Melissa and Tammy Etheridge out with their twins
Melissa and Tammy Etheridge went out for pizza and a walk in Santa Monica with their twins, Johnnie and Miller, 4 months. We assume that’s a sleeping Johnnie riding on Tammy under the blanket in the Baby Bjorn. In the first photo, Miller rides in a pink Kolcraft umbrella stroller ($20), which, for a cheapy stroller, is not too shabby. (We have one for Anya and I prefer the way it handles to my $100 Combi. Granted, this one doesn’t recline or have a basket and the canopy is pretty shallow, but not bad for twenty bucks.)
As several readers have noted, a non-reclining stroller is not recommended for infants who can’t sit up on their own. Because they can’t sit up, they will slump or curl up like the babies are pictured here. Extended periods of sitting upright can hinder spinal development in young babies. The best position for them for correct neck and spinal development is for them to be lying flat on their backs, which is why strollers with bassinet attachments or full recline are great.
Tammy writes on her blog this morning that she was upset by the comments and explains that she and Melissa are both recovering from the flu and are exhausted. While waiting for their meal after going to the twins’ 4 month checkup, they debated putting Miller in the stroller, as they know it is too big for him, but decided to as he is now too heavy to hold "for long without our arms falling off." Tammy also points out that there are many photos, but they were only taken in a couple of minutes.
We’re so sorry Tammy! We didn’t mean to say you and Melissa are bad moms. We love you guys. Not everyone knows about the stroller thing (as evidenced by many moms using carseats and Snap and Go’s as their main strollers) and by pointing this out, we hoped to educate our own readers, not pass judgment on you and Melissa. One suggestion- if the babies are too heavy to carry, you may want to try a sling or a mei tai or a wrap. They are more comfy than the Baby Bjorn for a heavy baby (for you and the baby). Also, we hope that you DO publish your own photos of the babies. That will definitely keep the paparazzi at bay. It’s the reason why Sarah Jessica Parker told the press exactly when and where they would be leaving the hospital after she gave birth to James. The photos were then worth practically nothing because no one had an exclusive and so many photos flooded the market. It’s all about supply and demand. If you make photos publicly and freely available, they’ll lose interest and leave you guys alone.
Source: FlynetPictures.com, Flynetonline.com, used with permission
Click Continue Reading for two more photos, including a close-up of Johnnie.
