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Parenting

DD confidently walking but I am scared not to use the buggy in town...help!

17 replies

ATourchOfInsanity · 23/09/2012 20:15

I recently bought on of those backpacks with a wrist loop/harness for her but have only got as far as the pavement outside our house before thinking it is all a bit scary having her by the road almost running... I know I am probably being a bit soft, but how did you overcome this fear (if you had it?). DD is very strong and will wriggle away from me if she really wants to get to something. I just fear she will somehow get out of my grip and run straight into the road. What age were your kids when you felt confident enough not to take the buggy? She is 13.5 months and has been walking from end of 10th month and is v. confident on her feet (as I said can run and now walk backwards as well!). Thanks.

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cutegorilla · 23/09/2012 20:16

Don't do it then! I assume she has plenty of opportunity to walk elsewhere. Wait until you feel more confident you have control. There's no rush.

mamij · 23/09/2012 20:17

DD1 could walk from 10 months too. Although she too is very strong willed, I never really had a problem with her not following instructions. A firm no and explanations worked well. Good luck and have fun!

ATourchOfInsanity · 23/09/2012 20:48

I let her run riot in parks etc, I just can't see me just holding her hand walking by a road...
Mamij did you use reigns or just hold hand?

OP posts:

Zimbah · 23/09/2012 21:54

I wouldn't go out without a buggy at that age unless it was a short enough distance that I could carry DD if necessary. Otherwise yes, she might be able to walk, but how to persuade her to walk in the right direction?! I'm happy to let 16mo DD walk on her own in a (quiet) shopping centre but i've got the buggy if I need it, or a sling. Agree with Gorrilla, there's no rush.

HowToChangeThis · 23/09/2012 22:00

I use reins everywhere with dd. She likes wearing them because then she knows she gets to walk. To me it isn't any different to wearing a seatbelt when driving. She's 17 mo now and has been wearing them ever since she started walking confidently. Sometimes we knot the holding loop behind her so she can run on her own without tripping (say, in a park) but she hasn't realised that yet.

By the way be careful with hand holding, it is very easy to dislocate their elbow or shoulder if they fall (my mum was a paediatric nurse and insisted we use reins for that reason).

sarahtigh · 23/09/2012 22:15

it is easier for a child to twist their hands out of yours than it is to pull reins out of your hand, to hold securely with your hand you really have to grip wrsit which is not tha tpleasant. both myself and DD prefer reins more independence not long enough to run in road

i would recommend old fashioned reins now as they are across chest and you could stop her falling backpack ones better when slightly older

AThingInYourLife · 23/09/2012 22:20

What need is there to bring her out without a buggy?

She's only one, and incapable of any kind of road sense.

JollyToddler · 23/09/2012 22:25

DS is 17mo and we've just put the buggy in the loft. We still have a stroller, but it is used very rarely.

He holds my hand by choice now. I carry him across roads when we are out. It's been a good month since he last went toward the road. I put him on my shoulders if he gets too tired or awkward. I am short so we are well less than 6foot combined.

diyqueen · 23/09/2012 22:45

If you have reins and let her walk along quiet roads for practice I'm sure you'll be fine and she'll get the idea. If she hates the buggy or if you feel it's a pain when she's walking a lot, would she go in a sling on your back if she gets tired? This works well for dd and I, she's 18 months and though she can walk a good way she does sometimes get tired/fed up of walking; if I have the sling on then I have 2 hands free to look after her when she's walking, and as soon as she gets tired she asks to be carried. I haven't used reins yet (though we have some and we may well yet need them!) but have always made a point of picking dd up/putting her in the buggy if she refused to hold hands, ignoring the resulting fuss, and she is really good with walking now... for the moment!

ceebeegeebies · 23/09/2012 22:50

What is the rush to get rid of the buggy? Just because she is walking doesn't mean she has to walk everywhere

She is still very young - don't make her grow up too fast!

GlesgaRocket · 23/09/2012 22:56

My DD is 18 months, and she's been walking with reins for months now. But i do still take the buggy with us, as she gets tired walking long distances, so will have 10 mins or so being pushed in the buggy and then is back up on her feet again. She does tend to run rather than walk though, and being a strong little thing, she drags me along behind her.

Also, agree with what a previous poster said about dislocation of elbows. My DD has had her elbow dislocated twice :-( as a result of it being tugged on. And i do mean tugged. It wasn't yanked or anything - once when she was climbing up on the sofa and once when she tried to run off at swimming. It was the same arm both times, and i'm now wary of pulling at her. Dr said dislocation of elbows are very common in toddlers.

pinkyp · 23/09/2012 22:57

Ds has been walking confidently since 11months but install use a buggy in town for easiest (he grabs things etc)

DoIDare · 23/09/2012 22:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JollyToddler · 24/09/2012 07:48

DS is out of his buggy because walking is much more interactive. We look at stuff and touch things. In the buggy I sometimes find myself ignoring him because I can't see him. Our buggy is massive. I couldn't push the buggy and have him walk at the same time as the buggy needs two hands.

mamij · 24/09/2012 11:59

OP, we still had the buggy when we were out. I held onto DDs hand and let her roam free in the park. Tbh, she couldn't go very far to start with - mostly just to the end of the road when she started walking, but funnily enough she could spend a long time toddling around at the park!

You know your DD better than anyone else though! And since the weather is getting wet and cold - wellies and raincoat will provide lots of fun!

mum4041 · 24/09/2012 19:07

We used reins at that age. Up until around age 3. You have good control to prevent them from falling in the road and falling over on the pavement. I don't think I've met any who had any road sense before the age of 3.

But why ditch the buggy? Get one that needs one hand if that's the issue. you can push the buggy and hold the reins. Presumably she still needs naps? Whilst exlploring is great, there are times when they are tired and as they get heavier you don't want to do your back in carrying them and the shopping home.

ATourchOfInsanity · 24/09/2012 20:26

Yes, I agree with you all saying to take the buggy anyway. I was just going to do a walk up and down our road with her on backpack reigns and got a bit scared. She has started to fight being put into the buggy and seems to want to take her little pushchair with bear in it out with us now... I think I was testing the water as she seems to want to walk more and more and is constantly on the go at home and in parks, etc.

I don't drive so have no want to ditch the buggy best shopping bag on wheels ever! .

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