Expert: it's 'cruel' to carry baby facing forward

Health Hub staff

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Facing a baby away from its parents is creating a very stressful situation.

Health Hub staff

More about Health news:

Topics:

Carrying a baby facing forward, in either a sling or a pram, is cruel and selfish says a leading Australian health care expert.

Cathrine Fowler, a professor of child and family health nursing at Sydney's University of Technology said that facing a baby away from its parents is creating a very stressful situation and is "inadvertently quite cruel to children."

"Imagine if you were strapped to someone’s chest with your legs and arms flailing, heading with no control into a busy shopping centre — it would be terrifying," said Professor Fowler.

"Outward-facing baby carriers and prams give babies a bombardment of stimulus, creating a very stressful situation."

But author of Baby Love, Robin Barker has spoken out about the controversial claims, saying that as long as the baby is loved and fed, it didn't matter which way the pram was facing.

"What babies need is parents who love them and feed them and if that's in place then I'm afraid which way the pram faces is irrelevant," she said.

"I don't think there is an issue with letting children experience the world before they are 12 months old."

Have your say: what do you think of Professor Fowler's claims?

User comments

What a lot of rubbish, bet this one doesn't have any kids, just a lot of theory. I can imagine my kids would be much more excited, stimulated and intersted in looking at my waist and below while out and about. That sounds a lot more scary to me - just another know it all rying to amke money out of making parents feel quilty about one more thing - maybe she should visit Dr Spock - thats right he admitted he was full of it too

I think that a person like this does not have a say in how people hold there child and which ever way the child is facing im sorry but since when did you start reading a babys mind most kids love to face forward because they get to see everything infront of them its really simulating for their minds us as parents kan be shown them things and they get to see it with their own eyes,,no your saying CRUEL im saying your all BULL think before you throw stuff like this out there..

I am only one of so many billions of adults who were carried forward as a baby. I'm pretty sure I'm fine. Why are we mollycoddling our kids so much? We're creating a world of softies! I'm no expert, but I say, harden up and I'm pretty sure our babies don't really give a hoot.

I'm sorry but BOTH my nieces from the time they were able to sit on their own LOVED to face forwards in their pram and slings - they're both VERY Sociable little ladies and love to see what was going on around them and talking to who ever they could get away with talking to. (Thankfully not so much now that they're older and a bit more independent - they only talk to people they know) I however love the prams that can be switched from forward facing to facing the person pushing them. This means that if you're walking with the sun behind you, you can keep the baby facing forward and not getting burned and if the sun is at the front baby can face you and you can also talk to them....

seriously if the claim has any merit to it then why do they make forward facing prams etc? my daughter was in a forward facing pram from birth and it hasnt done her any harm what so ever. she is a bright, bubbly and independant 1 yr old and i wouldnt change her for the world. If the expert claims it is cruel then why dont we just start handing out child abuse claims then!!!!! sorry if the comparassion offends anyone but i just find this claim stupid

I AGREE WITH HER. HOW CAN IT BE RIGHT HAVING A BABY FACING INTO ALL WEATHERS WITH OUT THE PARENT NOT SEEING IF THEY ARE BEING COOKED BY THE SUN OR DRENCHED BY THE RAIN? IT IS ALSO NICE TO BE ABLE TO CHAT TO THE CHILD AS YOU ARE PUSHING THEM ALONG THE SYLE OF PRAMS TODAY ARE NOT BABY FRIENDLY AT ALL I AM GLAD THAT THE PRAMS I USED WERE OF THE GOOD OLD FASHION STYLE OF BABY FACING ME.

Seriously its just common sense, i have a push chair where i can connect my baby car-seat on and my baby girl is facing me all the time & my 1 year old daughter loves being in the push chair, it just depends on the age i guess but not to be mean, if the "experts" are going to complain about this cruelty facing children forward, complain to the people that makes it, us parents just buys whats suitable for our children that are the "now" thing.

I swear by my baby carrier and recommend every parent have one for the early months! The baby is close to the parent and its as close to a cuddle as you could get. A baby being "cuddled" by mum or dad isnt likely to feel scared or intimidated. Both my babies spent hours in their carrier and although I preferred them to face me for balance and comfort reasons... they would both strain and wriggle to try turn around to face the world. My babies found it very exciting ad got a great deal of enjoyment from observing everything going on around them in a busy shopping mall... I feel they learn a lot this way... after all.. babies learn by watching others.

i have always had baby facing forward as 99% of prams in nz are facing forward none of my children have ever cried about being in the pram facing forward. i now have a pram with 2 seats and my elder child that sits at the back can clearly see me but nothing else she does not like this. all this study has told me really is that prams are being made backwards and if you take your children to a shopping centre or for a walk in the pram your causing them stress so you must be a bad mum. m8 this study is rubbish spend time and money on neccessary reaserch not this

I agree with Professor Fowlers claim. Let them be babies. They don't need to experience "the world" at that age. Life will provide that without forcing the issue prematurely. Kids grow up too damn quick as it is. Whats wrong with guarding their innocence. There are some ugly sights in front of that pram.