The results of the buggy
survey were sent to key buggy manufacturers, with a request
from TTYB for their views on the findings and also on the
issue of the availability of affordable rearward-facing
buggies. Following are the replies we received.
Bebecar
"Bebecar already sells
pushchairs with fully reversible seats, but they do not
retail for less than £200, as that is not the market sector
that Bebecar competes in."
Hauck
"Hauck Group has been
producing a two-way facing buggy/pushchair within its
range for the past few years. It has a selection of buggies/pushchairs
that deliver the facility of a reversible seating unit,
which enables parents to have child facing them or facing
outwards. The Hauck Group has been manufacturing pushchairs
with reversible seat units for many years, and realises
the benefits on offer to parents by delivering them the
choice to choose a rearward facing buggy. The Hauck Group
has a wide selection of rearward facing buggies within
its range and will continue to add more pushchairs with
reversible seats into the Hauck Group range over the next
12 months."
Hauck has a range of reversible and rearward facing buggies.
The Hauck Infinity is the lowest priced at £199.
Maclaren
"Maclaren is launching
several 'parent-facing' products in 2006, particularly
targeting parents of new babies, as at the early stages
parents in particular benefit from being able to look
at their newborn whilst out and about. However, when children
get to six months + most are sitting up. They are very
inquisitive and therefore like to look at where they are
going. Communication with children over this age, while
out and about, is pretty constant, and can be anything
from pointing out the surroundings or bending down to
pick things up that they have dropped. Because of this
face to face communication is constant but not necessarily
for long periods of time. A long period of eye contact
is something more suited to sitting down with a child
rather than on the move. This type of communication cannot
be controlled outside unlike the interaction between a
carer and a child inside (a controlled environment)."