Sitting pretty (Bumbo Baby Seat)

Member Name: mrsgladwin

Product:	Bumbo Baby Seat
Date:	05/07/09 (119 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: See review

Disadvantages: See review

I first spotted the Bumbo when I was working in a children's hospital and one of the long term patients' parents had brought one in for their little one. It looked great! They could sit up, look around, even eat while sat in there, much better than lying on their back in the cot not being about to see what's going on around them. Therefore when I found out I was having my little one, I had to get one.

The Bumbo is a little chair designed for babies to sit unaided from around 4 months, or whenever they can support their own head. My little one is 14 weeks and can support his head so he is using it now. I haven't seen any other equivalent brand bring anything out like this. They come in a variety of colours; I personally bought the aqua coloured one for my son, and can be used on any flat surface.

The design of the Bumbo is great. The back comes high enough up to support baby's back whilst also giving them room to move, whilst the bit that goes between their legs keeps them in a comfortable position without them toppling forward.

When looking at the Bumbo, because it is so sturdy I imagined it to be quite heavy and stiff. I was surprised to feel how light it is. It's made from a foam-like material which makes it soft enough to be comfortable but sturdy enough to secure. The fact it is so lightweight makes it great to carry around to places. We take in our picnics, to my parents house, the beach...it really can be used anywhere.

The foamy material is also great in making the chair durable and long lasting. Like I said we've taken it all over the place and it never needs more than a quick wipe down to look like new again. They just don't seem to age at all. This means that if you buy a Bumbo second hand, you know the quality is still going to be good, and because of this they never seem to lose their value; still selling in a used condition for £15+ on EBay.

Due to the design of the little chair, no straps are needed, unlike baby bouncer and swings. I've found that my baby hates being strapped into anything and ends up slipping down and being irritated by the straps. This just doesn't happen with the Bumbo.

In terms of safety I have come across no problems whatsoever. Obviously I never use the Bumbo on a raised surface, and neither do I leave him unattended in it. I'm not sure what harm he could come to just sitting there but I'm too paranoid to leave him unsupervised. Saying that I have found the chair to be so handy when I have jobs that need doing. I simply pop him in his little chair and he can watch mummy go about her business. It's great considering he now gets bored lying on his back on the mat and wants to be able to see what's going on.

The Bumbo can also be used when weaning the baby when he or she is a bit too small for a high chair. As my little one is only 14 weeks he obviously is still only on milk but I have seen it be used in this way with the patient in hospital and it seemed great. A little tray that can be attached the Bumbo can be bought for this purpose.

I can't really think of any disadvantages to my son's Bumbo. He has to be in the right mood to sit in it, if he is tired he will grumble until I take him out, but that is understandable as he can't sleep sat upright! The only thing I can think of is that my son is only 14 weeks old and fits into it snugly. The Bumbo can apparently been used up to 14 months, but I find it hard to imagine that my little man would still fit into it at that age!

They're not the cheapest thing, they retail at around £30 but you might be able to find them cheaper online. Due to being so hard wearing and easy to clean it may be worth getting one second hand as they never seem to age or deteriorate in any way.

They can be bought from a variety of baby stores or online and are currently selling on Amazon for £24.99

Advantages :

- Hard wearing
- Comfortable
- Easy to clean
- Light weight
- Can be used for weaning
- Supports posture
- Baby looks adorable in it

Disadvantages -

Erm....?

Summary: We'd be lost without it