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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Jumperoo at 4 1/2 months?

26 replies

Basil90 · 10/10/2019 11:06

Hi all,

I've got a very active 4 1/2 month old baby. He doesn't stop - he's constantly on the go, throwing his arms and legs around and chat chat chatting. He's very inquisitive and is grabbing/ chewing everything. He's just started rolling too.

I've got a swing I use and a baby gym but I feel he needs more stimulation. We look at lots of books and he's got various small sensory toys.

WIBU to allow him to play in a jumperoo? From what I understand babies should be 6 months old before using one regularly?

Has anyone got any other ideas as to what I could use at the age he currently is?

Thanks Smile

OP posts:
Userzzzzz · 10/10/2019 11:16

It’s a hard age really (much easier when they can reliably sit) but I think he’d still be a bit little for the jumperoo- a few weeks makes a big difference in terms of core strength. Both of mine were pretty active but I didn’t put them in it until about 51/2 months once they could weight bear well. The best thing at that age really is just lots of tummy time as it sets them up well for things like sitting and crawling. Swimming is good to do with them if you can as it knackers them out but they don’t really need that much stimulation at 4m.

justintimberlakesfishwife · 10/10/2019 11:17

Yes I think he's too young. Especially if he's started rolling, leaving on the floor with a baby gym with lots of things around him (and you!) is stimulating enough.
The position of their hips is also not great in a Jumperoo (i say this as an AHP). They're ok for very short periods when they're a bit older, but not right now.

Whattodoabout · 10/10/2019 11:17

No, I think anything under 6 months is too young for it. We have the skip hop one and there’s no way DS could support himself in it before about 6 months. Not even sure if his feet would’ve touched the ground in it tbh.

AthollPlace · 10/10/2019 11:19

I was advised not to use one at all as it encourages unhealthy posture and standing on tiptoes.

MillfredTheGreat · 10/10/2019 11:28

I used a Jolly Jumper door bouncer thing at that age, DS loved it. We got a jumperoo a bit later which was also a hit. No issues with hips, I think that’s a bit of pearl clutching tbh, it’s not like they’re in it all day.

lynzpynz · 10/10/2019 11:42

My 4.5m old was exactly the same, she was in door bouncer and jumperoo from about 4.5 / 5m for short periods and loved being upright (she started walking just before 10 months so has always been desperate to get on the go!). No problems with her hips, feet or anything else. I'd make sure baby has good head control before you pop them in this and it's set at a level they can put their feet flat on the floor, or even use a wee fold up blanket underneath or something so it supports them better till they are tall enough to sit in it properly?

Think you know the development of your wee one best and whether they are ready or not, every baby is different and general advice relies on the average - not the outliers.

justintimberlakesfishwife · 10/10/2019 11:43

@MillfredTheGreat it's really not pearl clutching. There's a reason why they are recommended for babies that are older, and even then just for very short periods of time. Have a look at this info. A jumperoo doesn't have the additional safety issues of a baby walker where you have a child upright and moving around therefore possibly banging into things etc, but the position it holds a child on is most definitely not great for hips, development of core and lower limb strength.

https://www.shb.scot.nhs.uk/departments/physiotherapy/MythsAboutt_BabyWalkers.pdf

goldopals · 10/10/2019 11:45

Most physios I have seen say that these types of hangy thingies (sorry they used proper English but I'm tired) can damage a baby's spine and hips. However I've been told that it's okay in moderation as long as feet are flat

ScottishMummy12 · 10/10/2019 11:47

If your baby can support themselves then I would. My dd was in hers from about 4 months just for 5 minutes at a time but she loved it. Just make sure the babies feet can touch the ground or put something under there feet so they aren't just dangling.

Amber2019 · 10/10/2019 12:06

I put my son in one around 5 and a half months, 10 minutes at a time maximum. He could bare weight by then and almost sit on his own. If baby has just started rolling use the floor, encourage tummy time and crawling, the jumparoo isnt great for their little legs when so small. We only used it for a few weeks, he hated being trapped. An active baby into everything and fully walking by 9 months. If you havent already bought one I'd say save your money. They are a waste.

Josephinebettany · 10/10/2019 12:26

My dd used it regularly at that age. She loved it. I had to put a wii board under her she was so little. She's 7 now. Didn't do any harm

RolytheRhino · 10/10/2019 12:28

Mine went in the Mothercare one for short bursts around that age and was fine but had really good head control and was huge for her age. She'd outgrown it by seven months (and was crawling, so no longer interested anyway).

Stuckinanutshell · 10/10/2019 12:47

They aren’t advised. I’m surprised people still use them it’s widely reported that they not only don’t aid walking but can impede development. As NHS recommends a max of 20 mins a day if you do have them I wouldn’t even bother.

RolytheRhino · 10/10/2019 13:01

I’m surprised people still use them it’s widely reported that they not only don’t aid walking but can impede development

If you use them to excess, yes. Mine started walking at around 11 months, I've got friends who used them and had their son walking at nine months- as long as you're sensible in restricting usage time, they're fine. And at that age, two minutes to go to the toilet, put away laundry or make a drink was well worth the sixty quid I paid! If I were to do it again though, I'd get one of those toddler tables that they can sit in but use as a table when they're bigger instead. Would've got far more use out of it and mine preferred the toys to the bouncing.

GettingABitDesperateNow · 10/10/2019 13:21

I think one of mine went in one from about 5 months. Remember there is a massive difference between children eg some walk at 9 months and some 19 months so it's not about age it's about their core strength and whether they can adequately support their head and neck and torso. So no one on the internet can really tell when your baby is ready.

I only ever used it maybe twice a day for 10 min at a time while I had to do something that required 2 hands eg chopping veg. It was great at entertaining her but it does take up a lot of space for something that can only be used sparingly so I'd only get one second hand and if you have lots of room

SuzieBishop · 10/10/2019 13:31

I sometimes wonder how people get by in general life without the NHS telling them what to do.

DontFundHate · 10/10/2019 13:35

Don't do it. It's not good for them. Babies get enough stimulation just watching and talking to you, even if that's just housework or doing everyday things

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 10/10/2019 17:16

Google container baby syndrome. Moving babies round from 1 piece of equipment to the next (car seat > jumbo>jumperoo --> high chair etc) really isn't encouraged.

Your baby gets plenty of stimulation from lying kicking/rolling etc on a blanket on the floor, from you chatting & singing, from being carried on a walk outside etc

justintimberlakesfishwife · 10/10/2019 17:30

@SuzieBishop being a parent didn't instantly give me infinite knowledge on biology, psychology or child development. "Mum knows best" doesn't work for everything.

TheVanguardSix · 10/10/2019 17:37

My youngest was in a jumperoo! Total godsend. But from memory, I think he was more like 6 months old. He used it until he was about 9 months I think. I can't recall. He's 5 years old now.
He had loads of space to crawl, had his gym mat, and luckily a lovely garden to hang out in. The jumperoo was an added bonus.

I think the jumperoo is fabulous. I understand what people mean by saying it's not great for them. You just don't use it as a place to warehouse your baby for hours on end. But anyone with common sense knows not to do that. For me, it was a perfect way of offering a bit of stimulation/exploration for a short period of time while I grabbed a cup of tea. And he LOVED it!

TheVanguardSix · 10/10/2019 17:38

Oh and get it second hand!

ShinyGiratina · 10/10/2019 17:41

DS2 used it from around 4m. We already had it from DS1 and he was a hulking, great strong baby. His chest was already as broad as his big brother's by then and looked sturdy like a rugby player in his prime in a strong lean way, not chubby baby way.

DS1 wouldn't have been ready at that stage, but DS2 was a stronger, livelier and more mobile baby.

It didn't do him any harm... he won the sack race on his last sports day Wink

j3mz · 10/10/2019 17:42

All 4 of mine have had one youngest still gets out in there if I need to go toilet or in tidying he's just turned one and climbs up the sofa into the windowsill so he needs to be contained if I'm no in the room . It's never longer than 10 mins though and he started walking at 9months earliest of them all but ! I wouldn't put them in at 4months, too young

Sciurus83 · 10/10/2019 17:45

I'd say it's too young, they might have leg strength but the core and neck needed to be safe not so much. DD had one from about 7 months, walking at 10 months so no development issues but she wasnt in it for long each day

Clettercletterthatsbetter · 10/10/2019 19:20

I might be in the minority but I’ve never had a jumperoo or a door bouncer or one of those things they walk themselves around in. I just didn’t see the point - I figured people have evolved to learn to walk at a certain age, and I didn’t really understand why it’s necessary to rush it with things like that.

Mine have both walked fine, albeit a little later than their jumperoo-using friends, but they were happy and entertained in other ways until they could walk by themselves.