6-week-old in a Jumperoo - WWYD?

Am I right in thinking the Jumperoo is not suitable for a 6-week-old baby? The description says 'suitable from when a child can sit unaided' - so is this just not recommended, or actually dangerous?

It is my friend's next-door neighbour. They saw my friend's 10-month-old daughter having fun in hers in the garden and so went and bought one for their tiny son, except they already have it in the front window and have been putting him in it because 'he has good head control' and 'enjoys it'.

WWYD? Should we casually mention it to one of the health visiting team (we have the same hv and see the team most weeks at various sessions) or just keep our neb out?

I'd keep out of it if I were you.  I'd be furious if someone spoke to the hv about me for something like that!

Z x

I find these situations really hard. My friend told me that she shoved her baby down in its cot in frustration, and left it to cry so much it was sick. I didn't know what to do. Fortunately her postnatal friends seem to have put her right on a few things, but she still does things which imo are not right, but then its just my opinion so I've kept out of it. I do feel a bit guilty though and feel like crying when I see her little boy. I think she has been monitored closely by the HV's but in my experience they aren't much use.

 I have no idea of the age appropriateness or otherwise of Jumperoos but I would keep out of it hopefully when the HV goes round she will see it and have a word with them about it if she feels its not appropriate.

6 weeks old - thats shocking. I think the recommended age is from 6 months although Lily did go in hers from about 5 months.

I don't know if I would get involved though. Does your friend speak to her neighbours? Could she not just casually mention something to her?

Tricky one. You've seen something that you believe to be dangerous and are anxious about it. You don't know the family well enough to speak to them directly and you also don't want to cause offence. How well do you know your HVs? Can they be trusted to make a discrete enquiry? (ie call on another pretext). I'd be upset at the thought of someone calling a HV too- however, if my child was injured and someone had seen a danger I'd not noticed, but not felt brave enough to speak up, I'd be even more upset.

She does speak to them and is on friendly terms, but as most of you have said it's difficult to criticise or put down other people's parenting decisions - and whether or not they'd take any notice, who knows? They have already ignored the advice on the product box/instructions.

I'll keep out of it then - I just wanted to make sure the baby isn't at risk of serious injury. I'd much rather the parents be angry with me for mentioning it but preventing their baby suffering a serious injury unnecessarily than keeping quiet and that happening.

I am actually surprised their LO fits in a jumperoo at 6 weeks old. We got one second hand for K when she was 4 months old (she could roll over and hold her head up well when on tummy and had been sitting upright in her bumbo for about a month by then) but she couldn't reach the floor in the jumperoo. We put a couple of cushions underneath it so she could make it move but only let her go in it for a few minutes at a time at first. Her head didn't really bob around much so she looked OK but she has always had very good head control and even so there is no way she would have been OK in this at 6 weeks.

In terms of what to do, I am not sure whether the baby would be at risk or not. I am sure it can't be good for his neck muscles because it will snap his head around if he can reach the floor and make it bounce. If he can't then hanging in the seat can't be that good for him either. I might be inclined to try to say something subtle in passing about the age they are recommended from.

snapdragon makes a good point - when Lily first went in hers and it was at the lowest height, we used to have to put a phone book underneath her feet as she couldn't reach the floor. There is no way a 6 week old is going to be able to do any boucning - I just have a vision now of him slumped in the seat with his little legs dangling, poor little mite.

Just another thought - she may have her 6 week check soon which in my area is usually a home visit. If you do decided to mention it to your HV then they could just bring it up when they go round there and see it in her lounge maybe?

I'd mention it to the hv, then they can decide if it's a problem or not and you don't need to worry about it.

The six-week checks are done at the local health centre here.

I might ask one of the hv team if that would be a cause for concern without naming her, and then see what they say.

Gah, I don't think there is a right answer here is there?

I actually can't even picture this!  At 6 weeks, R would have just sort of folded up into herself on the seat, and squwaked to be rescued, pronto!  And people always said she had good head control.  Is the baby sort of slumped forwards?

It is hard and as you say I am not sure there is a right answer. If it was someone I knew pretty well I would say something as everything in my brain is telling me it really can't be good for the baby, at 6 weeks his head surely isn't strong enough, Maisie has always had really good head control but even she flops it about a bit sometimes, but also the fact that him just hanging there, it just doesn't sound good in terms of back or neck development. If it were me I think I would speak to the HV without mentioning names and see what they think, and if they agree it is a cause for concern tell them who it is.

MG - I haven't seen the baby myself, my friend has, although I was there when her neighbour was telling us about him using it. I can't imagine how a curled-up newborn almost could hold himself up in it either.

Thanks all, I think I'll mention it to the hv team at our next session on Tuesday and then if they are really concerned I'll let them know who it is.