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AIBU?

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Original poster

Friend reaction to baby walker

197 replies

Charmander123 · 09/02/2018 21:51

My baby really enjoys me holding up on her legs so I was thinking of getting her a baby walker!
Quite a few of my friends have them but I mentioned it to one and she basically had a go at me saying that they are horrible for baby development and that if I bought one I'd ruin my child's legs!
I was pretty taken aback by her response but was she right , am I being unreasonable buying a baby walker or are they ok for babies? Xxxx

OP posts:
Mogginthemog · 10/02/2018 12:21

Oops pressed send too soon, DGD hasn’t had a walker slept on her back and doesn’t have thick
Padded cot bumpers like her DM had. New research
Means things change as new information is discovered. Anything that makes kids healthier is
A good thing

DenPerry · 10/02/2018 12:39

Shocked at this thread, I had no idea. They are everywhere! I used them for both of mine, my 11 month old loves being so mobile. No HV has ever mentioned anything. We have safety gates and make sure everything dangerous is out of reach. Also used door bouncers on them both.

Lucymek · 10/02/2018 12:41

I used one when I was a baby all the time. I was never out of it. I walk fine and I have great legs.

It's drama over nothing same as everything now days !

FancyNewBeesly · 10/02/2018 13:22

Oh wait, I didn’t realise you were fine Lucy - in that case it can’t be an issue... 🙄

I’d rather listen to the specialists treating my son, thanks.

Yogagirl123 · 10/02/2018 13:29

How ideas change, I had a baby walker for my two, no harm came to them.

LoniceraJaponica · 10/02/2018 15:22

This is getting boring now

The "I used one without a problem" posters don't seem to understand statistical risk. Do you cross a busy main road without checking for traffic first?

I was born in 1958 and no doubt was weaned much earlier than children are these days. I have had IBS for years.

DullAndOld · 10/02/2018 15:24

I was advised against one 20 years ago...

DullAndOld · 10/02/2018 15:25

and no it's obviously not 'drama out of nothing' it affects normal foot development.

LivLemler · 10/02/2018 16:21

Babies used to be put to sleep on their stomachs because that was the advice at the time. Things have moved on and we don't do that any more. Completely agree we can all only do our best with the information we have available.

Dljlr · 10/02/2018 16:58

Pfft, DS loved his. We have wooden floors and he skidded around like a mad thing doing three point turns from day 1. I know plenty of people don't like them for all the reasons already expressed, but it did him no harm at all and we were both sad when he outgrew it. Your child, so you make the decisions.

SweetMoon · 10/02/2018 16:59

No idea they were not considered fine. All mine used them, absolutely no problems and no development delay. Dd1 was walking at 8 months. The rest also before age 1.

Queenofthestress · 10/02/2018 17:28

They're fine, if it's not prolonged use, supervised properly and you're not an idiot with it

DixieNormas · 10/02/2018 19:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

goose1964 · 10/02/2018 20:03

None of mine had a baby walker, even in the late 80s they were known to be dangerous. One walked at 14 months, the second 7 months, and the third on her first birthday

5plusMeAndHim · 10/02/2018 20:09

They are fine and SOOO much fun for babies especially when they have older siblings.I expect if you leave them in it for a long time or don't supervise they would be dangerous, but for normal parents with an atom of common sense, they are fine

cantkeepawayforever · 10/02/2018 20:20

I am genuinely surprised they are still around, since they were clearly signalled as 'unsafe' by health professionals etc when DS was small, and he's 17 now. I remember being shocked when we were in the US for a bit and they were still seen as 'OK' over there.

Mind you, DS loved his door buncer, which I suspect would also now be known to be less than ideal. at the time, baby walkers were known to be unsafe but door jumpers were still being recommended / OKed - and as others have said, you do the best you can based on the guidelines at that point - so he weaned at 4 months, as that was best current practice at that time.

RadioGaGoo · 10/02/2018 20:26

'I thought it was common knowledge these days that they aren't considered a god idea'.

Judging by this thread its not common knowledge. Why would it be to people not considering buying one?

BertieBotts · 10/02/2018 20:42

I think door bouncers are still alright, aren't they? Though they seem a bit wary of them in the US for some reason.

Mind you I have to remember that my "baby" siblings are now teenagers and so what they did when they were babies isn't necessarily normal any more Grin

5plusMeAndHim · 10/02/2018 21:44

you do the best you can based on the guidelines at that point -

No you assess the situation and come to your own conclusion.Guidelines have to take into account that some people have zero common sense

5plusMeAndHim · 10/02/2018 21:52

have just googled the effect on development of baby walkers, and, get this, it decreases the baby's desire to walk.Now I am sure we all know loads of adults who have never had the motivation to learn to walk because they played in a baby walker! what bollocks!"

MaximumVolume · 10/02/2018 21:53

Of course, a baby walker was involved in one of the best vital videos of last year! The perils of working from home with your kids

squoosh · 10/02/2018 21:54

I know a baby who used a walker and now at age 7 demands to be carried around in a sedan chair.

(not a ) True story.

Sevendown · 10/02/2018 22:04

The latest nhs advice is not to use baby walkers or jumperoos as they damage the hips by forcing them into an unnatural position

cantkeepawayforever · 10/02/2018 22:06

"you do the best you can based on the guidelines at that point -

No you assess the situation and come to your own conclusion.Guidelines have to take into account that some people have zero common sense"

Absolutely. But the problem is that almost everyone thinks that they have LOTS of common sense (which they see as trumping all guidelines), whereas really quite a lot of people have zero or very little, or have common sense about some things but not others.

ShinyBadger · 10/02/2018 22:25

I would be more concerned about carrying a baby in a baby carrier facing outwards. Now that can really cause hip development issues.