- Sometime after three months of age,
your baby will no longer be happy
to lie flat in that bassinet pram.
And this is for two reasons.
Firstly, they've become aware of the world around them
and they want to be able to see it,
and they're also spending more time awake between naps
and because of that,
you won't always be able to schedule a walk
while they sleep.
The other thing that happens
between three to four months of age
is babies outgrow the bassinet,
meaning they're either too long for it
or they actually reach the weight limit, or both.
With my son, he was too tall for the bassinet
after four months of age,
so we had to sit him up at that point.
So when you notice your little one
is no longer happy lying down in the pram
or they've outgrown it,
it's time to switch to an upright seated position.
And the first thing you need to do
is get that stroller seat angle just right.
Since your little one can't sit up yet by themselves,
they'll have a tough time staying comfortable and safe
in a fully upright seat.
Instead, when they're in this position,
they might actually end up slumping to the side
with their chin resting on their chest,
and this is not ideal
as it can make it hard for them to breathe,
with their tiny airways getting blocked.
To avoid this,
you need to set the seat into a semi-reclined position
rather than in a fully upright position.
By doing this,
you'll give their head, neck, and spine
the support they need,
plus the slight angle stops their chin
from pressing against their chest,
making it easier for them to breathe.
The perfect recline depends on your baby's needs.
If the angle is just right,
they'll be able to hold their head up
with a nice gap between their chin and their chest.
If you see them trying to lift their head to sit up further,
it's an indication that the seat is too far back,
and you'll need to adjust it so it's slightly more upright.
As your baby grows,
you'll need to adjust the angle of the stroller seat
each month to accommodate their new skill development
as their head control improves
and they get closer to being able to sit up independently.
Sitting up is just one
of the many amazing developmental milestones
your baby will achieve during their first year of life,
and it can happen as early as six months of age.
To help you navigate these exciting milestones
and know when to expect them,
I've created a free, easy to understand
developmental milestone chart.
Just click the link in the description box
below this video to grab your free copy.
Next up is getting the five point harness in place.
The first step is to make sure the shoulder straps
are level width or just above your baby's shoulders.
This keeps your little ones secure in the stroller
without actually putting pressure
on their neck or their chest.
If the straps are up too high,
they can actually cause discomfort
and restrict your baby's breathing.
And if the straps are too low,
they might not provide enough support,
increasing the risk of your baby
actually slipping down or slumping in the stroller,
which in turn will encourage your baby
to adopt that chin to chest position.
Next, make sure that the buckle on the crotch strap
is below your baby's belly button and level with their hips.
Positioning it at hip level
will prevent them from slipping
down and out of the stroller,
and will also ensure
that their breathing is not compromised,
because if the buckle is level with their chest,
there is a risk
that your baby's breathing could become compromised
if they were to actually slip down in the stroller.
Finally, the waist straps should be level
with your baby's hips,
and this will provide additional support and stability.
Now let's talk about the footrest.
At this age, your baby's legs
probably aren't long enough to reach an angled footrest.
Instead, they'll be sticking out in front of them.
Therefore, to provide additional support
for your baby's legs and feet,
raise the footrest so it's level with their feet.
And if their feet still are not resting
on the footrest,
place some folded up towels underneath their legs
for extra support.
Doing this not only adds to their comfort,
but also helps to maintain proper posture
and prevents their legs from dangling,
which can put pressure on their lower back and hips.
Once you've got the seat set up,
make sure each time
when you put your little one in the stroller,
their back is against the seat and their hips are level.
This position helps support their spine,
and provides a comfortable seated position
for your little one.
And then once they are seated,
the next thing you want to do is actually tighten the harness.
You want to make sure that the harness
is snug around your little one,
but not too tight that it's uncomfortable
or restricts their breathing.
A good rule of thumb is
that you should be able to fit two fingers
between the straps and your baby's chest.
This will ensure that your baby is secure
without restricting their breathing or causing discomfort.
In addition to not being too tight,
it's important to make sure
that the straps of the harness are flat with no twists.
This ensures that the pressure is evenly distributed
across your baby's chest
and reduces the risk of injury
in case there's any sudden stops while you're walking.
Finally, to keep your little one comfortable
and prevent them from slumping to the side,
you need to place rolled-up wraps or small blankets
along their trunk and thighs for extra support.
Now, do remember when you are placing
those roll up towels or wraps beside your baby's trunk,
you want to make sure
that they extend to the base of their ribcage
rather than going all the way up to their armpits,
because this will allow your baby to comfortably
lower their arms
and prevent them from having to have their arms
awkwardly sticking out in front of them,
which is definitely not
a position your baby would find comfortable.
Once your baby's able to sit up independently,
the rolled up towels are no longer necessary,
as they'll have the core strength to hold themselves up.
There are actually a few things that you can do
to help your little one learn to sit up independently,
and I'll put all of these tips into a video right here.
You can start doing these activities
from as early as four months of age,
so make sure you check out that video next.