8 top tips for baby carrier walking

Getting out for the first time with your baby in a sling or carrier can feel daunting, but it has so many benefits for you and your baby and will give you a huge sense of freedom. 

Here are our top 8 tips for you and baby to get the most out of your sling walks:

1. Choose the right sling for you

The possibilities are endless, so do your research and find one that fits your needs. You can also try some out at your local sling library.

2. Invest in some good footwear

Forget the Louboutins! Comfy, sturdy and supportive shoes with good grip are a must for walking with baby. You definitely don’t want to be slipping over when carrying such precious cargo.

3. Wear layers

Opt for thin thermal base layers for you, and something over you and baby if it’s cold. Avoid snowsuits for baby as they prevent your little one from sitting properly in the sling. Cover their extremities and choose thin layers you can add or take away.

4. Posture

Babies are heavy, so try and protect your back by keeping upright. Consider walking poles for off-road walks, which will take the pressure off your joints and prevent slips if you’re in the mud.

5. Remember T.I.C.K.S

T.I.C.K.S stands for Tight, In view, Close enough to kiss, Keep chin off chest, Support their back (and yours). This is important if you’re carrying baby in a sling on your front.

6. Embrace outdoor feeding

Boobs, bottles or snacks, feeding baby outside is a great experience for you both. Don’t feel worried about this, make sure you have what you need for unexpected hunger before you set off.

7. If in doubt, pack it! 

If you’re heading out for a longer walk, pack for nappy changes, unexpected weather conditions and hunger. Some slings and baby carriers have handy storage pockets, otherwise use a supportive rucksack.

8. Enjoy it! 

The first time can be daunting and may not go to plan. But you can start small and build yourself up to longer walks. Just take your time and enjoy the closeness with your baby.

Now you’ve read our tips, why not sign up to a sling walk with one of our walking groups?

The 5 best baby walks in Sussex

If you’re fortunate enough to live in beautiful Sussex, you really are spoilt for choice when it comes to baby walks, with something to suit all ages, abilities and moods. There’s ambling countryside walks, walks through the deep dark forests and bracing coastal walks. There’s no chance of getting bored by the same old scenery.

It was so hard to whittle down, but here are our 5 favourite baby walks in Sussex…

Ardingly Reservoir 

Ardingly Reservoir is a beautiful local nature reserve in Mid Sussex and there are various walking paths from the main car park, either along the eastern shore of the lake, or off towards the Grade II listed Ouse Valley Viaduct.

There are plenty of benches along the lake which are great for picnics, or as a spot to rest whilst taking in the view.  

A great walk with little ones is a short scenic loop of about 2.6km, which takes you along the side of the lake and up into a field for a higher view of the lake before circling back to the lake with a beautiful view of the viaduct from afar.

Devil’s Dyke

Devil’s Dyke is a stunning spot on the South Downs with dedicated walking tails by the National Trust. From here, you can enjoy extensive views of the Sussex countryside.  

We love this spot for children as you can either choose to park lower down and walk up, taking one of many paths that lead you to the top, or use the main car park right at the top for a stunning view and a little leg friendly meander on the paths from there.  

Devil’s Dyke is a popular spot for paragliding, so you can spend time watching them take flight and circle around above you.

Ashdown Forest – Millbrook Circular

We’re lucky to have the Ashdown Forest – home of Winnie the Pooh – on our doorstep and are spoilt for choice when it comes to walks. The Millbrook Circular is a good one, as it’s a manageable 2.7km loop, which is accessible all year round.  

The route takes in the Nutley Windmill, as well as a pond, streams and some great views of the forest. In the summer months, there are often sheep and cattle grazing on the route, which the kids love.

The Cuckoo Trail

Popular with cyclists, this picturesque 11-mile trail runs from Heathfield to Polegate and takes the route of the former Cuckoo Line railway track. It’s great for a pushchair walk, and safe for older ones to ride their bikes along. There are plenty of things to spot along the way, including bridges and sculptures, and there are a number of picnic benches where you can stop for some lunch or just to rest little legs.

Seaford promenade

The seafront in Seaford is great, as it has a wide paved path, making it perfect for a stroll with a pushchair and for older ones to ride their bikes or scooters. The beauty of the promenade is that you can make the walk as long or short as you want to. We tend to park in the Buckle car park and walk along to Seaford Head, stopping for an ice cream before walking back. 

Do you have a favourite Sussex walk? Let us know.

5 top tips for trekking with toddlers

There comes a time when your baby is – well – not such a baby any more!

There are lots of reasons why you might start to transition from baby carrying to exploring with little legs.

Maybe they’re getting antsy in the carrier and wanting to walk, or you’re fed up of carrying such a heavy load, or it’s time for them to pass their slot in the sling on to a new sibling….

As with all transitions, there’s no one way to do this right. Those of us who have been through it have collected some tips which may help you – feel free to try them out and let us know what works for you!

It’s going to be slow

Be prepared for this fact: your normal routes will take much longer! You’ll need frequent stops for snacks and to admire all the things your toddler notices along the way.

It’s great to see the world through our children’s eyes and to stop and admire every stone or leaf or tuft of grass, but it can also be cold and frustrating!

Make time for your walks together and try not to have a hard deadline that you’re rushing to.

Build up stamina

In the same way you would for yourself, build up your little one’s stamina by increasing the distance they walk every week or so.

For example, if you’re normally carrying them for a 5k walk, let them walk for 500m to a kilometre themselves to start with, depending on their confidence. Slowly build up the distance, and – as with all milestones  – don’t expect improvement to be linear.

Incentives

We never realised how important these were before having a toddler.

Doing a treasure hunt or playing eye spy can be a great way of enjoying the walk together and to incentivise them to get to the next thing.

Mine loves trains, so walking to the train station is a great incentive because he knows there’s something exciting at the end. Likewise the park, Grandpa’s house, a favourite hill or bench, even the shops!

Snacks

Once you’ve got to your desired destination it can be trickier to incentivise your little one to get home again.

Snacks can play an important role here – they’re a good distraction and a boost of energy. In fact, toddlers use so much energy while they’re walking that they need constant refuelling.

If they’re getting fed up and want carrying, sometimes a short break with a banana or half a sandwich will do the trick.

Shoes

Your toddler’s regular shoes are the best thing for them to walk in to start with, as they’ll have been fitted properly and should be nice and comfortable. But in the winter this isn’t always practical and you may opt for wellies instead.

Just be aware that not all wellies are particularly comfortable and supportive for walking longer distances. When your little one is a more established walker, you might want to invest in a pair of walking boots.

And most importantly…

ENJOY IT!

Some of our Blaze Trails groups offer toddler walks, so do keep an eye out for those – sometimes the best encouragement is for our little ones to see lots of other children doing the same thing!

The 5 best baby hikes in the Lake District

As a family who live in the Lake District with our four young children, we, of course, adore being outside with our children. 

Prior to having children, my husband and I loved to hike in the Lakes. When we had our first child, we were sure that our fell walking days would have to be put on hold for a good few years – how wrong we were!! 

In fact, those first two years when your baby still fits in a baby carrier and hasn’t realised how much more exciting it is to be on their feet is the perfect time to get hiking and exploring. 

Here are five wonderful Lake District walks that are perfect for baby carrying, and some are also pram accessible.

Brothers Water

Brothers Water is a small lake in the Hartsop Valley in the Lake District. This is such an incredible walk! 

The route takes you along the shoreline of Brothers Water, and what makes this such a great walk is the level terrain – the path is wide and safe and is accessible with a single or double pram. 

The route we took was approximately 2.5 miles, however, you can walk as much or as little as you want. The path is relatively sheltered, making this a good walk for wetter days too.

Aira Force

Aira Force is a waterfall in Matterdale in the Lake District. From the High Cascades car park, it’s approximately a 1.7-mile loop. It took us 90 minutes to complete the trail, bearing in mind we have lots of little legs and explorers that do take up more time!

This walk is not pram accessible due to the number of steps to get down to the waterfall. However, it’s very family friendly. There’s so much to see, and the excitement of the huge waterfall at the end keeps any baby in a carrier entertained!

Tarn Hows

Tarn Hows circular walk is a Lake District classic as it’s a short walk that’s accessible for prams, making it a brilliant family walk. 

There’s a pay & display car park and you get some really special views of the Lakeland fells – whatever the weather! 

This walk is approximately two miles long and very easy to navigate – just follow the path clockwise around the Tarn. 

Catbells

This is a classic fell walk of the Lake District with some incredibly breathtaking views. The ‘picnic route’ that we take is often quieter and involves much less scrambling – far better for little legs or those carrying babies. 

This route is approximately four miles long and, while it’s steep in parts, our 3-year-old managed it no problem. A wonderful family walk with spectacular views.

Sale Fell

Sale Fell is a little fell of about 2.4 miles. This walk is wonderful for little legs because it isn’t too steep. 

You’re also able to park directly at the bottom of the fell, which really does help. It took us about 2 hours 30 minutes to complete it, and that was with a lot of slow walking, a picnic stop and a very exciting game of ‘skidding down the hill’ which involved a lot of going up…and then coming back down again! This is also a lovely fell walk for babies in carriers.

If you’d like to find out more of the walks that Laura and her family have completed, you can follow @thehikinghousehold on Instagram. All their walks are also mapped and documented in detail on www.thehikinghousehold.com.