Baby Saucer Vs. Walker
If you're the parent of an infant, you're probably desperate for a few minutes to yourself, and a baby walker seems to promise this. You may have pictures of yourself as a child scooting around in a walker, and you may want to provide the same experience for your child. Think carefully before you buy a walker, though. A baby saucer may be a better alternative.
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Function
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Whether you go with a baby saucer or a baby walker, the purpose is the same. Either product gives you a place to leave your baby to be entertained while you have a few minutes to get things done.
Saucers and walkers are intended for use between the time your baby can sit up on her own (generally around four to six months) to the time she begins walking confidently (anywhere from 12 to 16 months). Most brands have adjustable heights to grow with your baby to a maximum of 32 inches or 30 pounds.
Identification
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A baby saucer consists of a cloth seat hanging from a plastic frame, which is itself attached to a flat or rounded base. Your baby is held upright in the seat, able to reach toys on the frame and bounce in the seat, but unable to move the unit across the floor.
A baby walker is similar to a saucer, but instead of a flat base, the unit is set on a wheeled base and your baby is able to push against the floor to roll the unit.
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Benefits
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Either a saucer or a walker gives you the benefit of a few minutes to yourself, whether you need to do some cleaning or just take time to get dressed. Most babies love the sense of independence in a saucer or walker. Units are available with lots of attached toys, or you can get one with fewer attachments if your baby tends to get over stimulated.
A saucer has safety benefits over a walker, though. When you put your baby in a saucer, you know she'll stay in the same place. You control what your baby has access to.
Warning
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Do not leave your baby unattended in a walker. You have, in essence, turned your non-mobile child into a toddler, and she can get into the same predicaments. In 1997, the Consumer Product Safety Commission introduced a new voluntary safety standard for walkers. To be certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, a walker must either have grippers which stop it from going over a staircase or must be too wide to fit through conventional doorways. However, even with these changes it's easy for a baby in a walker to scoot toward low tables and grab dangerous objects or to suffer a fall.
Recommendation
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Traditional baby walkers have been banned in Canada since 2004, and while that's not the case in the United States, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents stay away from them. Not all walkers currently manufactured follow the new voluntary safety standard, and even those that do have hazards. Most parents will feel more comfortable buying a baby saucer.
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