jumping devices

[P.J.]

My DS is 4 months old and he gets enormously frustrated on the floor, so we try to limit floor time. He also gets impatient in the wrap (we have a new carrier on the way to try out forward-facing carries), and he'll only sit in the bouncy chair maximum 10 minutes.

Many people, here and offline, have recommended some sort of jumping thingy. I have a question: can we put DS in one if he can't fully sit up on his own yet? If we place him sitting on the floor, he can hold himself up in a slumped position with his arms, but he can't get there on his own nor sit fully upright yet. So is it too soon for one of these jumping devices? Also, is it somehow bad for their hip or spine development to be pushing all that weight off their legs so much?

We could get this kind, a jumperoo. Or there are these ones which hang from a doorway. The jumperoo seems really expensive, which would be a lot to spend if he doesn't end up liking it. But the door-hanging one would be a hassle to always set up and take down...or be in the way if we left it up. So, which of these would you recommend and why? Or do you have a different type? TIA!

[OneWithTwo]

I have this one http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-.../dp/B000HZDN9I

I put my son in it for a tiny bit during the day and he loves it, he can't sit at all on his own, but I don't leave him in it for long periods. My friend found one on CL for $20

[Just1More]

I feel strongly that the jarring is not good for them. I have watched many babies play in them, but do not allow my own to do so. It is my personal feeling that if a baby can't GET upright, then they shouldn't BE upright artificially (except when being held). I believe it is bad for their spines. I don't allow my babies to sit in strollers, either. When they are bigger and can support their own weight, I allow it, but for limited times. I dislike the slumped posture many babies have when buckled in a stroller.

[Mom2M]

My DD has a jumperoo and loved it at that age. She didn't sit up on her own but the seat of the jumperoo was soft and when we put it on the lowest height, it was no different of a position than carrying her in a sling.

She bounced a little in the beginning and as she got older she bounced a lot more and it was so funny to see her just throw herself around laughing. It made me wish they had adult sized ones, lol
We didn't keep her in it that long at a time, maybe 10 minutes but she really enjoyed it.

ETA We got on off craigslist too. It was this one...
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-M...ef=pd_sbs_ba_3

[dakotablue]

Originally Posted by Just1More

I feel strongly that the jarring is not good for them. I have watched many babies play in them, but do not allow my own to do so. It is my personal feeling that if a baby can't GET upright, then they shouldn't BE upright artificially (except when being held). I believe it is bad for their spines. I don't allow my babies to sit in strollers, either. When they are bigger and can support their own weight, I allow it, but for limited times. I dislike the slumped posture many babies have when buckled in a stroller.

I agree. I didn't start putting Ds in exersaucer until he could sit up on his own. I didn't feel comfortable with him flopping around in a device.

[julie80]

I've actually read an interesting article about how jolly jumpers, walkers, etc are bad for infant developement. It made sense to me. Something about infants need to go through specific motor patterns which carry through later in life. And many of these toys can disrupt this natural progression.

I wish I could still find the article but Google isn't helping me today.

[Miss Chris]

From the age of 3-4 months my son would bounce himself up and down while being held. He would basically jump on my lap and I would just provide stability to keep him upright and he could go forever. We finally got one of those jumpers that hangs from the doorway just to give our arms a break .

He didn't learn to sit by himself until just recently (he's 6 1/2 months now) but he crawls and is pulling himself up to standing. It doesn't seem to be stunting his development. I think the concern is like with anything else, if you leave your baby in the jumper for hours a day and essentially use it as a way to avoid interacting with them, well, that is bad for the baby. But as an amusement for 20 minutes I think it's all good.

They're not that expensive, you can get a new one on Amazon for $20-$30 and they are all over craigslist. My boy gets such a kick out of his, kicking and bouncing and giggling. We leave it up all the time, our kitchen has two doorways so we just leave it up in the less used one. Then I can do some things in the kitchen or the living room and keep an eye on him. I say go for it.

Miss Chris

[Jenica]

I'm tempted to get one for my DD. She is 4 mos also and at that frustrated, I want to sit/crawl/walk/run stage and she can't yet. She hated floor time too but has gotten better with it since I bought her one of those floor gyms mine: http://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Love-Gymi...5118976&sr=1-2). Do you have one of those or do you just have a tummy time mat because DD really hated her tummy time mat and will stay much longer on the floor gym.

The reason I've been holding off on the jumper is the developmental stuff PP were talking about. The Dr. Sears baby book says walkers are bad not just because of the accident potential but because it makes the babies leg strength get developed before arm strength. Apparently babies are suppose to develop strength from top to bottom. So I'm hesitant to buy the jumper things but tempted at the same time.

[braidmama]

What a coincidence to see this post! Dp and I have been wondering lately if we should get one- we're leaning more towards the hanging doorway kind. Before ds was born I swore up and down that i wouldn't be using any "entertainment devices" on our LO and I still don't like the idea of having big plastic pieces of junk around with lotsof flashy colors and weird looking objects. I believe in more of a natural approach and tbh I think its silly that they claim to promote brain development or any other kind of personal growth progress just by being over the top and bright. I feel like they're missing out on the realness of real textures like would and soft ground, etc.

That being said!- I also believe in the power of a moment of silence, for us mamas- just a minute or two to ourselves in our hectic baby nurturing day. We did end up recieving a used swing as a gift from my MIL and ds LOVED it. This was such a relief during his colicky stage, and in general he is a very spirited baby and sometimes it was the only semblance of peace I could find in our day together. I didn't leave him in it for long periods of time, but just here and there when I really needed a break and didn't have anyone available to help me.

He's bordering on 20 lbs now and quite frankly, its an older swing and kind of rickety so we've packed it up. I don't see the point in buying a replacement since he's already so big and I've been trying to get some more tummy time in with him even though he hates it....

Anyway, Long drawn out point here, haha, I don't really think there's anything wrong with it if it keep your babe happy for a little while and it keeps you happy in the process, no harm there! As far as the spinal development thing, I certainly am no doctor and tbh I didn't know about that so I don't really have an opinion on it but I do think its quite interesting.

[SilverFish]

we have one, and use it maybe 3 times a week? tzippy is just being able to sit up alone now, and she definitely enjoyed it before that. as long as they have good core strength and excellent head control, i don't think it's a bad thing to use for a few minutes here and there. i like to use it while doing laundry, since the doorway ours is hanging in is very close to the laundry room.

i technically agree with some of the pps about the "unnaturalness" of posture in the jumpers, but i have to say, the harness is very strong and sturdy, and is holding them up around the chest, not only the pelvis. it's not much different than mama holding them up and "bouncing" or otherwise playing with her baby, only this way mama gets a break, and baby gets to experience the very enjoyable sensation of weightlessness. i get the point about not making babies stay in positions contrary to their natural physical development, but i think you can go a little far with it. i mean, my baby LOOOVES to be upside down... when she's sitting on my knees, she throws herself backwards so she can hang down my legs , so i've taken to holding her upside down and walking her around to look at things. very unnatural for a baby to ever have her head below her body, but i seriously question whether i'm permenently damaging her development!

[Lillitu]

I've read the development articles, but they don't ring true for me. I was given two types of upright jumpy places for my boy: the hanging doorway kind and an exersaucer that has springs in the columns, making it fun to jump up and down in.

If a baby can hold it's head up on its own, it can start in an exersaucer and I have found that my son's motor skills are advanced- he is crawling and standing unassisted now. I think he had an advantage because of these exercises.

[Peace+Hope]

Originally Posted by P.J.

My DS is 4 months old and he gets enormously frustrated on the floor, so we try to limit floor time. He also gets impatient in the wrap (we have a new carrier on the way to try out forward-facing carries), and he'll only sit in the bouncy chair maximum 10 minutes.

Many people, here and offline, have recommended some sort of jumping thingy. I have a question: can we put DS in one if he can't fully sit up on his own yet? If we place him sitting on the floor, he can hold himself up in a slumped position with his arms, but he can't get there on his own nor sit fully upright yet. So is it too soon for one of these jumping devices? Also, is it somehow bad for their hip or spine development to be pushing all that weight off their legs so much?

We could get this kind, a jumperoo. Or there are these ones which hang from a doorway. The jumperoo seems really expensive, which would be a lot to spend if he doesn't end up liking it. But the door-hanging one would be a hassle to always set up and take down...or be in the way if we left it up. So, which of these would you recommend and why? Or do you have a different type? TIA!

so, if you aren't using it but for a few minutes at a time, and he has a strong neck, what about this one? we were just given one, and my LO loves it! when we started using it (2-3 times per week for 10 mins), he was only just sitting on his own. over the past two weeks, he has gained much more control, so that he is sitting unassisted for as many as 30 minutes playing on the floor. now i use the jumper 20-30 minutes almost every day. he LOVES it.

the way the middle works, it can be as tight as you'd like on his torso, like a weigh-lifting belt, so he's not slumped AT ALL.

fwiw, i also adjust it so that he can't be totally flat-footed in it. that's a big advantage of the kind that hangs, imo. no jarring whatsoever.

you can watch him closely and see how his posture is, if he enjoys it, etc, and increase the time as he gets stronger in his core!

[rhiOrion]

My dd loves it! I don't buy any of the all-or-nothing arguments. Don't leave you kid in there for hours, and I think it's great