Perfect Stroller Setup For a Safe, Happy Baby (Even if they can't sit independently yet!)
Perfect Stroller Setup For a Safe, Happy Baby (Even if they can't sit independently yet!)
From around 3 months of age, babies start to become ready to move from lying flat in a pram to sitting up in a stroller. When you make this transition, it’s crucial to get your stroller set up correctly for 2 main reasons:
First, to make sure your baby is safe. An unsafe pram setup puts them at risk of positional asphyxiation and other risks that come from the fact that they still don’t have great head control and need support.
Second, it’s important to make sure your baby is comfortable so you’re able to get out of the house for an extended period of time without them getting upset quickly and forcing you to take them out of the stroller.
This video will show you how to set your stroller up to achieve both safety and comfort for your little one.
👶 Facilitate healthy development, help your little one hit their developmental milestones, develop a secure attachment, build strong communication skills and more with my course, Play, Develop, Thrive: https://brightestbeginning.com/course…
00:00 - 02:18 : Make Sure Your Baby’s Breathing is Unrestricted by Doing This 02:19 - 03:20 : Position the Harness Correctly to Avoid Restricting Your Baby’s Chest 03:21 - 04:05 : Follow These Two Steps to Safeguard Your Baby’s Hips and Spine 04:06 - 04:43 : Ensure This Strap Isn’t Too Tight for Your Little One’s Comfort 04:44 - 05:37 : Complete This Final Step to Maximise Your Baby’s Comfort in the Seat
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Content
0.09 -> - Sometime after three months of age,
2.01 -> your baby will no longer be happy
3.84 -> to lie flat in that bassinet pram.
5.85 -> And this is for two reasons.
7.89 -> Firstly, they've become aware
of the world around them
10.32 -> and they want to be able to see it,
12.12 -> and they're also spending
more time awake between naps
15.24 -> and because of that,
16.2 -> you won't always be
able to schedule a walk
18.51 -> while they sleep.
19.71 -> The other thing that happens
20.97 -> between three to four months of age
22.53 -> is babies outgrow the bassinet,
24.96 -> meaning they're either too long for it
27 -> or they actually reach
the weight limit, or both.
29.85 -> With my son, he was too
tall for the bassinet
32.46 -> after four months of age,
33.6 -> so we had to sit him up at that point.
35.73 -> So when you notice your little one
37.32 -> is no longer happy lying down in the pram
39.42 -> or they've outgrown it,
40.44 -> it's time to switch to an
upright seated position.
43.5 -> And the first thing you need to do
45.09 -> is get that stroller
seat angle just right.
48.51 -> Since your little one can't
sit up yet by themselves,
51.27 -> they'll have a tough time
staying comfortable and safe
54.03 -> in a fully upright seat.
56.16 -> Instead, when they're in this position,
57.93 -> they might actually end
up slumping to the side
60.21 -> with their chin resting on their chest,
62.46 -> and this is not ideal
64.59 -> as it can make it hard
for them to breathe,
66.57 -> with their tiny airways getting blocked.
69.09 -> To avoid this,
70.11 -> you need to set the seat
into a semi-reclined position
73.26 -> rather than in a fully upright position.
75.72 -> By doing this,
76.62 -> you'll give their head, neck, and spine
78.6 -> the support they need,
80.13 -> plus the slight angle stops their chin
82.17 -> from pressing against their chest,
84.06 -> making it easier for them to breathe.
86.25 -> The perfect recline depends
on your baby's needs.
89.73 -> If the angle is just right,
91.47 -> they'll be able to hold their head up
92.85 -> with a nice gap between
their chin and their chest.
95.79 -> If you see them trying to lift
their head to sit up further,
98.64 -> it's an indication that
the seat is too far back,
101.55 -> and you'll need to adjust it
so it's slightly more upright.
104.7 -> As your baby grows,
105.93 -> you'll need to adjust the
angle of the stroller seat
108.24 -> each month to accommodate
their new skill development
111.18 -> as their head control improves
112.86 -> and they get closer to being
able to sit up independently.
115.59 -> Sitting up is just one
116.94 -> of the many amazing
developmental milestones
119.64 -> your baby will achieve during
their first year of life,
122.67 -> and it can happen as early
as six months of age.
126.06 -> To help you navigate
these exciting milestones
128.91 -> and know when to expect them,
130.62 -> I've created a free, easy to understand
133.05 -> developmental milestone chart.
135.15 -> Just click the link in the description box
137.19 -> below this video to grab your free copy.
139.8 -> Next up is getting the five
point harness in place.
142.59 -> The first step is to make
sure the shoulder straps
145.02 -> are level width or just
above your baby's shoulders.
148.11 -> This keeps your little
ones secure in the stroller
150.18 -> without actually putting pressure
151.35 -> on their neck or their chest.
153.27 -> If the straps are up too high,
154.98 -> they can actually cause discomfort
156.63 -> and restrict your baby's breathing.
158.34 -> And if the straps are too low,
159.93 -> they might not provide enough support,
162.12 -> increasing the risk of your baby
163.5 -> actually slipping down or
slumping in the stroller,
166.5 -> which in turn will encourage your baby
168.6 -> to adopt that chin to chest position.
170.79 -> Next, make sure that the
buckle on the crotch strap
173.76 -> is below your baby's belly
button and level with their hips.
177.78 -> Positioning it at hip level
179.55 -> will prevent them from slipping
180.99 -> down and out of the stroller,
182.76 -> and will also ensure
183.93 -> that their breathing is not compromised,
186.24 -> because if the buckle is
level with their chest,
188.37 -> there is a risk
189.203 -> that your baby's breathing
could become compromised
191.52 -> if they were to actually
slip down in the stroller.
194.04 -> Finally, the waist straps should be level
196.47 -> with your baby's hips,
197.94 -> and this will provide additional
support and stability.
201.3 -> Now let's talk about the footrest.
203.07 -> At this age, your baby's legs
204.75 -> probably aren't long enough
to reach an angled footrest.
207.6 -> Instead, they'll be sticking
out in front of them.
210.39 -> Therefore, to provide additional support
212.46 -> for your baby's legs and feet,
214.05 -> raise the footrest so it's
level with their feet.
216.69 -> And if their feet still are not resting
218.76 -> on the footrest,
219.593 -> place some folded up towels
underneath their legs
221.94 -> for extra support.
223.17 -> Doing this not only adds to their comfort,
225.48 -> but also helps to maintain proper posture
228.18 -> and prevents their legs from dangling,
230.13 -> which can put pressure on
their lower back and hips.
233.16 -> Once you've got the seat set up,
234.57 -> make sure each time
235.95 -> when you put your little
one in the stroller,
237.78 -> their back is against the
seat and their hips are level.
241.02 -> This position helps support their spine,
242.97 -> and provides a comfortable seated position
244.92 -> for your little one.
246.15 -> And then once they are seated,
247.62 -> the next thing you want to do
is actually tighten the harness.
250.5 -> You want to make sure that the harness
251.97 -> is snug around your little one,
253.32 -> but not too tight that it's uncomfortable
255.51 -> or restricts their breathing.
257.46 -> A good rule of thumb is
258.69 -> that you should be able to fit two fingers
260.76 -> between the straps and your baby's chest.
263.46 -> This will ensure that your baby is secure
265.5 -> without restricting their
breathing or causing discomfort.
269.07 -> In addition to not being too tight,
271.2 -> it's important to make sure
272.073 -> that the straps of the harness
are flat with no twists.
275.79 -> This ensures that the
pressure is evenly distributed
278.34 -> across your baby's chest
279.66 -> and reduces the risk of injury
281.37 -> in case there's any sudden
stops while you're walking.
284.13 -> Finally, to keep your
little one comfortable
286.17 -> and prevent them from
slumping to the side,
288 -> you need to place rolled-up
wraps or small blankets
290.94 -> along their trunk and
thighs for extra support.
294.06 -> Now, do remember when you are placing
295.98 -> those roll up towels or wraps
beside your baby's trunk,
299.43 -> you want to make sure
300.263 -> that they extend to the
base of their ribcage
302.43 -> rather than going all the
way up to their armpits,
304.74 -> because this will allow
your baby to comfortably
307.17 -> lower their arms
308.28 -> and prevent them from
having to have their arms
310.47 -> awkwardly sticking out in front of them,
312.42 -> which is definitely not
313.41 -> a position your baby
would find comfortable.
315.87 -> Once your baby's able
to sit up independently,
317.91 -> the rolled up towels
are no longer necessary,
320.49 -> as they'll have the core
strength to hold themselves up.
323.64 -> There are actually a few
things that you can do
325.59 -> to help your little one learn
to sit up independently,
327.93 -> and I'll put all of these
tips into a video right here.
331.74 -> You can start doing these activities
333.33 -> from as early as four months of age,
335.13 -> so make sure you check
out that video next.
