Kids in Strollers
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Kids in Strollers
March 2003
My 8 month old daughter has started to cry every time she is in
the stroller and doesn't stop crying until I pick her up. She
used to enjoy the stroller, never complained, and often fell
asleep. However, every stroller walk now ends up with me
carrying her most of the way (she is usually fine for about 20
minutes or so), pushing the stroller with one hand. I have
enjoyed taking long (1-2 hour) walks with her since she was a
few weeks old, first in the sling, later in the baby bjorn, and
then in the stroller from she was 4-5 months old. Since my
husband uses the car to get to work our daily stroller walk is
the only way we are getting out of the house, to moms group, the
YMCA, shopping, etc. The only thing that works now is to carry
her or have her in the baby bjorn, but she is really too heavy
to carry in the bjorn. We have even invested in a backpack
carrier, but after a while she also starts crying in the
backpack! I have tried to give her toys to play with in the
stroller, but she doesn't care about the toys. I have also tried
a different stroller where she faces me, but she still starts to
cry after a while. At home she is a happy baby, she rarely cries
or needs to be carried, and she enjoys sitting or lying playing
with her toys for extended periods (she doesn't crawl yet). She
is also happy whenever she is in the car. Has anyone had a
similar experience? Is there anything I can do to make my
daughter enjoy the stroller again?
Maria
I have a very big baby who likes to be held (25lbs at 8months!) The
baby bjorn is now a joke, and she scarcely fits in any sling. I searched
and found a front pack called the BabyTrekker from Canada that really
works! It has a thick waist belt and big, thick (ugly) back-straps. I can
wear my baby on a hike for over an hour now with very little discomfort
and no pain in my back afterwards. My baby never fusses or cries when
she's in it, I think because she's in front and close to my face and voice.
Unfortunately, it costs $80. You can find/purchase it on line.
Mary
I have 8-month old twins who do not like their stroller. I have both front/back
and side by side models, but one or both of the babies melt down every time
we either go for a walk or try to go shopping,
regardless of which stroller I use. When they were smaller, I used to put one
in the stroller and bring my baby bjorn to carry whoever was more upset, but
they are now too heavy to do this. This has been very hard
on me, because with twins the only way you can get out is with a stroller, as
you can't hold both of them. I'm feeling very isolated and frustrated. Does
anyone have any experience with this problem or have any
advice on ways to make outings in the stroller more enjoyable? Thanks!
Chris
Your strollers are probably just fine. My twins also had a stage like
that, right around your kids' age, and I remember juggling them in and
out one at a time trying to stop the crying, and walking with one in my
arms while I pushed the crying one, then switching them only to have the
next one start bellowing the minute I set him in his seat, and it was
very stressful. I suspect it's just a phase (it was for mine anyway) and
you'll live through it long before any magic cure comes along. My only
advice to get through this stage is to stay fairly close to home, I used
to go around the block rather than 4 blocks in one direction, so if it
gets unbearable you don't feel stranded far from home, and to remember
that they really are okay, just letting off steam in the only way they
can right now. Good luck! It gets much easier, I promise!
Carrie
8 months is a perfect age to get a proper frame backpack - my daughter loved it at that age.
It will at least keep one happy. It's important to get one with a waist strap to help support
your back. You can use them for a couple of years - until they get good at climbing out of
them. Also for the stroller you can try using more things to entertain them - things to chew,
toys attached to it etc. Balloons on a string helped for my son's hatred of car seats. A box of
surprises can help too - something for them to dig about in and unwrap bit by bit (pegs and
string were a favorite). My daughter (not a twin) also resisted using a stroller a lot of the
time - but once she was able to walk holding on (about ten months) she liked to push it
herself, so at least it was there for when she got exhausted and beyond objecting to it.
Strollers are good for getting around, but sometimes I've seen parents using them as a way of
just trying to keep their children still and strapped down - it's no wonder they object to that.
It's worth keeping in mind places where you can stop and let them out - our bank for example
was very toddler friendly, with a heap of toys in one corner. Your twins may not be up to that
yet, but they will be.
For general mobility (and fitness), you could also consider a bike cart - they have two seats
pulled by a puffing parent. My son liked it even though he hated car seats and strollers. Not
that you need any more gear.....
Good luck! (you will get thru this!)
fiona
When my kids became too heavy for the Baby Bjorn I switched to a backpack.
My kids were never crazy about the stroller, either. With the backpack, I
could get many lengthy errands accomplished. I think the kids really like
being at the same eye-level as grown-ups - there's a lot more to see when
you are higher up.
Daphne
Have you tried the kind of double stroller where the seats can be turned
around either way? Thus allowing your twins to look at each other?
Might this help?
April
I have one 11 m.o. baby who often dislikes her stroller... but it must be really tough to have
two who don't like it! Have you tried a baby backpack to do the same thing you had done
with the Bjorn, using it for whomever is crying the loudest? You can carry a toddler-sized
baby on your back with some ease. Unfortunately, baby backpacks don't fold up as nicely as
the Bjorn. The other thing to consider: a friend's baby hated her stroller (a hand-me-down)
but then the friend sprung for the maclaren supercomfy deluxe model and the baby was
much happier. Look at your strollers and check their features: this baby apparently really
hated leaning back in the way the first stroller forced her to.
Ilana
March 2003
I am a daycare provider who uses ac transit with my daycar kids.
I need help and suppor. I have to use a stroller for one of my
kids. The thing is we , parents and providers, have to go to
the back of the bus because the strollers are a safety hazzard.
so Today i was noticing on the bus, with no kids, that even in
the back of the bus it still is a safety hazzard. I also heard
3 disgusted parents complain about this along with other
passengers. My suggestion to ac transit people is to allow the
parents and providers to park the stroller where the wheel
chairs are located. Parents and providers please call or email
ac transit people and tell them your opinions and suggestions.
Any advice given to me will be appreciated.
Annette
Buses in Europe have spaces in the middle of the bus designated
for parents with strollers which are similar to the wheelchair
spaces in AC Transit buses here (and, if I remember right,
accommodate wheelchairs as well). Straps are attached to the
inside walls under the windows, allowing you to secure the
strollers to the bus. In addition, parents with children in
strollers are allowed to ride free and it is easy to roll the
open stroller onto the bus. This is a very child-friendly and
workable system that we could encourage AC Transit to adopt.
Sara
Moderator Note: AC Transit has a web form for complaints here:
http://www.actransit.org/customer/customerfeedback.wu
There is also a phone number 817-1717 +1111 and
email address customerservices at actransit.org.
Make sure they hear from you if you share this concern!
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