling and cruising at 6 months, 3 months later and while he can now do both really fast he's showing no interest in walking. We were given a baby walker by a friend in a big bundle of baby stuff and we used it for 2 weeks when ds was 6 months old to feed him in instead of the highchair which he hated at that point. We only used it for 2 weeks because he tried to climb out of it and fell out, it went in the bin that day. As for walking in it, ds couldn't make it move anyway and as I said he was in it only for mealtimes.

As for his jumperoo he showed no interest in it once he could crawl except to use it to pull himself up from the outside, he doesn't want to be contained!

CurrySpice · 15/05/2011 14:12

I can't understand why you're worried about her development anyway - she's only 7 months! So what if she's not showing signs of starting to crawl?

Don't get sucked into the "my baby was standing up reciting Shakespeare at 7 months!" malarky because it the road to ruin.

She will get there. In her own good time

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 15/05/2011 14:30

I have a baby walker as I never knew that they were so controversial and it was given to me by a relative so I never read up on it before purchase...
I have a few questions, I'm not intentionally trying to be argumentative! Grin

  1. My DS uses his only in my living room. There is a baby gate up and nothing is within reach for him as the living room is already "babyproofed" for his 18m cousin. I only have a small living room so he cant get up to high speed. Does this sound safe?
  2. DS is 8m and already cruising and stands flat on the floor when in his walker. I hope this means he isnt harming his tendons? Any idea?

I'm going to get rid of it anyway I think...

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 15/05/2011 14:31

PS, OP he doesnt crawl. I never crawled, neither did my dad, so I'm not expecting it :) I walked at 9m, dad walked at 8m. I had no teeth til 18m thought Grin