Comments on: New Warnings! Caution! Danger! Bumbo Alert! Meep! Meep!

By: Bri

Bri — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:18:09 +0000

I may just be the worst parent in the world…My three month old son uses his bumbo in the bathtub. We also set it on restaurant chairs (who wants to hold a baby while trying to eat chinese?) He LOVES it. It’s also great to set the baby in while one is using the bathroom, because common sense tells us that an infant should NEVER be left alone.

By: Leigh

Leigh — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:00:52 +0000

Sam loves the bumbo. My back that has issues with carrying the baby all the time loves the bumbo. In fact, we all love the bumbo.

And we even use this product knowing what tummy time is. I know it may sounds strange, but we do both. Bumbo. Tummy time every day. Weird eh? And we carry him too. And we feed him in our arms. And come to think of it, we also have him on his back on a mat almost every day.

By: Lori

Lori — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 11:35:20 +0000

Nothing to do with the Bumbo, but I’m surprised at some of the reactions from readers. All you say is why. You mention it seems unnatural. Just your opinion. Personally, I thought the thing was a toddler booster seat until I realized a toddler couldn’t fit in it.

Incidentally, I read on another site about a father’s curiosity with the country’s obsession with the Bugaboo stroller. He claimed it seemed so strange and unsafe-looking. I agree; it looks … odd. Plus, for $800+, the thing should change my kid’s diaper or have armor plating on it. Marketing works, I guess.

Now a Bumbo story, though not mine: My former gym trainer purchased one for his (relatively) petite wife. Poor thing. Gave birth vaginally to an 11-pound baby. The kid weighed almost 20 pounds by 3 months. No disorder. No overeating. Just a big kid. She claimed the Bumbo saved her life … or at least her arm muscles. To each, his own …

By: G.Ausburn

G.Ausburn — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:57:38 +0000

I purchased a Bumbo for my granddaughter who lives with her mother at home still, I have to say the purchase was a tremendous success for all involved.
The little one at 3 1/2 months is so independent already it will make your head spin. Also a suffered of severe reflux having to be dependent on others makes her extremely tempermental and irritable.

My daughter tried a body carrier with her once and after finally calming her down after her fit it's much easier to use her preferred method of letting her dangle over our arm as we carry her.

Tummy time has to be closely montiored since it tends to increase the reflux, but using the Bumbo seems to have decreased the episodes some what while giving her the independence she thrives on.

Laying down became a big no-no not only after the reflux became severe but also after she realized the world looked differently while being held upright! She's now able to be surrounded with a large fluffly blanket that holds small toys elevated to her level that she can pick which looks the most appealing instead of us offering her each one until she decides...lol

Our family pets are also able to interact with her much more calmly since "the authority figures" of the house are not holding her. Nose kisses from a Shitzu seem to make her giggle (only after my daughter realized dog kisses don't warrant immediate baths and ER visits...lol) and our large dog calmly lays with his nose where her toes can reach him and it thrills them both!

Every child and situation is different, for some the Bumbo can be a life ane mental mind saver while for others it's a bizarre looking contraption that seems like a abstract piece of artwork.

For me the who did her mothering in a time where there wasn't such a word as "tummy time" we spimply placed our kids on the floor on a blanket so we could manage to get things done, and our kids learned that playing with dust bunnies was an everyday occurance the Bumbo is both... definately a life saver! And also an unusual abstract piece of art.

By: Alisha

Alisha — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:11:32 +0000

Ah, commenting on an old post. Just wanted to remark that, as my son has pretty severe reflux, we have to limit his tummy time. He has to stay upright after feedings for at least an hour, and since we feed on demand and he is a super-growing boy (he’s as “tall” as the neighbor’s baby who is a year older and not small himself), he eats pretty often! I wear him around in the Maya wrap pretty often, but that seems to wear him out, and he doesn’t have enough control yet to sit up properly in his high chair for the solid foods we’re just now trying, so I got it for that. It’s nice for short periods. Like anything else, I would never leave him alone and unattended in it, but the seat itself — just like a playpen or anything else — is hardly evil.

Different babies and different parents need different solutions. We have a couple of different chairs for him, since he has to spend so much time upright. I give him as much tummy time as possible, but it really makes him hurt, so it’s not like I can exactly just dump him on the floor and let him wriggle while I handle something if I can’t get into the baby sling right then. You know?

By: Alicia

Alicia — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:36:52 +0000

I agree with your thoughts on the Bumbo seat however it was recommended by my son’s PT to help strengthen his muscles. According to both the PT and Ped, this helps ensure everything is aligned while I do his prescribed neck exercises at home. So I guess in the end it does have some legitimate benefits to a baby who ACTUALLY needs it. But I agree, I have four children and wouldn’t have given this thing a second thought if it weren’t for doctor recommendations for my son’s particular health issue. Can’t imagine why anyone would use this as a booster seat or put it on a high surface – but then again, some new parents may not know better.

By: brint

brint — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:51:47 +0000

We dig Bumbo. A little. Kind of like the Potsy Webber of our child-distraction aresenal. Attachment Parenting doesn't meet our needs as parents, unfortunately, and you gotta put the kids somewhere. Plus, if they always lay flat they'll get the "flathead" and have to wear a helmet.

Another bonus is Bumbo helps them fart, poop and burp, don't know why, but it is similar to Daddy's favorite pooping position.

By: twinsanity

twinsanity — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:39:39 +0000

I'm an Attachment Parenting, babywearing mom of twins. My husband and I own several different babywearing carriers and our girls spent lots of time being held, worn, and on the floor. We still LOVED our bumbos. The girls really liked being able to sit upright and interact with us and each other. Being home by myself all day with 2 infants made it nearly impossible to actually hold them all day and letting one sit up on the floor in her bumbo observing her sister's feedings, diaper changes, etc. was so helpful if only for a few minutes at a time.

They also make great feeding seats for traveling by car. We used them to spoon feed the girls solids on road trips. Rest stops and picnic areas don't generally come stocked with high chairs and its not like one parent can hold the baby while the other feeds the baby when you've got two babies screaming to be fed.

Do you also dislike swings and bouncy seats?

By: Dani

Dani — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 04:25:14 +0000

We used the Bumbo on the recommendation of our PT. Jeffrey had some motor issues and we were able to work on his midline skills as well as help his core strength to sit up.
We also bought one for his daycare. His PT told us definitely NOT to use walkers and he would get tired of the bouncers and whatnot. Anyway, we really like ours but I agree that babies should be given plenty of tummy time and being held.

By: adrienne

adrienne — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:15:24 +0000

AJ-

I own a Bumbo, and it worked well in helping our developmentallly normal son gain the core strength to sit up (he also LOVED his high chair).

That being said, you've written the funniest disclaimer ever!

Many parent blogs are losing relevance because they are simply repeating messages direct from manufacturers and marketers. I can't tell you how disheartening it is to see a mediocre press release for a lame product in my email box reappear hydra-like on three or four MAJOR parent blogs.

Thanks for your thoughts and opinions (even if we don't always agree).