running with baby



J

JJ

Guest
Hi- I read this group at times, but have never posted before. I am a
32 yo new mom, life long recreational runner, and after a difficult
pregnancy have started running again. I was hoping to get some advice
from other parents on how to get those long runs in. My daughter can
entertain herself a little bit while I'm on the treadmill with toys, TV
etc, but rarely for more than 30 minutes or so. Running during
naptimes is an option, but again, rarely for more than an hour.
Currently I get my long runs on the weekend while my husband watches
her, but we miss running as a couple. I have a jogging stroller now
(BOB); can anyone tell me when it is safe to run with her in it? We
don't have a lot of sidewalks, and the roads here are fairly bumpy.
She is 4 months old, and has pretty good head control, but is unable to
sit up yet. I have put her in it for short walks, and while she HATES
being strapped in, she seems to tolerate the ride OK. Also, any tips on
how to get her to like the stroller would be much appreciated. What is
a realistic hope for how long a 4 month old can tolerate the stroller?
We live in a warm area, so weather isn't much of an issue.
JJ
 
First off, dump the husband (he's a dork anyway), then while waiting
for the divorce to go through you hook up with a black guy (unless
you're black, then go "white cracker" instead) with a nasty crack
habit, and let him babysit the kid, for weeks at a time. The problerm
will solve itself, you'll have more free time than you know what to do
with.
 
My first child is due in a month or so, and I have been shopping for a
jogging stroller. Most of the stuff I've read says 6 months is safe.

-Jason

JJ wrote:
> Hi- I read this group at times, but have never posted before. I am a
> 32 yo new mom, life long recreational runner, and after a difficult
> pregnancy have started running again. I was hoping to get some advice
> from other parents on how to get those long runs in. My daughter can
> entertain herself a little bit while I'm on the treadmill with toys, TV
> etc, but rarely for more than 30 minutes or so. Running during
> naptimes is an option, but again, rarely for more than an hour.
> Currently I get my long runs on the weekend while my husband watches
> her, but we miss running as a couple. I have a jogging stroller now
> (BOB); can anyone tell me when it is safe to run with her in it? We
> don't have a lot of sidewalks, and the roads here are fairly bumpy.
> She is 4 months old, and has pretty good head control, but is unable to
> sit up yet. I have put her in it for short walks, and while she HATES
> being strapped in, she seems to tolerate the ride OK. Also, any tips on
> how to get her to like the stroller would be much appreciated. What is
> a realistic hope for how long a 4 month old can tolerate the stroller?
> We live in a warm area, so weather isn't much of an issue.
> JJ
>
 
It's never too early to start showing the little darlings just how
flighty the parents are.
 
As a new father, I have had to deal with these same things. My
daughter is now 1.5 years old. The six-month minimum age is, IMHO, a
guideline for the general public. The main thing is that the baby's
neck mussles are strong enough to hold her head up. That being said,
if you have one of the strollers (like mine) that requires you to lift
up the front end in order to stear left and right, it can be pretty
easy to whip the little girl around when running. By 8 or 9 months
this will be a fun game, but at 4 months it's a little scary to me.
But maybe I use too much caution. We bought a padded insert - shaped
like an upside down "U" - that held her head in place better. When she
starts sitting up and looking around, and holding on, you won't need
this any more.

The two things that worked best for us were: joining a gym that has a
nursury. This way we can at least get indoor running (plus
crosstraining, etc). And secondly, getting used to running alone. Head
out for your run when your husband is home and the baby has just
started her nap. That way it's kind of like "free time" for both of
you for a while. There have been a few times (twice in a
year-and-a-half, but that's just us) that we have elected to have a
friend babysit just so that we can go running together without worries.

It took us a long time to discover that it is very important for a
couple to work at allowing each other time to exercise. It clears the
mind and if the kid is screaming when you get back, you're a little
more ready to deal with it than if you had been stuck in the house all
day with no break.

Well, there's my two cents.

Myo

JJ wrote:
> Hi- I read this group at times, but have never posted before. I am a
> 32 yo new mom, life long recreational runner, and after a difficult
> pregnancy have started running again. I was hoping to get some

advice
> from other parents on how to get those long runs in. My daughter can
> entertain herself a little bit while I'm on the treadmill with toys,

TV
> etc, but rarely for more than 30 minutes or so. Running during
> naptimes is an option, but again, rarely for more than an hour.
> Currently I get my long runs on the weekend while my husband watches
> her, but we miss running as a couple. I have a jogging stroller now
> (BOB); can anyone tell me when it is safe to run with her in it? We
> don't have a lot of sidewalks, and the roads here are fairly bumpy.
> She is 4 months old, and has pretty good head control, but is unable

to
> sit up yet. I have put her in it for short walks, and while she

HATES
> being strapped in, she seems to tolerate the ride OK. Also, any tips

on
> how to get her to like the stroller would be much appreciated. What

is
> a realistic hope for how long a 4 month old can tolerate the

stroller?
> We live in a warm area, so weather isn't much of an issue.
> JJ
 
JJ wrote:

> how to get her to like the stroller would be much appreciated. What

is
> a realistic hope for how long a 4 month old can tolerate the

stroller?
> We live in a warm area, so weather isn't much of an issue.


I have a Baby Jogger, and started taking my daughter out in it when she
was only a couple of months old (and it was winter time). I wrapped
her in double blankets, then wrapped an adult windbreaker around her.
Then I ordered a rain canopy for it, so it was like a windshield for
her. When she was really tiny, I just put two rolled blankets on
either side of her head, so that she had head support. Other than
that, I was careful.

I took her out nearly daily for walks (we lived on a gravel road, so it
was VERY useful even for walks), and every other day for runs. I often
ran or walked DURING her nap. ie, when it was her naptime, I'd put her
in the stroller and walk/run until she woke up - usually 45 minutes or
an hour later (I didn't run the whole time, of course). But I could
get 3 miles in during her nap, and I'd stop when she woke up.

At around age 2, I stopped taking her this way, because she insisted on
having her turns out of the stroller and I couldn't get a decent
workout with her with me, so I left her with my husband, and then went
on separate walks with her.

Cathy Weeks
 
In article <[email protected]>,
holmbrew <[email protected]> wrote:

> My first child is due in a month or so, and I have been shopping for a
> jogging stroller. Most of the stuff I've read says 6 months is safe.



I got a Burleigh cub, which is pricey (although I got mine used and got
a great deal) but holds 1 or 2 kids for running or bike trailering. It
works greak, and it has a windscreen for when it's cold or rainy.

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson