September 2017 Moms
ElleKH
member
FYI: Baby's Development and Forced Sitting, Etc.
ElleKH
member
I've been waiting to throw this into an UO Thursday, but it's such an important topic that I feel like it needs a thread of its own. The reason? I had no idea that forced sitting and weight-bearing activities were an issue until I moved out of the US, so it's likely that many of you are unaware of it too. And why this early? Because I know we have some mamas who are already itching to go on their baby shopping sprees and start nesting. 
That is such a wonderful, exciting feeling! I just want to make sure you have at least seen this info before throwing something that you may not actually want into your shopping cart. You may want it all the same and that's fine, but at least you'll be an informed buyer.
In the US, it's so common to buy a Bumbo, an Exersaucer, a Jumperoo, or what-have-you and to use them on a regular basis. And it's no wonder - babies love them and they give busy moms time to get shit done or take a breather. I have no doubt that if we had stayed in the US, we would have had these things in our household. But since living in Europe, where medicine is refreshingly different, I've learned that many health care professionals and many moms advocate letting their babies sit, stand, and walk in their own time. As far as I know, Americans are not informed about the developmental dangers these activities pose to our babies.
So coming from an originally uninformed mama, I feel that it's my responsibility to get this information out to those of you who might not hear about it otherwise. Your decision is ultimately up to you and I'm not going to judge you for it either way. I just want you to be aware of what the experts in several other countries are saying about forced sitting and weight bearing activities. I want you all to be well-informed, come to your own conclusions, and make the decisions that are right for your families.
Here is a helpful link, for those interested in learning more: https://activebabiessmartkids.com.au/articles/please-sit/
ETA another very helpful link, pulled from the comments below: https://mamaot.com/exersaucers-the-good-the-bad-the-better/
And I know this might be a hot topic, so feel free to fire away! Just please keep in mind that the only reason I'm sharing this is because I care about you and your babies, so try not to tear me up too badly.
That is such a wonderful, exciting feeling! I just want to make sure you have at least seen this info before throwing something that you may not actually want into your shopping cart. You may want it all the same and that's fine, but at least you'll be an informed buyer. In the US, it's so common to buy a Bumbo, an Exersaucer, a Jumperoo, or what-have-you and to use them on a regular basis. And it's no wonder - babies love them and they give busy moms time to get shit done or take a breather. I have no doubt that if we had stayed in the US, we would have had these things in our household. But since living in Europe, where medicine is refreshingly different, I've learned that many health care professionals and many moms advocate letting their babies sit, stand, and walk in their own time. As far as I know, Americans are not informed about the developmental dangers these activities pose to our babies.
So coming from an originally uninformed mama, I feel that it's my responsibility to get this information out to those of you who might not hear about it otherwise. Your decision is ultimately up to you and I'm not going to judge you for it either way. I just want you to be aware of what the experts in several other countries are saying about forced sitting and weight bearing activities. I want you all to be well-informed, come to your own conclusions, and make the decisions that are right for your families.
Here is a helpful link, for those interested in learning more: https://activebabiessmartkids.com.au/articles/please-sit/
ETA another very helpful link, pulled from the comments below: https://mamaot.com/exersaucers-the-good-the-bad-the-better/
And I know this might be a hot topic, so feel free to fire away! Just please keep in mind that the only reason I'm sharing this is because I care about you and your babies, so try not to tear me up too badly.
Re: FYI: Baby's Development and Forced Sitting, Etc.
The exersaucer suspends the baby in a "standing" position, correct? Where their feet touch the bottom so they can practice jumping and strengthen their legs? Can we discuss this?
Type 1 Diabetes since 2001, MTHFR hetero A1298T
Dogs: Raider 4 yrs, Dex 4 yrs
BFP #2 7/6/16 SCH, D&C 8/4/16
BFP #3 12/26/16 EDD: 9/6/17
My Chart / My Diabetes/Pregnancy Blog
My Type 1/TTC/Pregnancy Podcast:
Juicebox Podcast Episode 118
A1Cs:
1/12/16 6.7%
5/25/16 6.0%
11/2/16 6.1%
3/22/16 5.8%
4/27/17 5.4%
6/13/17 5.3%
"Sugar Fancy Tutu"
Found it! I came across this article before DS was born. It's written by an occupational therapist and mother, and it's wonderful: https://mamaot.com/exersaucers-the-good-the-bad-the-better/
ETA correction: Based on the information in this link, Exersaucers put baby's whole body into the wrong position, hindering correct development.
Type 1 Diabetes since 2001, MTHFR hetero A1298T
Dogs: Raider 4 yrs, Dex 4 yrs
BFP #2 7/6/16 SCH, D&C 8/4/16
BFP #3 12/26/16 EDD: 9/6/17
My Chart / My Diabetes/Pregnancy Blog
My Type 1/TTC/Pregnancy Podcast:
Juicebox Podcast Episode 118
A1Cs:
1/12/16 6.7%
5/25/16 6.0%
11/2/16 6.1%
3/22/16 5.8%
4/27/17 5.4%
6/13/17 5.3%
"Sugar Fancy Tutu"
Thanks for educating me so I can be firm about other silly toys ppl may want to use to keep my baby contained and safe!
Type 1 Diabetes since 2001, MTHFR hetero A1298T
Dogs: Raider 4 yrs, Dex 4 yrs
BFP #2 7/6/16 SCH, D&C 8/4/16
BFP #3 12/26/16 EDD: 9/6/17
My Chart / My Diabetes/Pregnancy Blog
My Type 1/TTC/Pregnancy Podcast:
Juicebox Podcast Episode 118
A1Cs:
1/12/16 6.7%
5/25/16 6.0%
11/2/16 6.1%
3/22/16 5.8%
4/27/17 5.4%
6/13/17 5.3%
"Sugar Fancy Tutu"
i found that I used my floor mat the most...just let her roll and do tummy time there. The kicking piano was cool too because she could use it like an excercise mat but then later the piano came...she still plays with that part at 2.5yo.
**TW**
Losses:
#1: 8wks MMC 4/16
#2: 13+4 T21 + Hydrops 3/17
P.S. - My parents also propped me up with pillows at an early age and I now have moderately severe scoliosis as an adult. My sister has a slight curvature. I often wonder if that early forced sitting had something to do with it. Or maybe it was all the accidents and injuries we had as kids. I'll never know for certain.
Type 1 Diabetes since 2001, MTHFR hetero A1298T
Dogs: Raider 4 yrs, Dex 4 yrs
BFP #2 7/6/16 SCH, D&C 8/4/16
BFP #3 12/26/16 EDD: 9/6/17
My Chart / My Diabetes/Pregnancy Blog
My Type 1/TTC/Pregnancy Podcast:
Juicebox Podcast Episode 118
A1Cs:
1/12/16 6.7%
5/25/16 6.0%
11/2/16 6.1%
3/22/16 5.8%
4/27/17 5.4%
6/13/17 5.3%
"Sugar Fancy Tutu"
@ElleKH Thanks for posting this, I have a lot of reading to do!
So it seems in the first link in the op the problem with walkers and bumbos is that the infant is unable to move their legs freely. Makes sense this would slow development. However, with jumperoos (I don't have experience with exersaucers, though they seem to have the same construction for the seat) the seat is cloth and molds to the child's body. You aren't supposed to use the product at all until the child is able to stand flat-footed while in the seat so it's more of a support for not falling over than a baby positioner. I'm not a physical therapist but it seems like a cloth seat that supports the child from falling while maintaining a large range of motion is different than a product that positions limbs into a forced position with little range of motion.
Issue: "Exersaucers encourage babies to stand by locking out their knees in order to compensate for weakness because they’re placed in a standing position before they are ready for it. They also cause babies to bear weight on their toes instead of on their whole foot, which is known to contribute to the over-development of calf muscles and, if severe, can lead to toe walking."
Compromise: "Place a pillow under baby’s feet so she’s not totally flat-footed or tippie-toed. We don’t want to promote either position. I learned this tip from child development guru Laura Sobell. Just keep an eye on baby’s feet to make sure she’s not standing with them in an abnormal position, like ankles rolled over or toes tucked under."
at least that's how I interpret it
**TW**
Losses:
#1: 8wks MMC 4/16
#2: 13+4 T21 + Hydrops 3/17
I didn't buy an exersaucer or a jumper but I did have an activity table thing that is like an exersaucer? I don't know what it's called. I didn't use it until he could sit up and had upper body control. We also only had him in it for maybe 10minutes at most during the day. He didn't really like either of them.
I didn't read these articles but I read a lot of articles by pediatric OTs about how it hurts development so I didn't buy a lot of "props". I think this is great info to pass along!
I also want to address a valid point brought up by you and @jutondreau. You mentioned not being able to find peer-reviewed material. Sadly, that doesn't really surprise me since, like I said in before, because this is such a widely accepted and even promoted practice in the US - The Bump itself and most American pediatricians recommend early forced sitting and weight bearing activities - I wouldn't expect there to be much out there. But please keep in mind that just because it is accepted as the norm in the US, that does not mean that it is the norm everywhere. There are other places in the world where people have studied this more and have published their findings, leading to a change in what doctors recommend and what parents do. The problem I ran into here is finding information in English to share with the rest of you. I can find you a ton of material in Czech, but that's not going to help most of you.
I understand that different perspectives are sometimes hard to swallow, especially when it goes against everything you assumed was normal. It was a big shock for me when we moved over here too. But honestly, I have to tell you, the Czechs do this better. (And I can't say that about everything, but in this case, it's true.) At 6 weeks, every baby attends a quick ultrasound screening of the hip joints. If something is wrong, parents are advised immediately as to what should be done to try to fix the problem early and prevent more serious issues from developing. I've never heard of this being done in the US, but please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Doctors pay very close attention to the position of baby's entire body at every check up: when on their back, on their belly, rolling both directions, creeping, crawling, sitting, standing, and walking. If anything, even the smallest thing, seems off, baby and parents are sent to a physical therapist to address the issue(s). Physical therapists teach parents to use Vojta's Method, massage, and other exercises to help baby overcome these developmental stumbling blocks and get back to normal developmental patterns. This is something that we just don't offer in the US, as far as I know, and I am very grateful that we live here, even though it's hard to be so far from family and friends back home. I truly feel that my baby is in better hands here.
That being said, I honestly just want to pass what I've learned here onto you other mamas who may not have access to this perspective otherwise. Again, you are free to choose what is best for you, your babies, and your families. I have absolutely no say in that. But I believe in sharing knowledge, and I hope that if any of you come across anything that goes against the grain, but seems important, that you'll do the rest of us the favor of sharing it and letting us make our own decisions about it. One of the big reasons many of us are here is to love, support, and help one another. That's all I'm truly interested in doing.
The argument of the material I've presented is that it's better to let nature take its course and let baby's body decide when it's the right time to crawl, sit, stand, etc. If pushed too early, baby's body isn't ready for it yet. The muscles used in each step of their development are crucial to them being ready for and reaching the next milestone. That's why tummy time is so important at the very beginning. It strengthens the core muscles, the neck, and so on, to prepare baby for pivoting, rolling, scooting, and everything else that comes after. And those activities, in turn, strengthen and prepare the body for crawling, sitting, standing, and walking. So the idea here is to let nature do her thing because she knows best.
Child development isn't a race. Even though we're advised against it, parents often end up comparing the development of their own children to those of others. But keep in mind that, with the exception of children with developmental issues, every child is going to reach those milestones in their own time. So basically, that's what this is all about: the importance of letting each child go at their own pace.
ETA @kelseyrayray and @gabby94 - I meant to address you here too, since it applies to what you've said. Again, not an attack, just a different perspective. Please don't be angry.
@lap018 - Sorry! I have no idea why I thought you were Canadian. Chalk it up to goldfish brain.
@jessieR358 - I can't tell you how happy it makes me that you and @lap018 have already had access to this information! Honestly, I'm relieved. Parents can choose either way, but at least provide them with info on both sides!
ETA ^Click on "Method" under "EK Concept."
I also have a good friend in Australia who is a midwife. I'll ask her for her opinion, if she has any additional information or knows of any peer-reviewed sources.
Again, not to say that bucket seats are the devil and will wreck hips and spine. Just like a baby shouldn't be left in a bucketseat all day, they shouldn't be left lying flat in a bassinet all day either. The points I see are:
1) do your own research with an open mind to see which common practices are supported OR challenged
2) moderation is key - LO will benefit from having a variety of positions each day: baby wearing, lying flat, tummy time, reclined position, etc.
BFP #1 June 2016: EDD 16 March 2017, MC July 2016
Re-started TTC Aug 2016
Started IF testing Nov 2016
Spontaneous BFP #2 January 2017: Rainbow Baby Boy September 2017
BFP #3 November 2018: Baby #2 expected August 2019
Our pediatrician told us "no" to any of the mobile-walker type things, not for developmental reasons but because of stairs and accidents that could happen. Otherwise we used bumbo and an exersaucer with DD and I plan to do it again with this baby. Personally, I think using good judgement on how you use the products may come in to play, i.e., not putting your baby in them before they are ready or not leaving them in there daily for hours at a time.
Also id like to add no hard feelings towards anyone with a different opinion. In the end you are gonna do what you find best for your child.