Are Jumpers And Bouncers Good For Babies?

Baby jumpers and bouncers are fun and also give the parents time-out from the routine chores of the baby such as tummy time, diaper change, and feeding. They keep the little ones occupied. Most pediatricians do not recommend using them because if not used properly they can be harmful. There is nothing bad about getting them for your child but certain things should be known before buying them.

Jumpers and bouncers surely give parents a break from the routine. Both are not good to be used by the child as soon as he/she is born.

Do not be in a hurry to get everything for your child as he arrives and also do not overdo their usage or make your child habitual to them.

Baby bouncers have angled seats with restraints, ensuring the baby’s safety while on the seat. The babies are gently strapped in and the seat extends beyond the head and supports the neck.

It gently rocks the baby and gives a soothing feeling. Even a newborn can be kept in the bouncer for short periods under supervision.⁽¹⁾

Jumpers are designed for active babies who reach their milestones before using them. They have padded seats and a sturdy frame and are not with neck support.

They are not meant for the kids who are not able to hold their head up independently.

They can be used around 6 months of age. Never try them with a child below this age group.

Parents often let their little ones snooze in the bouncers, but it is highly discouraged by the medical experts. This angled position can be a cause of sudden infant death syndrome. (SIDS)⁽²⁾

Always supervise the child when they are in the bouncer.

They are safe only when used properly.

The jumpers attached to door frames or beams have obstruction around them and the baby might accidentally hit their head, arms, or body parts against the door frame.

There is a risk of injury to the head with them.

The jumpers can be freestanding or mounted. This can lead to setting the child’s hips in an awkward position or even exercise the wrong muscle.

If you rely largely on jumpers to keep the babies occupied, you may delay the motor development.⁽³⁾

As recommended by experts jumper sessions should not be more than 15-20 minutes per session and not more than 2 sessions per day.

There is an age limit, till when you can use bouncers. When the baby has reached 20 pounced or when he can sit up on his own, using bouncers should be discontinued. As the baby grows he can sit up or roll over on his own and there might be a risk of injury.

For jumpers, you need to check the weight limits. Most come with the upper range between 25 to 33 pounds.

While buying any of the bouncers or jumper, make sure it meets the safety standards of consumer product safety commission. (CPSC)⁽⁴⁾

Most of the jumpers and bouncers come with activity sets that help keep the babies engaged.

The bouncers have adjustable models that grow with the child and can be later on used as traditional seats once the child has outgrown the bouncer stage.

Just like we need some time and space by ourselves, we need to give the little ones their own space to explore and grow.

Using baby gears according to the age and along with keeping in mind the milestones is completely safe. There is no harm in buying a bouncer or a jumper for your child until you keep in mind all the safety measures and precautions.