Hiking with Baby, Is it Safe?
Hiking is a great way to get into the great outdoors. It is exercise and allows you to view all that nature has to offer at a slower pace than if you were driving, riding bikes, or using other forms of transportation. When hiking, you can view things that others may never get to see. However, many parents who love hiking feel that they must give it up once they have a baby, at least for a few years. They simply do not know whether it is safe to hike with a baby or if it is something that should wait until the baby is older. The truth is, you do not need to give up hiking because of a baby joining your family.
Is Hiking with a Newborn Safe?
Hiking with baby is a great thing to do. Have you ever seen a young child who did not like to be outside at least for a little while each day? It is the perfect way to get them into the great outdoors. It allows you to bond with them and teach them early that nature is a great place to enjoy. If you have a really small newborn, you may want to stick with a front carry baby carrier that is designed to be comfortable for a newborn. You can hold them close and allow them to look out at the world from the safety of your arms.
The older your baby gets, the more they will love looking at things that they can see on a hike with you. As your child grows into toddlerhood, you will perhaps regain a love of it when you realize how much more fun it is to go hiking with toddlers, especially once they are able to walk alongside of you and point out things of interest to them.
Make Hiking With Baby Safer and Easier
When you have an older baby, one who walks along with you, it will be nice to take advantage of the specially designed baby hiking backpacks that are available. They make it easier for you to carry them when they decide that they are tired of walking. These hiking backpack carriers are comfortable enough that you will not feel weighed down by your toddler and it is also comfortable for him as well. Many toddlers will nap while their parents walk, enjoying their hike. There are even backpack hiking carriers that have canopies over them to protect your little one from getting too much sun while they are sleeping. The same feature is available in a newborn carrier, but the style is a little different.
Why deprive yourself and your growing baby of something you will both enjoy doing? It is safe and it is healthy for you both, because you are teaching them that the active lifestyle is better than being a couch potato from a very young age.
