Walking and Carrying
Your baby will spend most of his time being carried, wheeled or secured in some way and there’s a wide variety of prams and carriers available. When choosing equipment of this kind, you will need to think carefully about safety and portability.
Slings are one of the best ways of transporting a newborn; they are light and comfortable, and allow you carry your baby close while keeping both hands free. Try the sling with your baby before you buy it, and make sure it has a head support. Backpacks, which have supportive frames that make it easier to bear a larger baby’s weight, are suitable once your baby can sit up by himself. For longer journeys you’ll need a pram or pushchair in which your baby can sit or lie down. One in which your baby can lie flat should be used for the first three months, until he has some head control. The pram you choose will depend on your budget and lifestyle. Think about where you’ll keep it and whether you will need to take it on buses and trains or up stairs. Whichever pram you choose, it should have a safety harness or rings to fix one in place.
CARRYCOT PRAMS For the first three months, your baby must be able to lie flat. Reclining pushchairs are available, but a carrycot pram like this one is more versatile, many models can be converted into pushchairs later.
WRAPROUND SLING Your baby will feel safe and secure inside the sling, and it leaves your arms free.
BABY CARRIER This type of sling holds your baby upright. He will enjoy the movement as you walk around.
BOUNCING CHAIR Your baby can be propped up so that he can look around him in a purpose-made chair. Make sure he is safely strapped in. always place the chair on the floor, never on a table in case he rock the chair over the edge.
USING A BACKPACK You can carry your older baby in a backpack once he becomes too heavy for a sling. Make sure that he is comfortable and is not restricted by the leg openings.
Safety harnesses
Your young baby has no fear of falling
- A harness, which has straps for the shoulders as well as the waist and crotch, is safest.
- You baby’s pram should have a build-in harness, or fixing points so that you can attach one to it.
- Highchairs often have a built-in crotch straps, and should also rings to take safety harness, which you can buy separately.
