RE: Jumperoo Safety/Development Advice
For a child with developmental delays, it is even more critical to avoid the use of jumpers/saucers/walkers. If your DD needs to work on her developmental skills, floor time will help strengthen her muscles and help her catch up. Work with her on sitting, standing while holding on, rolling, or whatever she may be struggling with, but there's no need to use these types of equipment to "strengthen" anything :) Fly her around like an "airplane" and see if she can use her back muscles to lift her head/neck and extend her back...that's a great strengthening activity. If you have a yoga type ball, you can sit her on it (if she's able) and gently tip her side to side (obviously use caution here) and that will work her trunk muscles and help strengthen them. When she's ready to learn to pull to stand, remove the couch cushions so it is lower and easier to grasp. Have her crawl over couch cushions and pillows on the floor. When she's closer to walking, walk with her holding two of her hands. Progressively lower how high you hold her hands...see if she can walk if you hold them at shoulder height, then at chest height, then at waist height. Once she can do that, try having her walk with one hand held at shoulder height and progressively lower that as she gets more confident. Introduce a push toy when she can walk with two hands held and help her move it forward a bit and then take a few steps as you help her hold it steady. There are sooo many great ideas that are developmentally appropriate, that will help strengthen her muscles, and don't require any special equipment :) There's a great book at most bookstores (Border's etc.) called "Gross Motor Skills in children with Down Syndrome" by Patricia Winders. Don't let the title scare you off...it has some great ideas in there for activities to introduce to children with mild/moderate gross motor delays, particularly those with lower muscle tone. It is very parent friendly and has lots of good photos. That might be something you want to look at to get some ideas. Obviously you need to speak w/ your pediatrician and use your judgement about which activities are appropriate for her stage of develoment once she arrives, but it contains some great ideas.
If you are concerned, you can always request an early intervention evaluation and they'll provide free in home therapy to help her catch up if necessary. Even if you think she'll catch up quickly, it might be worthwhile.
Mama to DS-2004
DD-2006
and a new addition-ds born march 2010