Baby walker - please help me decide which one to buy or even if to buy.......clueless!

[mumfor1sttime]

Hi all, sorry if Im going over old ground here, but I need some advice.
My DS is 8.5 months and is trying to crawl (backwards bum shuffles mostly...) and he loves his door bouncer, only thing is he is getting to big for it.
Am thinking of buying a walker (or excerciser??), as I thought it would strengthen his leg muscles.
Or am I just wasting my money?
which one do I buy?
Any tips welcome, thanks!

I would lean towards wasting money...

Friend had one at her house that DD loved, but when it broke, she didn't miss it, and we never had one. Was walking by 11 months.

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would say they are a waste of money too

I think they are a waste of money. Not sure what age my DD started to cruise (ie start getting up on the furniture) But the best buy I thought was a trolley with wooden blocks. She played with the blocks before she started to lift herself up, then once she was up, there was no stopping her! I used to put a telephone directory in it to stop it tipping over.

I'm not saying baby wouldn't enjoy one but imo they are totally unnecessary from a development point of view and can often be dangerous.

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HV told us not to get one, they do not strengthen babies legs as the seat bit supports their weight so they get about by an unnatural shuffling their feet. I think they only recommend you put them in them for half an hour a day anyway.

My horrible mother was so shocked when I told her DD wasn't having one she thought I was depriving her, she ahd to put DD in her friends grandsons one to try and prove a point. DD was walking at 12 1/2 months friends grandsons have still to walk and they are 3 weeks younger (could be coincidence though) DD had a stride to ride thing and loved that she still uses it now and it converts to a ride along.

Had Chico UFO. DS loved it, albeit for 20 minutes a day. Walked at 12 months.

don't get one!
they cause the most accidents in children every year.
they don't help with development and will not strengthen muscles- if anything they delay walking as they put the legs in the wrong position... imagine walking around in a sitting position!
your ds will do things when he is good and ready

Don't bother, it is such a lot of money for such short use and they have been banned in some countries because of accidents. Have friends who have used exersaucers (the static entertainment centres) but even so they started much earlier, before their babes were sitting, and you can 't use them once they start to walk , so a limited lifespan. He'll cruise around the furniture soon enough.

Arent the accidents down to poor spervision though?

im ready for you all to jump on me but here goes.

DD had a walker from 16 weeks. Yes very young but she was sat up by then. She started cruising furntiture at 8 months walked properly at 9 months. She never bothered crawling.

My DS is now using one - he is currently 22 weeks and gets bored sh**less laying on the floor and is too lazy to shift his 22lb body around and start crawling.

I understand they are dangerous (anything is if you leave a baby unattended with something) and bad for development - well not for my two anyway.

If they were that awful, dangerous and bad, shops wouldnt be allowed to sell them. I suspect parents misuse of said item is what causes the problem.

I agree they look like fun for a baby but, safety issues aside, I tend to think they're just another unnecessary piece of kit to waste money on.

viki, my sister walked at 7 months old! I didn't think it was possible.

Yeah, they are going to ban cruise control in cars too because too many people assume it drives the car for them when the switch it on. Probably a good idea really if so many parents cant spot the danger in steps n stairs with these things FGS.

I know of some babies that are left in them most of the day with juice and biscuits on the tray

Would say a bit of a waste of money at 8.5 months. Never had one for my two anyway, although borrowed one of those stationary things for DD which she loved between about 4 and 7/8 months.

It does happen ginger, occasionally. I think mine are gunning for it so early coz i bore the pants off them and they just want to get up and walk away {grin}

or even

i have a mothercare one. dd2 loved it, it has a play tray, dd2 walked at about 10months. dd3 has just started using it. she seems to like it, but whereas with dd2 i had to use it on the highest setting, with dd3 its on the lowest. PMSL.

but i live i na bungalow, so no chance of using it upstairs and dd3 toppling down stairs.

Thanks for advice, I have been so confused with whole 'baby walker thing'. DS is shuffling on his bum backwards, when he goes on his tum he gets so frustrated. He prefers to sit, I am wondering if he will evan crawl. Think he may just bum shuffle and then start standing/cruising.
I wasnt sure if he had a walker, that it might encourage hin to put more weight on his legs
Never thought of the 'walking in sitting position' idea either!
Maybe I wont bother to get one!!

it isn't just stairs... they make a baby go faster than they would normally go... they can really move in those thing!
it also puts them in a better position for pulling stuff down on themselves: think iron cords, kettle cords, phone leads, anything they may be able to reach from low tables or bookshelves etc etc!
If you do have one then don't leave them alone for a second in it!

fwiw i used to look after a little girl who bumshuffled and she walked before her first birthday