Picture this: you’ve just put your baby to sleep for an afternoon nap and a few minutes later the
baby monitor buzzes, and you can hear your child fussing in bed. Not again! You ignore it for a while but the cries continue. You slowly tip toe upstairs to check to make sure everything is ok, out of habit double checking the baby gate to confirm that it’s firmly secure. In your heart, you are hoping that by the time you get to the room your little darling has soothed himself back to sleep.
Well, that doesn’t happen. The crying just keeps getting louder and can no longer be ignored. Despite the fact that your baby has not slept enough, he just won’t fall asleep on his own. You do your best to soothe your baby, but he doesn’t calm down. Now you have to decide, let your baby cry itself to sleep, or continue to hold, rock and soothe him until he falls asleep in your arms (and hopefully won’t wake up again when you put him back in the crib). While you love holding your precious little one, you are in desperate need for a little me-time to get your sanity back, before the school bus drops your 6-year-old champ from school.
Enter, the hero of the day – a baby jumper. Unlike a
baby bouncer, which is more designed for younger infants and babies and places your child in a reclining position; jumpers allow them to use their legs and feet to “jump.” For babies who can’t sleep, a jumper gives them the opportunity to release all their energy, and because of the seat design, when they finally tire themselves out, you know they are safe.
So off you go, placing your child in his favorite jumper, and after a few minutes of “jumping” he slowly dozes off. The magic that some of these baby products have on our kids is out of this world. Oh boy! Doesn’t parenting get easier with a baby jumper.
Whether you choose a seated floor jumper, or a
jumper that attaches to a doorway, they are not just for trying to get your baby to sleep. They help to strengthen their leg muscles to get them ready for that first step! They also make it possible for you to wash the dishes, fold your laundry, and tidy up your house while your baby is busy in the jumper.
A good baby jumper should be strong enough and keep your baby safe. Since babies get excited by the smallest of things, it should be colorful and full of attractive accessories to stimulate them.
Price
Often, when we think of buying a baby jumper, price is one of the first things that come to mind. Then we stop and start asking: Is it worth it? Should I just pass it? Will my baby really need it? And the endless questions flow. However, this should never be a limiting factor because, with as little as $20, you will get your little munchkin a good baby jumper that will keep them entertained. If you are looking for the more luxurious baby jumpers, they will cost you about $100. They come with extra features, including toys, Mp3 players and more accessories that your toddler will enjoy.
We know there are cheap baby jumpers in the market, but we would be a little hesitant to recommend them. Your baby is the most important person in your life, so why would you rather buy for them a product that is constructed with flimsy material? Furthermore, those cheap products may not be safe at all for your tyke.
Features
In most cases, individuals delve into buying immediately after narrowing down on the type of jumper they want if it fits within their budget. A majority often overlook another equally fundamental aspect of these products, which is the features! Before spending your hard-earned dollars on a jumper, you should take a little extra time to identify its salient features which make it a better option than its immediate rivals.
Since it is a baby product, the foremost feature should be its safety standards. Infants, babies and toddlers cannot take care of themselves; hence the jumper should be robust and durable to prevent accidents. Besides safety, these are the other specifications that a parent may want to consider:
- Type - Is the jumper a stand-alone or a frame-mounted type?
- Material- This can vary from polyester, plastic, cotton or a combination of either
- Ergonomics - How well is the jumper optimized for use by both the baby and the parent?
- Accessories - In the case of activity jumpers, the buyer should know the included toys and accessories and whether they are suitable
- Aesthetics - Is the jumper appealing to the eye? How fashionable is the design?
- Usability - Can a novice operate the jumper with little or no help?
After identifying the features, the next step would be to know how they impact upon the functionality of your baby jumper.
Construction and Design
The build and design of baby jumpers is determined by primarily two factors; the height and the weight of the baby. Of these two, the weight is of more significance as it influences the density of the material used. Jumpers designed for heavier babies are usually reinforced with stronger fabric than those meant for lightweights. On the other hand, the height of the baby affects the size of the jumper, as taller babies require larger jumpers and vice versa. Still, regarding height, modern jumpers integrate adjusters to accommodate babies of varying heights.
The elasticity of the jumper is also a paramount aspect of consideration. A good jumper should be elastic enough to allow the baby to bounce freely as well as sturdy enough to withstand high tensile strength.
Currently, jumpers in the market can be split into three broad categories which include:
- Stationary Jumpers - Typically, these are the ‘standard’ jumpers since they serve only their primary objective, which is being a baby bouncer. In line with their functionality, their design is equally simplistic, featuring a seat, the supporting framework, and elastic bands.
- Activity Jumpers - Contrary to the stationary jumpers, these are much more complex, incorporating numerous accessories such as toys and music players in some cases. They are ideal for entertainment, which in addition to keeping the baby happy give the caregiver time to engage in other chores.
- Doorway Jumpers - These are suspended on doors using the inbuilt elastic bands. Door jumpers are best-suited for small homes since they do not take up large spaces.
Performance and Ease of Use
As humans, when we buy a product, it is our nature to expect it to live up to expectations. What most of us don't know or ignore is that to enjoy the maximum benefits of a good jumper, it should be used within its specifications and limits.
The weight of the child is an important consideration. The primary purpose of the jumper is to carry the toddler, so the baby weight influences the choice of product. Choosing a jumper without taking into account the baby's mass may result in breakages, which may lead to accidents. Thankfully, a majority of jumpers in the market usually indicate the weight limit beyond which, they are susceptible to tearing. Remember, if you are getting a jumper that hangs to read the installation instructions carefully and follow them to the letter.
The age of the child must also come into play during the acquisition process. At the time of birth, babies are underdeveloped and cannot adequately support themselves; hence jumpers are unsuitable. However, with time, the bones grow stronger, and jumpers become a must have item in the house. Also, over time, the toddlers overgrow the jumpers and parents are required to upgrade to bigger, more capable jumpers. Later, when the child is old enough to walk, a baby walker is recommended to hasten the development.
Using a baby jumper is not rocket science as most come with easy installation instructions. Also consider buying a baby jumper that easily dissembles for ease of cleaning, especially those that come with attached toys.
If you’re thinking you could go online and click on any baby jumper you come across just because it has the prettiest pattern or color, then you are wrong. You should focus on quality first before you move on to other factors, lest you might expose your little one to injuries. Look at the material, whether the jumper is adjustable or not, and if it comes with some extras, such as toys. Now that you have gone through our guide, let’s jump straight to our picks and get you a baby jumper that will best suit your little prince or princess.
Active babies tend to sleep better at night, and nothing would make them have a good night’s sleep like a day of play on a baby jumper. As you can see, we have gone the extra mile to provide lots of information on some of the best baby jumpers from renowned brands in the industry. We know you care about your baby and we hope we have helped you choose a safe and fun model to keep them active all day.
