It’s always important to make sure that the stroller is well secured any time you are out with your baby. Whether you’re walking with your stroller on crowded pavements, taking a cup of coffee, or just staying at home, keeping your stroller secure can be a real lifesaver. Just a few simple precautions can avoid embarrassing situations, make your baby comfortable, and make you confident while going on an outing. Here’s how to do it.
Why Stroller Security Matters
In the following lists, strollers may seem secure when not in use, but they could roll, tip, or be put into a dangerous position. Besides, given that most parents spend considerable fortunes on quality strollers, it should be rather helpful to understand how to prevent the loss of such expensive property. Therefore, below are the most important aspects which you should check to ensure that you always have a steady stroller.
1. Engage the Brakes Every Time
The brakes are your best friends when it comes to locking your stroller. Almost all strollers have a foot-operated brake or a hand brake or both to lock the wheels quickly by a push or a flip. This means that you should get a feel of the brakes every time you have to apply the halt. This is especially so if a stroller is being used in a slopy or irregularally surfaced area as the child’s mass can make the stroller move on its own.
Quick tip: To make sure that you cannot any movement give the wheel a final spin and double check that both of them are locked, anxiety sometimes apply just one brake.
2. Always Use the Safety Harness
It is something obvious, yet MUST be used; the harness found on the stroller should be used properly to ensure that your child will be secure in the stroller. The harness holds your baby firmly in a seated position and stops them from leaning forward or standing up. It is essential to ensure that the harness is a little tight to your baby and yet not so tight in way that it might harm the baby.
This means that if your baby is securely harnessed, they won’t easily fall or tip over even when riding in a buggy that is suddenly jolted or hits a bump.
3. Choose the Right Parking Spot
Inning accordance with where you park it, your stroller becomes vulnerable to tips overs and can be fundamentally unstable. Do NOT park where your car may roll down a slope or tip off an edge. Search flat area so that children do not run away and make sure you leave the stroller with you in plain sight. If you’re stopping near other strollers or outdoor furniture, clear yourself enough to prevent a collision.
Pro tip: If you are in a café or park, you should turn the stroller so that it is in front of you, where you can see it.
4. Use a Stroller Lock in Crowded Places
If you are in places where you cannot secure your belongings or children or where theft is rife then the stroller lock is useful. These compact locks can be simple clipped on the frame of the stroller and the wheel, thus it can be locked onto a particular item such as a bench or pole. Choose one that has a combination lock or one which can be easily connected and disconnected.
This extra step not only helps prevent theft but another dose of time and effort to ensure that this stroller will not be easily tipped over and moved without one’s consent.
5. Avoid Hanging Heavy Bags on the Handles
That is why moving shopping bags or a diaper bag from the basket to the reverse side of the stroller to hang it on the handles is not a good idea because it shifts the weight of the stroller back and you risk falling over. However, bags should be kept in the lower basket of the stroller or be put on a stroller bag hook meant for the purpose. Positioning weights nearer to the ground base also reduces chances of an occurrence of an accident and your baby feels more safe.
Friendly reminder: If he is still wondering how much he can carry then he should flip to the stroller’s instruction manual. It is also possible to find the maximum load weight limit for the handles of the stroller out there.
6. Make Use of Stroller Straps for Extra Security
Some of the series of accommodation also have features that help to secure the strollers in place and these are pertaining in areas like public transport. They can snap or wrap round a pole, a bench, or even your wrists, thus keeping the stroller firmly in place. If you have such a button in your stroller then ensure you always engage it any time you leave your stroller, for instance when attending to something else.
7. Inspect Your Stroller Regularly
Semiweekly or weekly visual inspection of stroller’s brakes, wheels, and frame can save one from unnecessary shocks. Pay attention to any scratches, rattle, squeak or just inability to engage the brakes as required. A brief check before you step outside guarantees that it is in the right condition for the day’s use.
If you find any which looks loose or does not operate efficiently, refer to the manufacturer’s manual or take it to a technician. A clean stroller is a safer stroller.
8. Be Mindful of Weather Conditions
Stroller stability depends on the weather conditions. For instance, if there is a stroller that is parked, only to realize that there isn’t a baby inside, then the stroller may easily be turned over due to wind. Another is that brakes are not as responsive when it rains or when the road is icy, so drive carefully during such weather. If the weather is too windy or too slippery, it is probably wise to leave the stroller at home or in a safer place.
Quick tip: If it’s rainy weather and you’re under the stroller cover, make sure it’s well fitted to avoid compromise of balance or stability.
9. Keep a Hand on the Stroller on Public Transit
If you are using public transport with a stroller always be ensuring you have at least one hand on it. Despite having brakes on, the stroller can move while in use; during movement it is versatile. Most of the buses and trains have designated areas to strap these and if you do not find any of these, then try and place your baby trolley in such a manner that does not cause inconvenience to anyone.
Certain cities also implement straps for stroller or extra precautions when it comes to using public transport so you personally encounter a smoother trip for you and your bundle of joy.
10. Avoid Overloading the Stroller
Even the stroller’s type you are using, comes with a weight limit and going over it will impact the stroller’s balance & braking system. If you frequently take massive things along with you in the stroller then it is wise to opt for another type of carrying a baby, say for instance a baby Carrier or Backpack. This will lessen the weight on the stroller and increase the stability of the stroller and at the same time lessen the energy consumption of the parent.
A lighter weight is also very convenient if you everyday move the stroller, and it also beneficial for the wheels and brakes systems.
The following articles are related to baby stroller. It could be helpful for you.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Umbrella Strollers
How to Clean a Stroller: Consecutive Way of Solution
The Key Differences Between Baby Stroller vs Pram
Final Thoughts: Safety First, Always
Most protocols on how to secure your stroller are simpler than you can imagine and just require a few adjustments. These tips are very simple: how to engage the brakes and how to select the right parking place, etc, yet they go a long way to provide the much needed safety to the baby. Spend one or two additional minutes each time you push the stroller and you will be more assured your child is secure.
Being observant and ready to face any situation ensures you get to enjoy each trip with your baby with the assurance that your stroller won’t wander off. These simple steps make sure you’re both ready to roll – literally – for a short walk or an outing in the car – without any harm to your little one.
