Our most important advice is to just go for it! It doesn’t matter if you’ve brushed your hair or got any make-up on, just get out the front door and put one foot in front of the other. You’ll feel great - your confidence will grow with each walk.
Our top TEN tips for your first parent-baby walk
Rule no.1. Enjoy it! Be mindful - remember to relax and just breathe. Savor your walk and take in the nature around you.
Take your time. Be prepared to adapt your walk, you will stop for breaks more often than you normally would. Especially if you’re postpartum, be gentle with your body and build in rest times en route.
Watch your footing and for uneven ground. Especially if baby-carrying, your centre of balance may take a bit of getting used to, and you might not be able to see your feet!
When you’re feeding your baby, you might want to have something to sit on, whether that’s a mat, coat, plastic bag. If you’re bottle feeding, have one extra bottle in case you get stuck out for longer, plus a flask with hot water. If you’re breastfeeding, remember to take extra water to keep you hydrated.
Lots of first-time parents are nervous about changing their baby while walking. If you’re far from facilities, just take a mat to do it on the grass or forest floor. If it’s raining, it can be really helpful to have a walking buddy on hand to hold an umbrella for you, but if you’re out solo you can balance an umbrella on its side to keep your baby dry. They’ll love it!
It’s not just your baby who will feel the call of nature! If you’re baby-wearing somewhere without facilities and you haven’t got a friend with you to mind the baby for a minute, either lay the baby down, or you’d be surprised at how well practised you can get at weeing in the woods with a baby attached! One of our favourite tips from our community is to hold on to a tree for balance!
In terms of your baby’s safety, monitor their temperature and position in the carrier or pram, and adjust their clothing layers or position as needed.
Pay attention to your energy levels; if you start to feel tired or like baby is getting heavy then start heading back so you don’t get stuck too far away.
Babies will probably find being outside really stimulating and you can talk to them about what you’re seeing, describing the landscape or colours, but also let loose and get practising those animal noises or have a singalong - feel liberated in the outdoors!
Finally, while you’re out do make sure you capture your brilliant memories of walking with your baby - they’ll be some of your favourite photos to look back on.
Remember
If you need encouragement or support, look no further than your local Blaze Trails group. Your community is here for you no matter what stage you’re at in your walking or parenting journey!