The Bumbo Seat
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To Bumbo Or Not To Bumbo?
At first glance the humble bumbo seat may not seem worth the $40 price tag. Hence the question: to Bumbo or not to Bumbo?
But
there's more to the bumbo chair than first meets the eye. I bought one in 2000 for my first baby when they had only just been released in South Africa where they originated. I didn't pay much for it and thought it was kind of gimmicky.
Boy, was I wrong! Eight years, and three more babies later, I can honestly say it was one of the best baby items I ever bought.
And you don't have to pay $40 - I found one at Babyage.com for only $34.95!
Come with me and find out why I love my Bumbo Seat...
The Bumbo Seat Step-By-Step:
Why I Love My Bumbo Seat
In a nutshell
my bumbo made my babies happy, and that makes me happy - it's really that simple. However, there are a few nifty things you should know about...
Convenience For Mom
Portable
First and foremost, the bumbo seat is
light weight and portable. It can be used on any flat ground-level surface and you can take it with you anywhere you go. I used mine all over the place. Here are a few ideas:
- Take it to the park and let baby join in the picnic without rolling all over the food.
- Take it to the beach and let baby appreciate the sun and sand without trying to stuff the entire beach into his mouth.
- Take it to your favorite family restaurant and let baby enjoy being at the table with the rest of you.
- Take it on play dates and visits and enjoy your cup of tea without worrying about little one breaking down your friend's house.
- Take it to the lake and enjoy your outing without worrying about water obstacles.
Hygienic
The bumbo baby sitter has a hygienic coating that
wipes clean easily. There is one continuous surface - no nooks and crannies to get into.
One word of advice
Don't let your eight and five year old daughters play in it. I found out recently, that durable as it is, the bumbo baby sitter is not designed to withstand the antics of two over-exuberant older sisters. The poor chair did end up taking some strain!
Durable
Buy a bumbo baby seat now and use it for your next baby (or two!) I used mine for four babies quite happily.
Easy To Store
The bumbo chair is just the right size to slip under the crib, or under a chair in the dining room, which is where I kept mine.
No Age Limit
The bumbo baby sitter can be used as soon as baby can hold her head up without assistance. This can be as early as eight weeks but each baby develops differently.
There is no weight limit on the bumbo chair so it
can be used for as long as baby is comfortable in it or whenever baby starts to get out of the seat on her own. Generally babies begin to outgrow the bumbo baby seat at around a year old.
Versatile
Use your bumbo chair as a baby sitter while you're cooking and cleaning, or as a portable take-along chair. You can talk to your baby, play with your baby, read to your baby and even feed your baby in the bumbo seat.
If you buy the optional play tray you can also use the bumbo instead of a high chair when baby begins to feed himself, and as an entertainment center when baby starts to play with rattles and toys. Just put a few toys on the tray and let him entertain himself for hours (OK - realistically 15 minutes, but it will feel like hours to you!)
Bouncy Baby Bonuses
A happy baby is a blessing not to be taken for granted. What can I say? - The bumbo seat made my babies happy. Here are a few reasons why:
Comfort
- The bumbo chair is made of low-density, polyurethane foam, making it soft and comfortable for baby.
- The shape of the bumbo baby sitter places your baby's bottom at a lower level than the legs. This position provides excellent support for baby's spine.
- Unlike other baby seats, the bumbo baby seat has been endorsed by pediatricians, orthopedists, physical therapists and occupational therapists. Sitting in the bumbo is actually good for your baby's development, whereas extended periods in other baby seats such as carrier seats have been shown to be detrimental to infant development.
- The front support stops baby from sliding forward giving him a sensation of support and security.
Entertainment
- Babies get to sit up and look around much earlier than would otherwise be possible. This gives them the opportunity to interact with their environment in a new and interesting way. It also fosters maximized communication between your baby and the people around him.
- If you purchase the optional play tray, your baby will be able to play with his toys in the bumbo baby sitter too.
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Bumbo Seat Safety
I had my bumbo baby seat for eight years through four babies and believe me it is perfectly safe if you follow these basic precautions:
- Only use the bumbo seat on a flat, ground-level surface.
- NEVER use the bumbo chair on a raised surface.
- Always keep your baby in view. The bumbo is purposefully designed not to be totally restrictive, so it is possible for babies to get out of it. If the chair is on the floor, where it should be, this will not present any problems other than that you now have a possibly mobile bundle of mischief on the loose. You'll want to know when it happens.
- Only use after your baby can support his head without assistance.
- DO NOT use the bumbo baby seat as a car seat or bath seat. It is not designed for either of these purposes.
Note:
You may have heard about the
bumbo chair recall of 25 October 2007.
I certainly did and was shocked to say the least. After all I had already used mine with three little ones and was still using it with my fourth.
However, I was relieved to learn that the chair was only recalled so that an adjustment could be made to the warning label on the chair, not due to a defect in the product itself. Parents had been using the bumbo seat on raised surfaces and several babies had climbed out and fallen to the floor.
The new warning label urges parents never to use the bumbo on an elevated surface.
For more information about infant safety click here.
Accessories and Other Bumbo Products
The bumbo seat is available in seven different colors:
- Blue
- Yellow
- Aqua
- Pink
- Orange
- Lime, and
- Lilac
The bumbo chair is now available with an optional
play tray. Attach the tray and use the bumbo baby sitter as an alternative to a high chair, or add a few toys and use as an entertainment center.
Also newly available is the larger
child rite seat designed to assist older children with special needs to sit on their own.
Bumbo Seat Shopping
The bumbo will set you back around $40 plus another $10 for the tray.
I found the bumbo seat at the following retailers for $39.99:
- Amazon.com
- Target.com
- Toysrus.com and Babiesrus.com
- Babyuniverse.com
Wal-Mart was selling bumbos for $37.86, and
the lowest price I found was $34.49 at Babyage.com.
Other options are to look on craigslist or e-Bay for a secondhand one. You can be pretty sure it will be in good condition. They are virtually indestructible - unless you let my two older daughters get hold of it!
I hope this page causes you to consider using the ingenious bumbo seat with your baby. Mine gave me hours and hours of happy memories.
Add it to your baby shower registry - it makes a great gift.
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The above bumbo seat safety information is presented by Creative Baby Nursery Rooms for the purpose of educating mothers about bumbo seat safety issues.
This information is accurate and complete to the best of our knowledge but we make no guarantees in this regard.
We believe that the information provided on this site can help protect your baby against bumbo seat accidents, however, an infant's safety is the responsibility of its caregiver alone.
Creative Baby Nursery Rooms accepts no responsibility for any accident, which may occur as a result of any information on this site.
