Baby Walkers Are Still on the Market, Are they Safe?
A few years back, before I had kids, I vaguely recall a big ta-doo about the dangers of walkers. It seemed that there was an out-cry that they should be taken off of the market. It didn’t surprise me, personally, as I had witnessed my younger brother and sister rolling into our sunken livingroom in a pile of cryng and/or laughing baby several times. But then I had my own babies and I felt like no one was really talking about walkers anymore. I actually thought that maybe they had been taken off of the market. Lately, however, I have been thinking that a walker might be the perfect addition to our arsenal of gear. Mostly because it was so compact that it could be moved (or rolled) from room to room. Also, not having any steps, I felt pretty safe. I’m not advocating a walker instead of tummy time where babies actually use their own muscles and balance to learn to walk. For me, the walker is an activity center but more portable. So when the folks at Bright Starts offered to send me their Bright Starts Walk-A-Bout Walker,
Look at that thing just fold up flat and slide under the bed… or in the closet… or in the trunk to take to a friend’s house. You could never do that with an activity center and definitely not with the gigantic Jumperoo.
And THAT is my favorite feature of the Bright Starts Walk-A-Bout Walker.
I also like the under $40 price-point, the ease of assembly and the apparently super-amusing toy bar.
So mamas, what do you think? Walkers… not worth the risk or worth trying?
Our doctor told us they were bad for their hips once they start walking in them (obviously if they’re stationary, it is just like an activity gym). We don’t even let his daycare use theirs. Activity gym and jumparoo are enough, and luckily we have enough space in our house that space for them is not an issue.
I prefer the exersaucer, mainly because if I put my kid in an activity center, it’s probably because I need them contained and in one place for 5 minutes while I do something. The exersaucer also keeps them in one place so I don’t have to worry about them getting stuck in a corner, ramming my furniture, etc. And my exersaucer folds up pretty flat, which makes it store well.
I think walkers are safe as long as the child is supervised. As most things in our society, people want to blame others and objects for causing harm when the blame should fall on themselves. A child falling down the stairs in a walker cannot be blamed on the walker – only the person who failed to see the child heading for the stairs or failing to put up a safety gate. Just my 2 cents – I’m sure others will have different opinions
I remember the big walker scare. When my son was born in 2001 we got him a saucer activity center. He loved it but it was a pain to drag from room to room or to a friends house as you mentioned. My second son in 2009 my sister in law picked a saucer up at a yard sale and we had the same issue. I have always been pretty nervous about walkers so I just wouldnt buy one. My daughter was born in 2010 and my dads girlfriend gave us a pink walker. I WAS NOT going to use it. Well I changed my mind and tried it and we love the walker. She is too big now but it was great. It folds up we take it to friends houses and even outside. They have to be supervised but when dont you supervise your baby.
I used a walker with my daughter, now four and she turned out just fine. Infact she walked at ten months and I’m convinced it is because of the walker. My seven month old will be in it in a few weeks when we bring it out. I certainly did not leave her in it for hours on end, just when I was getting things done, like dinner laundry etc.
My oldest LOVED his walker, we never had stairs anywhere in our house so safety was never an issue. He loved that he could get around on his own WAY before he was able to walk and crawl. We still did tummy and floor time so it was basically just another fun activity for him. We stopped using it when he learned to crawl. People who use walkers aren’t “neglectful” in their parenting, (I admit, I’m biased because I used one, my son was always supervised when in it), I hate that every parent’s choice whether or not to do something with their child has to be held up to the microscope of “Who-is-being-a-”better”-parent”, it’s ridiculous how riled up people can get about a walker when the bigger issue is “Are you being a worse parent than me so I can feel better about how I do it better?” Is this something we should be thinking about one another?
Years ago, the problem was that they were going over a small edge and tipping. They have changed the wheels and also put some sort of foam?? braking system under so that if they start to go over an edge, they stop automatically, which I have watched happen with a friends baby. Have never liked walkers but have never been a mum before, till now, and after having a double spinal fusion whilst unknowingly pregnant I am gonna need all the help I can get with this bubba helping herself a little. Supervision is definately the key though. I also heard walkers can make them walk on their toes, but its not like they should be left in them all day either.
Guilty of having/using a walker. We actually have steps, but they go downstairs and we just left that door closed. She was always supervises. We actually put it outside in the backyard for my son so that he had something to play in while my daughter was at the swingset. I agree with the posts above, just supervise.
We never used one with our daughter because of the negative press. In the reports I read, 70% of the accidents in baby walkders occurred with an adult in the room. We did have a johnny jump-up bouncer thing that attached to the door frame that she loved and allowed her to kick and jump in one spot. Everly walked one day before her 10 month birthday, so I’m not convinced it plays into being an early walker either.
The point of my comment is, we chose to forgo the walker as I think there are plenty of safer alternatives out there.
We used a walker and exersaucer with our first son and will most likely use them for our second who is only 12 weeks right now. Our first son loved both but he used the exersaucer more so I could keep him stationary so I could get things done around the house. We did take the walker to a few skating birthday parties which gave him the chance to “skate” around since he couldn’t walk yet. He began walking right at one year and had no complications or issues. So I do not have any harsh feelings towards using Walkers I think they are just fine as long as they are used sparingly and under supervision.
I used a walker many years ago with my son who is now 32. The walker actually looked similar to the one in the picture above. It had a broad sturdy base and narrowed toward the seat area. We didn’t have stairs to worry about at the time which would be my main concern. My son started crawling at 4 months but I still put him in the walker for added mobility and I remember him zooming around the living room with glee. It enhanced his visual and tactile stimulation since he was able to see and reach many more things than he would have lying on his tummy (both a plus and a minus
) and it didn’t hurt his motor skills at all. He started walking when he was 8 months old, the tottering stage, and was a pro by 9 months. As long as the walker is properly designed and there is sufficient supervision, I think walkers can be a positive addition to the baby gear.
Walkers are banned in Canada but I’ve heard of people smuggling them over the border and their kids love them!
I have a walker for my son. He still spends most of his “playtime” on the floor. But sometimes he needs a change of scenery. In comes the Walker. He loves being able to walk to the windows and look outside. He likes being able to follow his sister or watch me in the kitchen. With that said, walkers should never be used as a babysitter. As with most everything else, you should never leave a baby unattended in a walker.
As with ANYTHING, it’s about supervision.
Even bath seats are safe as long as you remain with the baby. Nothing will ever take the place of direct supervision, folks.
I can remember standing in the front seat of the Olds station wagon between my parents, tooling down the highway at 70. Think early 70′s. Did I live through it? Yes, obviously! I also played with wooden Fisher Price little people who were a hell of a lot more safe to play with than today’s lead-paint covered wooden toys from China. I was old enough to know not to eat them and possibly choke when my mother let me play with them. But had they been covered in lead paint, I may have absorbed the lead even without chewing on them, right?
It’s all about perspective.