Forward-Facing Strollers Have Backward Effect

Parents who place babies in forward-facing strollers could be harming their child’s development, a study suggests. Infants in carriages who were not turned toward their caregivers were less likely to sleep, laugh, or interact with them, the Telegraph reports. The study also found that babies in away-facing carriages have faster heart rates and could have higher stress levels.

Life in a stroller “is emotionally impoverished and possibly stressful,” said the UK study’s lead author. “Stressed babies grow into anxious adults.” Parents using away-facing strollers were half as likely to talk to with their infants, a finding that the author called “worrying.” Researchers called for more affordable models of face-to-face strollers, which often are too expensive for many families.