There are many products on the market which provide welcome assistance for baby and carer in both the home environment and whilst out and about. The use of plastics materials has enabled the development of products which are lightweight, robust, safe and easy to clean. Here are two examples of products currently available.
The Bumbo floor seat (1) provides extra support for babies who are not yet able to sit unaided. It encourages muscle development and its moulded contours provide a safe and comfortable place from which babies can begin to engage with their environment independently. It is made from lightweight, moulded polyurethane (PU), incorporates a three-point safety harness and has a detachable play tray. The Bumbo floor seat is modelled on an original 1996 design by Johan Buitendach of South Africa, who was inspired to create a seat whilst caring for his grandson.
The YummiGo (2) is a combination feeding booster seat and storage/carry case, designed by BenBat and made from injection moulded polypropylene (PP) with a textile seat and straps. It is designed to enable a child to sit to the table without the need for a highchair. This is a lightweight, portable booster seat which is quickly secured to an adult dining chair by means of two textile straps. A three-point safety harness secures the child to the booster seat. The void within the seat doubles up as a storage container in which to carry items, and when not in use, the straps which secure it to a chair convert into a shoulder strap.
