5 Great Tips for When Your Baby Doesn’t Want to Go in Their Buggy

Many parents hail the stroller as a lifesaving piece of gear, whether to help them get some exercise or just as a way to transport the baby around, especially once the baby gets too big to carry for too long of distances. In addition, although new parents are quite adept at handling many things at once, sometimes you need your hands-free, and a stroller makes this possible.

Getting some time outside, whether just to the local park, near some peaceful water or when you find (or rediscover) a favourite trail is a fun and enjoyable activity with many benefits.

However, it is an activity that often requires the use of a stroller, and some babies just seem to hate it. Before giving up hope for transportation options outside of carrying the baby around all of the time, there are many tricks that can be employed to help make the stroller as much a favourite for the baby as it is for mom.

So, if your tyke doesn’t seem to take to their buggy, try out these tips before giving up all together:

1. Double Check for Baby’s Physical Comfort

Ruling out if the baby is just uncomfortable in the stroller is always a good place to start. No one likes to lie or sit in something that’s poking them or unsupportive to the point of pain, especially a baby.

Seeking out a stroller that has an adjustable seat is a good place to start. This way, the seat can adjust to help baby sit up or lay down if it’s close to nap time. Adjusting positions can help make the buggy a much more comfortable place to be. You can also check if your buggy has a liner that can be removed. This can help keep baby cool during walks when it’s really hot outside.

Temperature can also be a big factor in comfort. It’s important to keep baby warm, but once it warms up outside, too many layers can make for a miserable buggy ride. Flushed faces or sweating are signs that baby is too hot. Try dressing baby with cooler clothing, or even try the little clip on fans, some of which are made of foam, that can provide a wonderful breeze.

Most obvious, you’ll want to check that the restraint system, be it a belt or harness, isn’t too tight. A too tight buckle could be pinching, and causing dislike of the buggy.

2. Check for Emotional Comfort

Although we would all love to hold our babies all of the time, life is not so accommodating. This could be a large factor of why your baby doesn’t want to go in their buggy.

If you suspect this is a reason, making the buggy and time in the buggy more appealing is the way to go. Try giving the baby a pacifier or their favourite lovey. A different position for the buggy, such as one that allows baby to watch you, could be helpful too. Your baby might feel better in the buggy if they know that you’re nearby, and can see you.

3. Timing Is Everything

Just like when we sometimes don’t want to do things, certain times might not be appealing to your baby for a buggy ride.

Once you can read your baby’s cues, it can help make buggy time go better. Often, the bouncing and rolling motion will work great to finish lulling baby to sleep. For some babies, the motion may irritate them if they’re trying to go to sleep. The same for after a meal applies. The motion could be relaxing after a meal, or it could cause an upset tummy.

If your baby is refusing buggy time, try examining the time-frame that you tend to take him out in and consider changing it up to see if that corrects the issue.

4. Entertainment

Another reason that your baby may not want to go in the buggy is that he gets bored in it. Even very young tots can use some distraction when they lose interest in the landscape of the walk.

For very young babies, the same dangling toys that attach to the car seat can also be attached to the stroller. Things to shake and spin or slide are great for making buggy time more fun! Older tots may like it if you sing children’s songs together, or something similar.

5. Distracting with Snacks

Snacks or food, in general, are always a wonderful treat. Everyone loves them. This could be a solution if the timing of a buggy ride is near food time, or food could also go under the entertainment category.

Simple, non-messy snacks can help encourage buggy time. Just be sure to check that snacks are age-appropriate, and not a choking hazard. You’ll also want to go for snacks that are more suited for movement, so investing in some portable snack containers is a must too. Snacks that meet these criteria could be fruit or veggie slices, cubed cheeses, or biscuit types.

Buggy time doesn’t have to be a disagreement! Try utilising these tips to make it more appealing, so you both can enjoy the numerous benefits of your buggy.