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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

fartingfran · 15/05/2011 14:34

allsquare, if he already cruises then the walker surely is pointless anyway?! Bin!

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 15/05/2011 14:38

I tend to put him in it when I have to go in and out of the room as I dont like to leave him free on his own while hes not fully stable, even if its only for a second...

fartingfran · 15/05/2011 14:47

Then you need a playpen or travel cot!

RitaMorgan · 15/05/2011 14:55

Leaving him in it unattended sounds more dangerous than leaving him free to be honest!

petisa · 15/05/2011 16:01

Hate walkers for reasons given above, would never have gotten one. My dd2 is 8 months and just starting to pull herself along the floor a bit by her elbows. Imo babies are best rolling around on the floor with their toys as much as possible so they can work out how to move around and crawl and explore and stuff.

messymammy · 15/05/2011 16:17

dd2 is 7.5 months and I wish she wasnt crawling. She has been mobile (by rolling) since about 20 weeks, and I'd love if she wasn't!

Enjoy the time while dc isn't crawling, now I need ten eyes.
Children really don't need to sit in a walker to learn to walk or crawl, they do that by rolling around on the floor.

wonders how we evolved this far with no walkers

ShinyMoonInAPurpleSky · 15/05/2011 16:22

Forget crawling messymammy, ds has now discovered climbing! Up the baby gate (using the stair behind it), on the foot stool and up to the sofa, up the bookcases, up and on to certain toys, even if they aren't steady enough to be climbed on (for example his bouncy/rocking chair) doh!

messymammy · 15/05/2011 16:27

shinymooninapurplesky dd climbed into the basket underneath her pushchair today, so I know exactly what you mean!

Love the name btw,wonder have we the same toy that sings that song?!
shiny moon in a purple sky, I see my face as you go by a cube type thing by leapfrog?

ShinyMoonInAPurpleSky · 15/05/2011 16:34

We do

ahh the pushchair! How did I forget the pushchair! We have a MacLaren something or other for nipping to the shops and ds throws a hissy fit if I don't let him play with it before and after every walk...he pushes it around the room and once it's in a suitable position up against the bookshelf he climbs right up it, he managed to stand on the top of the backrest yesterday [pulls out hair!!!]

(I was of course supervising all this with hands out at the ready to catch him)

Worst thing I ever did was let him try and climb up the stairs - he got it in one and thats what started this obsession with climbing! I'm convinced he won't bother to walk until there isn't anything else he can go up.

ShinyMoonInAPurpleSky · 15/05/2011 16:37

And I live in fear that one day he will climb out of his cot and go crashing to the floor! I know he will be able to do this at some point as a toddler but not yet please!!!!!!!!

AppleyEverAfter · 15/05/2011 16:45

I bought my nephew (now 3) a Learn and Groove. It's a static sit-in thing where they can spin and stand but not actually move. He and his sister used it and it's coming to us soon! Both children seem to have developed fine.

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 15/05/2011 17:15

I dont want to argue (love a good bunfight, just dont have the time ) but I am genuinely confused - how would my DS be safer climbing up furniture and walking round it on his own when hes only just learnt how, rather than in the walker?

I have the next age up of the learn and groove (the table) and its brilliant!! :)

Bunbaker · 15/05/2011 17:44

"how would my DS be safer climbing up furniture and walking round it on his own when hes only just learnt how, rather than in the walker?"

I had a playpen - much the safest option. DD would play in it while I was cooking.

ShinyMoonInAPurpleSky · 15/05/2011 18:43

Allsquare - DS is very confident cruising now so I don't need to worry about him falling but I am constantly watching and removing him from places he shouldn't be and more often than not, on my knees behind him ready to catch!

However if I can't be watching him and I need to get on with something then he is either in his cot, in the playpen (which he hates) or in the carrier on my back to keep his little fingers out of stuff.

Once he climbed out of the walker he would never have been safe in it, never mind all the other safety things people have talked about.

I think the main point is that if the baby is in a walker it gives you a false sense of security, whereas as I know I have to watch ds or he'll do something dangerous and I'm not going to wander off thinking "well he's in the walker, I'll just go out here and do xxxx"

inchoccyheaven · 15/05/2011 19:39

I used a baby walker with both my sons and ds1 (born 5 weeks prem) was about 4 months when he went in one ( padded up front and back to keep him in place) because it was one of the few things he liked that meant I could actually put him down to do something as he ( and ds2) were very clingy and liked to be carried everywhere and while this was ok most of the time ( I did use a sling lots too) it was good to get a break. DS1 crawled at 6 months and walked at 11 months, ds2 ( born 3 weeks prem) crawled at 8 months and walked at 13 months so I don't think it had any effect on their development. They also had a bouncer which hung from the door frame.

They never fell out and loved whizzing round the front room and down the hall It had various levels for height so could be adjusted as they got taller.

teaforone · 15/05/2011 20:39

allsquareknickersnofurcoat

He would be safer than climbing up on things alone quite right

estya · 15/05/2011 21:17

I understand that walkers and jumperoos sit the baby in an unnatural position. As do bumbos and supporting a baby in sitting position on your lap before it can sit by itself (as someone has already said and was flamed for it), which I guess is why its frowned upon in some European countries to sit a baby on your lap before they can sit unsupported).
So i guess all these things should be banned.
But we got a walker and bouncer from a boot fair. LO loves them so much and I'm careful not to let her spent too long in them (15 ish mins, probably 5 days/week).

The falling down stairs/knocking a mug of coffee thing I guess is a different issue.
When she is sitting on the floor, in 60 secs she'd bum shuffle away from all the cushions and then headbut the floor while reaching for something and the walker has felt safer for the times i have to take my eyes off her.
I think this tread has opened my eyes to these risks. And that the fact that I feel she is safe is dangerous in itself. IYKWIM.

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