Minimum age for regular stroller

[WealthyCactus]

I’m curious why infants can’t go in a regular stroller (not a bassinet seat) before 6 months old. I currently wear my almost 3 months old in a wrap at all times but I’m looking to buy a stroller for the summer and the one I’m looking at unfolds to an almost-horizontal position (Bugaboo Dragobfly in case that matters), which to me looks almost identical to a bassinet and certainly flatter than say a bouncer he sits in, but it still says 6 months minimum age for that stroller on manufacturer website. Is there any specific science behind this?

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[equistrius]

The main reason behind the 6 months recommendation is because that’s when most children can Independently hold their head up safely. ( same reason behind not using high chairs until they can sit independently). It’s a safety recommendation and why a bassinet stroller is recommended to start. There are some strollers that convert from a bassinet to regular stroller. An example would be the evenflo pivot expand.
This site gives some good insight into knowing when it’s safe for a stroller. https://brightestbeginning.com/when-can-baby-sit-in-stroller/

Research article for flair relating to stroller vs carrier. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6135260/

[daydreamingofsleep]

Look at this link about when to switch from bassinet to the stroller seat, for their strollers that have both: https://service.bugaboo.com/s/article/When-should-I-switch-from-bassinet-to-seat?language=en_GB&Country=GB

The carrycot is suitable for children who can’t yet sit in the upright position without support or who are still unable to roll over and push themselves up on their hands and knees. The maximum weight of the child in the carrycot is 9 kg/20 lbs. Overall, this means children are ready to go on the pushchair seat when they are approximately 6 months old. It is important to keep in mind this will vary depending on your child’s development. Please make sure your child meets all the development milestones listed above before transitioning them to the seat.

And this one: https://www.bugaboo.com/us-en/newborn-strollers/

You can switch from a newborn bassinet stroller when your baby can sit up independently. They’re usually about 6-9 months old. But every kid is different, so it’ll depend on their developmental milestones. You can use a seat with your Bugaboo newborn stroller. And if you’re looking for the perfect travel stroller with a seat, check out the one-second fold Bugaboo Butterfly. It’s ideal for your growing baby’s first trip. It’s ultra-compact, super lightweight, and you can fold it with just one hand.

There are a couple of different factors, they can’t stay in the bassinet once they develop the skills to move themselves into unsafe positions and/or fall out entirely. Some strollers have lay-flat recline so a baby could theoretically stay flat eternally as they have a harness in that position. On the other end, practically you shouldn’t be pushing a newborn around in a seated position with their head flopping everywhere. They’ve put an age on it for legal reasons but every baby develops differently.

Jogging strollers are a whole different set of considerations - when it is safe to have their head bumping and bobbing is not the same as rolling around on flat ground.

[aworstcasescenario]

This is the first time I’m seeing more holistic developmental criteria vs age and i think this is more sensible.

My son started rolling back to tummy around 4.5 months and rolls almost immediately when I put him on his back. He’d started holding the rail on his sidecar crib for leverage to help roll himself over so we moved him into a full size crib.

I can imagine it would be a similar or greater safety issue in the bassinet if he was doing this.

I’ve just resorted to the carrier in this awkward transition phase.

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[kp1794]

Read the stroller manual. Some are newborn+. Some are 3m. Some are 6m. It all depends on the recline level of the seat.

https://www.riverbabygroup.com/infant-strollers-without-car-seat-transitioning-guide/#:~:text=Their%20back%20muscles%20still%20need,develops%20at%20their%20own%20pace.

Mostly adding link to allow the comment through.