Baby transport
Encyclopedia
Baby transport consists of devices for transporting and carrying infants. A "child carrier" or "baby carrier" is a device used to carry an infant or small child on the body of an adult. Such on-the-body carriers are designed in various forms such as baby sling
s, backpack carriers, and soft front or hip carriers, with varying materials and degrees of rigidity, decoration, support and confinement of the child.
A "baby carriage" (in North American English
), "pram" (in British English
) or "carrycot" is generally used for newborn babies and have the infant lying down facing the pusher.
A "stroller" (North American English) or "push chair" or "buggy" (British English) has the child (generally up to three years old) in a sitting position, usually facing forwards, instead of facing the pusher.
developed an early pram in 1733. He was a garden architect in England who had become well known for his work. In 1733, the Duke of Devonshire asked Kent to build a means of transportation that would carry his children. Kent obliged by constructing a shell shaped basket on wheels that the children could sit in. This was richly decorated and meant to be pulled by a goat or small pony. Benjamin Potter Crandall sold baby carriages in America in the 1830s which have been described as the "first baby carriages manufactured in America" His son, Jesse Armour Crandall
was issued a number of patents for improvements and additions to the standard models. These included adding a brake to carriages, a model which folded, designs for parasols and an umbrella hanger. By 1840, the baby carriage became extremely popular. Queen Victoria bought three carriages from Hitchings Baby Store.
The carriages of those days were built of wood or wicker and held together by expensive brass joints. These sometimes became heavily ornamented works of art. Models were also named after royalty, Princess and Duchess being popular names, as well as Balmoral and Windsor.
In June 1889, William Richardson
patented his idea of the first reversible stroller. The bassinet was designed so it could face out or in towards the parent. He also made structural changes to the carriage. Until then the axis did not allow each wheel to move separately, Richardson’s design allowed this, which increased maneuverability of the carriages.
As the 1920s began, modern baby carriages were now available to all families. They were also becoming safer, as new features like larger wheels, brakes, deeper prams, and lower, sturdier frames began to appear.
In 1965, Owen Maclaren
, an aeronautical engineer, worked on complaints his daughter made about traveling from England to America with her heavy pram. Using his knowledge of aeroplanes, Maclaren designed a stroller with an aluminum frame and created the first true umbrella stroller. He then went on to found Maclaren
which manufactured and sold his new design. The design took off and soon “strollers” were easier to transport and used everywhere.
Since the 1980s, the stroller industry has developed with new features, safer construction and more accessories.
, backpack carriers, and soft front or hip carriers, with varying materials and degrees of rigidity, decoration, support and confinement of the child. Slings, soft front carriers, and "carrycots" are typically used for infants who lack the ability to sit or to hold their head up. Frame backpack carriers (a modification of the frame backpack
), hip carriers, slings, mei tais and a variety of other soft carriers are used for older children.
s, and have been used in many indigenous cultures. Devices for carrying children, not on the body, take the form of "carrycots", although many cultures have produced portable cradles, cradleboards, baskets, travois and other devices for making young infants easier to pick up and set down quickly. The modern car seat infant carrier is a relative latecomer.
On-the-body baby carrying started being known in western countries in the 1960s, with the advent of the structured soft pack in the mid 1960s. Around the same time, the frame backpack quickly became a popular way to carry older babies and toddlers. In the early 1970s, the wrap was reintroduced in Germany. In 1986, the ring sling was invented and popularized. In the early 1990s, the modern pouch carrier was created in Hawaii. While the Chinese mei tai has been around in one form or another for centuries, it did not become popular in the west until it was modernized with padding and other adjustments. It first became popular and well known in mid-2003.
baby carrier used to keep babies secure and comfortable and at the same time allowing the mothers freedom to work and travel. The cradleboards were attached to the mother’s back straps from the shoulder or the head.
For travel, cradleboards could be hung on a saddle or travois. Ethnographic tradition indicates that it was common practice to cradleboard newborn children until they were able to walk, although many mothers continued to swaddle
their children well past the first birthday.
Bound and wrapped on a cradleboard, a baby can feel safe and secure. Soft materials such as lichens, moss and shredded bark were used for cushioning and diapers. Cradleboards were either cut from flat pieces of wood or woven from flexible twigs like willow and hazel, and cushioned with soft, absorbent materials.
The design of most cradleboards is a flat surface with the child wrapped tightly to it. It is usually only able to move its head.
), "perambulator" or "pram" (in British English
) is generally used for newborn babies and has the infant lying down facing the pusher.
Prams have been widely used in the UK since the Victorian era
. As they developed through the years suspension
was added, making the ride smoother for both the baby and the person pushing it. In the 1970s, however, the trend was more towards a more basic version, not fully sprung, and with a detachable body known as a "carrycot". Now, prams are very rarely used, being large and expensive when compared with "buggies" (see below). One of the longer lived and better known brands in the UK is Silver Cross
, first manufactured in Hunslet
, Leeds
, in 1877, and later Guiseley
from 1936 until 2002 when the factory closed. Silver Cross was then bought by the toy company David Halsall and Sons who relocated the head office to Skipton and expanded into a range of new, modern baby products including pushchairs and "travel systems". They continue to sell the traditional Silver Cross coach prams which are manufactured at a factory in Bingley in Yorkshire.
Strollers for multiple infants include the twin (side-by-side) and the tandem
configurations.
"Pushchair" was the popularly used term in the UK between its invention and the early 1980s, when a more compact design known as a "buggy" became the trend, popularised by the conveniently collapsible aluminium framed Maclaren
buggy designed and patented by the British aeronautical designer Owen Maclaren
in 1965. "Pushchair" is the usual term in the UK, but is becoming increasingly replaced by buggy; in American English, buggy is synonymous with baby carriage. Newer versions can be configured to carry a baby lying down like a low pram and then be reconfigured to carry the child in the forward-facing position.
A variety of twin pushchairs are manufactured, some designed for babies of a similar age (such as twin
s) and some for those with a small age gap.
Triple pushchairs are a fairly recent addition, due to the number of multiple birth
s being on the increase. Safety guidelines for standard pushchairs apply. Most triple buggies have a weight limit of 50 kg and recommended use for children up to the age of 4 years.
Another benefit of a travel system is that the detached chassis (generally an umbrella closing chassis) when folded will usually be smaller than other types, to transport it in a car trunk or boot
.
Also, the baby seat will snap into a base meant to stay in an automobile, becoming a car seat. This allows undisturbed movement of the baby from the car to the stroller, reducing the chance of waking a sleeping baby.
Suitable from birth to around 3 years (excepting the baby car seat that generally is a Group 0 + ; see baby car seat).
which is secured to the seat of an automobile equipped with safety harness
es to hold an infant in the event of a crash.
Infant car seats are legally required in many countries to safely transport children up to the age of 2 or more years in cars and other vehicles. The main international standard for baby and child car seats was set by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UN ECE), and the current (2004) version is colloquially known as “Regulation ECE R44-04”.
In 1990, the International Organization for Standardization
launched the ISOFIX
standard, in an attempt to provide a standard for fixing car seats into different makes of car. The U.S. version of this system is called LATCH. While some manufacturers have started selling ISOFIX-compliant baby car seats, there has been a long delay in agreeing on the technical specifications. The current version of the standard was published in 1999 and has yet to become widely used.
s may be positioned behind the adult rider, fastened to luggage racks, or in front, between the adult's arms.
Bicycle trailer
s are also used for the transport of young children.
Baby sling
A baby sling is a piece of cloth that supports an infant or other small child from a carer's body. The use of a baby sling is called babywearing.- Ring slings :...
s, backpack carriers, and soft front or hip carriers, with varying materials and degrees of rigidity, decoration, support and confinement of the child.
A "baby carriage" (in North American English
North American English
North American English is the variety of the English language of North America, including that of the United States and Canada. Because of their shared histories and the similarities between the pronunciation, vocabulary and accent of American English and Canadian English, the two spoken languages...
), "pram" (in British English
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
) or "carrycot" is generally used for newborn babies and have the infant lying down facing the pusher.
A "stroller" (North American English) or "push chair" or "buggy" (British English) has the child (generally up to three years old) in a sitting position, usually facing forwards, instead of facing the pusher.
History
Push chairs and prams
William KentWilliam Kent
William Kent , born in Bridlington, Yorkshire, was an eminent English architect, landscape architect and furniture designer of the early 18th century.He was baptised as William Cant.-Education:...
developed an early pram in 1733. He was a garden architect in England who had become well known for his work. In 1733, the Duke of Devonshire asked Kent to build a means of transportation that would carry his children. Kent obliged by constructing a shell shaped basket on wheels that the children could sit in. This was richly decorated and meant to be pulled by a goat or small pony. Benjamin Potter Crandall sold baby carriages in America in the 1830s which have been described as the "first baby carriages manufactured in America" His son, Jesse Armour Crandall
Jesse Armour Crandall
Jesse Armour Crandall was an American inventor and toy-maker. He had taken out over 150 patents on toys in his 75 years of inventing. Crandall's father, Benjamin Potter Crandall, was also a toy-maker as well as three of Jesse's brothers...
was issued a number of patents for improvements and additions to the standard models. These included adding a brake to carriages, a model which folded, designs for parasols and an umbrella hanger. By 1840, the baby carriage became extremely popular. Queen Victoria bought three carriages from Hitchings Baby Store.
The carriages of those days were built of wood or wicker and held together by expensive brass joints. These sometimes became heavily ornamented works of art. Models were also named after royalty, Princess and Duchess being popular names, as well as Balmoral and Windsor.
In June 1889, William Richardson
William Richardson
-Irish politicians:*William Richardson , MP for Armagh and Hillsborough*William Richardson , MP for Augher*William Richardson , MP for Armagh*William Richardson , MP for Armagh...
patented his idea of the first reversible stroller. The bassinet was designed so it could face out or in towards the parent. He also made structural changes to the carriage. Until then the axis did not allow each wheel to move separately, Richardson’s design allowed this, which increased maneuverability of the carriages.
As the 1920s began, modern baby carriages were now available to all families. They were also becoming safer, as new features like larger wheels, brakes, deeper prams, and lower, sturdier frames began to appear.
In 1965, Owen Maclaren
Owen Maclaren
Owen Finlay Maclaren MBE was the inventor of the lightweight baby buggy with a collapsible support assembly.-Early life:He was born in Essex to Andrew Maclaren and Eva . His father died in 1914...
, an aeronautical engineer, worked on complaints his daughter made about traveling from England to America with her heavy pram. Using his knowledge of aeroplanes, Maclaren designed a stroller with an aluminum frame and created the first true umbrella stroller. He then went on to found Maclaren
Maclaren
For the Formula One racing team, see McLaren. For other uses, see McLaren .Maclaren is an English-based baby buggies, strollers and carriers manufacturer.-Product range:...
which manufactured and sold his new design. The design took off and soon “strollers” were easier to transport and used everywhere.
Since the 1980s, the stroller industry has developed with new features, safer construction and more accessories.
Child carriers
A "child carrier" (also called a "baby carrier") is a device used to carry an infant or small child. This can be on the body of an adult, or separately. On-the-body carriers are designed in various forms such as slingsBaby sling
A baby sling is a piece of cloth that supports an infant or other small child from a carer's body. The use of a baby sling is called babywearing.- Ring slings :...
, backpack carriers, and soft front or hip carriers, with varying materials and degrees of rigidity, decoration, support and confinement of the child. Slings, soft front carriers, and "carrycots" are typically used for infants who lack the ability to sit or to hold their head up. Frame backpack carriers (a modification of the frame backpack
Backpack
A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...
), hip carriers, slings, mei tais and a variety of other soft carriers are used for older children.
Slings and baby carriers
Although the carrying of children on the body using devices is a relatively recent phenomenon in the West, the practice has been established in many cultures for centuries. Images of children being carried in slings can be seen in Egyptian artwork dating back to the time of the PharaohPharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
s, and have been used in many indigenous cultures. Devices for carrying children, not on the body, take the form of "carrycots", although many cultures have produced portable cradles, cradleboards, baskets, travois and other devices for making young infants easier to pick up and set down quickly. The modern car seat infant carrier is a relative latecomer.
On-the-body baby carrying started being known in western countries in the 1960s, with the advent of the structured soft pack in the mid 1960s. Around the same time, the frame backpack quickly became a popular way to carry older babies and toddlers. In the early 1970s, the wrap was reintroduced in Germany. In 1986, the ring sling was invented and popularized. In the early 1990s, the modern pouch carrier was created in Hawaii. While the Chinese mei tai has been around in one form or another for centuries, it did not become popular in the west until it was modernized with padding and other adjustments. It first became popular and well known in mid-2003.
Cradleboard
A cradleboard is a Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
baby carrier used to keep babies secure and comfortable and at the same time allowing the mothers freedom to work and travel. The cradleboards were attached to the mother’s back straps from the shoulder or the head.
For travel, cradleboards could be hung on a saddle or travois. Ethnographic tradition indicates that it was common practice to cradleboard newborn children until they were able to walk, although many mothers continued to swaddle
Swaddling
Swaddling is an age-old practice of wrapping infants in swaddling cloths, blankets or similar cloth so that movement of the limbs is tightly restricted. Swaddling bands were often used to further restrict the infant...
their children well past the first birthday.
Bound and wrapped on a cradleboard, a baby can feel safe and secure. Soft materials such as lichens, moss and shredded bark were used for cushioning and diapers. Cradleboards were either cut from flat pieces of wood or woven from flexible twigs like willow and hazel, and cushioned with soft, absorbent materials.
The design of most cradleboards is a flat surface with the child wrapped tightly to it. It is usually only able to move its head.
Carriages and prams
A "baby carriage" (in North American EnglishNorth American English
North American English is the variety of the English language of North America, including that of the United States and Canada. Because of their shared histories and the similarities between the pronunciation, vocabulary and accent of American English and Canadian English, the two spoken languages...
), "perambulator" or "pram" (in British English
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
) is generally used for newborn babies and has the infant lying down facing the pusher.
Prams have been widely used in the UK since the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. As they developed through the years suspension
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
was added, making the ride smoother for both the baby and the person pushing it. In the 1970s, however, the trend was more towards a more basic version, not fully sprung, and with a detachable body known as a "carrycot". Now, prams are very rarely used, being large and expensive when compared with "buggies" (see below). One of the longer lived and better known brands in the UK is Silver Cross
Silver Cross (pram)
Silver Cross is a British manufacturer of wheeled baby transport, and is traditionally associated with large, four-wheel baby carriages that featured wooden bodies and leaf spring suspension....
, first manufactured in Hunslet
Hunslet
Hunslet is an inner-city area in south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is south east of the city centre and has an industrial past.Hunslet had many engineering companies based in the district, such as John Fowler & Co...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, in 1877, and later Guiseley
Guiseley
Guiseley is a small town in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Situated south of Otley and Menston, it is a suburb of north west Leeds. At the 2001 census, Guiseley together with Rawdon had a population of over 21,000. The A65, which passes through the town, is the...
from 1936 until 2002 when the factory closed. Silver Cross was then bought by the toy company David Halsall and Sons who relocated the head office to Skipton and expanded into a range of new, modern baby products including pushchairs and "travel systems". They continue to sell the traditional Silver Cross coach prams which are manufactured at a factory in Bingley in Yorkshire.
Strollers and pushchairs
A "stroller" (North American English) or "pram" (British English, "push chair" being previously used as well but less currently) has the child (generally up to three years old) in a sitting position, usually facing forwards, instead of facing the pusher.Strollers for multiple infants include the twin (side-by-side) and the tandem
Tandem
Tandem is an arrangement where a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction....
configurations.
"Pushchair" was the popularly used term in the UK between its invention and the early 1980s, when a more compact design known as a "buggy" became the trend, popularised by the conveniently collapsible aluminium framed Maclaren
Maclaren
For the Formula One racing team, see McLaren. For other uses, see McLaren .Maclaren is an English-based baby buggies, strollers and carriers manufacturer.-Product range:...
buggy designed and patented by the British aeronautical designer Owen Maclaren
Owen Maclaren
Owen Finlay Maclaren MBE was the inventor of the lightweight baby buggy with a collapsible support assembly.-Early life:He was born in Essex to Andrew Maclaren and Eva . His father died in 1914...
in 1965. "Pushchair" is the usual term in the UK, but is becoming increasingly replaced by buggy; in American English, buggy is synonymous with baby carriage. Newer versions can be configured to carry a baby lying down like a low pram and then be reconfigured to carry the child in the forward-facing position.
A variety of twin pushchairs are manufactured, some designed for babies of a similar age (such as twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
s) and some for those with a small age gap.
Triple pushchairs are a fairly recent addition, due to the number of multiple birth
Multiple birth
A multiple birth occurs when more than one fetus is carried to term in a single pregnancy. Different names for multiple births are used, depending on the number of offspring. Common multiples are two and three, known as twins and triplets...
s being on the increase. Safety guidelines for standard pushchairs apply. Most triple buggies have a weight limit of 50 kg and recommended use for children up to the age of 4 years.
Travel systems or 3-in-1
A travel system is typically a set consisting of a chassis with a detachable baby seat and/or carrycot. Thus a travel system can be switched between a pushchair and a pram.Another benefit of a travel system is that the detached chassis (generally an umbrella closing chassis) when folded will usually be smaller than other types, to transport it in a car trunk or boot
Trunk (automobile)
The trunk or boot of an automobile or car is the vehicle's main storage, luggage, or cargo compartment. Trunk is used in North American English and Jamaican English; boot is used elsewhere in the English speaking world. Trunk is also primarily used in many non-English speaking regions, such as...
.
Also, the baby seat will snap into a base meant to stay in an automobile, becoming a car seat. This allows undisturbed movement of the baby from the car to the stroller, reducing the chance of waking a sleeping baby.
Suitable from birth to around 3 years (excepting the baby car seat that generally is a Group 0 + ; see baby car seat).
Infant car seats
An "infant safety seat", a "child restraint system" or "restraint car seat" is a restraintRestraint
Restraint may refer to:* A personal virtue. See self control.* Physical restraint, the practice of rendering people helpless or keeping them in captivity by means such as handcuffs, ropes, straps, etc....
which is secured to the seat of an automobile equipped with safety harness
Safety harness
A safety harness is a form of protective equipment designed to protect a person, animal, or object from injury or damage. The harness is an attachment between a stationary and non-stationary object and is usually fabricated from rope, cable or webbing and locking hardware...
es to hold an infant in the event of a crash.
Infant car seats are legally required in many countries to safely transport children up to the age of 2 or more years in cars and other vehicles. The main international standard for baby and child car seats was set by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. It is one of five regional commissions under the administrative direction of United Nations headquarters. It has 56 member states, and reports to the UN Economic and...
(UN ECE), and the current (2004) version is colloquially known as “Regulation ECE R44-04”.
In 1990, the International Organization for Standardization
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
launched the ISOFIX
ISOFIX
ISOFIX is the international standard for attachment points for child safety seats in passenger cars. The system has various other regional names including LATCH in the United States and LUAS or Canfix in Canada...
standard, in an attempt to provide a standard for fixing car seats into different makes of car. The U.S. version of this system is called LATCH. While some manufacturers have started selling ISOFIX-compliant baby car seats, there has been a long delay in agreeing on the technical specifications. The current version of the standard was published in 1999 and has yet to become widely used.
Infant transport by bicycle
Children's bicycle seatChildren's bicycle seat
A Children's bicycle seat is a saddle that is designed to be put on a bicycle for children to be transported in. The most common place for child bicycle seats are in the rear of the bicycle....
s may be positioned behind the adult rider, fastened to luggage racks, or in front, between the adult's arms.
Bicycle trailer
Bicycle trailer
A bicycle trailer is a motorless wheeled frame with a hitch system for transporting cargo by bicycle. It can greatly increase a bike's cargo capacity, allowing point-to-point haulage of objects up to 4 cubic yards in volume that weigh as much as half-a-ton.-Types:Different types of trailer are...
s are also used for the transport of young children.
- Child passenger (as cargo): constructed to enhance the comfort and safety of one or more small human passengers. These usually have a low center of gravityCenter of gravityIn physics, a center of gravity of a material body is a point that may be used for a summary description of gravitational interactions. In a uniform gravitational field, the center of mass serves as the center of gravity...
and widely-spaced wheels to increase stability when cornering, and often have integrated rain-proof covers, seat padding, and safety beltsSeat beltA seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
. A lot of the trailers designed for transporting children can also be converted to strollers. - Child passenger (as rider): Trailer bikeTrailer bikeTrailer bike is a one-wheeled bicycle trailer designed to carry one or more small riders in positions that closely resemble that of a bicycle rider...
s, one-wheel trailers (tandem trailers) with integrated seat, handle bars, and drive train, that normally attaches to the bike via the seat post (and operate very much like a tandem). These allow small children who can't yet ride a bicycle alone to accompany adult riders as participants and motive-power producers. These trailers are by far the most popular style.
Complements
- Bag clips and changing bags
- A buggy board attaching to the buggy (stroller) to carry another child
- Footmuff
- Insect netMosquito netA mosquito net offers protection against mosquitos, flies, and other insects, and thus against diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and various forms of encephalitis, including the West Nile virus, if used properly and especially if treated with an insecticide, which can double...
- Parasol
- Net bag, basket or tray
- Stroller toybar
See also
- Baby slingBaby slingA baby sling is a piece of cloth that supports an infant or other small child from a carer's body. The use of a baby sling is called babywearing.- Ring slings :...
- BabywearingBabywearingBabywearing is the practice of wearing or carrying a baby or child in a sling or other form of carrier. Babywearing is far from new and has been practised for centuries around the world...
- BusBusA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
- CradleboardCradleboardCradleboards are traditional protective baby-carriers used by many indigenous cultures in North America. There are a variety of styles of cradleboard, reflecting the diverse artisan practises of indigenous cultures...
- Silver Cross (pram)Silver Cross (pram)Silver Cross is a British manufacturer of wheeled baby transport, and is traditionally associated with large, four-wheel baby carriages that featured wooden bodies and leaf spring suspension....
External links
- Bushwalkers' pram (1930s) at the National Museum of Australia.