Am I hindering my LO?

akg629 · January 2016

Hi ladies, I know all babies progress at their own speed but I want to make sure I'm not holding my LO back by any means. My friend who has a 19 month old, was telling me all the things she did with her baby by the time he was 4 months. Such as putting him in the high chair and the bumbo seat as well as the jumperoo.

So here's my dilemma- I don't feel my daughter has enough head control for those things. She will sit up on my lap but lean forward. She loves tummy time and lifts her head up very well. She also loves to stand and look around, but sometimes loses control of her head. She hasn't rolled over yet. I swear it will be any day now!

Just looking for some advice as to if you ladies utilized those items to help your child progress or if it was something you didn't put them in until you felt they were ready for it. Thanks in advance!!!

BrandiLaw87 · January 2016

As mom you know what's best for your baby. Use your instincts and try not to second guess yourself just because some people like to make comparisons. I also feel like some people over exaggerate.

My LO is 17 weeks. She is not rolling over yet either but has pretty good head control. She also likes to stand assisted and can't quite sit up on her own, though she is trying. I just started putting her in the excersaucer but I roll a blanket and wrap it around her waist. This is more so that she is snug in the seat instead of having her upper body flopping around. I don't own a bumbo and I am not starting solids yet so we are not using a high chair.

I am using our toys and apparatuses when I feel like she is ready while loosely following recommended age guidelines. Babies develop at their own rates and I am not going to rush her into things that I feel she is not ready for. Just some insight from where I am!

jlemons-2 · January 2016

I put my LO in her bumbo today for the first time and I feel she isn't ready so I'm going to put it off a week and try again. I prefer to follow her lead on these types of things

bijouxbleu · January 2016

My LO is 19 wks and he hasn't sat in a bumbo yet either. I don't have a jumperoo either. He's not ready, yet. I'm going to purchase one here soon though, as he 's showing signs of being ready. He has good head control, but doesn't like tummy time too much. He prefers to sit, but can't do so unassisted. It can e frustrated especially as a FTM to hear other stories about other babies, but I'm good at tuning it out now! He developing at his own rate and is hitting his milestone. But I understand it's hard not to compare.

TechieGirl1 · January 2016

My lo is 19 weeks as well. He has really good head control, and can roll to either side but not completely over. He likes to sit and can almost on his own but will tip after a while. Lol. He also likes the stand up sit down game, and he does sit in a high chair when being fed. Definitely follow Los lead. I found that always works best.

ForeverEverAfter · January 2016

You're definitely not hindering your LO. If anything, your LO would get better muscle control by being on the floor than in one of those devices. You can't learn to roll in a bumbo! Everyone reaches milestones in their own time. I think you're doing the right thing by holding off til you feel she is ready.

MW5280 · January 2016

I didn't put LO in anything until I felt her neck and core muscles were developed enough. The floor and DH and I were perfectly good equipment for her to work on those muscles initially.

She loves standing with help, tummy time, and watching everything going on, and she just started rolling over in the last few days (15 weeks).

We just got a bumbo a week ago - partly because she gets frustrated being on the floor when her big siblings around. She so badly wants to be part of the action but is just too little to join them :-) the bumbo seems to help her with that. She's had great neck strength from the beginning but wasn't ready for the sitting assistance until a few weeks ago.

For Christmas, my parents gave her a jumper thingy. She isn't quite ready for it without help but she will be in the next few weeks I think.

There's nothing wrong with the floor :-) you'll know when your LO is ready for something else. Don't let any other mamas tell you you're doing it wrong - every kid is different!

akg629 · January 2016

Thanks for all the reassurance!!!! You ladies are awesome!

I feel a lot better now that I am following LOs lead in telling when it's time for the next steps. Sometimes it's just hard to hear things and not second guess yourself. I know I am doing the right thing for my child and that's all that matters.

kmcshane0211 · January 2016

@akg629 I know it's hard but try not to compare. First off, I think A LOT of babies are pushed to do things that aren't developmentally appropriate. For example, occupational therapists really advise againt the use of a Bumbo chair as it puts pressure on the still developing spine Bc babies don't have the core to support sitting. So, we're asking babies to sit before their bodies are ready for it. Second, exaggeration is rampant for competitive women who feel their children's physical development has ANYTHING to do with them. With the exception of maybe a genetic predisposition for strength, determination, etc. babies are going to naturally develop at the pace they each go. Third, there's a HUGE range of normal! And be careful not to fall into the milestone trap. I know this personally. My MIL is a milestone monster. How can I enjoy my daughter NOW if I'm always worried about what she isn't doing or what she should be doing next? And specific to rolling, LOTS of organization's guidelines say rolling COULD be seen at 4 months. Could. It's not expected and all it means is your baby (and mine) aren't ahead of the curve....on rolling.

Here's what I will say: as an educator with 2 master's (and half a PhD!) and countless classes in child development, ask your doctor about "red flags" at each phase. These will be sort of deadlines for skills. If baby doesn't so x by x, then worry. Cut yourself and baby a break. As long as you're exposing him/her to the opportunities to "roll", sit (when physically ready), etc. then you're doing your job!

JenLovesDesign · January 2016

I agree that as Momma, you know little one best. I tend to just put my lo in these things, and see how she does. She likes being in different places. Probably around Christmas, she was only good in the high chair for 15 minutes before she wasn't in to holding her head up anymore. You could just tell. Now, she's a lot better. So I think there's a little bit of push involved with the learning. If she's always in her comfort zone, she won't learn as quickly. For example, last night lo was trying to hold her bottle, so I layed her down, and kept putting her hands on the bottle like she needed, and by the end she was holding it up herself. Was she ready..not really, but these kids pick things up fast if you let them.

CaboBride2015 · January 2016

Echoing what @kmcshane0211 said about the Bumbo, our LO'S physical therapist recommended against it for a while yet so I wouldn't worry about that.

Babies definitely develop differently and even skip steps sometimes. My mom always reminds me that I never really crawled...I guess I couldn't get around fast enough that way so I just figured out how to walk earlier. I'm sure your not hindering at all

jwebbbber45678 · January 2016

These are all pretty recent inventions and I don't think they enhance development but instead are places to put your baby other than a crib and can be fun for playing. It's probably much more natural if you don't use those things so I wouldn't worry if I were you.

jen83mn · January 2016

My LO just turned 20 weeks, and while he is using his jumparoo and high chair now, I only put him in them when he already had good head control. Our high chair reclines, so he's been in that since 2 months just so we could all sit together at the table for dinner (he gets toys on his tray until he starts solids at 6 months). We started him in the jumparoo a week before he hit 4 months, but only because he had good head control and was showing a lot of interest in being on his feet when we held him. We put a blanket behind him in the seat to help fill the seat up. He is also a really big baby and has met the height/weight recommendations for things early because of it.

I say trust your gut! I waited until LO was ready and showing interest before trying them, and only continued using them if he was enjoying them ... and he is OBSESSED with his jumparoo!

rosalbap2 · January 2016

My son is the same way! Just like your daughter. I did get worried because I saw a friend post a video on instagram of her son rolling over, at a little over a month. I thought "why isn't my son rolling over?" but I know he will do it when he is ready. I wanted to try the bumbo but I feel like he is not ready. Lo will be 4 months next week and has his checkup and I will ask about it.

cait040415 · January 2016

We got LO this Fisher Price chair thing for Christmas. It's sits her up, but at an incline so it doesn't seem like it would pressure her spine. The bar in front keeps her from tipping forward and the toys keep her occupied. She LOVES it. I definitely think it's a good alternative to a Bumbo.

Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat, Citrus Frog https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014D4HQBY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_0EONwbHPKKF0M

caityrose · January 2016

cait040415 said:
We got LO this Fisher Price chair thing for Christmas. It's sits her up, but at an incline so it doesn't seem like it would pressure her spine. The bar in front keeps her from tipping forward and the toys keep her occupied. She LOVES it. I definitely think it's a good alternative to a Bumbo.

Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat, Citrus Frog https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014D4HQBY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_0EONwbHPKKF0M

This looks perfect! Never seen this. I'm almost 100% lo would love this

evapsiu · January 2016

Remember that all babies are different and grow at their own time.. This is a guideline of what most of the babies can do month by month but do not have to follow if they're not ready.

Hope this helps.

rosalbap2 · January 2016

@evapsiu I love this!

akg629 · January 2016

Awesome advice everyone! We started day care on Monday and she is now rolling from tummy to back! I asked the teachers there what they thought and they also said wait until I feel she is ready and they will do the same. It's very comforting hearing from all of you

rachelkawesome · January 2016

Side note: I just LOLed at myself because when I looked at that graphic I was like, "The 3 month old is doing gymnastics?!"

Am I hindering my LO?

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