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Original poster

How much fresh air do your babies/children get every day?

32 replies

emkaren · 19/01/2004 21:10

In Germany, where I come from, it is very much expected of mothers to take their babies out for looooong walks every day - AT LEAST one hour, preferably two or three. This annoys me a bit, as I think it's just one more thing to make a mother feel guilty, but being the person that I am (they call me the worrier...) I DO feel guilty if I don't take dd1 and dd2 outside every day - even though it's more like half an hour a day. But as I'm also the type of person who is easily influenced by others I thought I'd ask you lot how much fresh air you give your offspring each day. Sorry it's not a very exciting topic, but there you go!

OP posts:
WSM · 19/01/2004 21:13

Ummmmmmm, on average I'd say DD gets an hour a day (ish).

codswallop · 19/01/2004 21:16

i au paired in Bavaria adn I agree - even whenthe temp was minus 10!

I go along wiht it - three boys need walking like dogs!

Posey · 19/01/2004 21:19

Depends hugely, things like the weather, what you've got to do at home or if you've got shopping to do etc and how settled your child is. Dd was difficult baby, and I found being at home with her hard. Outside she was a dream so we went out loads. Ds is completely different, I don't feel a desperate urge to get out. That said we are probabbly out in the fresh (London!!) air at least an hour a day as we walk everywhere.

hoxtonchick · 19/01/2004 21:21

i certainly need to get outside every day, never mind ds. i would guess at least an hour a day, but usually more.

nutcracker · 19/01/2004 21:21

Well I don't drive so in the week my kids go everywhere on foot. They walk to and from school and in the hols we walk everywhere. Have to admit though that if I could drive they would probably never get any. As we live in a flat I try to make sure that we go out at least once a day ( and that's only for my sanity)

BekkiKay · 19/01/2004 21:26

About 3 hours usually whether they/I like it or not. We don't drive and its a long walk to playgroup. But if we did decide to buy a car I suppose in winter we wouldn't breathe any fresh air.

Epigirl · 19/01/2004 21:37

I do drive and have a car but still spend on average 2-3 hours walking/out each day, just for my own sanity really; I find it clears out the cobwebs and that, if I walk I tend to meet people and have more social contact than if I drive. Think dd (2 yrs) likes it too though as, if I don't go out, she stands by the door, like our dog used to! She has even started suggesting where we could go.

I am very much the minority amongst my friends here though, even though we live in a small town with good shops and amenities and it's all very walkable, they think I'm very odd not driving.

Paula71 · 19/01/2004 22:33

At the moment they (ds twins aged 2)are getting too little fresh air as it is always either drizzling, raining or recently snowing (they went out in that though - great fun!) When they were babies I would force myself to humph them into the double buggy and go out but there is nowhere really to walk around here.

I drive to the local country park which seems a bit silly. I wish more towns and villages would dedicate a little space to a park with a little pond or something, even a decent swingpark. I feel quite embarrassed just walking around a housing estate!

bloss · 19/01/2004 23:03

Message withdrawn

suzywong · 19/01/2004 23:05

Bloss, we are moving to Australia chiefly for that very reason so good on ya!

bloss · 19/01/2004 23:13

Message withdrawn

suzywong · 19/01/2004 23:21

Well if you work for the Immigration dept you could put my application to the top of the pile

Actually it shouldn't be any problem as have been married to Aussie DH for 10 years, am just lazy and haven't done the paperwork yet (spend too much time on here)

He is from Perth and we are going back to have fun in the sun and live with MIL (sounds odd but is culturally very common). And my two boys will grow up big strapping surf life savers and then come back to London as soon as they are 18 to live in a squat and work in an unsutiable pub, no doubt.

Where are you bloss?
(Seriously the thought of this being our last UK winter is about all that is keeping us going - it is miserable here with coughs and colds all round and a penned-up toddler)

DH says he's going to get me a Hi-Lux too, whey-hey!

SueW · 19/01/2004 23:22

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

bobthebaby · 20/01/2004 01:36

About an hour a day, and if the ozone layer wasn't so buggered it would be longer. I dare say it will be longer once ds can toddle and wants to go on the swings and slides as well. We have great weather here, but I know loads of mums who drive everywhere. I am moving soon and am thrilled I will be able to walk to the beach through a forest. It takes about 45 minutes each way and people look at me as if I am mad when I suggest this is doable on a regular basis.
Paula71, You should move to NZ, lots of women pounding the pavement with buggies around housing estates.

collision · 20/01/2004 05:48

Lots and lots!! Ds loves being outside to play ball and feed the cats and just loves running up and down. He now goes and gets Daddy's baseball cap and his own and the ball and goes to the door and shouts 'Dadda......out!!' we do live in Italy and the weather here has been fab during the winter.....that does make it easier to be out!!

Ghosty · 20/01/2004 06:45

Like the others living down under I usually don't find it too much of a hardship to be outside ... although the recent NZ heatwave and my SPD has made it virtually impossible for me to lug my hugely preggie body further than the paddling pool in our garden!!
In the UK I used to walk miles around our local housing estates to get my DS to sleep and to get out of the house ...
Admit it is much nicer and easier to get to nice places to walk in NZ than it is in the UK ...

FairyMum · 20/01/2004 07:03

The miniumum is 1 hour a day whatever the weather. During the weekend and during the warmer months we are always out and about. The first DS asks when he wakes in the morning is if we can go outside

bloss · 20/01/2004 08:41

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 20/01/2004 08:42

Depends on the day.

On Tues/Wed work days - possibly 30-60 minutes or so at nursery, depending on weather
On Thurs work day - 30-60 minute walk with nana
Mon/Fri and half terms/holidays - depends on weather but minimum of 30 minutes, maximum - can be out walking round town most of day, or at park

zebra · 20/01/2004 08:42

I am in England....
I think the fresh air ethos is a good one, Emkaren, as much as you can stand it.
I once found a study which reckoned that British & Irish children under 5yo get an average of less than 1/2 hour outside per day, the lowest in Europe, and this was linked to concerns that indoor air pollution (or dust mite pollution) was adding to asthma risks. Asthma rates are higher here than probably anywhere else in the world, so researchers are desperately scrambling to find causes. I try REALLY hard to get them out, but not easy.

Think my kids are getting, this week... about 60-90 min. outside every day, and April-October it would be more like 3-6 hrs/day.

Bozza · 20/01/2004 09:30

You're all making me feel guilty. DS had about 15 minutes yesterday - the walk to Mums and Tots and back. At least I made him walk rather than bung him in the pushchair I suppose or else it would have been 5 minutes. Today he will have however much they can manage at nursery with the weather as it is.

I do feel as though he should be out more and he always is in the summer (hours in the garden) but find it a real effort this winter while pregnant. Will try harder...

miranda2 · 20/01/2004 09:36

Um - north of England - 10-15 minute walk to nursery each way, so 20-30 minutes; plus if it isn't actively raining nursery have them out in the garden for a period of time each day (have just realised I don't actually have the faintest idea what period - bad mother??!!). At the weekend/days at home, probably c.1/2 hour to an hour outside, either in the garden or the local park, but not if its doing more than drizzling (drizzling counts as dry in Newcastle!). In summer we virtually lived outside at the weekends. Is air really 'fresher' outside??

Twinkie · 20/01/2004 09:37

Try and make sure DD gets as much as I can - I have her for 3 days a week (at the mo) and each day I make sure we go for a walk - if not to one fo the big parks then to one at the Uni near our house - she grumps about it - she would stay in and watch TV or play all day if I let her but I am terrified of her becoming an obese couch potato (even though I have stopped reading the mail ) and it is good for the both of us to have some time where we can talk and get some air and exercise without anyone else around.

If anyone lives near London go to Greenwich Park - not only is it beautiful but the squirrels come up to you and take nuts out of your hand and the kids love it - go Saturday and do this though - is saturated with people on Sunday and the squirrels can get over fed!! There are also lovely places to eat (although DD insists on worshipping at the great golden arches!!)and the Cutty Sark to see too.

handlemecarefully · 20/01/2004 10:15

Well I am no martyr so if its peeing it down with rain or very exceptionally cold, not at all. Otherwise at least an hour a day or in good weather - several hours

Clarinet60 · 20/01/2004 10:31

Not enough, in winter. I'm just about to take him out in the garden now, but it doesn't look very inviting and I doubt we'll last more than 20 minutes.

In summer, they are out for hours on end. In winter, it's mostly town walking, around the shops.

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