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Original poster

Reins or harness..??

21 replies

shhhh · 31/07/2006 10:35

DD has just started to walk alone. I still carry her while outside as she isn't 100% confident when out of the home yet but I am now looking at reins/harness for her for when she is more confident and when she refusses to get into her pram .

BUT I need to know whether to get reins or a harness...? What did mner's find better..?

OP posts:
Twiglett · 31/07/2006 10:44
southeastastra · 31/07/2006 11:38

i used reins for about two days! i found them hard work and it was easier to just hold their hand.

biglips · 31/07/2006 11:45

i thought reins are harness??

HuwEdwards · 31/07/2006 11:50

biglips - me too.

Tough love in this house - my 2 either held hands or were bundled into their pushchairs.

Original poster
shhhh · 31/07/2006 16:14

I may have given the wrong name..I mean either one that goes around their body or one that attaches to their wrist..?

Sorry if any confussion..!

OP posts:
cat64 · 31/07/2006 16:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Xena · 31/07/2006 16:32

This is what our DD2 has

LadyPenelope · 31/07/2006 16:34

Reins in my opinion.

DD hated them and would scream and resist the indignity but fortunately would generally hold my hand and was not on for running off as she liked to stay close. if she wouldn't comply she had to go back in the stroller.

DS is an adventurer and so far he doesn't mind the reins. He won't hold my hand and wriggles out of my grasp, so when he's walking it's in the reins.

The other benefit of reins is that you can use them to secure the child safely in a highchair where there is no strap or where there is only a waist strap (if they are like my ds and interested in freefalling out of the top of heights!)

tessasmum · 31/07/2006 17:01

Reins get my vote too though be prepared for a bit of practice in an open space first - DD was like an errant puppy to start with, always wrapped round my legs
Didn't use them for long but they were great for the stage between wanting to walk and learning to hold hands safely.

tessasmum · 31/07/2006 17:01

Reins get my vote too though be prepared for a bit of practice in an open space first - DD was like an errant puppy to start with, always wrapped round my legs
Didn't use them for long but they were great for the stage between wanting to walk and learning to hold hands safely.

tessasmum · 31/07/2006 17:01

Opps! Errant puppy No 2 on lap!

hollyhobbie · 31/07/2006 18:04

I wish I'd seen Xena's backpack before I bought this for DD... It's cute and she likes the monkey a lot, but to be honest we don't use it much and your backpack is cheaper and looks longer-lasting.
Having said that, we're flying back to the UK on Friday, so will be testing it out in full at airport.

Xena · 31/07/2006 19:11

DD2 loves it. She calls it her 'backpack' ala dora the explorer. When she first had it she used to tell us to 'get offffffffffff my bag' but now she is used to it. ALso handy for when she goes with somebody else to put her bits in.

Original poster
shhhh · 31/07/2006 19:37

what age did your lo's use the backpacks..?? DD is 14 months and I'm not sure if she will not be keen on it iykwim..think she may spend most of the time trying to pull it off..! Love the lok of it though..Think ist that or the body harness that sounds best.

OP posts:
biglips · 31/07/2006 19:40

mine DD was in reins (harness) when she was 15 months old and loves it.. but not every child does but i think mine doesnt care as long its FREEDOM!!

hollyhobbie · 01/08/2006 08:38

DD is 15months. We had to buy some sort of reins, she is a very independent child, who will NOT hold our hands.

Tommy · 01/08/2006 09:19

my 2 both had reins with a harness. I couldn#'t believe that some people thought I was treating them like dogs but, tbh, I think I preferred that to the alternative.
I also used a wrist strap on DS1 when he was a confident walker and DS2 was in the pushchair - sometimes it's quite tricky to keep everything in control in those situations!

Original poster
shhhh · 01/08/2006 11:30

can't believe some people are so against reins or a wrist strap..Surley these are people without kids..?? What do they expect..? I would feel more confident with them as it stops the risk of lo running off and loosing you or even worse running into the road .

OP posts:
Skribble · 03/08/2006 00:08

My DD had these ones, very retro . very hady for a wobbly straying toddler, also used in the big silver cross and in high chirs with crap or non-exsistant straps.

Used a strap for oldest one sometimes when trying to steer pram and negotiate buses etc. Not for when thay are wobbly just to stop straying.

Skribble · 03/08/2006 00:08

That would be these ones

fussymummy · 19/08/2006 23:34

My three all had reins as soon as they could walk.
I'd rather keep them beside me than under the wheels of someones car!
A good friend of mine thinks that they're cruel, yet she lets her young son just run off, in roads!!!
Lots of us mums at the school have had to rescue him.
As mine were learning to walk and stumble i'd be able to pull them up before they hit the ground.

I've had lots of older people comment that it makes a change to see a child on reins as thats what they used to use.

I even had one lady say, it must've been really hard to find those because you see so few children on them these days.

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