Toddler refusing to sit in buggy - help!

[FeelsLikeALongDay]

Any advice gratefully received with this one - I'm desperate. My v active (not to mention stubborn) 17 month old DS is refusing to get in his buggy. Sometimes he wants to walk, which is fine (if slow) but a lot of the time he wants me to carry him. This would be hard enough as he's pretty heavy now but I'm 21 weeks pregnant and finding it almost impossible. I've tried telling him he has to walk, forcing him in the buggy, bribery (let's go and find some police cars/dogs to look at etc etc), reasoning, but if he doesn't want to sit in it, it ends up with him screaming, throwing himself to the floor (public humiliation for me) and then me carrying him. If it carries on, I won't be able to take him out as I can't keep carrying him. Has anyone experienced this? Is it a phase? What can I do? Thanks!

Could it be the buggy settings? My DS loves sitting bolt upright in his. At times I do have o force him in thgh, but he generally calms down once we are moving. I think it's all about independence at this stage. Just give him 2 options- either walk or sit in buggy and say mummy can't carry you because ..... (im 35w, and hav been telling my 18m ds i cant carry him for weeks now. He still tries, but i just dont give in unless he's hurt himself, and he's less insstent now) Start implementing it on day's when you don't have anywhere to o, and stay close to one so you can go back if it turns ino a full blown tantrum.
Other option to encourage walking is to get him a toy buggy (if your DS loves playing or trying to push his buggy, he'll probably love this), or to get the elc steering wheel buggy toy?

They all go through this stage. Humiliating mummy is on a toddler's job description. I'm afraid (and it is hard, especially in the middle of waitrose where people are giving you death glares) you have to show him that his tantrums don't bother you in the slightest and he's still not being carried.

Good luck!

I have one of these:

www.toddlebike.co.uk/

It's fab and she adores it. She's a bit older (just turned 2) but she got it at 20 months and has been using it since. It weighs nothing so it's easy to carry hooked over the buggy handle and is really easy for them to use. She now comes on the school run with DS on a proper bike and I have to jog to keep up!

I agree with Londonkitty. Sorry !

My dd is now 9 years old but I remember buggy wars well... she also used to make her whole body rigid like an stiff ironing board so she was near impossible to strap in!!

Unfortunately all you can do is literally shove him in the buggy and ignore him if he screams. It's just a battle of wills. Don't worry about people looking .... the ones that have had children have seen it all before and the ones that haven't arent worth worrying about.

Sorry agrepe with fairy too!

For shortish trips you could perhaps push hum along on something like this - you wouldn't want to to an extensive trip out and about as they aren't as easy to push as a buggy.

I agree with Londonkitty.

You're the mum. Be the mum. I've used brute force to get mine in his.

All my sympathies I have a 9mo and until the last month he cried and screamed hysterically every single time he was in his pushchair it was mortifying and carrying him is hard as he's on 99th centile.

I remember this. I was pregnant with my second DS and its hard. Plus he used to run away from me and I was so pregnant I couldnt catch him. So we used reins, ones with a little backpack which surprisingly he liked.
Try not to get too hung up on the embarrassment. Those with kids will sympathise and those who tut are just idoiots.
I used to put him rigid and screaming in the pushchair. When he took a breath in for the next scream and firm but gently push in the tummy/chest region pushed him into the puschair and then straps on quickly. Good luck, it will pass.

Thank you for the fantastic advice. I've been using the brute force method but feel a bit strange doing it in public as he goes completely rigid so I must look like I'm being quite aggressive with him to get him strapped in. Heather1 - thanks for the tip about waiting until he takes a breath; I'll try that.

Fruit flakes, breadsticks or raisins. By the time dd2 had finished a packet she has forgotten she doesn't want to be in her buggy and is normally fine. It's hard though.

If you are worried about looking to forceful try and remember to stay calm, it makes you look saintly if you can be really calm while they are having a scream. I found the best way is to talk to them, not pleading but something like mummy is putting you in the buggy so that we can get to the park quicker, or so that we can get home to play with your toys, in fact the exact reason he is going in there. It sounds simple but sounds kind to the tutters and so cos you are talking calmly you are calmer, and then he will chill. Not first time I'm sure but in time. Also when you get to where you are going or doing what you need to do, reinforce that because he sat nicely in the buggy that it was quicker and now its time for park, toys, treat so that they are rewarded for good sitting. I know he only young but they do learn.

Have you tried a buggy board? You know, one of those things you get for toddlers to stand on that attaches to the buggy. Never used one myself (only one DC) but I guess you'll need something similar once the baby arrives and it might be fun for your DC. It's not as tiring as walking for him but means you don't have to carry him and you also get all the buggy space back to store bags and shopping. Just a thought.

In desperation yesterday I forked out £60 on a buggy board. Hoping it gets delivered pronto!