Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Baby walkers

12 replies

karenferris · 08/03/2006 16:39

My mother in law has just left me a message to say that baby walkers can cause development problems with the hips. We've just got one for our 6mth dd and she's been in it probably twice a day for about 10mins each time. Does anyone know if there is any truth in this and should I put it on ebay?!! Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
chapsmum · 08/03/2006 16:48

IMO that amount of time should not cause a lot of harm. The impact of a baby bouncer is not good gor a baby's growth plates and can cause some hip probs, as can any high impact sport, hense there are a lot os short gymnasts!

My wee chap has been walking round the furniture since he was 6 months and 3 weeks I was assured by my gp it was ok!

charmkin · 08/03/2006 16:50

um well my 8 month is using a baby walker for, if I'm honest, a little longer than that a day. He likes it and it means I can get stuff done.

But I do feel guily about it,esp as he's not crawling yet and every time I lurk on that june babies thread all their babies seem to be crawling. Either that or they are all competitive munmmies.

LynnC · 08/03/2006 16:54

Hi Karen,

Dont know all the specifics but I believe thats what they say. Dont panic I think they recommend not putting your child in for more than 15-20 mins at a time. My dd loved hers and loved the independence of running about (which in turn gave me 10 mins peace to do something else as she constantly wanted to be held to walk about) I'm sure lots of people might disagree and say get rid of it but its your personal choice. I didnt find out about the health implications until dd was almost ready to stop using hers but I dont feel guilty, she was never in it any lengh of time and the enjoyment she got from it was great.

LynnC · 08/03/2006 16:57

Sorry just want to also say to charmkin - dont worry about your little one not yet crawling he is still young and I felt the same being on Jan 05 thread. My dd didnt crawl properly until 11 months but walked two weeks later and some babies on the thread that were crawling for long time still not walking - theyre all different Smile

jellyjelly · 08/03/2006 17:28

They can discourage children to walk/crawl and can then cause frustration when they cant move after they have been in them. They can also cause alot of accidents so just make sure that lo cant tip it over and that you dont use it upstairs.

I used to look after a little child who was always in it and it resulted in said child not walking or crawling till 18 months. Gp advised parent as i did that it was the walker and no other medical reasons.

chapsmum · 08/03/2006 17:38

jelly, sorry i shouldnt laugh but i have this funny picture of the chap lifting it up to walk up the stairs!! yes that would be dangerous indeed!Wink

jellyjelly · 08/03/2006 17:42

hardy hardy haa

Original poster
karenferris · 08/03/2006 19:05

Thanks, our dd has been doing her freestyle type of crawling for about 2 weeks now so I don't think it's had an effect on that score. However I'll make sure that she doesn't spend too long in it or attempt to carry it up the stairs!!!!Smile Grin

OP posts:
Pagan · 08/03/2006 19:09

I just read only yesterday that they may do damage because encourages them to walk before their own body is ready - this was at a chiropratic clinic. Also there were many more accidents because it instills a false sense of security so they fall over when they get to stairs or other obstacles

SHHHH · 08/03/2006 19:59

I was told bad things about them from my mum but thought I would look into getting one as I though the style of them may have changed iykwim. BUT I found many reports via google that did not give a good view of them.

I decided against one in the end. BTW dd started to crawl at about 7 mths and at 9mths now id starting to pull herself up and can stand very well.
On a comparison, ours friends ds didn't crawl till approx 11 months and started to walk aided and along the couch at about 13 months. BTW he used a walker......IMO I don't think they make any difference to aiding them to walk sooner.

I bought a play pen so that when I need to go and do something in another room I can pop dd into it. She usually follows me now though !! Grin.

tribpot · 08/03/2006 20:06

charmkin, I can assure you (a) not all the June babies are crawling - my ds is a case in point and (b) we are not competitive mummies, we are all too knackered Grin

I wouldn't use one myself, although MrsWednesday has a nice stationary thingie that ds (and her ds) can have a bounce in and stay in one place, which I like. My littlest nephew was permanently in a walker (and I do mean permanently - not at night, admittedly) when he was in foster care before he was adopted, and literally within days of getting rid of the damn thing he learnt to walk.

I'm quite sure that 20 mins per day is not going to harm a baby - like a lot of these things it's overuse that's the issue.

Original poster
karenferris · 09/03/2006 21:50

Thanks again to you all - once again, mumsnet comes up trumps! Grin

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page