Toddler won’t go in pram OR walk. Advice please!

[Sipperskipper]

Just looking for a bit of advice on this - I’m thinking maybe I’ve just been too soft!

DD (25 months) has pretty much always (since she could move) hated the pram. Liked the ergobaby carrier but again, once she was on the move just cried in it.

We have tried the pram front and rear facing, and various slings, and a proper hiking type carrier. She lasts about 5 mins and then just starts crying ‘out! Out!!!’ Getting more and more worked up. It makes walking anywhere so stressful, and I can barely even walk the dog now. I find this so hard as pre DD (and when she was in the sling as a baby) we have always walked for miles - all our holidays were walking holidays and it’s a big part of our lives.

I end up getting her out of the pram, to walk, which she does for a few minutes, then it’s ‘carry! Carry!’ and she just will not walk- cries and cries and cries! I usually take her balance bike too, which she loves for a bit, but then just gets bored and asks to be carried again. She will literally cry in the pram continuously for an hours walk.

I cannot carry her on my hip as she is heavy - and I am also trying to manage the dog and pram!

Do any other toddlers do this? Any tips on how to manage it? Or do I just need to be really firm, strap her in and ignore the crying?

How about getting a buggy board? My son adores standing on it. For several months I pushed an empty pram with a child on the buggy board! I didn’t care what it looked like - he was happy and it meant we got places! I also liked that it was a it less sedentary than just sitting, and he was closer to me for a chat. You could introduce it as his big boy skateboard?

Thanks all, these are great ideas. Will try a buggy board, and also just put my foot down - it’s pram or walk.

Ignore the whinging. When she cries ‘Carry’, do you always give in and carry her? If so, she has learnt that you will give in.

Have you tried ignoring her Carry requests. Initially, she may have a tantrum or whinge. However, repeat that ‘mummy isn’t carrying today’ so she either has to walk. If she whinges, let her. Maybe say that if she walks nicely or walks to the next lamppost, she gets a sticker, and several stickers means a treat.

I probably occasionally give in and carry - often I can’t because I have the dog too, so it’s just constant crying. I guess the lack of consistency doesn’t help!

Bribe?
At one point my dd would only sit in the pram watching the iPad. I hated it, I hated the looks other people gave me. But she sat and the dog got walked.
And crisps.
Not my proudest parenting moment. but also, it worked.

Would she be manageable to carry in a fabric back carrier? These are more supportive than front carriers but less heavy and bulky than the framed hiking ones.

But I agree if you don't want to carry her just essentially give her the choice: Buggy or walk and then try to ignore whining. Strength!

Oh sorry I see you've got an Ergo - did you try it on the back?

Yep tried the ergo, and another one which I can’t remember (went to a sling library & back carry workshop!) plus a proper hiking carrier too. It’s a shame as I liked carrying her and much easier for walking!

DS did this at around the same time. It was the end of our buggy days. We bought him a scouter and a strap to pull and carry it when needed and problem solved

It's easier said than done to ignore.

I have disabled 15yr old and disabled 6 yr old. When my 2 yr old is screaming for a carry it's like the final straw lol I'm so stressed that I just cant abide the crying to I pick her up.

I have to say the wago has stopped this. For now.

My 2 year old climbs into the push chair herself as long as I don’t strap her in she is fine. She likes feeling like can get out if she wants to. I also mainly serve snacks when I need her to sit in the buggy.

Definitely get a smart trike. It will save your sanity and for us, made outings enjoyable again. We bought ours second hand for £20 off FB. It broke beyond repair after a years heavy use but by then DC was happy to walk more/use a buggy board.

Just a thought, what buggy do you have? We have been thru similar and there were definitely preferences and they found some much comfy/uncomfy than others

My lg will be 2 next month, when she gets tired of walking and asks for a carry she is given a choice of buggy or keep walking (I'm 7 months pregnant and can't carry her for long anyway!) She often opts for walking but will agree to go in the buggy if she's really tired. She absolutely loves her smart trike so maybe that could be an option (maybe look for a decent 2nd hand one so you're not spending too much for her to then refuse it!!)