Jogging Stroller Logistics

[emuni04]

I'm sure this has been asked before, so I apologize if this is a redundant question.

DD is 5 months old on Thursday, which means in about a month she will technically be old enough to go out in the BOB.

A couple questions:

1. Did any of you stroller runners begin taking your babies out before 6 months? I don't plan on starting before 6 months as per the recommendations I have read online, etc. but is that being overly cautious? DD has really good head control and the subdivision we live in is brand new with smooth roads and sidewalks, if that makes any difference. And I live in Louisiana, so we don't have any hills, it's a totally flat terrain.

2. Generally speaking, she seems to prefer the Chicco over the BOB for walks. I think a lot of it has to do with the way the straps on the BOB position themselves on her. She's on the shorter side (25% for height) so the fit is a little awkward right now. She generally fusses when we do brief walks in the BOB. Any advice on getting through this? Did your baby fuss at all in the BOB? Was it something he/she grew out of, or should I just turn up my music and let her fuss?

[mom2angels]

Do you have the car seat attachment by chance? I took my littlest in the BOB at 5 months, and she is about 50% for height. But she was in the car seat, strapped to the stroller, and looking at me, so I think that made it easier for me? Not sure. I think she will be fine, as long as you can see that she isnt being thrown around, LOL. I for one though can not concentrate on running if I have a LO fussing - drives me nuts!

[emuni04]

No, I don't, but I could get one. She hates her car seat, too. I can't win! Haha. Generally speaking, she does much better in her strollers facing out and looking at things rather than in her car seat (we have the Chicco travel system and she much prefers not being in the seat). Yeah, I don't know if I can handle her fussing either-I may try starting easing in with the running (starting just going around the block a few times and gradually increase from there) until she starts to chill out a little. I think that eventually she'll enjoy the stroller, but it may just be something that I will need to wait on.

[katinthehat]

I started my girls in the car seat attachment six weeks, as soon as I was cleared to exercise again, but both times, it was just for walks, then couch to 5k.

She might like the car seat better in the stroller since she'll still be able to see around her, and see you as well.

Also, do you have toys for her to play with in the stroller? That's usually a decent distraction. And, she might prefer the running motion to the walking motion in the car. Even at 4.5 and 2.5, my girls yell at me for going slow when I walk

[RoryGilmore]

I started running with DD in the stroller around 7 months but that was partly due to logistics. When I asked the pedi about running with her in a jogger, he shared that it's less about head control and more about trunk control as that is the muscles you utilize the most when trying to sit up in a moving seat.

For my kids, they both much prefer (even now) the motion of my running vs. walking. I also pack tons of toys (even now) so that they don't lose interest as quickly.

[cinco]

Apr 30, 2013 12:37:26 GMT -5 katinthehat said:

Also, do you have toys for her to play with in the stroller? That's usually a decent distraction. And, she might prefer the running motion to the walking motion in the car. Even at 4.5 and 2.5, my girls yell at me for going slow when I walk

Yep, you might be pleasantly surprised and find she likes running better than walks.

I started running without the infant attachment when DD was 5 months. She was sitting up by then, and was very stable in the stroller. I made a point to only run on paved bike paths, avoiding sidewalks and dirt trails until she was a bit older. 

[runblondie26]

I started running with DD using the car seat attachement around 8 weeks, then switched to the main stroller seat around 8 months.

She's always been the most comforatble in the BOB. It's so nice and roomy in there. It's too much of a beast size-wise or else it would be our only stroller.

[emuni04]

I was sort of wondering whether running may in fact help ease her fussiness because the motion would be more soothing. It makes sense-even in the car, it seems like she settles down when it is moving faster vs. slower. Interesting. She is getting better at grasping/playing with toys, but she still isn't 100% interested at this time, but maybe in a few weeks I will try sticking a few toys in with her for distraction. Thanks for the tips!

[Brit]

Apr 30, 2013 12:45:24 GMT -5 runblondie26 said:

I started running with DD using the car seat attachement around 8 weeks, then switched to the main stroller seat around 8 months.

She's always been the most comforatble in the BOB. It's so nice and roomy in there. It's too much of a beast size-wise or else it would be our only stroller.

This almost exactly. DD's pediatrician did not have any issues with her going in the BOB in her car seat from very early on as long as we stuck to the paved multi-use trail to keep the ride smooth.

As you alluded to though, emuni04, my DD hated to ride in the stroller with or without the car seat, period. She was one of those babies that pretty much would not allow me to even set her down outside of her (sporatic) sleeping hours. I think that most kids are open to stroller rides, though, so maybe with time your DD will learn to like it. At first I was all "ok, just go anyway, she'll get over it", but, honestly, I kind of felt like a jerk when I passed people on the trail pushing my screaming baby and was not doing anything [could not do anything short of stopping and taking her out of the stroller] to calm her down. As much as I want to say "Just crank up your music.", I don't think that's the right answer if your baby truly doesn't like riding along. Our stroller runs have been few and far between. Even at 16 months, DD still goes BSC if I have her in there for more than a mile or two.

[gummybear]

I also when out in the BOB with the car seat attachment as soon as I was cleared for exercise (8w pp). I moved her to the plain old seat at about 8 months. She enjoys being in the stroller, whereas my older daughter wanted nothing to do with any stroller as soon as she could walk.

I usually give her a toy and a sippie and she is good to go. I also try to plan my runs at times when I know she will be most agreeable, like right after her nap.

ETA: She definitely prefers the motion of running to walking. If I slow down or stop she shrieks "GO! GO! GO!". She also like when it is windy and we race into the breeze. She screeches with delight. 

[Deleted]

As soon as I was given the green light to run, I took DS with me using the carseat adaptor. I don't think he had enough neck control to be out of the carseat until he was about 8 months old so I ran with him in the carseat until then.

[emuni04]

Thank you all for your responses. So helpful! And I am glad to know that I don't have the only child that can't seem to stand her stroller I have my fingers crossed that my BOB doesn't just sit in our front room collecting dust, but if it does...at least it was a gift from my company and I didn't actually pay for it? Haha.

[arch01]

We started walking with the BOB at 1w PP with the car seat adapter and running at just under 3 months PP. Our pedi had no issues with it as long as we stuck to a smooth surface. He actually did better in the actual stroller part than in the car seat. We never ran with the car seat adapter.