We bet you cannot wait to see your baby make their very first tiny steps. We bet your heart fills up every time you imagine your little one jumping around the house. But there are some things to keep in mind before you make the jump (pun intended) into giving your baby a jumper, and we will guide you through it. While baby jumpers are entirely safe for your child, there are inescapable things to learn about jumpers, such as when can baby use jumper and how.
What is a baby jumper?
Baby jumperoos are devices designed especially for growing toddlers eager to take their first step. They are safe and beneficial and are designed to encourage your toddler to use both their arms and legs to straddle. The tool is engineered in a way to ensure that your kid doesn’t get injured; you just have to be a little cautious.
Benefits of jumper for the development of the baby
Apart from giving your baby their first opportunity to walk on their own, baby jumpers have several other benefits such as:
- Gives parents their much needed break: As joyful and rewarding parenting can be, it can also be quite a tedious job. Parents of newborns and toddlers need their breathers. Jumpers help to keep the babies engaged for hours, helping parents to engage in themselves for some time.
- Great for brain stimulation: According to some child psychiatrists, the fun sounds that jumpers make and the bright colors they come in, can go a long way in stimulating a baby’s brain. According to psychologist Naomi Burgess, “It can provide the opportunity for using their gross and fine motor skills, and provide them with a micro-environment where their motor responses and sensory curiosity can seemingly, and randomly, be combined.”
- Helps create better hand-eye simulation in babies: Since a jumper engages the whole body of a baby to initiate movement, they slowly learn to stabilise the position of their head and their eyes to help sync with the direction they are moving. It is a great tool that encourages the interaction of your baby with their bodies.
What are some of the risks of baby jumpers?
As safe and fun as they are, there are mainly two major risks at play.
Firstly, mounted jumpers need to be attached to a door frame or a beam. And they are potential obstructions around jumpers, and a very active baby might hit their head, arms, or other body parts against the frame, which may lead to injury. According to a study, about 95% of child injuries are caused by nursery-related products.
Secondly, any jumper – bouncer or freestyle – can set the child’s hip in an awkward way focusing on the wrong muscles. This happens only if the baby extensively uses the jumper. For all-round motor development in a baby, crawling and walking without any tools is also very necessary.
Experts suggest that parents restrict jumper time to 15-20 minutes and no more than two sessions per day.
What is the right time to use a baby jumper?
Age limit
The exact age limit of when can a baby use jumpers depends on if the kid is stabilized yet or not. Usually it is a habit to have 3-4 months as the normal age for jumper, since that is the age when most babies start “jumping”. But according to Loyola University Health System MD Bridget Boyd, 4-6 months baby jumper age limit is acceptable for most infants.
Weight limit
The weight limit varies according to manufacturers, but in most cases, the common upper range is between 25-33 pounds.
Some other safely considerations:
- Make sure the baby is properly fitted in the seat
- The door frame should be strong enough to support the baby’s weight
- Ensure other children are not pushing the jumper while your child is on it
- Regularly check the jumper for any weak joints
Also, definitely make sure your jumper follows all the baby jumper safety CPSC standards.
Also, note that sometimes baby jumpers are being recalled, so do your research before investing.
Wrapping it up: General signs that your child is ready for the jumper
When do babies use jumpers? It depends what development stage is your baby on. This is when you can know when to put your baby in the jumper:
- Your baby is 30 inches tall or less
- They weigh 25 pounds or less
- If the infant has started climbing yet, if not, they might fall within the jumper
- They can hold their head for 10-20 minutes without falling
- Another way to make sure when can baby use jumpers are to see if they fit perfectly fine within your desired jumperoo.
How long do babies use jumpers?
It depends. But our recommended time period to switch from a jumper is six months. Stop using the jumper as soon as the little one is capable of climbing out of it and confident enough to start walking.
Final words
The best baby jumpers can be part of something magical, as it is with the help of this that your baby will take the first step. Now, with knowing when can baby use jumper, make sure this experience is safe and enjoyable for both you and your little one.
