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  Fit & Pregnant - Kindle ebook

Fit Family - Kindle ebook

The Fall issue of Vermont Life has a nice review of Heidi Hill's Fit Family. 

The article says in part ...."Not only does her book encourage parents to stay active through the hectic child-rearing years, she recommends the benefits of exercising as a family for the kids, too, since it helps them learn healthy lifestyles at an early age and avoid childhood obesity, a major health problem..... Perhaps most helpful of all is Hill's positive, can-do attitude. Plan, be flexible but be sure to get out and exercise is her advice. Her book will help parents find feasible and creative ways of getting and staying healthy."

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You've waited until your baby is old enough to transport and have decided whether to use a bike trailer or child carrier -- now here's some advice on routes and safety.

Picking A  Route (from Fit Family - Chapter 5)

• Speed limit
• Width of shoulder
• Condition of road – major cracks along the bike lane can be annoying and/or hazardous
• Traffic – roads that are busy during the commute hours may be quiet during off hours
• Places to stop along the way (a park, café, convenience store) – especially if you’re on a long ride and need to fuel up and get the kids out, diapers changed, etc.
• Shade – on hot summer days opt for shady routes that will keep everyone cooler and somewhat protected from the sun
• Prep time and energy required if you have to drive to your riding location (loading/unloading and assembly of bikes/equipment can be a chore)

Padding

"Trailer arrangements can be better if you support the child's head on both sides with padding so it cannot bobble around too much, particulary when they doze off and you are not aware of it. But seated upright or reclining in a trailer the baby also needs a pillow behind them to provide clearance for their helmet in the back. Without the pillow their chin is forced down toward the chest by the thickness of the back of the helmet. Even if you use a child carrier that keeps the baby perfectly stable, the child will be subjected to a rougher ride than you will be on your bicycle." (from Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute)

Debris
"Unknown to riders sitting high above the ground, bike wheels throw up a surprising amount of dirt and grit, even on apparently dry pavement. On gravel, this becomes a veritable shower. Adding moisture makes it even worse. We've been amazed at the amount of crud plastered on the front and even the top of our trailer, despite having full fenders on the towing bicycle. All this debris will fly into the face of an infant in a [forward facing] trailer unless the front covers are in place. Infants may lack the communication skill to report this bombardment, and recognition of the problem may not come before the first eye injury. In addition, breathing swirling street dust cannot be healthy." (from Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute)

photo by markwgallagher

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      Cyclist parents love their babies and love their bicycles, so it is natural to want to put the two together.  While waiting for the baby to be old enough, you have several options to consider to bring the child along.  The primary two are bike trailers and bike child seats.

Trailers usually come in bright colors to make them visible to drivers. They also come with an attachable safety flag to draw more attention at eye level. Most trailers connect to an adult bike frame at the chain stay via a metal arm that keeps the trailer upright even if your bike tips over. (These are more stable than those connected at the seat post.) There have been rare instances where a trailer rolled over so most models come with a roll bar and a five-point harness. The better trailers are lighter and are easy to breakdown and stow away. Bike trailers offer protection from the elements via a plastic flap that snaps to the aluminum frame. The family that passed on their trailer to us said that they rode in downpours and their kids stayed bone dry. On fair weather days, the mesh flap allows for ventilation. Some parents have told me that despite the sun protection from the tinted side windows, sun still sneaks in through the mesh flap -- so remember the sunscreen (which you’ll need anyhow for stops). 

While trailers generally ride along smoothly, they do generate added resistance on the uphills in addition to a pushing effect on the downhills. Unless you’re looking for a strength workout, you may want to steer clear of hilly routes.

Child Carriers
    Child carriers are child seats mounted in front or in back of the adult rider. They tend to raise the center of gravity and can make your bike unstable, particularly as the child gets heavier. But, while bike trailers are considered safer than child seats, a child seat is a practical mode of transport that offers convenience and affordability. These seats work well for short outings and for young or small children. Since the child fits snugly into the seat, you may be able to use a child seat a little earlier than a trailer in the infant stage. Many child seats are rated for use as early as six months but you still have to consider the same factors as you do with bike trailers.  The trickiest part of using child seats is getting the child loaded into the seat while balancing the bike and dismounting when you stop and maintaining balance. With a little practice, it should not be a problem.

A benefit of the child seat is that your child is right near you and therefore easier to communicate with. A child carrier may also be a good option for families looking to transport just one child – whether it is an only child or a younger child with an older sibling who is already riding independently.

The downside of the child seats, rear or front, is that they alter the center of gravity of the bike, which can become uncomfortable for a long ride. Kids also outgrow them sooner than they do trailers. Though rear seats usually have a weight capacity of 40 lbs (common for 4 to 5 year olds), many kids and parents find the set-up to be better up to 30 lbs (closer to 3 years of age). Other things parents have to watch out for – making sure that kids aren’t carrying something that will drop into the spokes and paying attention to loading and unloading the child, a common place for spills. Child seats lack the protection of trailers, but they do offer kids a higher vantage point and the sun and wind on their face, which can be a good thing.

top photo by Howard N2GOT     bottom photo by author

this article was adapted from Chapter 5 of Fit Family

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This is from Dr. Dolgoff's excellent blog:

"Your dog can truly be your child's best friend. Give your child the chore of walking the dog and voila- instant movement! Dogs love to run around outside.

Chances are your child will feed off of the dog's enthusiasm. Encourage your child to play outside with the dog as much as possible. Studies show that simply getting your kid outside of the house helps with weight loss. So don't even mention exercise! Just tell your kids that the dog is getting restless and suggest they take him for a walk, play chase, or even play fetch. Once they are in the routine of walking the dog, tell them that their beloved pet is getting too heavy and the vet wants the doggy to run around a bit. All vets encourage exercise so it is not really a lie ;) In any case, suggest that your child jog with the dog for one minute and then walk for five minutes. Each week, increase the jogging by thirty seconds and decrease the walking by thirty seconds. In time, your child and dog will be jogging straight through! Gradually increase the length of the walks.

Not only will your child benefit- but your dog will be in better shape as well!"

photo by lucas vermeer

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 "... plenty of parents are looking for excuses to get their kids out of the house. Why not take a family hike? While many associate hiking with summer or early fall, the winter can be a terrific time to hit the trails. Cooler months often mean far fewer crowds and present different viewing opportunities for young eyes. So with that in mind, here are seven tips for a more enjoyable hike (these work, of course, regardless of season). I won’t add it to the list, but clearly, if your climate calls for it, dress in layers — ideally non-cotton layers — appropriate for where you live. Now, the list:

1. Give kids real responsibility Captain (hiking leader), Cook (snacks holder), Chief Navigator (map holder/user), Lead Photographer, etc. These all work. Just be sure you have a role for each child.

2. Switch roles frequently If you have 4 kids or fewer on the trip, switch often enough (roughly every 7-8 minutes for four kids) so that all can be Captain at least once per half hour.

3. Think Journey, Journey, Journey Every time you announce a role change, remind yourself that this is about the journey, not the destination, and that the kids are dictating the pace (30 photos of tree sap? Of course that’s a good idea!) ..."  (read the whole article)