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BEC
A bike seat??
I want to start riding my bike with my daughter...she is 9.5 months...is she old enough? Or is should I wait? What age is ok?
Answer
At an absolute bare minimum the child has to be able to wear a bike helmet, which means their neck must be strong enough to support the weight. That happens at about 1 year of age and parents are advised to discuss it with their pediatrician -though I do not actually believe that pediatricians or family doctors have *any* training in this.
In some places (NY for example) it is the law that no child under age 1 be attached to a bike in any way.
http://www.bhsi.org/little1s.htm
Nobody we have met in the injury prevention field recommends taking an infant of less than 12 months in a bicycle child seat, trailer, sidecar or any other carrier. Nobody. And we do not either.
New York state law prohibits it. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission thinks it is dangerous to take a child under one year on a bicycle, and here is their rationale:
Maurice Keenan, MD, from the American Academy of Pediatrics [21], requested that a minimum age of 1 year be reflected on the label for helmets intended for children under age 5. This would better convey the message that infants (children under age 1) should not be passengers on a bicycle under any circumstance.
The Commission agrees with the commenter that children under 1 year of age should not be on bicycles. Children are just learning to sit unsupported at about 9 months of age. Until this age, infants have not developed sufficient bone mass and muscle tone to enable them to sit unsupported with their backs straight. Pediatricians advise against having infants sitting in a slumped or curled position for prolonged periods. This position may even be exacerbated by the added weight of a bicycle helmet on the infantâs head. Because pediatricians recommend against having children under age 1 as passengers on bicycles, the Commission does not want the certification label to imply that children under age 1 can ride safely.
Source: 16 CFR Part 1203 Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets; Final Rule, page 11726
That explains why you will not find a child helmet on the market sized for a tiny tot. You certainly do not want to ride with a bare-headed child, and in some places it is illegal. In fact, several states have laws against taking children under one year of age on a bicycle, even with a helmet.
Parents love their babies and love their bicycles, so it is natural to want to put the two together. That thought occurs to every bicycling parent, generally before the child is born. We see messages on the Internet indicating that some parents do put their children in baby seats of one design or another and take them along on trailers starting as young as five weeks. Others use a baby backpack. At slightly older ages, people use front or rear-mounted child seats. A few (mostly in the UK) use sidecars. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. A disclaimer: our purpose here is to highlight the risks. We are hearing more now about undiagnosed brain injuries, with symptoms too subtle for doctors to detect in a clinical setting, but very real to families. And that comes to mind whenever someone asks us about babies and biking. We worry about your six-week-old entering the first grade six years from now with a small but detectable mental handicap. That is alarmist; this is an alarmist page!
For an official US Government view, we have excerpts from the Consumer Product Safety Commission's age-related guidelines for ride-on toys.
At an absolute bare minimum the child has to be able to wear a bike helmet, which means their neck must be strong enough to support the weight. That happens at about 1 year of age and parents are advised to discuss it with their pediatrician -though I do not actually believe that pediatricians or family doctors have *any* training in this.
In some places (NY for example) it is the law that no child under age 1 be attached to a bike in any way.
http://www.bhsi.org/little1s.htm
Nobody we have met in the injury prevention field recommends taking an infant of less than 12 months in a bicycle child seat, trailer, sidecar or any other carrier. Nobody. And we do not either.
New York state law prohibits it. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission thinks it is dangerous to take a child under one year on a bicycle, and here is their rationale:
Maurice Keenan, MD, from the American Academy of Pediatrics [21], requested that a minimum age of 1 year be reflected on the label for helmets intended for children under age 5. This would better convey the message that infants (children under age 1) should not be passengers on a bicycle under any circumstance.
The Commission agrees with the commenter that children under 1 year of age should not be on bicycles. Children are just learning to sit unsupported at about 9 months of age. Until this age, infants have not developed sufficient bone mass and muscle tone to enable them to sit unsupported with their backs straight. Pediatricians advise against having infants sitting in a slumped or curled position for prolonged periods. This position may even be exacerbated by the added weight of a bicycle helmet on the infantâs head. Because pediatricians recommend against having children under age 1 as passengers on bicycles, the Commission does not want the certification label to imply that children under age 1 can ride safely.
Source: 16 CFR Part 1203 Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets; Final Rule, page 11726
That explains why you will not find a child helmet on the market sized for a tiny tot. You certainly do not want to ride with a bare-headed child, and in some places it is illegal. In fact, several states have laws against taking children under one year of age on a bicycle, even with a helmet.
Parents love their babies and love their bicycles, so it is natural to want to put the two together. That thought occurs to every bicycling parent, generally before the child is born. We see messages on the Internet indicating that some parents do put their children in baby seats of one design or another and take them along on trailers starting as young as five weeks. Others use a baby backpack. At slightly older ages, people use front or rear-mounted child seats. A few (mostly in the UK) use sidecars. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. A disclaimer: our purpose here is to highlight the risks. We are hearing more now about undiagnosed brain injuries, with symptoms too subtle for doctors to detect in a clinical setting, but very real to families. And that comes to mind whenever someone asks us about babies and biking. We worry about your six-week-old entering the first grade six years from now with a small but detectable mental handicap. That is alarmist; this is an alarmist page!
For an official US Government view, we have excerpts from the Consumer Product Safety Commission's age-related guidelines for ride-on toys.
what should i get for my baby?
Expecting
Or put on the baby registry? I know i need a crib, diapers, stroller, clothes but i cant think of anything else. Any help for a first time mom w| a baby boy?
Answer
I would have you look at my registry but I actually just deleted everything I've gotten off of it the other day. I'm going to try and remember everything for you though....here it goes:
*car seat
*stroller
*carrier (sling or backpack type)
*crib
*mattress
*mattress pads (at least 2)
*crib sheets (at least 2)
*crib bedding set
*diapers (sizes newborn, 1, 2 3, 4, 5)
*wipes (preferably unscented so baby's skin isn't irritated)
*infant tub (there are some great infant to toddler tubs so you don't have to buy two different tubs)
*highchair
*booster seat
*playmat
*bouncer/bouncy seat
*swing
*changing table
*walker
*dresser or other place to store baby's clothes and stuff
*mobile (optional)
*nursing bras, tank tops, lanolin nipple cream, breast pump, breast pads, etc for yourself if you are nursing
*bottles (even if you are nursing it is always good to have a few on hand in case you want to pump at all or in case you become ill and can't breastfeed for a few days)
*pack n play
*sheets or pad for pack n play (at least 2)
*bassinet (optional)
*sheets for bassinet (only if getting a bassinet of course)
*blankets (definitely some receiving blankets, maybe some swaddling blankets, etc)
*clothing, bibs, hats, shoes, snowsuit if needed, etc.
*bottle cleaning brush
*pacifiers (optional)
*thermometer (rectal for sure because most doctors will ask you to take the baby's temperature that way when they are sick, underarm or another thermometer for other times when calling a doctor isn't necessary)
*grooming supplies (nail clippers, aspirator, brush, etc.)
*medication dispenser for infants
*gas relief drops and fever reducer
*diaper stacker and hamper (optional)
*diaper pail and liners (optional)
*bottle drying rack (optional)
*child-proofing supplies and safety gates if needed
*changing pad and changing pad covers (at least 2 covers)
*diaper bag
*diaper rash cream
*baby shampoo, body wash, lotion, baby powder, etc.
*activity gym
*those shade things for car windows
*baby monitors (they have motion sensor ones, just audio, or audio/video)
*first aid kits (preferably one for at least home and the car)
*boppy pillow (they are good for breastfeeding but are also good for propping baby up before he can sit on his own, tummy time, etc)
*baby mittens so he doesn't scratch himself
*cotton balls to clean his eyes, ears, his little fat rolls, and the umbilical stump if needed
*baby robe, washcloths, and hooded towels (optional but very cute!)
*toys and teethers
*laundry detergent
I would have you look at my registry but I actually just deleted everything I've gotten off of it the other day. I'm going to try and remember everything for you though....here it goes:
*car seat
*stroller
*carrier (sling or backpack type)
*crib
*mattress
*mattress pads (at least 2)
*crib sheets (at least 2)
*crib bedding set
*diapers (sizes newborn, 1, 2 3, 4, 5)
*wipes (preferably unscented so baby's skin isn't irritated)
*infant tub (there are some great infant to toddler tubs so you don't have to buy two different tubs)
*highchair
*booster seat
*playmat
*bouncer/bouncy seat
*swing
*changing table
*walker
*dresser or other place to store baby's clothes and stuff
*mobile (optional)
*nursing bras, tank tops, lanolin nipple cream, breast pump, breast pads, etc for yourself if you are nursing
*bottles (even if you are nursing it is always good to have a few on hand in case you want to pump at all or in case you become ill and can't breastfeed for a few days)
*pack n play
*sheets or pad for pack n play (at least 2)
*bassinet (optional)
*sheets for bassinet (only if getting a bassinet of course)
*blankets (definitely some receiving blankets, maybe some swaddling blankets, etc)
*clothing, bibs, hats, shoes, snowsuit if needed, etc.
*bottle cleaning brush
*pacifiers (optional)
*thermometer (rectal for sure because most doctors will ask you to take the baby's temperature that way when they are sick, underarm or another thermometer for other times when calling a doctor isn't necessary)
*grooming supplies (nail clippers, aspirator, brush, etc.)
*medication dispenser for infants
*gas relief drops and fever reducer
*diaper stacker and hamper (optional)
*diaper pail and liners (optional)
*bottle drying rack (optional)
*child-proofing supplies and safety gates if needed
*changing pad and changing pad covers (at least 2 covers)
*diaper bag
*diaper rash cream
*baby shampoo, body wash, lotion, baby powder, etc.
*activity gym
*those shade things for car windows
*baby monitors (they have motion sensor ones, just audio, or audio/video)
*first aid kits (preferably one for at least home and the car)
*boppy pillow (they are good for breastfeeding but are also good for propping baby up before he can sit on his own, tummy time, etc)
*baby mittens so he doesn't scratch himself
*cotton balls to clean his eyes, ears, his little fat rolls, and the umbilical stump if needed
*baby robe, washcloths, and hooded towels (optional but very cute!)
*toys and teethers
*laundry detergent
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