Fitbit and pushing a pram?

[curiousgeorgie]

I've ordered a Fitbit and want to make sure I do 10,000 steps a day, but just realised I do most (if not all) of my walking pushing a pram... So it won't work will it?

I don't think so, no. I'm pretty sure it counts steps by monitoring the swinging of your arm, so if you go on the treadmill you mustn't hold on with both hands, and if you are walking outdoors make sure you hold your ipod or water bottle in the other hand!

You can still use it, just make sure you always have one arm free. They should start making an ankle bracelet for problems like this.

It says on the website that you can put it in your pocket - I presume it means trouser pocket.

Would it work if I put it around my ankle...?

(Although wondering if it will fit!)

I have an Omron III and it works when I have the pushchair.

I have a fitbit and I clip it on to the centre of my bra. I also take most of my steps pushing a pushchair and it works fine.

Do you mean a fitbit Flex?

They say not to put it round your ankle. Not sure why.

No, it won't work on your wrist pushing a buggy.

If you mean a Fitbit one, that's fine. That's what I have.

I have the fitbit zip which clips to bra and picks up pushchair steps. I read that the bracelet one doesn't.

Yeah, it's a Fitbit flex.

No, it won't work. I tried my husbands and it hardly picks up any steps when pushing a pram.

Sorry to hijack your thread cg but does that mean if you walk with your hands in your pockets it won't pick up your steps either?

I use my Fitbit flex as a general measure of activity rather than to accurately measure steps, with the aim of increasing my activity level over time. I cleared the driveway of snow yesterday, and it registered that (I got 20,000 steps yesterday).

You might be better swapping to a fitbit one - DH has one of these which he wears on his belt or in his pocket whilst pushing a buggy and it works very well.

I messaged Fitbit and apparently the ChargeHR does measure it but it might under count slightly. Here's the link they sent help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/How-accurate-is-my-Charge-HR/

I suspect the Charge HR would pick at least something up (I have one), and would at least get the calories as the heartbeat would be up.

Might experiment one day with mine and DHs simultaneously

Is that like the Flex? I read similar page on their UK site but the flex didn't slightly under count for me, it did so massively. I compared it on known routes.

The charge HR has a heart rate monitor in it, I think it's quite different to the Flex.

I have a garmin vivosmart, if I'm out with the buggy I normally loop it through the belt loop on my hip - picks up the steps perfectly. I think they generally measure vertical acceleration? Of which there won't be any if you are pushing a buggy, but the hip movements will do the trick

Bumping this as I've just got a Charge 2 and it's not picking up a lot of my steps. I think it's because I'm not swinging my arms so my natural walk is incompatible with it - but it might be faulty.
Does anyone else have this problem?
I'd say it misses about 20 - 40% so it's way off the mark.

I'm not sure which fitbit DP has but it records buggy pushing as cycling. My fitbit zip (on my bra) works fine.

My Fitbit Alta registers steps when I'm pushing the pushchair but doesn't record it as exercise for some reason.

My Alta definitely undercounts when I push the buggy two-handed. If it's only the baby in it I just push it with my other hand but when my 3 year old hitches a ride too it counts about 50% less steps for the same journey.

Hold on.... I run with my arms in a fixed position..... no swinging. Works ok

Mine is charge 2 HR

My Fitbit Charge 2 doesn't count steps when I walk with a trolley so I guess a pram would be the same!