What is a baby walker?

A baby walker is a wide frame on wheels, with a padded seat insert and a plastic tray. Babies who can hold up their heads and support their own head and back can use a walker- this is usually from six months upwards. To make them attractive, walkers come in a wide variety of designs and colors. Most baby walkers have toy trays and other interesting things for your baby to explore. Newer designs are safer as they have additional safety features. Walkers are adjustable and portable and can fold flat.

Is a baby walker absolutely essential for your baby?

In a word, NO; but baby walkers do have certain advantages. The biggest one is that they give your baby a totally new perspective of his or her surroundings. It helps to keep the baby occupied. If the baby is supervised properly, chances of physical injury are relatively low.

Some myths related to baby walkers:

Myth 1: Baby walkers ENCOURAGE your baby to walk.

Sorry folks, they do no such thing. At best, walkers give babies more control over their leg movements and help develop muscles of the leg. At worst, it gives your baby a lot of freedom without responsibility. What this means is that your baby can easily reach out to grab things that were previously out of reach. He or she can now happily grab everything that comes within his or her grasp.

Myth 2: Baby walkers are not dangerous; they just need to be used properly.

The American Academy of Pediatrics cautions against using baby walkers, as they can be dangerous for babies and may actually discourage your baby from walking. Accidents are quite common when your baby is in a walker. If your floor is carpeted, the wheels may get stuck in the folds or may not move at all. Baby walkers can be lethal on laminate or wooden floors. Babies have no control over their speed and movements. They can easily fall if there are obstacles in their way (in spite of the wide base on baby walkers). The most commonly reported accident is of babies falling down stairs. This can happen even if you have stair gates fitted, as many people forget to lock their gates.

Myth 3: Baby walkers keep your babies active.

This is not absolutely true. In fact, if a baby does not get enough time learning to crawl, roll over and sit up by him or herself, development may be impaired. Baby walkers do help keep your baby occupied as it gives him or her more freedom. Sometimes, baby walkers can put your baby in destruction mode as he or she can now reach out and grab many things. This means that many of these things either fall down or find their way to his or her mouth.

Should baby walkers be banned?

If you have an accident while traveling in a car, should cars be banned? As far as a baby is concerned, walkers are risky. This is where parental supervision comes in. Never treat the walker as if it were a sitter. Baby walkers should never be allowed into the kitchen, bathroom or in the upper floors of your house. If you follow the safety guidelines and supervise your child while he or she is in it, then 30-45 minutes in a walker will certainly make your baby happy. It will also give you some well-deserved free time to relax or get other chores done. A parent who is well aware of the risks and is vigilant enough to minimize them can definitely allow his or her baby to enjoy the sheer joy and freedom that a baby walker offers.