bumbo seat? - Page 2

[Catubodua]

Originally Posted by Lauren31

Mine either! Until she grew an inch. hahaha

by the time mine grew the inch he had figured out sitting on his own anyway so glad i never spent money on it. we tried it out at his daycare, his infant room has one.

also, as said above - if baby arches their back alot, they will likely tip this thing over pretty easily.

[pumpkinhead]

We borrowed one to test drive. Ds spent more time trying to get out of it than actually sitting in it, so we didn't use it much. It made a great door stop! I have nothing against them if used judiciously.

Originally Posted by ErinYay

Okay, seriously.

Why do those of you who put your kid in a Bumbo or bouncy seat on the counter do it? Did you not read the thread where a poster's TWO MONTH OLD flipped off the counter in a bouncy seat and sustained a skull fracture, requiring a head CT? Or the thread where the poster's 5-month-old had to have 3 head CTs because of a skull fracture and a CPS case when she flew out of the bucket seat balanced on the shopping cart?

Those were not neglectful mommas. They were paying attention, were close to their babies, and their babies still were injured.

Yes, accidents happen. They happen to us all, but saying, "I'm close and paying attention" isn't going to do a darn thing when your kid flips off the counter.


eta: Okay, maybe that's a little harsh, but I'd rather hurt a stranger's feelings than read another thread about a baby with a skull fracture.

With respect, more than a little harsh.

Realistically, bouncy seats are not the same as a bumbo. The child can't get any bounce and therefore no real momentum. It's really, really, hard to tip them over (they still shouldn't go on a counter but I haven't read anything here about anyone using them that way). My 5 month old could be bent over double in that thing, trying to tip it on the floor and he couldn't do it.

I don't see that there is much danger in placing a Bumbo in the middle of a table while you eat. On a counter with your back turned, yes.

[ErinYay]

Frankly, I don't care if it's harsh.

Running your baby to the ER is a lot more harsh. Worrying about brain bleeds is harsh. Skull fractures are harsh.

In '07, Bumbos specifically were recalled due to kids falling off counters, flipping them over, etc. Of course, all they had to do was put a more serious warning on the product, but it's unbelievably foolhardy to misuse a product that has been KNOWN to cause skull fractures due to misuse.

The video is absolutely worth watching.

[RaeDyCo]

Originally Posted by WetMntMomma

I borrowed a Bumba seat and loved it! I wish I had had it months before as my daughter was already 5 mos when we tried it. I loved using it as a portable highchair, she could sit on the kitchen counter and "help". It was a great help for those times I needed to put her down but she wanted to be involved.

Originally Posted by carmen358

We received one as a gift. I think they are overpriced but we did use it a bit. Like a pp said, it worked well as a high chair on the table so DD could sit with us while we ate. Of course, it says not to use it on a table....but, we were sitting with her.

She didn't sit in it all that often otherwise but once in a while she did and seemed to enjoy sitting up "on her own."

Originally Posted by octobermom

I love using it in the evening whiel I prep dinner I can put M right on the counter (totally in my watch and arms reach) and shes loves being right there helping..
I think its pricy not sure I'd I'd ever pay full price or that its worth the common $40ish price tag but I did find it a well liked item even if not used a LOT.

Deanna

Originally Posted by pumpkinhead

. It's really, really, hard to tip them over (they still shouldn't go on a counter but I haven't read anything here about anyone using them that way). My 5 month old could be bent over double in that thing, trying to tip it on the floor and he couldn't do it.

I don't see that there is much danger in placing a Bumbo in the middle of a table while you eat. On a counter with your back turned, yes.

A couple posters mention placing on a counter (bolding mine).

I just have to say it is easy for some kids to flip out. Both my boys could by 5 1/2 months. Thankfully they were on the floor. I did love the bumbo before then but it was put away very early.

[Knitting Mama]

I stand corrected! Yeah, please stop using them on counters and tables, people! So dangerous, and such an unnecessary danger!

[pumpkinhead]

I stand corrected abou tthe counter thing.

Originally Posted by ErinYay

Frankly, I don't care if it's harsh.

Running your baby to the ER is a lot more harsh. Worrying about brain bleeds is harsh. Skull fractures are harsh.

In '07, Bumbos specifically were recalled due to kids falling off counters, flipping them over, etc. Of course, all they had to do was put a more serious warning on the product, but it's unbelievably foolhardy to misuse a product that has been KNOWN to cause skull fractures due to misuse.

The video is absolutely worth watching.

We all know better than to put babies on elevated surfaces. We know better and yet, some of us still do it. I don't think that's a failing on the part of the manufacturer of the baby gear or that it makes it inherently unsafe. Intelligent people do these things as well. Baby walkers are banned in Canada due to this reason. Walkers themselves aren't inherently unsafe, but there were too many injuries attributed to their misuse.

[octobermom]

I'm told not to cosleep with my child I'm given link after link and story after story of deaths and injuries that occured.. there are clearn warnig labels against it..Yet we still advocate and even promote it..
Yes we are VERY VERY careful I didn't start doing the counter untill I saw how she managed it on ground she not sliding shes not able to thrust her body enough to flip out... Shes didn't eaither she jsut sat quiety I'd have felt much diffrent with an active child.
Now saying that shes bigger now and has more power I've recently switched to using her highchair which is something we only recent bought..

[octobermom]

Originally Posted by Hannah32

I agree. I get wanting to have baby in the kitchen with you while you cook or wash up etc. I do that now, with the bouncy seat, and I plan to do it with the bumbo. But why can't you just leave it on the floor? Baby is with you AND baby is safe.

I needed baby at my eye level leaving her on the ground meant her screaming pretty much till she passed out.. There is no room in the kitchen to have her on the floor...

BTW I remember that video (or ones similiar) from a few years ago, I actually avoide the product because of it, but was given the seat as a gift... Still I did floor only for a long time.. but after a bit I just accepted (maybe stupidly) that she was a lot smaller she could arch her back totally and could NOT clear the back plus we noticed that as long as shes in my view shes jsut sits no wiggling.. Once we came close to a height and weight were she could we switched to something else..

Deanna

[Tway]

We used the dang thing twice, I think. DD didn't really like it. I think she felt confined.

I was going to add that I saw a family bring a Bumbo to a restaurant so their baby could eat at the table with them (which I thought was brilliant), but then read the horror stories here about babies flipping them over.

[Peace+Hope]

have a bumbo, use it in moderation. now that he is actually sitting on his own, i still like it because he can't fall back. it's fun to have in the kitchen so he can hang out safely while we prep food/eat.

FYI, several of us who share a DDC had an issue with babies spitting up when sitting in their bumbos. even when my LO was first tripod sitting, he'd still spit up in his bumbo after a few minutes (5 or less).

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

I have a good friend who is an occupational therapist, and works with children. I asked her for her opinion on Bumbos, and she felt strongly that babies should sit up when babies are ready - not to prop them up before they are ready. When they are not ready to sit, they should be on the floor as much as possible, in order to move around, or carried. She preferred bouncers to bumbos as the position was slightly more natural (but not much).

This makes sense to me - I try to think what babies would be doing in a more natural (i.e., no plastic) environment, and they're not sitting in bumbos!

I am sure that used judiciously for a few minutes at a time they are just fine, and yeah, I could see using it in the bathroom while I'm on the toilet, etc. Heck, my DS uses his hand-me-down exersaucer for short times while I'm cooking and there's nothing very natural about that! But I wouldn't buy either for the sake of a few minutes

[Norasmomma]

I personally have seen children who spent a LOT of time in Bumbos and I can say that I really believe it hinders in the development of core muscle strength. It puts a baby who cannot sit in a weird upright position that is completely unnatural. It is bad for the spine, IMO. Most of the the kids who I've seen in Bumbos often have sat up on their own later, due to them lacking the support of the bumbo, they come to rely on the support of the chair. Now that is not because of the babies but the over-use of this chair.

Just my anecdotal

[happysmileylady]

I don't have a problem with them, as a product.

I do feel though that they are a waste of money. If you can get one cheap or free, then great...but it's one of those pieces of baby furniture that just doesn't get used long at all. First, baby has to be holding up her head well, which means waiting at least a month or two, then, there's not much point in them once baby is sitting up, which can be as early as 5 months old. That means you could be talking about using it as short as 3 months.

[Jelinifer]

We got one as a gift.... and ds hates it (hates being restricted in it.) All for the better anways, since our Chiro has recommended not to use it since it puts alot of stress on a little one's spine.

[braidmama]

We have one and use it when ds, almost 6 mo, is eating. We have one with a tray and sometimes will put mashed up food on the tray for him to play with or when he's being spoon fed...very rarey though, once a day, sometimes not at all. I think they're kind of a neat idea depending on how're you're doing things. We started ds with a wee bit of solids (very little) around 5 months and he wasn't sitting up on his own so it was helpful. I think even if you're LO is sitting up on his/her own it could still be helpful if used as a high chair. Toddlers can certainy sit up on their own but often use high chairs as well so I think that part is kind of irrelevant, really. We don't use it otherwise though. He really dislikes being in there and as it is very confining and, I think, a bit snug around the legs for him. We have a bouncy seat for when I have to run to the bathroom, etc. Usually I wait to do chores like dishes and cooking til he's napping. Of course this doesn't always work out like when he takes quick naps or it doesn't coincide with mealtime...we clearly don't have a very workable schedule yet! i agree that you might want to check craigslist or resale shops first, though.

[sere234]

Originally Posted by busymama77

Yep, same here. Good thing I got it for free from a close friend of mine. I used it for bath time - some times - and when I needed to set W down for a brief moment and he wasn't sitting up unsupported just yet. But he did so shortly thereafter - right before he turned 6 months.

Oooo, bathtime, that's a good idea! Anyone else do this?

[jdg]

We have one and my 4 month old loves it for short periods of time. Really, she loves everything for short periods of time - the swing, the play mat on her back, the play mat on her stomach, the Lamaze Spin-n-Play thing, being held in different positions, standing (with us providing her balance, of course), the bouncy seat, the Moby, etc. Every single one of these items is great for a few minutes and then she wants a change. I'm just grateful there are so many things to change to!