Transporting your baby
You and your baby enjoy being out and about. As much as you may like to, you can’t carry her everywhere you go, so you’ll have to rely on car seats, carriers and strollers to get around. Here are a few safety tips about the various methods we use for transporting our babies from place to place:
The car seat
From birth to age 1, your baby should be in a rear-facing car seat. Once your child has reached her first birthday AND 20 pounds, you can turn her around to face forward. Some experts recommend keeping a child in the rear-facing position for as long as she’ll tolerate it — it’s definitely safer and lessens the chance of whiplash.
The front carrier
Before using any baby carrier, check the manufacturer’s height and weight specifications. For the first three months or so, your baby should face you. Once she’s about 3 months old and able to hold her head steady, she can begin to face out and see the world.
The backpack
Since a baby needs good neck and head control, a backpack is not recommended before 4 to 6 months. Backpack style vary from one to another, but none are appropriate for a baby under 3 months.
The jogging stroller
So you envisioned taking your baby for a jog while you whipped your post-pregnancy body back into shape. Not so fast, Mom. Some manufacturers of jogging strollers say they can be used for babies as young as 6 months, most experts recommend that you wait longer. The bumpy ride is not good for your baby’s immature spine and neck muscles.
The bike seat
You wear a helmet when you ride a bicycle, and your baby should, too. Her little neck won’t be strong enough to support even a lightweight helmet until her first birthday, so ride solo until then.
If you still have questions after checking the manufacturer’s instructions, consult your pediatrician for help.
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