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How important is parent facing?

29 replies

IJustWoreMyTrenchcoat · 18/12/2013 01:06

Hello, I've just posted a thread on Babyjogger vs Maclaren but am also wondering how important parent facing is and how long I will have to stick to my travel system for. How long is it generally recommended to have a baby parent-facing?

I don't really use a pushchair a great deal and often use a sling instead, but am hoping I will as my baby gets older and I buy something I like more than my current Vista. A bigger concern is if I get a Babyjogger or a Maclaren that is suitable for a newborn will I be able to use it with my next baby as well?

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KongKickeroo · 31/12/2013 14:00

I think it depends on you, the baby, and also your environment. We live right by a lovely big park that is used for dog walking - ie lots of dogs off lead - who are very well trained but I felt more comfortable having DS facing me. Having him forward facing and at risk of dogs bounding up on face level with him felt too exposed. I also like that I can see and respond to his expressions eg if he looks anxious or uncomfortable I can sort him out; if he looks at something, smiles, babbles etc I can join in with the fun. I never thought it would bother me before I had DS, but once he was here I knew I really wanted him to be parent facing. It's only now, at 10 months, that I would feel ok to FF him - and even then I prefer not to.

But I am a bit PFB and you might not be Grin

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hazchem · 29/12/2013 01:19

I've never really thought about it from a developmental perspective. I just feel like I'd like to chat with DS when we are walking along. I used a sling loads until about 18 months and that allowed me to chat with him. I wish I had that in my pram.

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Tiggywunkle · 28/12/2013 23:57

I agree with working.
If you are out all day every day with your child then parent facing would be important. If you use a pushchair to walk to somewhere and back everyday but spend the rest of your child's waking hours at home, interacting with them, then its not going to impact on development - probably on the contrary because your child gets to see something more of the world than just you!
However I have to say, my son is 3 and a half and he still parent faces because we like it. So its really up to you. With a young child it is always good to have a choice. My son aged 2 suddenly cried when he couldn't see me! It lasted about two months but I ended up buying another parent facing pushchair!

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working9while5 · 28/12/2013 00:13

I'm a speech therapist and think a lot of the hype about parent-facing is kerfuffle and nonsense if I am honest. Unless they are literally going to spend their lives in the pram. Ds1 was parent-facing until six months, ds2 until about three months as had to put in double buggy. Ds2 far more verbal than ds1.

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Sharaluck · 20/12/2013 22:46

Parent facing was essential imo until around 6 months. I couldn't imagine not having this option and if I didn't I don't think I would've used the buggy much tbh.

After 6 months I used it variably.

After 12 months dc much preferred forward facing and if I did parent facing by mistake they would be twisting themselves around to see what what happening in front!

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hazchem · 20/12/2013 22:40

I have a Techno XT and I really wish we had something that can parent face because DS(2.5) spends his time trying to talk to me so I stop all the time because I can't hear him. I only heard about PF prams a week after we got the XT. I can't buy another pram now but I know I will be looking at something that can PF in the next one. That and a single handle.

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poocatcherchampion · 18/12/2013 21:18

Ive still got dd1 parent facing now and we love it and chat all the time. she has never been ff in it. she has in the buggy though but we dont use that at the mo because dd2 needs a seat/bed too.

not essential IMO but lovely to have.

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Meglet · 18/12/2013 19:49

It wasn't important to me, the dc's faced forward from birth in their 3 wheeler. They could interact with all the old ladies and didn't have to look at my tired face all the the time.

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dyslexicdespot · 18/12/2013 19:17
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dyslexicdespot · 18/12/2013 19:14

The health authorities in the country I am from ( a scandi land) strongly recommend parent facing prams. We chose one for this reason, and because I wanted to be able to see DS.

I love having conversations with him while we are out. listening to his observations and insights make my day.

Of course, it is not possible to generalise personal experience to a wider population, so here are some links that you might find useful.

www.literacytrust.org.uk/talk_to_your_baby/resources/1573_buggy_research-latest_campaign_news

www.theguardian.com/society/2008/nov/21/baby-development-buggies-sutton-trust

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BB01 · 18/12/2013 19:01

To be honest I'm just not a fan of smaller umbrella stroller types so we'll stick with it for now. It is much lighter and narrower than most my friends' pushchairs and tbh it's hard to fault. It's not as shiny as the newer iCandy models but it's also cheaper. I loved the Bee but found iCandy wheels better for where we live and found Bee really low too.

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IJustWoreMyTrenchcoat · 18/12/2013 14:56

Thank you all for your opinions, I needn't torture myself about somehow depriving my baby if if face him forwards, as long as I keep up the interaction at other times. He loves looking at our faces and giggles so much when we sing to him, but he is also very curious so would probably love it if I went with that option. It would be nice to have the option though as rootypig has said! especially to use it should another baby come along (thinking of a nice big gap at the moment!).

BB01 I wish I'd trusted my gut about my travel system being too big and gone for something like the iCandy Cherry. Do you think you will carry on using it or swap for something smaller at some point?

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NoComet · 18/12/2013 12:58

To those of us with 12&15 year olds it's a newfangled idea and something I never worked about.
Just came to wave to the mountain buggy owners as DD1 had a very early one.

No one had seen a three wheeler and everyone called it my baby wheel barrow.

Bloody brilliant, go anywhere wheel barrow.

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BB01 · 18/12/2013 12:57

Don't know if you've considered the iCandy Cherry but it's relatively small and lightweight but a bit sturdier than the Cherry. It faces both ways and we love it!

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BigWellyLittleWelly · 18/12/2013 12:55

DD1 hated being FFacing and resolutely screamed her head off whenever I tried. She was in a carrycot until 5months then the buggy seat on an icandy.

DD2 also had the carrycot but by then I had a MB (which is my soulmate) so she is often FF from 4months and she seems to love it. We do have a cocoon so I think the being enclosed helps. Best bit about the MB is I can put DD1 (a very tall 3yo) in it ane put baby in a sling if we need to.

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TribbleWithoutATardis · 18/12/2013 12:52

Not sure parent facing is that important, I use a sling a lot as well. But both mine have FF from early on (city mini) and they seem fine.

That being said, I would love a versa and that will be my next pushchair if I have my way. Wink

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NotCitrus · 18/12/2013 12:49

I found that when I was using a buggy, either I was walking fast to get somewhere so not watching the baby, or the baby was asleep or nearly, or it was parked so I could position it to look at the baby just as well with it facing forwards. Plenty of other times to pay attention to my face, which I made efforts to do.

Never regretted my Maclaren XT for two babies from birth/six weeks.

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rootypig · 18/12/2013 11:56

Hey OP, I've had a second hand Bee with DD since birth (paid 250 for a year old, v good condition, in London). Well I've really hammered it! It is really light - I can carry it and 13mo DD in it up and own steps no problem and I'm not a big or very fit person! Funny you are asking about parent facing - I switched her to outward at about 7mo as I felt she wanted to look around. Now at 13mo I am going to switch her back - she's going through a clingy stage, and is also very verbal, so I think it will benefit us. I'm so glad to have the option! There really is nothing but the Bee that is small, light, great for a newborn, and faces both ways.

Negatives: two handed fold (not difficult but you cannot do it with one - the unfold you can though). Small wheels - don't cope with much more than bumpy city streets. It will feel very different fom a Vista.

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neunundneunzigluftballons · 18/12/2013 11:48

If I had the option I would have liked parent facing for longer. The pram stage faced but the pushchair did not so at 4 mths mine turned around. I bought my buggy 9 years ago so the fact it has lasted I cannot complain but it was actually a crap time for buggies. I would have rathered say 6 months before turning and then I think they get to see the world but it was not possible. In the scheme of things given mine all generally nodded off in the buggy it was not a big deal but I would have preferred the choice.

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AnaisB · 18/12/2013 11:48

DD had a parent-facing, but when DS was born I got a forward facing double. His speech is fine! - I'm not questioning the research, but this is just one thing amongst lots of other things that could make a slight difference.

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JoinYourPlayfellows · 18/12/2013 11:47

I like parent-facing, but all my children wanted to be front facing once they were old enough to express a preference.

I will get my revenge for their rejection of me :o

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IJustWoreMyTrenchcoat · 18/12/2013 11:46

Ha ha, my nearly 5 month old is a nosey Parker now. Always looking over his shoulder at what's going on around him.

It's so hard to decide whether to go for a fixed forward-facing or something that can do both. I'm scared I'll make another mistake.

Ihateparties can I ask if the Bee would be suitable for my next pushchair until it's no longer needed? I mean is it small and lightweight enough? I've had a look at dimensions and I like the smaller width. I might just plough on with the Vista now and consider city mini/bee/raspberry when some reviews of raspberry are out.

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Patilla · 18/12/2013 11:45

I find it really useful when doing school runs at times that don't always suit DD. no more peering around to see what is going on and DS can walk next to me and we all chat and face each other and love it as a result.

But that suited our circumstances

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cathpip · 18/12/2013 11:44

I second everything that mistlethrush has said! we have a mountain buggy because of dogs and both my children prefered front facing,they like to see where they are going. Am hoping baby no3 is the same! Also worth mentioning is that my ds has a hearing loss for which he wears aids, his speech is age appropriate, and bearing in mind that he is very visual the front facing buggy has not hindered his progress.

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MrsSteptoe · 18/12/2013 11:42

I really regretted not having a parent-facing, and I know a few other mums who have said the same thing - don't know if that helps! DS was also quite slow to get talking, but if I'd had a parent-facing, the same may well have been the case - you never know, do you? He was such a constant extended napper, that's the most likely reason why his speech was a bit delayed - always snoring his head off instead of listening to me. *pauses to consider parallels with DH

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