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04Jun2010
Life inside the buggy
Posted by Liz Attenborough
When the sunshine breaks out, something strange seems to be happening on our streets. Sunhats, sun cream and parasols protect our babies and toddlers from the effects of the sun but there is a growing trend to drape blankets from buggy hoods to shield the sun, cutting off any stimulus along the way. There are also products made from blackout material, to encourage sleep while also protecting from the sun.
When I first saw a buggy enclosed in this way, head to toe, it stopped me in my tracks. What was it like in there for the baby? It’s good that the infant is being protected from the sun, but what else is the baby not getting? A fractious child getting a good sleep on the go also seems a good idea, but what happens when she wakes?
Talk To Your Baby exists to encourage parents and caregivers to talk more to their babies, from birth to three. The development of early communication skills is the basis of social and emotional well being, as well as future learning as they develop talking, listening and concentration skills. To that end we commissioned research into the impact of the way that buggies faced, which showed clearly the benefits for young children if they face their pusher.
None of this would matter if buggies were in use for short periods a few times a week. But many young children spend hours being pushed around, for all sorts of understandable reasons, so we need to encourage new parents to think carefully before they restrict their baby’s stimulus to develop vital speaking and listening skills.
As with so many decisions in parenting, it’s a juggling act. How to keep our babies safe while at the same time encouraging their development is a balance, so the more information people have the more likely they are to be able to judge what suits their circumstances best, alongside what is best for their baby.
Finger wagging is something we always try to avoid so I would be interested to know how practitioners are dealing with this issue, and what they think we should all be doing to ensure life in a buggy gets better for babies.
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1 Comment
jus replied on 24 Nov 2010 at 09:47
In the summer I tended to use a blanket just to shade the babies eyes, so the blanket does not cover the whole area of the buggy just a quarter. So the babies are not distressed due to the sun in their faces. However I did see loads of people covering the whole buggy like you mentioned. I think this is due to the culture of our society now and because people know the dangers of the sun. I find in general regardless of whether you have a childcare qualification or not, when you put the baby in the buggy your first thought is safety not educational. Although I can understand both arguements.