Colourful, Entertaining, Secure Seat, Value for Money
Disadvantages:
Difficult to Collapse, Can't Run on Carpets, Impedes Walking Skills
Recommend to potential buyers:
no
Full review
If you became a parent in recent years you were likely warned against placing your child in a baby walker. I know I was given a leaflet when I left the hospital warning me that they were dangerous and caused a lot of accidents. At first I heeded this warning and argued with a friend who had one that I didn't think it was a good idea to let my baby have one. Then I spent some time living in a hostel opposite a girl whose baby adored hers and I had a change of heart.
When my son was just coming up for seven months old, my Dad and I took a trip to Babies R Us one afternoon with the sole intent of buying my son a baby walker. I had recently separated from my husband and found it hard entertaining my baby all day long on my own; I thought my son might really enjoy one just like the little girl living opposite enjoyed hers. Babies R Us had several to choose from with a variety of designs and prices ranged from thirty to seventy pounds. I had a look at a couple of them before deciding I liked the look of the Chicco UFO Baby Walker and asked the shop assistant if she could please get it down from the shelf so we could have a closer look.
The minute I sat my little boy in it he was laughing his socks off. He had found he could whack the giant buttons on the play unit in front of him and kick off with his legs to go "walking" along the floor. His little smile and the 39.99 price tag persuaded me that baby walkers weren't such a bad thing afterall so I made my purchase.
THE SEAT
I found my baby fitted snuggly in the fabric seat and could sit quite comfortably. At this age my son was unable to sit up without support but he had no trouble sitting up in this walker. The fabric is navy blue with a space themed pattern that I found quite attractive and the seat is secured taughtly with anchor clips that you insert through small plastic slots around the seating area and pull tight. You can remove the seat for washing when it gets dirty by pulling the anchor clips down and inserting them back through the slots however you should be warned that this isn't easy to do because they're so tight fitting.
THE WALKER
I thought the walker looked quite easy to maneuvre. In our hostel the carpets were basically like bathroom tiles (very, very short and flat) and the wheels of the walker glided easily from room to room. My son found whizzing around the kitchen with it's lino flooring the best fun and it wasn't long before he'd gotten to grips with turning corners and reversing. The bumper bar around the bottom of the walker meant that if he crashed into anything he just bounced back though I did get worried on one occassion when he rammed into a door step and nearly went flying. Had I not been there, there could have easily been an accident. When we moved into our flat getting around became impossible. The carpet here isn't exactly thick but it's thick enough to stop the walker's wheels from turning. This could be a very important point to consider depending on what type of flooring your home has.
THE TOY The electronic pad is basically a toy that sits neatly on the front of the walker. There's nothing to attach it with however it's cut just so, so that it fits snuggly but can still be easily removed when required. On top you'll find several different coloured flashing lights, a few chunky buttons that make sound effects, set off the lights and play music (space tunes) and a steering wheel so baby can drive his space ship. The pad has an off switch located underneath and also comes with two cot straps so that you can secure the toy to the side of your baby's cot which makes for great value for money.
STORAGE and HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
You can fold the walker really quite flat for storage which is great however there is a knack to collapsing it. There's a chunky red button underneath which you have to twist and push in before jiggling the walker around to get the supporting bars to come out then slide along a groove in the base unit. When I was in the shop it took two sales assistants at least five minutes to figure it out and even then it was another customer who managed to collapse it. Once you've mastered the art though, it takes just thirty seconds to collapse and it only ever takes a few seconds to yank it back up into position. The same principal applies to adjusting the height. There are three different heights you can have this walker at which is great as it means your baby can prolong his use of it. My son has always been quite tall and he immediately had to have it at the tallest setting from seven months old so do make sure you try before you buy. Shorter babies may well get six months use out of it but taller babies like my son probably wouldn't.
THE UNFORTUNATE DRAWBACK
Before I bought my son this baby walker his physical development was fine. He learnt to roll over at a few months old and was able to walk holding my hands for support. Having spent a mere five weeks using this walker before we moved into a flat with carpets it wouldn't work on; my son was suddenly walking on tip-toes. As any Health Visitor will tell you, this is a big no-no. My son outright refused to walk on the flats of his feet for many months thereafter and was unable to walk unaided until fifteen and a half months old which is quite late for a bright child like he is, especially a boy. Babies will develop at their own rate and whether or not the baby walker caused this slight delay is debatable however I firmly believe it did. How else can I explain my son walking on flat feet with support before using the walker then suddenly changing to walking on tip-toes after using it for a few weeks? He didn't walk on flat feet again until after a year old.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Currently 34.99 from Babies R Us for 34.99 (usual price 39.99) Suitable from 6 months+ Removable Electronic Toy (plus Cot Straps) 3 Height Positions with Safety Locking Removable, Hand Washable Seat Cover Padded Abdominal Cushion for Protection and Comfort Compact when Closed Bumper Bar for Extra Safety
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT?
Unfortunately I simply cannot recommend this or any other baby walker with a clear conscience. The government are right to warn against them as I have found the hard way. With respect to giving a balanced argument I have provided you with all the information I can about my own experiences so that if you're determined to purchase a baby walker for your child despite the risks involved you can make an informed decision. Yes this is a good brand as far as baby walkers go and yes I do feel you're getting value for money. The thing you have to ask yourself though is at what cost.
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