There are a lot of baby products that can be helpful for each stage that your baby goes through. However, it’s hard to justify buying every single baby product out there when your baby will only use it for a few months. The Baby Trend Walker is one of those purchases that will only be applicable for your baby for about 6 months, but the Baby Trend walker is the most cost effective walker on the market and you don’t have to have any shoppers remorse from this purchase.
It doesn’t hurt that your baby will likely use it every single day of those 6 months.
So what are the great features about the Baby Trend Walker as it compares to more expensive walkers? Read on to find out.
Toy Bar
The Baby Trend Walker comes with a toy bar that will make your baby excited about spending time in the seat. Some walkers do not have a toy bar included, and this feature of the walker really does make a huge difference.
Removeable
The thing I love about the toy bar is that it is connected to the actual tray so that your child can use it whenever he or she wants, but cannot throw it on the floor. If you’re anything like me, you probably hate having to pick up toys endlessly. It is especially frustrating when your baby cries for a particular toy only to throw it back on the ground when you give it to them. This toy bar will ensure that your baby is entertained without them playing a manipulative game with you as well.
The toy bar is easy enough for a parent to disconnect, though it may take a bit of tinkering the first time or two. But it is nearly impossible for a baby to disconnect it.
Completely Safe
One thing that I found when I was reviewing the Safety 1st Walker (you can read about it here!) is that some consumers found that the toybar was a bit of a safety hazard for their babies. It seemed as though not every parent had issues with this, but there were enough that it was a noticeable issue.
There was one particular toy where the baby could get his or her fingers caught, that in extreme cases caused bruising, and in less extreme cases it caused discomfort. It could be easily remedied by just removing the toy from the toy bar, but who wants to buy a walker that you will need to modify?
The nice thing about the toy bar on the Baby Trend Walker is that it does not have any parts that could pinch little fingers. The toys seem interesting without the safety concerns.
3 Adjustable Positions
Like many baby walkers, the Baby Trend Walker comes with 3 adjustable positions. You can easily move from one to the other as your baby grows. All babies are different, so don’t expect your baby to use every single position.
When To Use It
Your baby can start to use this walker as soon as he or she can sit up and support him or herself. Your baby may be on the smaller size and could not quite reach the floor when he or she is a the lowest setting. Or your baby could be tall and move quickly through the settings. There are ways to get around this.
Short Babies
If your baby is small and cannot reach the ground, he or she may not be old enough to have the muscles to propel him or herself forward or back. You can use the walker still as a seat that your baby can sit and stretch their legs. You can take the wheels off and prop their legs up with a firm folded blanket until they are old enough to touch the floor.
Tall Babies
You can also continue to use the walker even if your baby is tall and on the highest setting. It is okay for your baby to have bent legs while in the walker. They can still learn to walk and have a seat to catch them, should they start to topple.
Using The Walker
Just like with any baby product, your baby might not be crazy about it right away. It might take a while for your baby to understand how to use the walker, especially if they just learned how to sit up on their own.
Going Backwards
Some parents are a little alarmed when their baby cannot move forward in the walker. This is completely normal. It is easier for babies to roll backwards than it is to roll forwards because they can push off with straight legs to go backwards. Going forwards requires them to bend their knees and walk forward in a specific way that your baby hasn’t learned yet.
This should not be anything to be concerned about and your baby will learn the movements as they continue to practice in the walker. In fact, they will most likely learn to walk a little bit earlier than other babies because they are provided with a safe space to practice the movements that they will need to master to begin to walk on their own.
Benefits Of The Walker
Does your baby need the Baby Trend Walker? Will he or she never learn to walk if they don’t have it? No, your baby will still learn to walk without the walker, as babies have learned for centuries before. However, there are benefits for your baby to use the Baby Trend Walker.
Here are some of the things your baby will love about the walker:
Empowerment
You might think that your baby is too young to want to be independent, but many babies start to express their independence from a very early age. They might depend on you for nearly everything, but they don’t necessarily want to depend on you for everything.
If your baby can walk around on his or her own and follow you around the house as you do various chores, they will feel a sense of empowerment.
However, they might want to be too involved with what you are doing, which may mean that they will want you to pick them up. Your baby might feel bored or left out. To encourage them to stay in the walker, you could sing to them, give them more toys or snacks to keep their interest or just continue to give them attention while you are doing other things around the house. This will make them feel more involved.
Exercise
Another great thing about the walker is that your baby will exercise some muscles taht can be difficult to exercise on their own. Many babies, once they learn to sit up on their own, love to be supported in a standing position while they bounce up and down. This motion helps their muscles develop and is just a lot of fun for them anyway.
When they have this baby walker to support them, they won’t depend on you fully to support them. This will give your baby more opportunities to work the muscles, especially since you might not alway have the time or desire to support them like that.
Stoppers
The Baby Trend Walker comes with stoppers that you install onto the bottom of the base. These will help your baby not slide too fast on slick floors and will keep him or her safe from bumping too hard into walls or other objects. If your baby were to go too fast on surfaces, they would probably remain fairly safe in the walker, but bumping too hard into something could cause them to have minor whiplash or at least a sore neck.
Cons
With all the great benefits of a walker, come some complaints. Here are some of the complaints that consumers have.
Not Easy To Clean Thoroughly
The Baby Trend Walker comes with very clear cut cleaning instructions. In fact, they might be easier than most, but it can be difficult to clean the walker well.
The Baby Trend company states that you should not machine wash the seat insert. Instead, they recommend wiping it down with a damp cloth with mild dish soap. Though this might do the trick, it could be difficult to get deep seated stains out of the fabric. If your baby eats in this walker, which many do, that could get messy and when they have a blowout, then that will be a real pain to clean.
If there was one improvement that this walker could make, it is to have a machine washable insert.
Packed Poorly
Many people complain that the Baby Trend walker is packed poorly and will come damaged. The company is very easy to work with and you can get it replaced quickly. However, it would be more convenient for them to invest in a little more bubble wrap to prevent this from happening.
Conclusion
Overall the Baby Trend Walker is a major contender for the best walker on the market, mostly because it has the basic feature of a walker at a very competitive price. It is difficult to pass this walker up on the price alone because your baby will only use it for a few months.