Baby transport – Convenience and safety
For countless reasons, mainly safety and convenience, you must consider your baby’s means of transport a priority. Details of baby prams and walkers, which help you get around more conveniently with your baby, are worth discussing.
Baby Prams
Today’s parents have a wider range of options when it comes to taking those bonding strolls with their little ones. The era of prams (shortened from the word ‘perambulator’) has made this possible. A pram looks like a bassinet on large, high wheels.
The handle is at one end, with a canopy at the other so you can look at your baby’s face while you walk. Prams provide additional protection from the sun because of their large sheltering covers. Some even have curtains for privacy and some fold for ease of transport. The choices are many.
6 Considerations
1. Choose a lightweight model pram if you will be carrying it a lot especially if you use stairs.
2 Consider taking up an adjustable handle if people of different heights will be pushing the pram. The best height is at waist level, anything lower than that can make you suffer from shoulder and upper body fatigue.
3 Choose a long pram for twins instead of a wider one. A long pram with one baby lying ahead of the other one is desirable instead of a doublewide one, which is difficult to maneuver.
4 Prams with small wheels can be used on pavements and smoother surfaces while those with larger wheels can be used on rougher terrain.
5 Look for a hood or canopy that fully shades your infant from the sun’s harmful rays and protects them against the wind.
6 Compare prices and features of different prams before settling on any model.
Baby-walkers
Research shows that about 50 per cent of 5 -15 months old babies worldwide use baby walkers. Baby-walkers are made from metal framing or molded plastics, with a suspended centre seat through which the little legs are allowed to dangle on to the floor. Wheels are attached to the base giving the babies a fast way of getting around before they can walk on their own.
Infant-walkers are mostly circular and enclosed around the baby. Some may allow a baby to sit inside. The toddler-walker on the other hand allows the child to grab the walker’s back so they push it around the room.
Apart from enabling your baby to totter around safely, they also keep babies entertained while adults do their work.
Baby-walkers can however prove dangerous if not used correctly.
Walker’s Safety
They should be wide enough to prevent them from fitting in a standard doorway.
They need grippers on the wheels so the walker can come to a halt at the edge of any step to prevent avoidable accidents.
Check for automatic braking, preventing the walker from being tipped over.
Avoid buying a second-hand walker or a used one, as they don’t have a warranty.
Ensure that the baby-walker is the right size for your child. The walker should not be too high as the baby’s.feet will not touch the ground. This may put unhealthy pressure on the groin area.
Caution
– Ensure that your baby uses his walker supervised.
– Keep him away from heaters or hot stoves in the house.
– When the walker is used outdoors, maintain supervision to prevent accidents,- especially falls.
– Stop using a walker after your baby learns to walk without help.
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