10 Tips on How to use baby Walker Effectively | Beginner’s Guide
The most important thing after you buy a baby walker is to know how to use baby walker. After having a walker, parents always make sure whether it is safe or not and is the kid enjoying it or not.
There are many key factors parents should know before using a walker so that they can ensure maximum safety to their kids at their ease. Babies are way too attached to their parents, moms especially. So when the parents want them to use the walker, they don’t feel good most of the time.
The purpose of the baby walker is not only to aid them to walk but also to make them independent. When kids use baby walkers, they engage themselves in many other activities that develop different life skills in them.
You must know the important factors when you use a baby walker. These points can help you maximize the benefits of a walker in terms of parenting and the healthy growth of a child.
How to use baby Walker Effectively
1. Choose your type
The most important thing is to choose a good, high-quality walker for your child. Every child behaves differently when they hit their early developmental milestones. Some children start walking at an early age while others may take time. So the first step is to know your own child and her first requirements and choices.
Many walkers come with different features, from simple to fancy, modern to traditional and basic to flashy. Different children love different toys. So whenever you look around for a walker, just have a complete guide of pros and cons and how to choose a walker. So that you can have a better understanding of what you buy.
2. Engage your baby with the walker
Your child might not like the idea of using a walker as he can feel some sort of separation anxiety at the very first day of using a walker. That ‘s why to make sure that your child is not afraid of this new change in his life, you must always accompany your child in the early days when you introduce a walker to him/her.
Your child might not sit in it and might run away on seeing a new thing in front of him. Spend some time with sitting your child. Take walkers everywhere and try to touch the walker and name the toys and play with them and enjoy. This way child gets used to it and takes a new change as a part of their life.
3. Measure the precautions
Keep a clear goal in your mind to determine when your child is ready to have a ride in a walker. As I discussed before many children get ready at different times. My elder son was ready to sit in a walker at the age of 7 months but my younger son started loving his walker at 9 months. So don’t screw yourself if your child is not ready.
Take your time to determine that and when he is ready he will give you signals by standing independently, cruising and trying to lift his feet without your help. There are certain developmental prerequisites of having a walker.
To use a walker safely, your kid must be able to sit properly and/or stand independently. It will not only keep him safe in the walker but it is also a healthy choice for the proper growth and firmness of his muscles.
4. Make your place walker friendly
It is a fact that whatever kind of your baby’s walker is, there are chances that it can roll over or tip over. So you have to have security measures and a close inspection of your house/place or area. These following points should be kept in mind.
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- Know the type of floor first. Are you going to use a walker on the carpeted floor or hardwood floor? Or you are using it for a tiled floor. Choose your walker accordingly. There are different walkers for different floor types. If you have bought a walker for smooth floors then remove all the rugs or carpets from the floor or restrict the movement of your baby on the desired floor by using baby gates. Avoid any kind of rough floors for the steady glide of the walker.
- Parents must inspect all the areas to ensure that there is not anything dangerous for their child.
- There should not be any type of stairs around the baby’s walker. If you are using a walker near the staircase, make sure that they are blocked with any doors or baby gates and the area is child safe. Avoid any kind of sharp edges or corners that can reach up to the baby’s head level when a baby uses a walker.
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5. Supervision of the baby
It is of paramount importance to keep your eye on the baby when she is in the walker. Don’t leave them alone and unsupervised. You can avoid any unforeseen mishaps when you remain with your kid while he’s in the walker.
6. Height adjustment of the walker
Make sure your baby’s legs touch the floor so that he can push the floor to move forward. Almost all the walkers offer three height adjustment positions. It helps you to adjust the height according to your baby’s height. It should be set in a way that your baby’s toes touch the floor.
Don’t set the height too low that it bends your baby’s legs. It can cause serious problems for the growing bones of the kids.
7. Play with your kid while he is in walker
If your baby does not feel good in the walker, try to play with him while he sits in the walker. You can run in front of your baby so that he tries to catch you. This way he can push himself to walk along with the walker.
Many walkers have a lot of engaging and entertaining activities in them. They offer different toys and features. Play with these toys while you sit with your baby. This gives a sense of ownership in the kids and they don’t feel lonely or bored in the walker.
8. Snack/mealtime in the walker
If you want your child to have a snack/meal in the walker, you must avoid any distractions first. If your walker is having a toy tray, it may swivel out to release a snack tray or many walkers have removable toy trays.
Make sure to remove the toy tray before 30 minutes of snack/mealtime. It stimulates the brain of the kids towards food and they crave to have their food.
Moreover, a distraction-free environment lets them have a meal properly. Clean the snack tray with the wipes or any wet cloth and wash the hands of your kid. Once they have their meal, you can fix the toy tray after cleaning the snack/meal tray and let them play again.
You should also remove the toy tray 30 minutes before you take your kid for his nap. It helps to calm their brain activity and they feel relaxed and ready to go to sleep.
9. Cleanliness of the walker
Always make a regime to clean the baby walker. It may be scheduled or even unscheduled like if your baby makes it dirty or you spill anything while feeding your baby you have to clean it immediately. Try to understand the importance of cleanliness of different parts of the walker.
The padded seat is usually machine washable and it can be washed in the machine. The plastic body and the toy tray can be cleaned using a detergent or a soap. Always use child-safe mild detergents to clean the walker. This cleanliness can avoid any kind of germs and bacteria and keep your child safe and healthy.
10. Encourage your baby to move the walker
When a baby sits in the walker for the first time he does not realize the added mobility in his life so he does not walk or pushes the walker. This is the time when a baby should be encouraged to use the walker.
When the baby starts sitting in the walker, try to hold his hand and walk. This way he can better understand the features of the walker and can try to walk on his own.
A baby may take three to five days before he understands the walker and starts using it. Till that time, give time to your baby to get used to it and try to be with him so that he learns it in a fun way.
It is really important to nourish your child with love and care. We have brought important points that can help you get the maximum benefit out of walkers. Most people don’t have insight before buying a walker so when they have a walker that does not fulfill their needs, they get frustrated.
Knowing how to buy a walker is crucial. Before you plan to have one, see what kind of floor do you have. You should know what are the best baby walker available so that you can know what you can have. Many are best baby walkers for carpets while there are others that are best baby walkers for hardwood floors. The right choice can make a huge difference in the developmental stages of kids.
Frequently Asked Question
When can I use a walker for my baby?
When your baby starts sitting properly, you can use a walker for your baby.
What is the purpose of a baby walker?
The purpose of a baby walker is to help him walk independently. This assisted walking aids the baby to gain confidence over his walking skills. The baby gets strong muscles and starts to walk within a few weeks after using a walker.
Are baby push walkers bad?
Baby push walkers are not bad but you must know your own requirements before you have one. A baby push walker is usually designed to work on carpeted or hardwood floors. Moreover, your baby must stand or walk some steps so that he can push the walker easily.
Should the baby’s feet be flat in Walker?
No. baby’s feet should not be falt in the walker. This may lead to bending their bones. Babies should only touch the floor with their toes.
How can I encourage my baby to crawl?
Give your baby plenty of time. Try to engage her with her toys. Keep them at some distance and push the baby’s feet forward with your palm. It can help her reach her toys.this way she will learn to crawl.
Conclusion
You want to enjoy the childhood of your bundle of cheers at its peak and this is the best thing one can ever do being a parent. It’s great because it not only nourishes your mind but it also inculcates healthy psychological impacts in the subconscious of kids’ brains.
You can buy anything and you can have nothing as per your desire without proper research. Remember, proper research and knowledge can become fruitful for your child in the future as a walker is not only a helping toy for a kid but it is also a great source of learning and interaction.
We have put together a list of the best baby walker for all ages. You can have every information in terms of pros and cons, interactive learnings, benefits, and budget. Don’t forget to analyze and review the best baby walkers before you choose one for your child.
Let us know in the comment section what did help you to find the best for your kid.
Cheers!
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