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Baby Walkers

New parents, who are searching for a way to entertain their baby while they attend to everyday chores such as laundry or preparing dinner, may be tempted to turn to the use of a baby walker. These walkers, molded plastic contraptions with sling seats that hold the baby upright and wheels attached at the base, allow for a baby to maneuver around on their own. Very popular a few years back, the walkers are now getting a bad safety rap. During their years of highest use, walkers were responsible for causing numerous injuries to babies. These injuries were caused by babies tipping over in their walkers, pinching their fingers between the walker and the furniture and from falling down staircases as they maneuvered their walkers. In some cases, these injuries, especially those caused by a fall down the stairs, resulted in death.

Another reason that walkers are deemed an unwise purchase is that many child development experts believe that the use of walkers actually interferes with a baby's normal development. Many parents use walkers thinking that they help to exercise a baby's leg and prepare them for walking on their own. Experts disagree, however. They feel that walkers keep a baby from doing the important things that lead up to walking, such as crawling, pulling themselves up and "cruising" around furniture. Without these developmental milestones, babies may take longer to learn how to walk.

So what are the alternatives? Some parents like to buy a walker type alternative called a stationary walker. These walkers work in the same way as the old walkers but lack the wheels that made the old ones mobile. In these new walkers, baby cab still sit upright and put weight on their legs, they just can't move around the room.

Some parents like to use a baby jumper. This contraption attaches to a doorframe and sports a heavy-duty spring attached to a cloth baby seat. A baby jumper allows the baby to sit up right and bounce on their legs for entertainment. Again, the experts are mixed about the safety and the benefits of using such a device.

If you still think that you cannot beat the benefits of a mobile walker, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that your baby is as safe as possible during its use.

• Never leave your baby unattended in the walker.

• Make sure that the wheel base of your walker is wider and longer than the walker frame. This will ensure more stability in your baby's walker.

• Never allow your baby to use a walker where the ground is not smooth and snag free. Do not use the walkers outdoors or indoors over area rugs or uneven flooring.

• Choose a walker that is made for your baby's height and weight. If your baby is too tall or too heavy for the walker, it may cause the walker to topple.

• Always use a gate to secure any stairways around the child, and close all doors to keep your baby from exploring anything that might hurt him or her.

• Never carry the walker with your baby in it. Walkers are usually awkwardly shaped and the added weight will make them harder to carry, thus increasing the chances of you dropping your baby in the process.

• Only use a walker for a short period of time each day. If you use the walker to entertain your child while you complete a chore, you should limit the amount of time you spend doing that chore. You should also allow your baby to have plenty floor play each day in order to allow them to practice walking on their own.
Even after adhering to every safety precaution, there is still a chance that your baby could be injured by walker use. If this happens, examine the injury and use common sense to decide whether your child needs immediate medical attention or not.


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