Parents these days have a wide array of options with regards to baby aids, toys and other equipments. Due to being bombarded with choices, they get confused about the toys that they should introduce to their kids. The brain of your baby is initially at a developing state and during the first 1000 days, the way the brain wires and fires is all decided by the stimulation of the environment. Before considering any toy that interrupts with the regular patterns of development, you should think twice.
Gradually when your baby finds interest in moving, you may choose to gift him a baby walker or a jumper through which he can learn how to walk and stand. No matter how they help your child in walking and jumping, they’ve always been thrown towards controversies and debates where their efficacy has been questioned. Are they actually a helping aid or are they hindering the development of your child?
Can you jumpstart development through a baby jumper?
No, not always! When you use baby jumpers, they restrain the total time that the baby lies in a tummy-lying position, moving and crawling through a small space where their heads lie in a different plane. Then what are the issues with regards to the development of the baby which are posed by the baby jumpers?
- It can strain the spinal cord of the baby, his hips and also his knees. The entire weight is carried in between their legs and hence their legs dangle down and this is not the perfect position for the babies in a jumper. However the same position seems to be perfect for carrying aids as the posture where the baby’s legs lie bent and hang slightly above their knees is good for their spinal development.
- Whenever a baby is crawling around on his tummy, the muscles are balanced with due to the stretching and other muscles are shortened. Due to the combination of flexing and stretching, an appropriate posture is encouraged and all these refine and develop the movements. In case a baby is supported in a wrong manner, this can lead to tightening of muscles or shortening. This will lead to a bad posture while running, walking or sitting.
Are swings good enough for toddlers?
As per the recommendations of the experts, swings are used for the younger infants. When you wish to select a swing for your baby, choose one with an activity tray. There should be a combination of textures, shapes and colors so that you could promote grasping and batting. When a child is placed in a swing, the baby semi-reclines and his legs again keep dangling. This might apparently seem to be a soothing but there’s no such benefit of this position. A baby sitter can often use a swing to pacify the baby.
Therefore, whenever you’re confused between whether to choose a baby jumper or a walker or not to choose, take into account the above listed points.
