Hey mama! Today's subject is a doozy as we share five baby items that are registry staples we'd love to purge from everyone's lists!
It's no secrete, baby containers are a hot button issue for today's parents and baby experts. As awareness rises that containers are being more and more linked to developmental delays and sometimes injuries, the #freethebabies movement continues to gain awareness. But are all containers bad? Are you potentially causing harm every time you use one? How does mama get a break or keep baby safe from siblings and those four legged friends if the floor is the only option? Let's dive right in!
Are all containers bad or causing harm? No! Absolutely not. Here at Bold Child Co. we're all mamas and we've all used containers at various points in our LOs development. The key is choosing the right containers and limiting their use. A general rule of thumb is no more than 60 minutes per day or 20 minutes in one stretch. This philosophy ensures baby is spending most of the day free to move, while still allowing some latitude for container use so mama can maybe pee alone once today or chop some onions for dinner.
So which common registry containers should we choose and which should we avoid? We're glad you asked. The most common baby containers include infant sitters, infant standers, jumping devices, and walkers. Let's dive in on each!
PLAGIOCEPHALY PILLOWS: These devices have flooded the market as flat head syndrome cases continue to rise. They tout round heads while still allowing baby to play on their backs, however, restrict the neck movement left and right that helps to round baby's head.
Our favorite alternatives: unfortunately there isn't a product swap here. Round heads are made through limiting wake time on the back by playing in supervised tummy and sidelying and making sure baby doesn't spend prolonged time with the head turned to one side. Remember: back to sleep, tummy to play!
SITTERS: If you've followed us on Instagram for more than five minutes, you know we aren't fans of the original Bumbo sitter. Why? The design places the pelvis below the knees, teaches reclined sitting (which can delay independent sitting), and the leg holes are too narrow to allow for healthy hip position.
Our favorite alternatives: The Upseat (our #1!) or the Bumbo Multiseat. Why? These designs have a tray and wide base for safety, therapist approved postural alignment, and wide leg holes to allow for developmentally appropriate hip position.
STANDERS/JUMPERS: Standers and jumpers have long been a household favorite of new parents and seasoned mamas alike. It's so exciting when baby is finally ready to be supported in an upright position, but are they all ok? Both of Kate's children lived in the Skip Hop Activity Center during meal prep time. This style exercauser, where the supports are stationary and come from below, is generally therapist approved to be used in moderation until your baby can independently stand or climb. However, jumpers - be it doorway or exercauser style on springs (above or below the support disc) - are a huge no-go! Why? Two reasons! Jumping is not a developmental milestone for babies. Generally speaking, this skill comes in the second year of life for most kiddos. Promoting jumping before a baby can even stand independently puts excessive amounts of stress through immature joints. The femoral portion of hip joints of babies are made mostly of cartilage with two areas of bone development. As baby ages toward adolescence, these bony areas become larger and the cartilage smaller. Until the second year of life, the proportion of cartilage to bone is not yet ready for the type of sheering forces caused by jumping in a device. Carrymeaway.com shares a nice image and thoughts on the developing hips here.
WALKERS: The number one goal reported by families who present to physical therapy in the first year of life is achievement of walking, so it's no wonder there's an infinite number of these devices on the market. But did you know that sit-in style baby walkers are listed as a dangerous baby item by the American Academy of Pediatrics? You can read more about the hazard concerns here. Aside from safety concerns, these devices push baby to walk before they are ready and do not teach your child to walk (and have been linked to delays in walking for some children).
Our favorite alternatives: push behind walkers! Why? These devices do not promote walking before baby is ready AND can be helpful in learning to walk independently. Our favorites are the Little Balance Box and A-frame style walkers with options to adjust the drag on the rear wheels such as the V-Tech Walker. True, these options are not containers. If you need somewhere to contain your mobile baby, we're huge fans of a "baby zone".
What is a baby zone? A baby zone is an area that baby can be placed that contains only baby-safe items and is away from any items baby could reach that may be dangerous. We love these baby playpens and these zone gates for making sure baby stays in and brother and Fido stay out.
So what do I do if I already own these items or have used these devices with my LO? If you've had these items in your home for baby and the ship has sailed on not using them, don't panic. Maya Angelou said beautifully "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." Many generations of mamas have used these devices. It's not the end of the world if your now-nine-year-old used them. If baby is still developing and you own one of these devices, consider pitching them or switching them!
So, in summary, if you have any: 1. Plagiocephaly pillows, 2. Bumbo seats, 3. Doorway Jumpers, 4. Exer-jumpers, or 5. Sit-in style walkers sitting in that donation pile, this is one time where we support a switch to the landfill! We hope you found this post helpful! Be sure to follow along with @boldchildco on Instagram for alerts on when we share more thoughts on the Bold Child Co. Blog!
Be Bold!
xoxo Kate and Amanda
Not medical advice. If you have concerns, please seek consultation with a pediatric health professional near you. Bold Child Co, LLC may earn a small commission at no cost to you through use of affiliate links. Bold Child Co, LLC does not take responsibility for improper use of items or broken items recommended above. Product quality and safety is the responsibility of the manufacturer and supervising adult.