When is the best time to put your baby on your bike?
One of the many things that cause stress to people nowadays is a traffic jam, and what a better way to beat the traffic than riding on your bike. However, as a busy parent, it somehow makes you feel worried to leave your baby behind. So, a small trip to a nearby market or grocery store makes you want to bring your baby along. There are safety concerns involved when putting your baby on a bike seat. To resolve this situation company and manufactures devised the baby bike seat where you can position your baby as you bring him along for a short trip nearby. You might ask: “When is the ideal time to put your baby on a bike seat?” To answer this question, I did a thorough research and read everything there is to gather the majority’s opinions regarding this issue.
When to Put Your Baby on Your Bike?
On one side, there is a couple who would place a customised bike seat behind the cargo bike with some space for moms, too. On the other end, there’s the road cyclist who refuses to consider putting his toddler on a strap whenever they go for cycling in the city. That’s because strapping was perceived as dangerous. An expert on this issue named Chris Juden, a senior technical officer of a national cycling organization called CTC, stated that the decision to put your baby on a bike seat is not so much what age he is, but it is more on the baby’s physical development.
Babies vary a lot when it comes to the age they can achieve their milestone such as sitting up unsupported, or sitting on the carpet, or playing with toys. The same goes as to when toddlers are ready to be on a bike seat. Parents consider it safe for babies to be on a bike seat when they reach nine months old. Another thing that matters is the length of your bicycle ride between stops because there are activities that should not go beyond the time allowable for babies to be comfortable on their bike seat.
What Should Be the Typical Baby Bike Seat Like?
According to Chris Juden, a typical child seat has an upright backrest so that when the baby stays too long seating on it, the child tends to fall asleep and slump forward. This appears uncomfortable despite it giving no harm, and some babies find the movements soporific that they nod off straight away. It is suggested that a baby bike seat should have a reclining backrest because it becomes practical to transport babies who have passed the developmental milestone of sitting without falling sideways.
If you have a baby that is 6- or 9-month old and can sit upright, place them on a front seat with handlebars. This can be used until the child is 15 kg, which is about three years old. In good seats, try strapping your child securely and protect your child’s feet. To increase your child’s comfort, a transparent windshield can also be secured to the seat.
There are lots of advantages that go with a front seat. Not only the babies benefit but also the parents because they’d be able to point exciting things as they travel while at the same time see what their child is doing. If the child is a lot older, they can be positioned behind the bike seat, but still, the baby should be protected, especially the feet. Prevent the feet from touching the fast-moving spokes.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Baby Bike Seat
Bike seats for babies are considered the safest option when traveling in big cities, or places where there is congested traffic as they do not increase the length and width of your bike, and it positions the child at a more significant height off the street. With a baby bike seat, you become more aware of what your baby is doing while sitting on the seat, and you be able to easily converse with him.
But there is a downside to baby bike seat as well. With a bike seat, you can only transport one baby. So, it is not ideal if you bring along other toddlers or a twin. If you have an accident, the baby is at risk of falling off from the higher place down to the ground.
It is not usually easy for vehicles to notice the presence of a bike seat. So, to fix this, you might want to consider putting a cover to make your child more visible. Lastly, your child’s weight on a bike can cause some imbalance and may affect the way you navigate the bike; however, this can improve through practice.
Final Word
Bringing your baby on a cycling trip is fun. Placing him on a baby bike seat is doubly exciting. However, safety and proper sitting should be prioritized to avoid accidents. When did you let your baby sit on your bike? Share your story with us.
Author BIO
Mary Ross is a mom of four. She loves using her energy to help other people improve their lives. She started The Impressive Kids to help first-time moms and dads overcome the challenges of being new parents. She’s a foodie, and always finds time to cook for her family.
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