The stroller, the cradle that goes with you

More hours of sunshine, the desire to go out, a break from studies and work, travelling… With the arrival of summer, most people alter their usual routines and, although during the school year some parents are very strict with the baby’s schedule, during the holidays it is not uncommon for the little ones to end up taking a nap in the most unexpected places.

If when Morpheus takes our children by the arms we are in a “friendly environment” it is easy to set up an improvised crib with the help of a mat, cushions and sheets. However, if childhood sleep catches us when we are in a museum, in a restaurant or simply sightseeing, the most logical thing is for our baby to sleep in the stroller.

In fact, and beyond holiday periods, the stroller is undoubtedly the second place where babies sleep the most hours (after their crib or their parents’ bed, of course). You may even know a family that has directly turned the stroller into the baby’s usual crib, because they have little ones who find it difficult to fall asleep.

Why do babies fall asleep easily in the stroller?

• By the swing. El movimiento de la silla de paseo, ya sea cuando paseas o cuando la meces a conciencia, se parece a la sensación que tenían dentro del útero, rodeados de líquido amniótico.
• For space. A diferencia de las cunas, que acostumbran a ser amplias, en la silla de paseo el bebé toca los límites, lo que hace que se sienta más arropado (recordemos que durante el embarazo el feto ha permanecido enroscado, en un espacio reducido que le da seguridad).
• Because of the noise. Aunque parezca todo lo contrario (seguro que a más de uno le habrán hecho callar cuando hay bebés cerca durmiendo), lo cierto es que durante el embarazo los bebés se han acostumbrado a oír durante 24 horas el corazón de la madre, voces, sonidos ambientales… que les llegaban amortiguados por el líquido amniótico. Cuando vamos con la silla de paseo, les acompaña también una cacofonía constante de ruido: personas hablando, coches, perros…

These circumstances are precisely what also explain why babies prefer to fall asleep in their arms, or in the car seat, rather than fall asleep in their static crib.

It is clear that the ideal would be, once the child is asleep, to be able to move him to a proper crib, but this is not always possible. Either for reasons of space (we don’t have any crib nearby) or because of the sensitivity of the little one (who is programmed to wake up just when you put him to bed). Therefore, here are some practical tips so that the baby can sleep like a groundhog, even in this improvised crib that is the stroller.

How can we set up the stroller as an improvised cot?

• Whenever possible, place the stroller in a horizontal or slightly inclined position.
• Before stretching the little one, cover the stroller with a breathable cover or mat. You can also serve a towel or a cotton sheet. Remember to wash and change them frequently, as babies tend to sweat a lot, especially in these hotter months.
• Once asleep, gently adjust the baby and make sure that their limbs are in a position that allows them to relax (sometimes they fall asleep that look like they are playing Twister!)
• Unfasten the seat belt of the stroller only if the baby remains close to you and you can react quickly when he wakes up (some do it with a lot of energy and desire to get up, you have to reduce the risk of tipping over and falling).
• Whether you are standing or moving, protect the stroller from the sun, wind, drafts, insects… In this sense, in addition to the parasol, it can also be useful to always carry a muslin in the stroller.
• Make sure that the baby will not be too cold or too hot. If it is convenient, try to remove the jacket or at least unbutton it; cover it, if necessary with a thin cloth.

How can we condition the stroller as a changing table?

In addition to being very useful for walking and sleeping, the stroller can also help us when changing the baby’s diapers.

Although more and more restaurants and public facilities have changing tables, even today we can find ourselves in the hurry of having to change the baby’s diapers in places that are not prepared for it.

If we travel with the stroller we can take advantage of it in its horizontal position to stretch the baby and change the diapers on a “friendly surface”, since our stroller:
It will always be clean. And even if it’s not perfect, we know where the crumbs and stains on it come from.
It will prevent the baby from falling. In addition to the side backrests, strollers generally have belts, safety harnesses and/or front bar, which will prevent scares during diaper changes.
It has everything we need, because in the same bag of the stroller is where we usually carry diapers, wipes, creams…

Another ‘different’ crib: the one that simulates a car trip

As we mentioned, walking is the best sleeping pill for babies, who quickly fall asleep when we move with the stroller or in the car. So much so, that the Ford car brand has created a cradle that imitates the movement of a car journey.

In fact, the invention goes further and what it does is, connected to an application, record the car journeys that parents usually make and then simulates them in the crib, which reproduces the exact movements and sounds of the car.