[Guest_holy_j_*]

PARENTS who push their children in outward-facing prams are cruel and selfish, a leading Australian child health academic says.

But the controversial claims, made by Professor Cathrine Fowler from the University of Technology Sydney, have been shot down by the country's best-known midwife, Baby Love author Robin Barker.

Ms Barker says, as long as babies are loved and fed, the direction they face when in a pram is irrelevant.

Professor Fowler, who will give a lecture on raising babies at UTS on Tuesday, said strollers that point children in the direction of travel are isolating, stressful and terrifying.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/big-pram-f...2#ixzz1VcT4Jhy5

[Sunnycat]

The Professor seems a bit hysterical.

I have bought a reasonably priced stroller from Target with a handle that can make the stroller forward facing or inward facing. I plan to have it inward facing for a while but this is just my preference.

[3_for_me]

All my kids faced forwards, none of them found it stressful or terrifying

[kemisz]

Some people have too much time on their hands.

[Rainbow Brite]

I just read out this ridiculous article to my husband!!

[jo074]

The only thing I do think is wrong with outward facing prams when children are young is that they miss out on watching how our faces and mouths move when we are talking to them which, depending how long they spend in prams, could have an impact on language development. Other than that, I have never noticed my kids being 'terrified' by looking outwards, albeit that they generally haven't done it until they are about 6 months old.

[A Winters Day]

Edit cause I'm tired



This post has been edited by ~Nessa~: 21/08/2011, 03:28 PM

[Jenflea]

I rear faced my baby from birth as I read it helped reduce stress in young babies, plus it made me look less loopy chatting away to her in public. I think SOME kids would get upset to see the world rushing towards them and to not be able to see their mother or parent pushing the pram. I also read it helps them learn to talk as you interact with them more. Honestly, it cant hurt can it?
Oh and if they spit up milk you see it before anyone else does!

[Affogato]

I don't think it has harmed my two, having faced out! Neither gave any impression of fright or stress.

[cinnabubble]

Yet you won't cosleep, Nessa?

Didn't this woman co-author a book on the baby's first year that OKed controlled crying? In fact, isn't she connected with Tresillian?