Baby Gear to Avoid and Alternative Safe Swaps for Best Development in your Baby
Baby gear to avoid and alternative safe swaps for best development in your baby
From a developmental standpoint, not all containers are created equally and there are a couple that I really can’t get on board with, jumpers being one of them. This includes doorway jumpers, jolly jumpers and the exersaucers that have bungee cords that allow for bouncing.
Here are the reasons I do not recommend them:
Puts strain on developing hip joints
Can lead to toe walking
Sometimes causes over-active extensor muscles
Encourages age inappropriate muscle activation patterns
If you have a busy kiddo that you need to entertain for a bit consider some alternatives: a standard exersaucer with a stable base (6 months+ and baby must be sitting independently) or a pack n play, play yard, play pen, baby gates etc!
I recommend Push walkers instead of the types of walkers with a seat in the middle.
Why? Let’s break it down:
1. Safety - walkers that baby goes inside are banned in many countries due to the high number of accidents and injuries caused by them. Why the US still hasn’t followed suit just baffles me.
2. Posture - babies often slump backwards or lean forwards on their tip toes, neither of which is a natural position to teach baby to balance on their own.
3. Vision - baby’s line of sight is blocked and they aren’t able to see where they are placing their feet
4. Delayed walking - studies have shown that babies who spend a lot of time in walkers will actually walk later than those who were given free unrestricted floor time.
The confined walkers and any jumper or exersaucer with bungees do not promote natural movement patterns and therefore could even potentially hinder or delay standing and walking milestones. Instead choose items that allow baby to explore being up on their feet without restriction. Free movement is key to learning motor skills!
Got questions? Please feel free to reach out to me! You can also schedule a free phone call HERE.
P.S. Do you have lots of questions about helping your baby hit their walking milestones? Grab my Walking Course and get all your questions answered!