I'd like to hear the chiro Lauras opinions of these seats.... I have had the impression that they are not good for developing spines, but the Lauras would be our resident experts on that issue...

 

I bought one for DD but I waited too long and didn't get much use out of it bc her chubby thighs got too big for it. It was great for that stage when they are so excited to sit up but you need to cook dinner or whatever.

I liked it a lot but I would get it early so you get the most use out of it.

There is always a Bumbo for sale on Craigslist here, and I would definitely do that instead of spending $40 new. It's easy to clean and disinfect if it's grungy.

 

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Originally Posted by maclolo I'd like to hear the chiro Lauras opinions of these seats.... I have had the impression that they are not good for developing spines, but the Lauras would be our resident experts on that issue...

me too!

Both of my kids sat up before 5 months, but if they got tired they could just fall over and roll onto their bellies. Seems like the chair would prevent that.

 

I've not used this before either, but got one as a gift this weekend. Looks neat. . I know a friend of mine had one and her DD loved it.

 

I don't like gadgets like that. I never even sat my babies up in the boppy. There's a reason why this stuff isn't sold in Europe, it could damage the spine. A baby is ok to sit up when he/she can do so by him/herself. To me stuff like that is like feeding a 4 month old barbeque chicken. Of course they are happy with sitting up because they can see everything around them. Doesn't mean it's good for them.

 

We had one with DD and used it maybe 3 or 4 times. She sat up on her own very solidly starting at 4 1/2 months and she was so chubby that she just didn't fit into it. Also, she was in a carrier a lot of the time. I loaned it to a friend who used it a more because she was having baby #2. We now have it back and will probably use it a bit more, but I'm glad we didn't buy it ourselves. I'd much rather have a good sling or two to hold the baby in.

 

I remember my kids really liked an Exersaucer at that age because they could sit up. And they could bounce and turn themselves eventually. The Bumbo doesn't offer the latter, but seems like an interesting item for the times (like dinner) when baby would like to be sitting up with you.

As with everything, I assume use in moderation is best.

I would take one if given, but may not buy one myself. I am trying to stay away from too many extras until I feel like I cannot live without something. They're something like $40, and they will only be useful for a couple of months, so they aren't high on my list.

 

My chiro has already brought it up as a big NO. I had no intention of getting one (it just seems like another thing to force independence too soon) and he was horrified that they are still on the market.

Bobby's have worked fine, and the same thing with just a regular bouncy seat.

 

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Originally Posted by mittendrin There's a reason why this stuff isn't sold in Europe, it could damage the spine.

I am also not a fan of having children sit up before they're ready. But just so you know, it's actually given awards by the UK. It's currently sold in the United States, England, Japan, Australia, France, Portugal, and South Africa. It's also "now obtaining TUV international standards approval in Germany."

 

I was thinking of one, but using it only after baby could sit up with some assistance. I heard the other day a brief "upcoming news" blurb on the radio that said the report would be about a new study done in... I believe it was Canada.. that linked babies sitting too early with higher incidences of SIDS.

Not that everything isn't linked with SIDS... but...

 

I was given one at a shower.

I have no intention to use it before the baby can sit up on his own. I will use it more as a portable booster seat/high chair.

 

I think I will get one, but not use it for a while.

DS started to crawl before he could sit unassisted. I was at a girl's house letting her do a Mary Kay makeover and she had a Bumbo so I put DS in it (he was crawling but not sitting at that point) and he LOVED it! As long as there was something in reach he was so happy. Guess what he could do the next day? Sit on his own! Every time he sees one now, he wants to go sit in it.

They now have them with removable trays too.

 

Did you guys see the news story about these and babies being put on tables or counter tops and falling. One lady is suing the makers and target because the packaging shows pictures of it used on those, but the warnings say not to.

Here's the article http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec......&id=5664881

 

I'm not in your DDc but, I don't like these things. My DD fell out of one. She was trying to reach for something and she toppled right over. I'd prefer to have the baby in the sling or if that isn't right for the moment, I'd use a bouncy seat.

 

all my relatives who've used them for their babies swear by them, but i can't help noticing that their babies learned to sit up far later than normal, and have extremely low muscle tone from being stuck in those seats, bouncy chairs, swings, and the like. i think they're probably better after the baby can sit up, to use as a booster, but definitely not a substitute for developing trunk muscles.

but that's just my opinion as an observer...

 

there are many threads on bumbo seats here if you do a search. some have some really good points about the developmental aspect of it and how it is more harmful than good.

I do not agree with bumbo seats personally and will not use them...and a lot of that has to do with their advertising! LOL

 

Thanks for this thread. I had a friend ask me if I wanted to borrow hers since her dd is over a year now and not really using it. I told her probably not. She asked me why and I couldn't really say why. I had no good reasons not to use one, but my gut was telling me it wasn't the best thing for a baby and I probably wouldn't use one. She didn't get why I wouldn't want to use it if it was free, but then there's the issue of simply having too much baby furniture clutter, kwim. Now I have some valid reasons not to use one.

 

I don't like them. Anything that artificially gets a baby doing something that they are not actually developmentally ready for waves a lot of red flags for me for a whole series of reasons.

 

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Originally Posted by Googy I don't like them. Anything that artificially gets a baby doing something that they are not actually developmentally ready for waves a lot of red flags for me for a whole series of reasons.

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ditto for exercausers, johnny jump ups, old style wheeled "walkers", or anything that puts vertical compressive load on the baby's spine B4 the baby can do it on their own.. all bad bad bad (sorry to be a drag..) they ARE convenient but so is fast food ... nuff said..

 

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Originally Posted by sorteep : ditto for exercausers, johnny jump ups, old style wheeled "walkers", or anything that puts vertical compressive load on the baby's spine B4 the baby can do it on their own.. all bad bad bad (sorry to be a drag..) they ARE convenient but so is fast food ... nuff said..

Well said, Laura! Axial compression is BAD for any spine, especially a developing one and WILL cause problems later on.

 

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Originally Posted by Googy I don't like them. Anything that artificially gets a baby doing something that they are not actually developmentally ready for waves a lot of red flags for me for a whole series of reasons.

Okay, I thought about this topic some more and I don't see how a Bumbo chair is that different from using a sling. My babies like to be upright in the sling from day 1. They also have been able to hold their heads up from birth and develop strong trunk muscles very quickly... sitting on their own by 4 months. So anyway, in an upright position in a sling they are getting support of their upper body and then using their own muscles to hold the parts up that they can... how is this chair really any different?

And then someone mentioned exersaucers... but by the time my kids were ready for an exersaucer, they were at the stage where they were trying to stand every time I held them... how could they not be ready for that compression on their spine then?

I don't know, I feel like there are lots of good points being made but I am still missing something. Seems like used at the right time, and in moderation, none of these devices have to be all bad... but of course if your baby is in it 24/7 that is not what nature intended and will be bad.

Oh, and about waiting to use the chairs... I think that is the one thing I wouldn't do.

: The only warning I had read about these chairs previously was *not* to use it with a baby who could sit on their own and was reaching for things, because they could topple over and get hurt...

 

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Originally Posted by GinaRae I am also not a fan of having children sit up before they're ready. But just so you know, it's actually given awards by the UK. It's currently sold in the United States, England, Japan, Australia, France, Portugal, and South Africa. It's also "now obtaining TUV international standards approval in Germany."

Gee, thanks. My research was done a while ago, when they came out here and no one in Germany had heard of such a stupid thing. The bug is spreading I guess

:.

I don't know how some people can't see the obvious: Nobody invented this thing because it's needed. Someone thought of another piece of plastic to sell and make money off of new parents who think their babies are missing out on something if they are not always ahead of schedule.

 

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Originally Posted by melissakc I bought one for DD but I waited too long and didn't get much use out of it bc her chubby thighs got too big for it.

That's the thing - babies in our family tend to be little sumo wrestlers. I just can't imagine chubby little thighs fitting into those openings for very long.

 

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Originally Posted by Undercover Hippie Okay, I thought about this topic some more and I don't see how a Bumbo chair is that different from using a sling.

Its totally different, for the same reason why its safe to use a sling with a newborn but not a Baby Bjorn. The sling provides all-around support of the upright infant, while the Bumbo and the Bjorn really only hold the baby up at the crotch/hips--this puts way too much pressure on the spine.

 

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Originally Posted by Googy Its totally different, for the same reason why its safe to use a sling with a newborn but not a Baby Bjorn. The sling provides all-around support of the upright infant, while the Bumbo and the Bjorn really only hold the baby up at the crotch/hips--this puts way too much pressure on the spine.

I understand how the Bjorn and exersaucers and such put the presure only on the babies spine and that's not good. But I don't see how the bumbo does that. Their whole bottom and back has support. I'm with Tara, it doesn't seem any different than a sling.