Product Review: The Bumbo Baby Seat

The Bumbo seat is designed for babies who are not yet able to sit without support. The seat is designed to help strengthen the core muscles that are needed to help control balance. As long as your baby can hold her head up well then she can use the Bumbo seat until she can sit up on her own. The age range for the Bumbo seat is typically three to eight months.

The Bumbo provides a place for your baby to be able to sit upright and take in the world around her. Since the seat back only comes up to her mid-back she can have an unimpeded view in all directions. It will not take her long to realize that she can lean back while in the seat to see behind her! But, until she is more developed she will not be able to get out of the seat without help.

Using the Bumbo will help you have some hands-free time as well. The Bumbo will keep your baby supported on the floor while you do some chores. You can even have some face to face playtime with your little one. I have enjoyed having the Bumbo seat as a safe place for my son to play while I prepared dinner and washed dishes. But, the most fun I have had using the Bumbo was when I was first able to play with him without having to support him. Having my hands free allowed us to play peek-a-boo and "this little piggy" to his delight!

The Bumbo seat is very easy to use. There are no straps or buckles. You simply sit you baby with her legs positioned in the leg holes. The wide flat bottom of the seat keeps the Bumbo stationary on any flat surface. As long as you are nearby your baby can even sit safely on your kitchen table so that she can feel involved during dinner time.

The Bumbo seat website recommends that you use the seat during your baby's solid food feedings. I cannot say that I would recommend this. In my experience the open back design of the Bumbo makes it a very difficult feeding chair. My little guy would invariably take to tilting as far back as he could while I was trying to feed him. After three attempts, I had to forgo using the Bumbo in favor of a high chair.

One other thing to keep in mind while using the Bumbo is the positioning of your baby. As your baby grows it becomes more difficult for her to settle herself in the seat if she was put in at an angle. So, you need to make sure that she is sitting comfortably in the seat before heading off to do chores.

Overall the Bumbo seat has been one of my favorite purchases. It's soft, durable design was very comfortable for my son. And, the one time I needed to clean it all it took was a wet washcloth!