How important is parent facing?

[IJustWoreMyTrenchcoat]

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?

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.

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!

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.

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