Traveling with Baby

Your Health

Life offers a new mother or father fewer joys greater than getting out in the air with a new baby for a run, a hike or a simple walk.  To get the most out of the experience, consider some precautions recommended by the American Chiropractic Association to avoid injury to either you or your baby.

Runners these days have a variety of push carriages to choose from.  Here are some features to look for:  Large, adjustable handlebars that fit hands comfortably.  That’s important both for control and for setting the bars at a height that doesn’t strain the back.  Large bicycle-like tires make the carriage stable.  A screen over the front to protect the baby from airborne debris.  For walking, chiropractic experts recommend a front-side baby carrier as opposed to a backpack-style carrier.  It is not good for an infant’s head to baby given that the cervical spine – that’s the upper portion – of a child less than one year old is not fully developed.  With a front side carrier the parent can better observe the child and keep the head steady.  Either type of carrier is going to take some getting used to.  Either will affect the parent’s stability, so try it out at first on very short outings.

New parents should talk with a chiropractor for some advice on how to keep themselves and their new charge out of harm’s way.