This is probably going to be an unpopular post, but the information is relevant nonetheless.  As parents, we are always looking for things to make our lives easier and give us a little break. The popularity of infant orthotic devices may provide a welcome break for the caretaker, but they may have a negative effect on your baby’s innate development and progression.  Infant orthotic devices range from the classic bumbo seat, the sit me up, walkers, to the oh-so-fun hanging door jumpers. Every time I see a child in one of these, I think of the long-term implications these have on the developing child. I will add a disclaimer to this, I am not judging you if you use these, but I do want parents to be more informed that they may cause more harm than good. If you do use, or have used these devices, and you are thinking to yourself “but my baby loves it!” I hope you learn why even though baby loves something, it is not necessarily great for their overall development and growth. If you do use these, and want to continue, please use for short periods of time, and limit to less than 30 minutes per day.  

Babies need tummy time. This is a time for them to enhance their motor, visual and sensory systems. Tummy time is a period of time during the day, while baby is awake, that a baby is on his/her stomach. So, why do babies need tummy time? 

·      It helps develop core muscles of the neck, back and shoulder muscles

·      Helps baby meet developmental milestones

·      Can help prevent early motor delays and conditions such as flat head syndrome (positional plagiocephaly) and twisted neck (positional torticollis) 

How does tummy time help development?

Motor: 

·      strengthens muscles

·      builds foundations to meet motor milestones (rolling, sitting, crawling)

Sensory:

·      baby feels different textures (carpet, flooring, blanket, mat, etc.)

·      baby gains a sense of body awareness (proprioception)

·      helps develop movement and balance (vestibular sense)

Visual:

·      helps develop hand/eye coordination

So, what’s the big deal with infant containers or devices? First and foremost, it takes away from crucial tummy time. Being on the ground and free to explore a baby’s surroundings is imperative to learning to crawl. 

The Bumbo:

 Arguably the most popular infant device for its low cost and convenience factor, the bumbo is marketed to help baby sit up right. The natural progression of motor skills can be inhibited when babies are placed in a seat before they are developmentally ready. 

The bumbo inhibits activation and control of various muscle groups (head, trunk control, extremity control). It also prevents baby from engaging in natural movements important for development such as active trunk rotation, postural control and pelvic stability. This may actually delay baby’s ability to sit up on their own as the required muscles are not strong enough to maintain a seated position for the baby. 

A gross motor skill such as sitting is best achieved through movement and practice!

Walkers:

The biggest issue with walkers is that it places value on standing and walking over crawling. Crawling is one of the most important developmental milestone a baby will achieve! 

Walkers place additional weight on the hips and spine which they are not strong enough to support. Walkers also encourage tippy-toe walking and strengthens leg muscles improperly. Have you ever noticed how a baby’s legs look in a walker? They are not straight, due to improper strength to hold the baby upright. 

Jumpers:

 Quite possibly the most difficult on a baby’s spine is a door jumper. Jumpers create repetitive stress to the bones and discs of a developing spine. 

If you’re reading this, and you have used/are using these devices and are thinking “Well, I used these, and my baby turned out fine!” Great news! I will say this, however, many children we see with growing pains, bed-wetting, and poor posture grew up in these devices. Chiropractic care is an excellent tool you can use to re-train a child’s nervous system to unlearn improper developmental milestones. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or comments!