Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 49 total)
  • Child/baby carriers at 3 months?
  • Jakester
    Free Member

    I am the proud owner of a limited edition (1/1) 2010 "Baby" in the male genderway – it's about 3 months old, with no scratches or dings (yet).

    Is it possible to fit the 2010 "Baby" into the rear-mounted child carrier seats at 3 months? It seems to me that you would need a very small helmet for the nipper. I'm only thinking about pootling round places such as Carsington Water, Rutland Water etc, rather than tearing around singletrack.

    Any thoughts?

    br
    Free Member

    No.

    Wait until the child is sitting up – ie in a forward facing car seat, before even considering.

    First child by any chance…

    KINGTUT
    Free Member

    Is it possible to fit the 2010 "Baby" into the rear-mounted child carrier seats at 3 months? It seems to me that you would need a very small helmet for the nipper. I'm only thinking about pootling round places such as Carsington Water, Rutland Water etc, rather than tearing around singletrack.

    See how you have to hold the baby's head to support it?

    There's your answer.

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    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    According to STW wisdom you and your baby will die instantly.

    Don't put a helmet on a child that small – their neck isn't strong enough. If you believe that a rear mounted seat too dangerous without a helmet then how about a trailer? Many folk use them for babies.

    Or just take a lead out of the low countries attitudes and just take the kid on the bike.

    front mounted seats are popular over there for small ones!

    Jakester
    Free Member

    KINGTUT – Member

    See how you have to hold the baby's head to support it?

    There's your answer.

    No, actually – he can support his own head, which is partially why I was considering it.

    b r – Member
    First child by any chance…

    Nice and condescending, thanks for your useless comment.

    TandemJeremy – Member

    if you believe that a rear mounted seat too dangerous without a helmet then how about a trailer? Many folk use them for babies

    I looked at the trailers, but the ones I've seen appear to require the child to sit upright, which he's not quite yet able to do.

    Ho hum.

    I shall just bungee the pram to the bike – can't imagine what could go wrong there…

    KINGTUT
    Free Member

    No, actually – he can support his own head, which is partially why I was considering it.

    As can my 5 month old, no way I'd pop a helmet on her though.

    mrsflash
    Free Member

    I think general advice is not before your child can sit unaided.

    geoffj
    Full Member

    I looked at the trailers, but the ones I've seen appear to require the child to sit upright, which he's not quite yet able to do.

    Strap the car child seat into the trailer.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    Mine is 9 months and I'm not sure I'd put him in a bike seat yet. He's fairly robust but I don't think he's strong enough for that yet.

    A mate has just ordered one of those seats that mounts on the top tube, his nipper is almost 12 months so I'm going to see how he gets on. Personally I'd wait a good while yet and I don't consider myself to be over protective, quite the opposite in fact.

    clubber
    Free Member

    9 months was the first time I had my son in a seat on the back – he was walking by that point though and pretty strong. I certainly wouldn't have done it much earlier though. Even though they can support their head, that's while stationary isn't it – bikes aren't exactly armchair rides even if you're being careful.

    br
    Free Member

    Nice and condescending, thanks for your useless comment.

    It wasn't condescending, just an observation based upon your naive question. And, BTW I've three kids, so it was based upon experience.

    Tiger6791
    Full Member

    I wouldn't, I think 9-12 months is about the norm.

    If you break limited edition (1/1) 2010 "Baby" in the male genderway then the Manufacturer are likey to 'kill' you!

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Tiger6791 – Member

    I wouldn't, I think 9-12 months is about the norm.in the uk
    Fixed it for you. In the low countries a few weeks old on the bike in a papoose on mum or dads front, a few months in a front mounted seat and older in a rear mounted seat is the norm.

    warton
    Free Member

    No, actually – he can support his own head, which is partially why I was considering it.

    can he, even if you were to suddenly stop?

    my 12 week old can hold his head up, but he has no real control over it, and certainly not strong enough to resist forces. personally I'm going top wait a few months and get a trailer, safer (if you keep them off roads) and more stable than a child seat

    uluru
    Free Member

    Even in places like Denmark, people don't tend to take 3 month olds on the bike. Or if they do it's a ten minute trip to the shops on perfectly smooth tarmac rather than a jaunt round a reservoir. Used to use a zigo but that's not recommended for this age. It's a great bike for functional cycling but wouldn't be my choice for leisure.

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    I'd wait at least 3 months.

    No need for the aggro comments lads.

    Tiger6791
    Full Member

    Fixed it for you. In the low countries a few weeks old on the bike in a papoose on mum or dads front, a few months in a front mounted seat and older in a rear mounted seat is the norm.

    No it's not, please unfix it for me, even the Dutch shouldn't have a baby on the bike seat until about 9 months.

    I think it's because babies born in the Netherlands are physiologically the same as babies born everywhere else.

    Lul

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Tiger – my nephews were both on bikes from a few weeks old and this caused harm nor controversy at all. Many many children are carried on bikes at below 9 months

    its all about attitudes not about physiology. Its quite the norm over there.

    puppypower
    Free Member

    We used one of the baby insert things in a Chariot trailer from about 3 months. They are expensive though. Similarly you could do the whole putting the car seat in the trailer as well, but it's heavy I guess?? Also I would be scared that I would mess up and that it wouldn't be well secured.

    I don't think a seat on the back or front is a good idea as they really do need to be able to sit up and support their head well, with a helmet on. I heard that the weight of the helmet makes it a lot harder for them to hold their head up. We had our son on a back seat carrier thingy from about 10 months.

    uluru
    Free Member

    It's not the norm in my experience. From 6 months in trailers and front carriers, more like 9 months to a year for rear seats. I don't know anyone in Denmark who had their baby on a bike from 3 months, and having a baby myself I mixed with lots of other Mums and dads who also had babies. I'm sure there was the odd exception but that's what it was, an exception not the norm.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    uluru – I wouldn't put one in a rear seat at 3 months – but a properly supportive front mounted seat or trailer?

    brassneck
    Full Member

    It's not the norm in my experience. From 6 months in trailers and front carriers, more like 9 months to a year for rear seats. I don't know anyone in Denmark who had their baby on a bike from 3 months, and having a baby myself I mixed with lots of other Mums and dads who also had babies. I'm sure there was the odd exception but that's what it was, an exception not the norm.

    Likewise. Though all my experience is Belgium/Holland based where my colleagues (& I for a few weeks a year) work.

    Wait till they can sit unaided. A trailer is a better option if you're out for a while as they will fall asleep and they will loll over – I've had far less complaints from trailer trips and they'll all go over anything as rough as you'd be likely too.

    brassneck
    Full Member

    BTW TJ do you actually have any direct experience of carrying your own or others children?

    trb
    Free Member

    I'd say no rush and use this summer to get out on the bike by yourself.
    By next summer, he'll see you reaching for the shed key and decide that it's his birthright to accompany you on any trip involving bikes and will scream blue murder until you take him. Hence the only time you'll get to go out on your own will be night rides when he's already in bed!

    Plus check with the Mrs – I never took my boy out until he was 9 months 'cos the mrs decided that was when I could take him out, regardless of the STW wisdom

    puppypower
    Free Member

    Yes, my son could say bike before he could say "Mama". In fact he still doesn't say Mama properly (in context) and he's 19 months old! But go into the garage and he follows you saying "Bike bike bike" and patting his head until you put his helmet on!

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    brassneck – Member

    BTW TJ do you actually have any direct experience of carrying your own or others children?

    Only my nephews a couple of times – they were around 5 – 6 months on a handlebar mounted seat – but as I said I know my sister carried them from when they were very small on the bike and this was considered the norm to her – in holland.

    all I am doing here is presenting another view other than the STW consensus.

    TooTall
    Free Member

    TJ – you are being contrary as usual.

    'Normal' implies a certain regionality. 'Normal' is what happens 'round here' and 'round here' isn't a flat country that has a largely cycle-sensitive or specific infrastructure. Culture plays a part in all of this as well as the physiical limitations of the human body.

    OP – get a bike trailer and, if you REALLY MUST drag the bairn around at such an early age, put them in their car seat secured into the trailer. Given they won't remember a damn thing, I hope your personal urges are sated by this activity. Personally, I've been waiting and TT Jr had her first trailer ride secured this way at 6 months.

    Tracker1972
    Free Member

    14 weeks and our (also mark 1) little girl has been in trailer, in her car seat a couple of times on smooth paths, just nodds off as if she was in the car.

    EDIT, a Burley Bee can hold her car set (maxi Cosi Cabrio fix I think) and the base for her Babystyle Oyster so you can then have a pushchair/carseat combo on arrival. Not the weight weenies choice though 🙂

    mrsgrips
    Free Member

    3months is a 'bit' too young I believe. Our daughter was very robust and strong, good at holding up her head and sitting often, but it's a lot of work doing it while moving around. If your edition still struggles occasionally and 'lolls' it's a clear sign when you turn suddenly. We got a Chariot and sling to take our edition out. (Expensive, but extremely useful)
    But also if you look online (and I did with ours) you cannot find helmets small enough for little babes. I'd say once you can get a helmet on them then you know it's safe(r) for them. But still remember that it'll be tiring for them. And you need to take into consideration the possibility/desire for sleep too so you'll to back sure they've got enough support even when they'll not be supporting themselves.
    Hopefully you find a good solution to your desire to get out with your little one. 🙂

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Just please don't put a helmet on a tiny one – they simply are not strong enough for the extra weight. If you consider they must have a helmet on then you must wait until they are strong enough to wear one which they certainly are not at 3 months.

    too tall – note my "in the UK"

    tonyd
    Full Member

    Re the helmet on babies thing, it just occurred to me – I've started towelling my son's hair after a bath while he's sitting up and have to be sure to support his head a little as he feels a bit wobbly. Once he can withstand a good towelling I'll try him with a helmet in a bike seat 🙂

    franksinatra
    Full Member

    Plenty of experience here. I have been using trailer and bike seat on a daily basis for all three of my kids for a good few years now.

    Every child is different but for a bike seat I would say child should be able to sit up easily, unsupported on the floor before they use the bike seat. For my kids, this has been around 6 months onwards. Even then though, this is very short, smooth rides. I've waited until 9 months or so before doing rides of any significance.

    This is the same for using the trailer, the only exception being if you have a trailer that can take a rear facing car seat, some of the expensive models can do this.

    Not worth the risk of going to early, the kiddies neck simply won't support any sort of g force, however minor this is.

    Tiger6791
    Full Member

    Our daughter

    older than 9 months

    in a rear seat

    with a helmet

    in wait for it…..

    The Netherlands (not Holland as we were in Friesland, were her Pake & Beppe live so we go there a lot and cycle there a lot.)

    TJ please can you post a photo of your kids in a rear bike seat in the Netherlands then I'll take on board your superior experience in this matter.

    PenrodPooch
    Free Member

    I think its too young, there was a thread here a few days ago along the same lines. I doubt your little one has enough neck strength to withstand the braking and acceleration forces that could be generated by going over potholes etc. When my 20 month olds sleep in the trailer I have to slow down as they are relaxed and their heads are all over the shop. I started taking them running / cycling at a year.

    In assessing the risks and benefits to the child of taking a 3 month old out on a bike I decided to wait

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I'd say definitely no. I'd also say that TJ advocates carrying a baby on your body whilst biking when they are small which would probably be ok as long as you don't fall. Which does happen.

    Bikes cause a lot of jarring. Little bodies really aren't as good at handling this as bigger ones.

    Also note that sitting up at home whilst playing is very different indeed from holding your head up whilst being jolted along on a bike.

    Try holding your baby and shaking him about a bit – see how that looks*.

    * not a real suggestion.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Tiger – did you read what I said? No? perhaps you should.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Tiger – that helmet she has on does not fit properly nor is it fastened up properly.

    Tiger6791
    Full Member

    Oh FFS!

    OP
    Is it possible to fit the 2010 "Baby" into the rear-mounted child carrier seats at 3 months?

    ME
    I think 9-12 months is about the norm.

    TJ
    I think 9-12 months is about the norm in the UK, few weeks old on the bike in a papoose on mum or dads front, a few months in a front mounted seat

    Nothing to do with the orginal question, rear seat is 9-12 months, end of! if you want to do it earlier it would be up to the parents and the how developed the child is.

    My direct experience of the Netherlands is that it's the same 9-12 months for a rear seat, you can try back track but you edited my answer which was correct making it incorrect.

    Papoose and front seats have got sweet FA to do with it

    Tiger6791
    Full Member

    Tiger – that helmet she has on does not fit properly nor is it fastened up properly.

    You haven't got kids (that wear helmets) have you?

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    No – but I know how to fit a helmet and that is wrong – its way too big for her and the strap is too loose – so it will be fairly ineffective in a crash and might increase her risks.

    It simply does not fit her at all.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 49 total)

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