How to have baby at desk height?
My three-month-old baby loves to sit in her Baby Bjorn bouncer on the floor. But I’m tired of bending all the way down to the ground every time I want to pick her up or put her down. Also, I’d love to be able to have easier eye contact with her, especially while I’m working at my desk eight hours a day. Is there a recommendation for some kind of baby chair or bouncer where she can sit at table height? I’ve seen things like the “Beaba up down bouncer,” but not sure if anyone has any experience with them. Would it be better to use a high chair? I don’t think she’s ready to sit in one unassisted yet.
Oct 6, 2020
Parent Replies
Another idea- can you find a desk setup with you on the floor? It’s so good for babies to be mobile and on the ground for as many hours as possible, and I don’t know of a good solution that will bring her safely up to your height
I have a sore back and tight hamstrings and used this when my son was a baby and always on the floor:
Giantex Adjustable Mesh Floor Sofa Chair, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T352QNH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fab_qBJFFbJG7WM…
My baby lived in his bouncer on the kitchen counter or dining room table! When he big enough, I moved him to one of those high chair seats that attach to the kitchen counter. (Around 6 months.)
Hi there. I love the desire to share eye contact with your baby while you are working. It is so important. I'm sure you'll find a good solution for that and I also appreciate that you are considering what is best given that your daughter cannot sit up on her own quite yet. For that reason, I also want to encourage you to feel comfortable with your baby lying on her back on a safe and clean spot on the floor near you. Putting down a blanket or a lambie can make it really cozy. Free movement on her back is how she will develop the muscles to eventually crawl and sit up on her own, something nature has designed her to do if given enough free movement opportunity. Babies also need to work out their primitive reflexes which is best accommodated when able to move freely. The chairs can hamper their ability to move and develop these muscles and this can have impacts later on posture, leg/hip position, core strength, etc. Then when you pick her up (I know you're tired of that ;) and fuel her up with attention when you have a little break. But even on the floor she can also see you looking at her and that is great. Free movement also builds the brain and having you there looking at her on occasion and paying full attention sometimes is just what she needs emotionally :) Good luck!
Is there room on your desk for the baby bjorn bouncer seat? Or can you pull another table nearby to use one? At 3 months old I would feel safe putting one on a table, in terms of her not being able to wiggle or bounce it off the edge, especially if it's a Baby Bjorn one with those nice rubberized feet. Otherwise, you could use a stroller and just roll it over close to you - our UppaBaby was somewhat high - much higher than the floor, at least! And it can recline as needed... I think she'd be too little for a high chair, and those bumbo seats are not good for their hips.
I solved this problem by wearing my baby in a sling while I worked at a computer. (This was years ago, but with each of my kids there was a stretch of time that I worked with an infant companion!) Baby could easily nap, nurse, and play in the sling for most of my workday, and using a cradle carry position allowed me to easily use my keyboard with baby effectively in my lap. As baby got older I switched to back carries, in a meh dai or buckle carrier, and when not napping my baby could see what I was doing over my shoulder. I agree with others who point out that babies need to have "floor time" but if your baby is too young to sit up yet, your baby is still young enough to benefit greatly from being held or worn in a carrier most of the time. When you need a break or your baby is restless (one of mine had a phase where liked to twist herself around and "helpfully" bang on everything on my desk), then a blanket on the floor, or a pack-n-play next to your desk if the room is not sufficiently baby-safe, is best for independent-movement time.
That said, there are high chairs that are basically bucket seats on legs, so you can use them for a younger infant. If you want to use something of that sort, just be 1000% sure you are ALWAYS within arms' reach and paying attention when your baby is in it, because there is a high risk of falls, especially as your baby gets stronger and moves around more actively.
As others have mentioned, it's really important for babies to spend most of their awake time able to move freely, with limited time in baby-holding equipment, (stroller, car seat, high chair, swing, bouncer, etc.). But I also understand that you both enjoy being face to face at the same height. I would say go ahead and combine all the options throughout the day, as you're comfortable - you closer to the floor (you can put your computer on a low table or bed tray), baby on the floor looking up at you (and soon, moving around! - do baby-proof!), and brief episodes in a stroller, bouncer, or similar close to your regular seated height.
There are, by the way, high chairs that have reclinable inserts, like this one (note that I am NOT recommending this one in particular, just showing an example): https://www.target.com/p/skip-hop-sit-to-step-high-chair/-/A-79695633
A swing might also be fun, though again, for any of these keep the time short, and mix it up!
This a pack n' play model might be a good solution. Your baby will be able to move a bit and still be closer to desk height. The only drawback: it takes up a good amount of space. https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/graco-reg-pack-n-play-reg-on-t…