Children’s brains are most receptive in the first three years of life making this the most important period for babies and toddlers’ interaction with their parents.  Their feeling of safety and security as well as their ability to communicate easily is greatly influenced during these early years.

A recent survey has shown that pushchairs that face towards the parents result in greater interaction with talking and laughter than those that face away.  This study was published by the National Literacy Trust for the Talk to your Baby campaign and funded by the educational charity The Sutton Trust. 

Suzanne Zeedyk, of Dundee University’s school of psychology, included in the research an observational study of more than 2722 parent-infant pairs across the country.  Some 62% of babies were in forward facing pushchairs, while the number increased to 80% for toddlers.

Research revealed that children in front facing push chairs could feel emotionally isolated and are significantly less likely to talk, laugh, and interact with their parents than those in which the buggy faced the parent. 

A small scale study of 20 babies across a one mile stretch across Dundee suggested that in the parent facing buggies, babies average heart rate was slightly lower and they were twice as likely to fall asleep, suggesting that they were more at ease and relaxed than those in the forward facing buggy.

Zeedyk emphasised that further research was required, but said “If babies are spending significant amounts of time in baby buggy that undermines their ability to communicate with their parent at an age when the brain is developing more than it ever will again, then this has to input negatively on their development.  “Our experimental study showed that simply by turning the buggy around, parents’ rate of talking to their baby doubled”. 

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