Bumbo Seat - Omaha,NE

We had two friends with a smaller babies who fit into their bumbos for a long time, and enjoyed being in there. We got one for a shower gift, and we used it; but weren't as thrilled as our friends. We liked it when he was younger, and even used it as a feeding chair starting at 5 mos. Once our son got stronger, we didn't feel like it was very safe (maybe 7 mos?) because he arched his back and kicked and could move the whole thing; plus he kicked the tray off! He has always been a taller baby, and I do think that size makes a difference with bumbos. I agree with some posters that said to borrow one or look for a deal, unless you're planning on having another baby that could use it when it was younger.

We got one for our daughter, she loved it. And she still uses it. She is now 1 and a half. We got it to use it at Nana and Papa's house, so she had a place to sit and still be with all of us. We used it as a place to fed her at friends homes. Very easy to clean and travel with!! She now uses it to watch her couple of tv shows shes allowed to watch, it is a great chair. We have really gotten our moneys worth.

The seats are useful, but only for a very short time. If you can, find a used one on Craigslist or borrow one from a friend.

We loved it. We fed our baby girl in it, she hung out in it on the floor, etc. Having said all that, she started to get out of it. We also had the tray that fit over her, but she would just pop it off and slide right out. There are some safety issues, never putting them on a counter, etc. But she was about 8 months old before she started to do that. It was great.

We got a few months of use out of our bumbo (maybe 3). It didn't seem completely worth the money (ours was 40+), but was very enjoyable to watch our son sit in it. I would suggest seeing if you can find a used one (they are on craigslist often for 1/2 price) or one on sale. I would suspect a used one would be in fairly good condition since most moms I've spoken with do only use them a few months.

I received one for a gift before my baby was born. I would say we started using it at about 2 months old. My daughter is now almost 6 months and still uses it ever day and loves it. I did buy the tray a couple weeks ago and wish I would of bought that earlier. If you plan on having more I would buy it, but at 5 months old I don't know how much longer they will use it. My daughter is starting to arch her back and try to get out of it. But, I do think it is worth the money!

Hello!

If this is your first child and he/she is only 5 months old, I would definitely purchase a new one. They are great for a few months and you can get a tray that fits over the seat to put a toy or snacks on, too. My son was tall and skinny, though, so he was able to use it up to about 8 months and we felt it was worth the $20 we spent on it. He would enjoy it for an average of 10-15 minutes, 1-3 times a day and I would only put him in it when he crawled/rolled over to it himself and wanted to be in it.

I know people have suggested borrowing one, but my son spit up on his, leaked through his diaper in it, etc., and if you're going to have more babies that can use it, you may as well just buy one that can stay in the family! It comes in a hexagon-shaped box that really isn't that bad to store in a closet.

Hope this helps!

I think it's a hit or miss with babies. My 4mo. old likes it here and there for like 10min. at a time. She has more fun in her exersaucer to be honest. Maybe as she gets older she'll like it more. It is nice for feeding her in and taking pictures of her in it. She sits up real nice and high.

I would buy second hand look on craigslist.

love them very portable and help them to sit up and play.

I received one as a gift and my daughter didn't seem to enjoy it. She always tried to get out of it. I then passed it on to my sister-in-law. Her son loved it. I guess chance decides if your child will enjoy it.

We LOVE ours. My DD needed it for physical therapy, and then it just became a tag along booster seat, easy to throw in the car and take to Grandma's, potlucks, etc. Even now we use it at home when friends come over for dinner - my almost 3 year old neice (she's slim!) uses it as a booster seat at the table! Neither of my girls was able to get out of them, but I of course never put them in it unattended.

First of all, borrow one to see if you even like it. Then buy one secondhand. Look on Craigslist, Freecycle, or even garage sales.

Second, don't bother with the tray. They are worthless. The way they attach to the chair is stupid, and they pop right off.

Babies MUST be supervised the entire time they are in the chair. As others have stated, babies can "flop" out of the chair or just plain crawl out. I had my back turned for about 30 seconds (ran into the bathroom), and my son flopped out of the chair. He landed flat on his little face and he wasn't very mobile yet, so he couldn't even turn his head--it was smushed into the floor! I felt horrible. We continued to use it, but never took our eye off of him.

I didn't have a chance to read through every response but saw several mentioning the recall. They were recalled, but only to add a warning label to not use on elevated surfaces.

From http://www.bumbosafety.com/en/rel/?23:

The recall has to do only with the warnings, instructions and packaging of the Bumbo Baby Seat. The product itself is not defective and does not need to be returned. No refunds are being offered.

I got mine on eBay and was one of the best purchases I made. I got the tray too but never ended up using it. My daughter had head control pretty early and didn't sleep much during the day, so the bumbo was my way of having her watch me when I'd take a few minutes here and there to get something done. When she got a little older, we used it to feed her in until we started using the high chair all the time. We would put her on an elevated surface, contrary to the warnings, but only far from the edge. For example, we'd put her in the Bumbo in the center of the table when we'd eat dinner.

I liked the Bumbo seat but our son only used it a couple times so I was very happy we didn't purchase one - just borrowed. I would suggest doing that. They are kind of pricey and aren't used for a long time.

I see you have gotten a lot of responses...but I had to put my 2 cents in too...I loved it because it is easy to clean, take for travel...you can feed them in it. It sits them up good, but my son had outgrown it by 8.5 months and could get out of it, so it was a great investment while it lasted. They are kind of expensive...hopefully you will get to use yours a litle longer than I did.

My first baby never really used one--he was too wiggly by the time we got it (5 mos.) and preferred to be held or just kick his body around on the floor. However, my second baby is so much more mellow! She's content to sit in the Bumbo with a toy to chew on, happy to watch us and/or her older brother.

You can find them on ebay for MUCH cheaper than the store. I'd recommend getting a play tray, too.

We were able to try one out when my son was almost 5 months. He hated it! He was a big baby and it was a little snug, so my guess is that is what bugged him. I would look into trying one first, or buying used. Some babies love them, some don't. I thought he'd love it, but was I sure wrong!

LOVE this seat! I read through some of your responses, and it seems to me like it depends on how active your little one is. My daughter is pretty layed back, and she loves having her own little seat where she can look at everyone. I use it to feed her, and it's truly a lifesaver. Maybe borrow one first, to see how your little one likes it?

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. Let your little one roll on the floor instead. Mine only liked it for a couple minutes at a time...and that to me is not worth it.

It's okay. I started putting my daughter in it at 4 months, she was only able to use it for about a month. Her legs were getting too chubby for it. I didn't think it was worth the money. I would just put him in a high chair.

I know they are expensive. But I bought one for my kids and I really liked it. Plus, when they are done, you can sell it on craigslist or e-bay for $30 or so. So you can always get the $$ back.

I thought it looked really neat and bought one when my youngest was an infant. I didn't end up using it much, so it ended up being a waste of money for me.

Absolutely, without a doubt, worth the money. My son LOVED it. We passed it down to my neice and she loved it as well. Would recommend it to anyone!

I swore I would not use a bumbo. I mocked the things and said they were pointless and a waste of money. But when I saw one with a tray at a garage sale for $20 I caved. I think my son was about 5 months at the time. He was sitting up on his own already but tended to topple over fairly easily. I actually got a lot of use out of it. Both my sister in law borrowed it sometimes too. I especially liked taking it with me when we went to activities at our church, or to birthday parties for my older son's friends. Places where I didn't want to be chasing him all over the place, and where I might get distracted and look away for a second while he toppled over otherwise. It also made it easier to feed him at places like that. It was much more portable than any of the other "containment devices". I only used it on the floor and never left him alone. He probably only used it for a couple months until he got strong enough to get out of it on his own, at maybe 9 months (He's tall and thin so it didn't pin him in there very much and was actually pretty loose). It wasn't something i left him in for long periods of time either. I think if you can find one for $20 or so on craigslist, etc. then it might be worth it, especially since you can probably resale it and not lose much money, and/or use it again. I never would have paid full price for it though. Then again...I would never pay full price for ANYTHING!

Hello! I write a parenting blog and actually wrote a review of both the Bumbo and the bebePOD after I received samples for a side-by-side comparison. I'm a fan of the bebePOD...and certainly find a baby seat worth the money. I have always brought one with us when we're going out to eat to keep my babies out of germ-infested restaurant high chairs...and they're great for early feeding your little one as they wipe clean much easier than a high chair with multiple parts. That's my two cents. If you'd like to read my other thoughts and the entire reviews, you can use the links below.

bebePOD - http://uggamugga.blogspot.com/2008/03/must-have-baby-seat...

Bumbo - http://uggamugga.blogspot.com/2008/03/must-have-baby-seat...

S.
www.uggamugga.com

I liked ours. Since we lived in small quarters, we did not buy a high chair. We used the Bumbo on the tablefor probably 6 months or so, for meals (you can get a tray for them).

We borrowed one which seemed to be the perfect option since we didn't use it a lot. I would recommend buying used, as you would save money and I doubt they can get worn out with so little use.

I got it before I had my baby. I started using it what he was about 2 months. I had to stop using it when he was 6 months. I had him on the table and turned by back for a second. He push with his legs and got out of the seet and almost fell off the table. I loved it and so did my baby but I am not sure if you would use it for very long as your baby is already 5m. Thanks Kari

My son is just over 4 months. He uses one at daycare and LOVES it! He'll sit in it with toys dangling in front of him and stay entertained for quite some time. I imagine once he's mobile, he won't want to be in there, but for now it's great!

Hi, J.-

I tried to use one for my daughter, but her legs were too chubby and didn't fit in the openings! I got her a booster seat that has a tray with attached toys on it all the way around. The tray rotates, so you can adjust it and let them see the toys on the other side. The tray is also removable so that the chair can be used as a booster seat when they get older.

I figured I could get more bang for my buck since it could be used into her toddler years. The other positive is that it has a much wider base, so it's more stable than the Bumbo. Also the tray locks into place, so there's no way the baby is going to fall or wiggle their way out. (It also has safety straps.)

I can't remember what it's called or who makes it, but if you're interested, I can email a pic of her in it. Just let me know!

--T.

I did enjoy it; however, I ONLY used it for our son with special needs. His gross motor skills were lacking and it helped with head control and other skills. Our typical babe (now 17 months) HATED the thing – just restrained him as the below mentioned PT stated.

And, to reiterate – never leave a child unattended in it.

I thought about buying one of those also and I was advised against it by our daughter's physical therapist. she said they are good when you are trying to build some muscles strength but once they have upper boddy strength then they teach them to sit incorrectly due to the angle the legs and torso are at.

I am a pediatric physical therapist, and I do NOT recommend these for a normally developing child. They are designed to help a baby sit up....problem is, babies aren't supposed to be able to sit up by themselves until they are 6 to 6 1/2 months old (from a developmental standpoing). I view Bumbo seats as just another "containment" device (bouncy seats, swings, exersaucers, etc). They are convenient, but certainly not necesarry, and do NOT encourage early development (why would we want early development anyway, they grow up so quickly as it is) and babies will develop just fine without these things. With that said, I am sure you will get a handful of responses that the Bumbo has been a "lifesaver". Just remember, do not leave it on a counter or table, and don't leave baby unattended--if he/she tries to get out, baby could get stuck.

I got one when my oldest was a baby. I used it a lot with my first 2 boys but I haven't used it much with my youngest because his legs are already too fat for it (he's 4 months old). If he fit in it better I would use it a ton. If you are worried about cost you could check Craigslist for a used one.

I wouldn't get one. I had one and my daughter was so petite that even when she was able to sit up in it on her own, it was too deep for her to be comfortable. We used it very rarely. She just never seemed conformtable. Once she could sit up, we occassionally used it but not often. Once she got mobile she wanted out all the time anyway. Really wasn't worth the price. Nice idea but didn't work for me.

J.,
Your baby will be sitting unassisted in about a month or so so you would only get like 1 months use out of it. I would say just use a boppy to support the baby while sitting.
I have a bumbo and my daughter has never liked being in it for more than a couple minutes. They cant reach any of their toys (on the floor) when sitting in it... if I use the tray (its so small) that her toys just keep falling off and she gets frustrated.
C.

I work at a preschool and use them in our infant room. They are great, they can be used as early as 3-4 months to help with sitting(wait until they can support there head on there own) Doctors are always telling you to do tummy time (to provent flat head)this give you another opinion for that-babies are less fussy because they are able to sit and watch you(& surrounding) and help strengthen the back. Baby will still need tummy time to learn to crawl/roll but gives baby a variety of things to do beside just lay there. Once they have master sitting on there own then it was great to use as a 2nd booster/high chair. and yes as others have told you once they are more mobile they will try to crawl out-which at that point you would use as a spare booster/high chair. We found at the preschool that the infants that were put in the bumbo at an early age were sitting sooner(months) then those just put on the floor and learn on there own.

I think those were recalled. Don't do it - the kids fall out of them and depending on where they are sitting and how old they are, they can crack a rib and you wouldn't even know it. It happened to our son who was 4 months at the time.

I haven't read all of your responses, so forgive me if I repeat.

I bought one at a yard sale in the box for $10. I bought the $9 tray. It was worth $20, but not $50 for new. My daughter had and still has chunky thighs. She out grew it quickly. It was nice to have when we needed it.

As far as the recall, if anyone called the company, they sent you a sticker for the box that reminded you to be very vigilant and to not put on a table with the child in it. I think a lot of people felt safe leaving their itty-bitties it and walked away.

If your baby is chunky, I'd pass on it at this point. Also, your baby will start to support him/herself in another month or so, so you really won't need it. If you find one used and you still want it, go for it. Otherwise, I'd pass on it with a 5 month old.

Those things are great! I got one at Once upon a child so it was a little cheaper- and I bought one for a friend's baby shower. You don't know how great they are until you get one!

I was told that they were a product recall.
Too many babies were falling out and brain damage was reported. They were meant to be used only on the floor and with supervision at all times. You use your best judgement, Mom's always seem to have a gut feeling that is correct!

Just going to put in a my two cents worth.
I have one that I got for my son when he was 4-5 months old, I first had the bumbo but I "up graded" to one that is called a bebePOD. I got it at Baby r Us, and it is a bit more expensive, but it comes with a tray and the tray has a toy that you can push into the tray so that it doesn't go anywhere (the floor). I would recommend checking the web site cause I'm just not that good at explaining things in detail!! www.princelionheart.com
I luv it, my son likes to be where I am, watching what is going on, on the kitchen, bathroom (I even put him in it on the floor in the bathroom with the tray and a few toys and can get a shower in..not the longest shower but enough to get the soap where its needed and washed off), it is also nice for carrying places, I don't care for highchairs at restaurants so I bring along and he can sit right next to me, or even on the table, just make sure to move anything that can hurt him/her away from the chair, you'd be amazed at how far they can reach.
It sound like you have a lot of mixed reviews so good luck!
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I would strongly suggest borrowing one if you can. My niece loved hers, so I borrowed it for my daughter. She tolerated it for about a minute, then arched her back until she "popped" right out! We never used it again. So I'm glad we didn't spend the money on it. Find out if it works for you before you spend the money.

my kids love the bumbo and get the tray so s/he can play. this is one of our must have baby items!

This seat is awesome. I absolutely loved it. It was nice to have my daughter sit in it while I was doing something in the kitchen, etc. She could watch what I was doing. Be careful though on putting her up on counters, or high spaces - they might look like there is no possible way they can tip themselves out........but it can happen - I learned the hard way.
Defintely worth the money!!

TOTALLY WORTH IT!! We used it for bath time, eating time, playing time...LOVED IT!!!!