# Jumpers: are they safe?



## mamamolly1 (Oct 17, 2008)

Someone gifted us a jumper-- the kind that you attach to a doorway. I don't know much about them, but they seem like a death trap. (Although my husband examined it and tried to explain how the physics of it are actually quite sound). Now I know that these (and exersaucers, etc.) aren't great to have kids in for extended periods of time, and that wouldn't be my approach. But from a safety point of view, are these actually safe? My instinct says no, but I don't have any facts to back this up.


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## Bird Girl (Mar 12, 2007)

We used a doorway jumper, although we reinforced the suspension mechanism by putting an eye-bolt through the doorway and snapping two high-weight-limit caribbeaners to the gripping mechanism.

It's not the kind of thing in which you'd leave a baby unsupervised--I mean, they are basically hanging from straps in a doorway--but with a parent next to them, they're plenty of fun. They are interesting during that time when babies love to stand and kick but can't do it unsupported.


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

No.

Not safe from a physical standpoint (Ask any ER doc how many babies he treats each year from those things snapping off the doorway, baby propelling themselves into the wall, etc.) nor from a developmental standpoint - it takes virtually no time in one of those things to potentially create a hairline spinal fracture. Plus, the weight being placed on the crotch is really not good for baby's development, either.


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## purplemoon (Sep 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *_betsy_* 
No.

Not safe from a physical standpoint (Ask any ER doc how many babies he treats each year from those things snapping off the doorway, baby propelling themselves into the wall, etc.) nor from a developmental standpoint - it takes virtually no time in one of those things to potentially create a hairline spinal fracture. Plus, the weight being placed on the crotch is really not good for baby's development, either.

A friend gave us one from her kids. I put it on the doorway and just saw it
as a death trap. I literally was scared the entire time as they lunged into walls with hands out. I know they can be fun, maybe I didn't know what I was doing, but it went into the trash ASAP. I didn't want another kid to have it and smash themselves so I thought it was best to send it to it's doom.


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## Bird Girl (Mar 12, 2007)

A death-trap? A hairline spinal fracture? In two months your baby will be cruising around the furniture; do you think that this is a death trap?

Some parents will always mis-use baby equipment; you can let your child climb out of and fall off of a high chair; you can let your baby fall out of a baby bucket car seat; you can drop your baby out of a sling. For parents who use these tools safely, they benefit from the added assistance. Supervise your baby; make sure the jumper is attached securely, and let your little one enjoy him or herself.


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## purplemoon (Sep 24, 2008)

See? Maybe I wasn't doing it right. It was secure but my babies would jump into the door jam with their fingers getting smashed. They didn't jump straight up and down. Not to mention when they would lean to the side laughing and try to smash their heads into the jam. I had my hands out the entire time directing them from the door jam! So for me, it didn't work out (much to my dismay because they loved it). So deathtrap for my kids but I don't know about other models, other doors.


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## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *purplemoon* 
See? Maybe I wasn't doing it right. It was secure but my babies would jump into the door jam with their fingers getting smashed. They didn't jump straight up and down. Not to mention when they would lean to the side laughing and try to smash their heads into the jam. I had my hands out the entire time directing them from the door jam! So for me, it didn't work out (much to my dismay because they loved it). So deathtrap for my kids but I don't know about other models, other doors.

Hmm maybe it's a difference in designs. My mom got a jumper and it has a hard tray all the way around the unit. Imagine a small walker/bouncer, only suspended lol.

She could (and does) toss herself into the jamb/wall but the tray takes the impact.

It also helps that I have a double french door opening between the living room and dining room. I just put it in the middle.


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## Tizzy (Mar 16, 2007)

I've always had the impression that babies weren't designed to use their joints for bouncing like that. Plus the pressure on their spine (same as using a Snugli vs. other more ergonomically designed carriers) can't be healthy either.
I've had so many offers for them, but I just can't see how it's good for my child. The tray ones seem worse to me honestly because I can picture pinched fingers between tray and doorframe.


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## RunnerDuck (Sep 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bird Girl* 
A death-trap? A hairline spinal fracture? In two months your baby will be cruising around the furniture; do you think that this is a death trap?

Some parents will always mis-use baby equipment; you can let your child climb out of and fall off of a high chair; you can let your baby fall out of a baby bucket car seat; you can drop your baby out of a sling. For parents who use these tools safely, they benefit from the added assistance. Supervise your baby; make sure the jumper is attached securely, and let your little one enjoy him or herself.











The biggest danger I have seen is pinching the finger between the wall and the bouncer... which can be eliminated if you have a wide enough door way. (We've got a big enough doorway to hang two bouncers with no problems)

There are different jumpers... the Johnny Jump Up is too floppy and unstructured and IMO horrible. The Graco with the tray is better. Graco actually makes one with a padded tray which will lessen the risk of finger pinching. There's also the Fisher Price stand alone bouncer but it's pricey, not portable, and takes up too much room...

My son loved his Graco bouncer ... no broken bones, no injuries, he walks and runs just fine so hanging from the crotch didn't wreck him...

My girls were kinda so-so on them... only tolerated them for short periods of time... I think most kids are going to complain if they are unhappy or uncomfortable and most good parents will then take them out.

Mine haven't tolerated the jumpers at all for a while now but one has always loved to hold the edge of her crib and bounce up and down maniacally... I think babies joints and bones handle bouncing just fine but maybe I just have tough babies. But unless there is some underlying issue - brittle bone disease or lack of pain receptors - I'd think most babies aren't going to tolerate activity in the first place that makes them uncomfortable enough to be injured. Which goes back to, a parent would normally take the baby out if he/she seems unhappy. Because an unhappy crying baby hanging in a doorway doesn't help any one out...

Quote:

No.

Not safe from a physical standpoint (Ask any ER doc how many babies he treats each year from those things snapping off the doorway, baby propelling themselves into the wall, etc.)
OK. DH's cousin is an ER doc, I just emailed him. Will report back...


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## soxthecatrules (Oct 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bird Girl* 
A death-trap? A hairline spinal fracture? In two months your baby will be cruising around the furniture; do you think that this is a death trap?

Some parents will always mis-use baby equipment; you can let your child climb out of and fall off of a high chair; you can let your baby fall out of a baby bucket car seat; you can drop your baby out of a sling. For parents who use these tools safely, they benefit from the added assistance. Supervise your baby; make sure the jumper is attached securely, and let your little one enjoy him or herself.











DD loves her. Stays in it an avg of 15 min. Its a fun distraction. No more. No less. There's so many things that we can get worked up over as a parent. This isn't one of them for me.


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

My little brother adored his old-school Johnny Jump-up, but my parents secured it from a ceiling beam right in the middle of the room, rather than in a doorway. This always seemed to me like a safer option - his path was completely free of obstacles for 360 degrees all around him.

I got one for my ds and had dh do a similar installation, but he just hung there while the dog licked his face. Maybe the next kid will like it better! I sure do like having the occasional break from holding a large, heavy older infant. I agree with PPs that time limits are important, because it cannot be the best ergonomic position for a child, but I think a few brief sessions per day are not going to cause permanent damage - esp. not compared to the year of falling down and head-bumping that awaits them just past the bouncer stage!


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## RunnerDuck (Sep 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *RunnerDuck* 

OK. DH's cousin is an ER doc, I just emailed him. Will report back...

He emailed back. Has never seen an injury from a doorway bouncer in 6 years as an ER doc. Of course I am sure there are some doctors somewhere who have seen injuries - I have to stick to asking one I know.


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## Ceili (Nov 21, 2001)

We had a jump-a-roo which is the stand alone type jumper thingie. It was huge (slightly bigger than an exersaucer) but there are no doors on the entire first floor of our house, so it was really the only jumper option. Ds loved his and it gave me a break of holding him up so he could bounce on my lap/stomach.


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

well if you really look at anything, nothing is really 100% safe. so you kinda have to take a chance. are you willing to take a chance.

i did a lot of research which talked about breaking bones.

but my then dh was v. v. good with safety and he got it pretty good on the ceiling with an S hook - not a doorway. we worked with the length for a while till we were satisfied with the height.

gosh dd - my high energy dd LOOOOVED it. even saying that is an understatement. i think i allowed her max half hour in it. then later on let her in it again.


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## harmonyhobbit (Sep 16, 2008)

I had the tray one for my first and the old style one for my first. Neither kid liked it very much, but they certainly didn't injure themselves. If you adjust it properly, they aren't going to be dangling by the crotch, and they would have a hard time building up the momentum to slam themselves into the wall with enough force to cause serious injury.
For my newbie, I have a Jumperoo. My MDS LOVED it at 2.5yrs.


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## rhiandmoi (Apr 28, 2006)

You can also use a hammock chair stand, which is made for the weight and motion of an adult. Then it can be placed in the middle of a room.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

I had the graco one with the tray and it was a life saver when I needed to cook dinner. He could jump around, play & I could have my hands free to cook.

A deathtrap? OMG.


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## crunchymamatobe (Jul 8, 2004)

We had the kind that looked like a Tigger. The instructions said to make sure it was high enough that the baby could only get the balls of his/her feet on the ground, presumably so they can't get jumping hard enough to smash into the wall on either side and wouldn't take too much of an impact on their little legs if the jump high/hard. It also said to stop using it as soon as baby could walk unassisted. Probably not great for the kid's spine, but he was in there for maybe 10 hours of his whole like and seemed to like it.

My parents had a Johnny Jump Up for me when I was a baby. I survived. I did have to go to the ER once after falling and putting my head through a glass door, but that had nothing to do with the jumper. There are many many more dangers out there for little ones.


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## fruitfulmomma (Jun 8, 2002)

We've used them through 5 children and I am having a really hard time imagining how a baby could propel themselves into the doorway. Now, whichever kid was about 2 at the time we have them up will like to sneak into it and I can see them doing it, but that is not the age group it was designed for and we don't let them stay in it.


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## RunnerDuck (Sep 12, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meemee* 
well if you really look at anything, nothing is really 100% safe. so you kinda have to take a chance. are you willing to take a chance.

i did a lot of research which talked about breaking bones.

but my then dh was v. v. good with safety and he got it pretty good on the ceiling with an S hook - not a doorway. we worked with the length for a while till we were satisfied with the height.

gosh dd - my high energy dd LOOOOVED it. even saying that is an understatement. i think i allowed her max half hour in it. then later on let her in it again.

See, I'd be more worried about the S hook stripping through the beam and coming loose than the door frame clamp mechanism failing. The door clamp will hold a lot of weight - provided the molding around your doorway is safely attached!!!

BUT - in the event that any of these links happen to be weak - it's not like the baby is falling 10 feet onto concrete or something. I just don't see how even if anything did give out, the baby would be that badly hurt. They might be upset but they probably won't be hurt. No more so than if they roll off a couch or a bed or any of those other little things that happen all the time.


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## JBaxter (May 1, 2005)

IVe used different models through 4 boys. all fo them LOVED them. I never had any issues with them being a "death trap" the only issue was my oldest rubbed a tiny blister on his toe.

DS4 is using one that is 5 yrs old ( DS3's) Its awsome for when Im sitting on the living room floor folding clothes , playing with DS3 ( cars, playmobil people etc) I also use it when I need more than a 60 second shower He bounces away while I wash my hair, shave my lets and get ready.

None of my boys have ever had injury from them. My now 17 yr old is a varsity football player, my 14 yr odd is a runner and my 5 yr old loves soccer.


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## KnittingTigers (Mar 16, 2007)

Yeah, my DD loved hers. Obviously, we never left her unattended, and once she got interested in crawling, she wanted nothing to do with the jumper again, but for a couple of months, it made her happier than anything else. I can still picture the look of glee on her face when she was jumping in it!

And no, nothing bad ever happened to her. No pinched fingers, no hairline fractures, no death traps. We used the Graco model with the tray, and were very happy with it.


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

Ds loves his right now. He would like to be standing at all times but at 5 months cannot quite do it on his own yet. The jolly jumper gives me a 10-15 minute break & he is SO happy in there.

The directions on mine say to check all the mechanisms before each use. It's a pretty simple setup & I think a visual inspection would show you immediately if something wasn't right.


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## skolbut (Feb 18, 2008)

I really wanted this to work for my kiddos. Both DH and I loved ours, according to our mothers, so I was ready for giggling, eager, bouncing babes.

So DS1 went in his about 3 times, never more than 5 minutes before crying and never figured out how to make it bounce. DS2 LOVES to bounce so we thought he would love it but he only sits in it for a few minutes at a time and maybe spins a bit.

Plus, with both kids, it made me a nervous nelly watching them get sooo close to the doorframe, all I can do is imagine baby with bloody head wound and I start getting out blankets and towels for padding... then realize I'm dumb and should take the baby out of the thing. I know the old school one I used could be clamped onto a ceiling beam so there's potential for more 'swing room' but the new kind like I have can only go over trim on a doorframe which seems so much more dangerous.

I'm gonna sell it. (I'd trash it but money's pretty tight!)


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## sharon.gmc (Nov 17, 2008)

No it's not safe to have jumpers.


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## jeminijad (Mar 27, 2009)

Think of how many kids hurt themselves on their bikes! Someone has hurt themselves on every single household item, baby or not.

I agree with PPs that supervised, if your baby enjoys it, they are fine. If it makes you so nervous you can't handle it then it isn't safe for you, though, which is pretty important too.


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## GoBecGo (May 14, 2008)

My main concern would be with them hanging by their crotch, which is very bad for the development of the normal curvatures of the spine.

We were given one, DD was very long/tall and thus we only used it for a few weeks (from her being old enough to go in it (6 months) to her being too tall for it (just shy of 7 months). She might have been in it 40minutes of her life in 5-10minute periods. I wouldn't use it for the next one because i worried constantly while she was in it.

I didn't like the advice to adjust so they're on their toes - that puts most of their weight onto their crotch!


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