Comments on: Pushing Away: Away-facing strollers stress babies

By: phdinparenting

phdinparenting — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:34:01 +0000

@Nora Jaye
I don’t think anyone should base a decision on whether to use a stroller or to babywear on this study alone. For me it is just one more reason to babywear. Just like there are hundreds of reasons to breastfeed. None of them on their own are compelling enough necessarily, but all of them together make for a pretty damn good argument.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:00:48 +0000

Sounds like a stimulating and logical idea for toddlers, but living in New Zealand I’d like to know where can I buy such a stroller?

By: Nora Jaye

Nora Jaye — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:33:13 +0000

The study doesn’t need to be watered down, but maybe we all should question the tabloid-worthy and sensational interpretation.

The study indicates that facing-forward babies sleep more and have less interaction with parents than parent-facing babies – while in the stroller on a mile-long walk, *under the eye of a researcher*. That’s all.

From that data, the conclusion – “that children who face away from their parents while they are pushed around in strollers lead lives that are “emotionally impoverished and stressed” and at risk of language development problems” – is just nuts. Researcher is looking for some press.

How many hours a day does your baby spend in a stroller, for heaven’s sake?

I’m sorry, I just can’t think that a typical 15-30 minute stroller ride is putting a child at risk, even if you truly don’t stop and talk to your child during that period. (assuming you are interacting with the child normally otherwise.)

And who DOES that, anyway? Most of us with strollers are not going from point a to point b, as in the study. We stop frequently, at the store, at the park. We interact with the babies whenever we stop, and we stop to interact, pointing out things or checking on them or telling them where we’re going next, or seeing if they want to be carried or walk for awhile.

I’m all in favor of baby-wearing and adjustable strollers but that study is just too dumb to be believed.

By: phdinparenting

phdinparenting — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:11:17 +0000

@ Christina – I think that sounds great. You are listening to your child’s cues, which is the important thing after all!

By: Christina G

Christina G — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:35:04 +0000

I babywear on short trips, but if I’m spending the whole day in town, we use a stroller. For the first six months it was a buggy where our son saw us as we pushed. Now we usually have him away facing. When we place the seat so he faces us, he seems bored and tries to look around the stroller to see where we’re going. But I talk to him a lot and he can look up and see me.

About the study results, I’d want to see them presented fully, not watered down to make parents feel less guilty. But most studies aren’t presented in the popular media or on the internet in a way that gives enough information to really evaluate the scientific validity of the study. For important findings, I want to see the results written up in a peer-reviewed journal, and even then a lot of articles don’t present the full details I, as a research statistician, would want to see.

By: Bugged about Baby Buggies « Mainstream Parenting Resources

Bugged about Baby Buggies « Mainstream Parenting Resources — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:44:38 +0000

[...] known for their understanding of what makes a good study to begin with) are smugly lapping this up. Here’s one example: Just one more reason why babywearing is such a great way to promote attachment with [...]

By: phdinparenting

phdinparenting — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:00:21 +0000

ITA Heather – I do want to see the results of these studies, even if it does make me feel guilty.

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:53:04 +0000

Playing the devil’s advocate, perhaps:
About the guilt point- it’s something I’ve been thinking about. I know guilt isn’t a good way of handling things, but is it ethical to minimize research that might make some feel guilty?

By: phdinparenting

phdinparenting — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:08:22 +0000

@ginny – those are all possibilities, but I really do favour things that allow the child to choose what direction to look in, i.e. look at the parents or look elsewhere. Even if the child is facing the parents, they can still look around at everything going by, just from the other direction.

By: ginny

ginny — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 07:38:43 +0000

I have to play devil’s advocate and agree with jessyz. Not to discount the research, but could the fact that most toward-facing children are sleeping be due to boredom? Elevated heart rate in away-facing babies be due to stimulation and excitement? We live in a cold climate and do not get out a lot. Our hour-long walk every day gives our 10-month-old a chance to see something else BESIDES our faces. Saying that, I do wish our pram had the option of toward- or away-facing. Unfortunately they tend to be the most expensive as well.