BABYWALKERS--- FOR OR AGAINST???

[mindy26]

was at my local bf group and we were talking about xmas pressies for our lo's and 1 of the girls said they were buyin a baby walker and my HV said she wouldnt advise them as theyr not good for babies as it makes babies walk on their tippytoes, i had always planned to get DD but now im not so sure, advice greatly appreciated??

I used it, and I'm not sure if I buy the tiptoes thing. dd was standing up in hers when she walked around. She was cruising at 7 mnths, so it didn't seem to do her any harm.

Neither dd or ds1 ever had an accident in it that I remember.

I didn'; get them for the dts though, didn't much fancy turning my lounge into a bumper car rink. I bought them one of the static sit in activity centers insread, and looking back it was much better. They got hours of entertainment out of it and they stayed put!

Totally for - as long as supervised and not in for too long. My dd loves hers and she can see what we are all up to. It gives them a sense of independence. They are also great if you are visiting relatives as they can be folded and taken with you. I take mine to my mums and dd can whizz about trying to get my mums ornaments!!

i got one - and took the wheels off it so she is static at the mo. tbh - it buys me a few minutes each day as she wont sit/ cant crawl and just wanst to be upright. her door buncer is now used as a catapualt so reckoned that this was actually safer!

Borrow one and see how your tot gets along with it first if you unsure. Some love em some hate em. My ds1 loved hers - 11 years ago - and I can confirm she walks perfectly normally and has no hip probs or mental health probs or anything. She also didn't fall into the fire or down the stairs in hers as, call me old fashioned, I didn't leave her in baby walker in front of open fire or unguarded staircase while I just went off into another room or cooked a four course meal for friends etc. DS2 currently spends short bursts in hers (the same one, hey we kept it!). Everything in moderation that's what I say. And also, most health visitors talk a load of B***ks. I say that a lot too. Wish I could work out how to put one of them Santas on here!

Against, but the door frame bouncers are ace! (IME!)

Against, but the door frame bouncers are ace! (IME!)

Have you thought about the stationary 'entertainer' toys.

I got mine off Ebay - and it really hits the spot for 'somewhere safe and fun to put them while you make tea'.

It's totally safe, and has loads of toys on it compared to the walkers. He still goes in it at 13months - and my 3yo Dd does too, given half a chance

for

just watch 'em while they're in it. Stick to short bursts

for as long as they are supervised (like all things baby) and you don't think of them as an aid to walking

Mine all had them from when they could suport head and back (about 4 months) until they were crawling, didn't have a need once they were mobile

And the how can a baby pull a kettle on themselves? how low are the kitchen work surfaces?

Exactly ernest. My point is that most baby paraphenalia is unneccessary.

my ds baby walker was very low so his feet were flat on floor from minute he went in it

he loved it if they look like they are to small then just wait

but they are so freeing for them to be able to cruise about and be independant

Against

we bought ds a little wooden trolley full of bricks to push about and he loved it.

AGAINST. Just a completely unnecessary risk imo. If an upright position for playing/seeing what is going on is the aim - an activity station (e.g. LeapFrog Learn & Groove or Baby Einstein equiv.) though monstrously ugly may be a godsend. If walking is the aim, a push along toy or toddle truck is a much better option. Children teach themselves to walk by 'cruising' using the support of furniture, walls, any passing adult or other support they can grab - they really do not need any toys to achieve this.

Oh, yes! Door frame bouncers are an essential part of baby-hood imo. So cute - and if you attach a pedometer to them you'll be amazed at what they can clock up! (Well, I was bored with No.1)

For - don't know what I would have done without it. DS was dying to be mobile an the only alternative would have been for me to walk about with him all day holding his hands, and that's just not feasible. My HV said hey were fine as long as they weren't in them 24/7. DS walked at 11.5 months with no problems and not on tiptoes

Against. They are hideous to look at, and are responsible for a lot of accidents. Not a big fan of sticking babies in a contraption to containerise them either. (Am a mad babywearer type and would put DS on my back to do cooking etc. at that age )

DD1 never had one but with DD2 I was given one and TBH she loved it, she was only in it about half an hour a day and I got rid of it when she started to crawl but for a month when she wasn't fully mobile it was a godsend she whizzed about in it no end.

I donated it to a local baby group but I doubt I would buy another one for DB3, they cost about £40 and are a waste of money as they are only in them for a few months.