Yeah, we learned our lesson -- DON'T put your kid into this product if he/she just ate! I'm still cleaning milk stains off the walls/carpeting/furniture. Old Faithful would be jealous!
Why can't they make an exerciser for ADULTS that's this much fun?
Baby Alex, my first and only (so far) child, got a Graco Bumper Jumper before he was even born. My wife's best friend, who has had an uncanny knack for finding us the BEST baby gifts, gave it to her at one of her 350 or so baby showers. (Thanks Stephanie! By the way, are you available to help clean carpet and paint the wall?)
Alex really wasn't old enough to use this product until he was about 5 months old. His motor skills hadn't developed quite enough before that time for him to know how to jump. By this time, however, he had almost outgrown it. We put him in it and watched the spring stretch all the way until Alex's feet were flat on the floor. According to the instructions on the product, it should be adjusted so that his feet JUST touch the floor. Even with the adjustable strap made as short as possible, he was still more than able to touch the floor.
Dad, the ENGINEER, to the rescue.
Being a Navy man, I have learned that there are very few problems in life that a good knot can't fix. Ask my wife... she tied OURS so tight I can't even spell DEVORSE (DIVORSE...DEVOORS...whatever). That height problem was solved by taking up what little slack remained in one leg of the the adjustable nylon strap and tying a hefty overhand knot in it. VOILA! Alex, even at 8 months old and 25 lbs., dangles freely several inches above the floor. Now I faced trying to figure out how to fix it so Alex could JUST touch the floor.
Dad, the ENGINEER, to the rescue (take 2).
Rather than go through several iterations of looking for the perfect size knot to tie in the bouncer strap, I decided that placing a sofa cushion under a dangling Alex would solve the problem that solved the earlier problem. Not only did his feet touch the sofa cushion at just the right angle, but he had a softer platform to land on once he got bouncing higher and harder. Problems solved!
The nuts and bolts, and straps, and springs, etc.
The Graco Bumper Jumper consists of
*a soft fabric seat with two leg holes for baby's legs to fit through,
*a small activity tray which surrounds baby at about the chest level,
*three NON-adjustable straps connecting the seat/platform to the adjustable strap,
*an adjustable strap with friction-fit buckle which adjusts to different lengths to accommodate babies of different heights and weights,
*a long painted steel spring which gives the bouncer it's bounce,
*a nylon safety catch rope that runs inside the length of the spring, preventing the spring from being over-extended,
*and a door frame spring clamp, which secures the bouncer safely and effectively in a door frame, but can be easily removed when the jumper isn't in use.
Safety First, Safety Always
There are a few precautions you should be aware of when using the Graco Bouncer, aside from the milkshake thing mentioned in the opening. First, placing a baby into the bouncer can be challenging. It's safest to have a spotter to hold the jumper in place while you set baby into the seat. If you're not fortunate enough to have a spotter, you will find maneuvering baby around the three non-adjustable straps can be tricky. It can be done if you're fairly strong and agile, and baby isn't squirming too much. If in doubt, though, get help.
Second, narrow doorways can sometimes lead baby to hit his arms or hands on the doorframe if he gets bouncing high and somewhat out of control. Alex likes to put his hands on the outside of the activity tray, and he's twice bounced himself into the doorframe and almost mashed his little fingers. He's wised up lately and holds the straps instead of the tray. Babies are smarter than we give them credit for!
Third, the clamp is strong enough to secure the bouncer in the door, but it WILL slide a bit above the molding on the top of the doorframe, especially if baby gets to really catching some air on his higher bounces. This WILL mark up a wall, rubbing paint off, and, if left to occur enough times, even wear into plaster or wallboard.
Bounce or swing?
One of the fun activities that Alex sometimes enjoys in lieu of bouncing is to swing. We do this by moving the sofa cushion out of the way, allowing Alex to dangle again, then dad (or mom) will get in the floor and swing Alex as though in a playground swing. It's a good option, especially if you want to start your baby out in the bouncer before he's enough muscle development to really bounce on his own.
WHEEEEEeeeeeee....zzzzzzZZZZZZZ.
One of the funniest things I ever saw Alex do was to fall asleep in his bouncer. He was going all-out, bouncing his little tushy off. I was sitting at the computer, about 5 feet from the doorway where he was bouncing, supervising and smiling at his obvious joy. I got just a bit pre-occupied with something on the computer and stopped watching him for a minute. When I looked up, he had gone out like a light. His head was resting against one of the non-adjustable straps. Parents, does this give you any ideas of how to get your little one to expend a little pre-nap energy?
This bouncer is worth the price! It's almost as much fun for the parents as it is for the baby!
We are currently out of stock in this item, please check back for availability.Product Features:? "Bumpers" help protect wooden door frames from marri...More at Albee Baby
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