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Skuut Balance Bike

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Saturday, May 19, 2012

skuut bike_max2 The Skuut bike is a favorite of us wisemommies. We gifted our sons for the 2nd birthday with this award-winning wooden bike.

It has no pedals or training wheels. Children kick off the ground pushing themselves and the bike forward. The Skuut is a great first bike designed to develop a child’s balance and coordination by simply allowing the child to sit and walk or run with the bike while pushing with their feet. It is also great for developing the most important skills necessary to ride a bike with pedals "balance and motor skills"

Traditional toddler bikes, with “training wheels”, don’t necessarily train or teach a child how to ride a bicycle. The training wheels are merely a crutch that give the child a false sense of security and merely keep the child busy or entertained rather than actually helping the child develop the necessary balance.

All parts are extremely robust and the body is made of birchwood that´s coated with non toxic lacquer. The saddle can be adjusted for your child´s height as he grows.

skuut bike_thorsten

skuut bike_max As I mentioned before, my son got his bike at the age of two. We then lowered his saddle all the way down so he was able to put his feet on the ground.

It´s been incredible to watch him learn to ride this bike. We took him out to the sidewalk and he walked along with his feet. At first he would lift the front wheel to maneuver it when he would come to a bend in the sidewalk. This bike is very light so it´s super easy to lift and move. It took him a couple of hours to figure out how to steer, but he improved with practice. What´s also great, and very important, if the bike starts to fall, your child instinctively regains balance using their feet.

Within a week, he began to add a bit more speed to his ride. You may think, how does he stop on this bike? Well, he mastered this from his very first day. You simply break with your feet and get the bike to stop. We call it the "Fred-Flintstone Stop" :) After a couple of weeks, he was able to build up some speed and cruise while lifting his legs.

I was surprised but also happy how effective this bike works. We would recommend it to any parent.

Last but not least are some facts about the Skuut balance bike:

Without pedals and training wheels, kids intuitively learn to refine their handling skills by first ''walking'' the bike along
As their confidence and abilities improve, kids can lengthen their strides and increase the amount of time their feet are off the ground.
Braking is accomplished by simply putting feet down on the ground
The simple 3-piece design is made from birchwood and coated with a nontoxic lacquer; assembly is easy and takes just minutes
Steering angles are limited so that children don't accidentally turn too hard and crash

skuut bike_back

It’s also great to know that a tree is planted when you buy a skuut, an agreement made with a company which Skuut™ has partnered with; Trees for the Future.

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How to choose the right baby carrier

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Choosing the proper carrier for your baby is not easy and you should consider some facts before spending your money.

Certain carriers can cause stress to your infant's spine. While infant carriers offer you convenience, make sure to research into what might be in the best interest of the child’s health when choosing a carrier.

After my son was born I started off with the cuddly wrap to carry him around the house while preparing dinner or doing the dishes. I loved it. It was the most comfortable way, for me, at that time, to carry my son. Then when my son reached 16 pounds I began researching for a safe baby carrier.

At that time, my sister had purchased and was using the Baby Björn (cheaper versions by Infantino and Evenflo), and my friend had the Manduca carrier. The Ergo is basically the same as the Manduca (German brand name). I had asked both for their honest opinion on the carriers and why they had chosen them. Additionally, I researched the web and went to stores to do my own comparison, by looking and trying carriers on.

After considering all facts and opinions from other moms and pediatricians I decided to buy the Manduca carrier ( Ergo carrier ).

Here are my reasons why:

Max and_Angelika

There is an ideal leg position which is described as the M-position or spread squat position.

It´s baby´s natural seating and carrying position and is therefore recommended by pediatricians and orthopedics. It means that baby´s knees are higher up than his bum and that his legs are gently spread to the sides. Bum and legs are forming an "M". Your baby´s pelvis will slide to the front and the back will assume the age appropriate rounded C shape.

In the first few months the seating position of your baby is important, as the spine and pelvis are not yet fully developed.

A good carrier allows the baby to be carried in a seated position that does not strain the crotch or spine. This is not possible if the fabric in the baby´s crotch is too narrow or if the baby´s legs are in a dangling position, which can pinch off blood vessels and nerves. It should support the whole upper leg and reach from knee to knee.

Have you noticed, baby´s automatically assume this position when lifted up, because it´s also ideal for being carried on moms hip.

Max and_Papa

Even if you don´t feel this is a valid concern, doesn´t it just make sense that being seated on your bum would be more comfortable than hanging by your crotch?

Secondly, with many other carriers you have to buy a special insert for newborns or you may even have to purchase two different carriers altogether. The Manduca is different. It has an integrated insert that allows your baby to sit in the carrier starting with 7.7 lbs.

smiles

Even though I preferred to carry my son in front, loving the extra cuddle time and closeness, the Manduca carrier can also be used on your back. This is a great optimizing feature.

The Manduca carrier can not be used for forward facing, that´s why it has the back feature, it´s safer for the baby and better for your back.

A forward facing carrier can throw off mom´s center of gravity. Also, forward facing can lead to over stimulation for a baby that has no way to turn away from all the “outside” action and is not getting comfort from mom. This position also provides no head support for your baby.

In my opinion, the Ergo carrier is a worthy investment for you and your child. I hope my research and personal opinion helps others in finding their perfect carrier.