the baby walker

I was reading Lancerlord blog and saw a picture of lancerkid in the walker

When Master C was born, we read up alot on baby developments and dangers to avoid. While comtemplating to get a baby walker for him, I surfed the net for cheap and good (yah, like typical singaporeans...). I also found that baby walker are potential hazards. So I was dead against getting a baby walker and had an arguement with Mrs C about it. Cos MIL was taking care of super-duper-hyperactive Master C and cannot tahan whole day running about chasing him, especially during feeding time. So in the end I give in, not before making sure that MIL will be supervising closely when Master C is in the baby walker.

And after we had the baby walker, it gave us the first hand experience of the potential hazards of a baby in a walker. So even though we removed all potential dangers that he is able to lay his tiny hands upon while zooming around in the walker, there are still uncontrollable hazards, like

1) tendancy to topple over.

2) crushing his own hands which are placed on the outer rim of the protector/barrier of the walker, when he cannot stop the walker from banging against coffee tables and walls.

So I again persuaded them to use the walker sparingly. Which later MIL only use it when she need to trap Master C in a fixed area while she force-feed him.

Also when Master C is learning to walk, we realised that he has a tendacy to kick backwards with his legs. We reckon it is due to the use of the baby walker where he learned to kick backwards to move himself around.

Danger of using the baby walker - extract from KKH Child Safety website section

Baby walkers have been responsible for many injuries and deaths in children as:

. Babies in walkers move faster and reach higher than are appropriate for their age, putting them at risk of injuries

. Babies in walkers cannot see where they are going or what they are running over well

. Walkers tip over easily

. With the `aid `of walkers, toddlers can run into hidden dangers, bump into furniture, pull on hanging appliance cords, topple over, and fall down stairs

Plus the baby walker was officially banned in Canada. Not even re-sale of second hands are allowed.

Government of Canada's immediate prohibition of the sale, advertisement and importation of baby walkers in Canada.

And many are calling for the ban of baby walker

Women's Health Advisor 2003.2: The Dangers of Baby Walkers

Should baby-walkers be stopped in their tracks?

I dun think I will wan Miss C to be using the baby walker.