Today’s mothers find it difficult to imagine that strollers appeared only a century and a half ago. Before that, children were dragged in their arms or in a sling – a sling in which the baby was tightly pressed to the mother’s chest or back. Today in stores there are a huge number of strollers, and we are tormented with a choice. I want the most convenient and, if possible, not too expensive. Maybe take it from a friend whose child has already grown up?
The world’s first cradle on wheels was invented by the English landscape architect William Kent at the request of the Duke of Devonshire, William Cavendish. He was the father of six children and made sure that all his offspring could breathe fresh air at the same time. Therefore, the vehicle resembled rather a cart into which a goat was harnessed. By the way, the sons of Cavendish, when they grew up, surpassed their father in service. Probably, oxygen has had a good effect on mental abilities, it is not for nothing that doctors advise to walk with babies more often.
And the real fashion for strollers came from Queen Victoria, who wished to personally walk her nine heirs in the park. Of course, she did not roll such a weight herself, especially since the bulky structure had to be pulled, not pushed. The stroller, which looked more like a carriage, was trusted to carry the ponies, and my mother and nannies proudly paced alongside. When fashion took over wide aristocratic circles, dogs and donkeys also began to carry transport for babies.
The carriages of the children of aristocrats were like carriages
Another revolution was made by the inventor Charles Burton in 1853, having patented a stroller with a handle for which it could be rolled forward.
Today, we would immediately name the main disadvantage of such strollers: children could only sit in them, and therefore they were not suitable for very little ones. In addition, they were heavy, wooden or wicker, like baskets, on three huge wheels and looked more like carts.
A century and a half ago, strollers were pulled, not pushed
Over time, strollers began to be made of plastic, rubber and tarpaulin, and they became lighter. Swivel wheels for increased maneuverability. By analogy with cars, a brake and shock absorber appeared in children’s transport. But most importantly, the bottom is flat, so that the baby could lie down and sleep.
In the Soviet Union, the production of strollers began after the war, copied from samples brought from Germany. But heavy bulky structures were still inferior to imported ones. There are also sitting strollers for older children, on large wheels.
In 1975, a new type of carriage, which was produced in the Moscow region, even received a quality mark and a gold medal at VDNKh. By the mid-1970s, baby carriages were already affordable for most moms.
Antique strollers looked more like carts.
Today, looking at these “monsters” that look like a tank, we are horrified. And they weigh at least 20 kilograms – you will tear your back while you drag it up the stairs without an elevator! And wide ones, you can’t put them in a small-sized corridor. And the Soviet carriages were also not very attractive outwardly.
But our grandmothers and mothers were happy with that too. And even, one might say, they are happy, especially if the stroller was inherited by a friend, whose child has already grown up, and it was possible to save money on the purchase. The strollers sometimes passed from hand to hand several times and walked more than one child!
But on the other hand, our mothers and grandmothers are horrified by today’s wheelchairs: they are too lightweight, unreliable, narrow – the baby cannot move a hand or a leg, you lie twisted, like in a pencil case.
What does science say? Do modern strollers harm the little person’s posture? Can they be used over and over again? And which one is better to buy – “three in one”, “two in one” or a separate one for each case, even though it will cost more?
– Of course, the main thing for a stroller is that it does not harm your health. Of course, its size is also important. According to modern approved standards for strollers for babies, the minimum length should be 80 centimeters, width – 35-40 centimeters, this is enough for a newborn up to six months. At this age, it is important that there is enough space on the side of the upper torso, because the child sleeps with arms outstretched.
Modern strollers are lighter and more comfortable
Now the strollers are narrower than they used to be, but they fit into an elevator and a small apartment. Many people prefer universal transforming strollers, it is important here that the carrycot is stable. I like the two-in-one strollers better, the car seat is separate. Everything depends on the budget. And I also recommend to mothers that the bottom of the stroller can rise at a slight angle, 15-30 degrees, then you can walk with your child, even if he has mild coryza, the snot does not go down into the respiratory tract, but flows out. And walking is useful even with a mild cold.
What to look for when choosing a baby stroller
1. The bottom must be flat and firm, without grooves, dips, cracks or curvatures such as occur when the stroller has been used. Such deficiencies harm the child.
2. Width and length should be sufficient for comfort. It is necessary to take into account individual characteristics, because there are children-heroes who are cramped in a standard stroller.
3. Pay attention to the density and firmness of the mattress. It shouldn’t be too soft and old. Otherwise, dents form in the places where the child’s head and butt are located, and this is also not useful for a fragile child’s spine.
4. The stroller must be equipped with a stable carrycot and reliable wheels so that it cannot be swayed or overturned by strong winds or an accidental collision, for example, with a curb.
If you buy a stroller from your hands, you need to be especially attentive to all these points. It is not a fact that the former owners will tell you about hidden defects. What are the dangers of used transport for a baby?
Export
As a rule, recumbent strollers for the smallest are used no more than 9 months, but transformers serve for a long time. Therefore, it is necessary to especially carefully check the condition of the chassis and wheels. Cane strollers are used for older children, and they are made of lightweight materials, so the likelihood of purchasing a stubby copy is even greater. Check the supporting structure and all moving parts. Microcracks, imperceptible at first glance, can turn into a breakdown at the most inopportune moment.
Curvature
You take, say, a stroller, in which, according to the seller, one baby went, but in fact she departed her own under three or even five children. The first heavy one constantly moved to the right, the rest finished the job: the structure may in fact be skewed, and no amount of your efforts will return the original geometry.
Contamination
If the stroller has been stored in the garage or on the balcony for a long time, the materials from which it is made become brittle, dust and dirt will eat into them, and it is extremely difficult to wash them. Internal parts can corrode.
Danger of infection or allergies
The likelihood of getting sick when using someone else’s wheelchair is very small. And yet it needs to be washed very well, the removable parts should be washed, if possible, ironed with a hot iron. The child can grasp some parts with his hands, and then pull his fingers into his mouth. Theoretically, contact with a stroller, in which a sick child was previously transported, may become infected with fungal infections, pinworms, herpes, viral or bacterial conjunctivitis. If in the house. where the stroller was, there were animals, and allergic reactions of the baby to wool are not excluded.