Are baby walkers bad?

[sleepdeprivedma]

My 8 month has been using a sit in baby walker for about a month not in for long but he is absolutely thriving in it basically runs across the floor now but I've just read an article that these aren't safe anymore and apparently we shouldn't be using these? Everyone in my family has used one I've had brothers sisters all use them me myself when I was a baby so now I'm a a bit concerned any ideas? should I stop with it

My 4 children all used them. Does it say why they’re now unsafe? Surely they wouldn’t be able to sell them if they were proven to be unsafe.

Something to with babies hips I did think it was a bit odd as I know loads of people who uses them

Yes, sit in baby walkers are not good for baby’s development.

They slow down baby learning to walk properly as they aren’t using the correct muscles needed.

My DD loved hers … I believe I read somewhere no more than 30 mins at a time. Great for having a shower too

Lots of products are sold for babies that are unsafe - sleep nests, cot bumpers, FF car seats, baby walkers etc.

Just because it’s sold doesn’t make it safe.

Agree with @LadybirdLover. I’m sure it’s to do with the way the hips are held in the seat and the baby having pointed toes. They’re strengthening muscles but not the ones needed for a normal walking pattern. Jumperoos are also not recommended for normal development.

Unfortunately there’s are loads of baby products on the market that aren’t considered safe or good for development!

There’s so much now that your told you should or shouldn’t do it’s getting ridiculous. They never slowed down my children’s development, both my boys used there’s a lot and were both walking before they turned 1, my girls were slower walkers but then they were slower talking, potty training and others things too.

Two issues - firstly, babies can move very quickly in them and they might get into dangerous situations, for example, stairs, fires.
Secondly - there is a school of thought that using any sort of "baby container" can hinder normal, natural development, because they stop babies being able to move and develop their muscles in the optimum way, they also hold babies in positions that their muscles are not ready for. Obviously, sometimes babies need to be contained in prams or car seats for safety or necessity, but wherever possible, being able to move about, unhindered on the floor is the best option.

I think sit in walkers (and things like jumperoos) are OK but NHS recommends 20 min max at a time.

Walkers that move with wheels are a leading cause of injury in babies and they have been banned in Canada. Other sit in things like jumperoos are grand if used for short periods.

I had the trolley one with the coloured building blocks when I was a toddler and my children had a push along and sit on dog like this-

Neither of my children had any accidents with the dog!

@Jewelspun the pushalong ones are fine and are what is recommended if using a walker 😊 the OP is meaning the sit in type like this -

This really isn't news. I remember being taught this in the early 90s before I had kids and worked with babies and toddlers. IIRC walkers put pressure on immature hips, they are prone to accidents and discourage crawling which has lots of benefits. They are still sold and used of course because there's money to be made and parents find them useful. As parents we can still make our own choices

My children all used baby walkers for short intervals during the day . They are all very mobile adults,one plays rugby for a well known national team !
The benefits that they got from being upright,independent and watching the world go by outstrips any negative minor risks also kept me sane for a few minutes a day !

Oh! I never used anything like that! It looks like a death trap!

I thought they were banned in the UK? But big in us

There's also a risk of falling down stairs (I doubt many people would use them upstairs, but plenty of houses have a couple of steps between rolms) on ground floor)