Strollers

[SuzySunshine]

Okay ladies - what do I really need in a stroller? I'd like something that is light because I'm a petite person. I'd like something I can take on walks through the neighborhood, the mall and easily travel with.

There are so many options and price ranges I don't even know where to start. :huh:

[Vanquisher]

I like my peg pergo aria. It is super lightweight. It is not good for offroad, but great for malls and sidewalks and travel. Light as can be and ultra portable with a basket.

The Graco Safeseat (IMO safest car seat available for infants right now) will fit inside it as a "travel system" but will not snap in.

A vote for the Maclaren Volo or whatever their lightweight stroller is. I can fold it one-handed and it takes up little room. Downsides: it doesn't fully recline (for an infant) and doesn't have the big wheels (nice for longer walks).

I'm happy with a nicer quality umbrella stroller and a jogger.

[DCJenn]

I have to say that if you're at all outdoorsy- the Chariot is a fabulous stroller for long walks- they have a hiking and a cross-country skiing attachement too. (plus a bike, running and walking attachments)

It's very lightweight but not super easy to transport since it's so big. and not appropriate for city shopping but great in the grocery store (it became the grocery cart once Nikolai was old enough to walk home from the store with me)

jenn

I agree about the Chariot. I've had some issues with mine veering to one side and can't get that worked out. The single might be better. But I would get that only if you want to attach a bike otherwise a standard BOB jogger or that sort would be fine.

[Auspicious]

Can I ask a related question? Do you use your stroller outdoors in winter? Our baby is due in November, and my current thinking is that for the winter I will sling/wrap her and zip her under an oversized winter coat.

(I should explain that most of the errands I run and the good stuff in town are within a mile of our house and parking is iffy, so I just walk everywhere and only use our car about once a week.)

My tentative plan is to not buy a stroller until spring. Is this realistic? Particularly the zipped-in-the-coat part? I've seen pictures of people with babies zipped in their sweatshirt, etc, but I've never heard anyone say that this was their main way of carrying their newborn around all winter.

I suppose we'll need a snow-worthy stroller eventually anyway, for next winter, if nothing else. Do joggers handle the snow? (I don't mean we're going to drive her into a snowbank or anything, but some people clear their sidewalks more effectively than others, etc.)

P.S. We're also planning on a baby-bucket type carseat for when we're taking her somewhere where we're going to want to set her down.

Julie, I think you will be just fine with that. The winters here aren't nearly as cold but that is what I did (usually didn't need to zip). I'm sure it is possible but it is probably difficult to keep a little wub warm in a stroller in those conditions. I'm not much of a stroller person aside from exercising with the jogger and using the umbrella stroller at the zoo or airport. It's nice to have the umbrella stroller in the car just in case.

On those lines, I have a Hanna Andersson infant snowsuit bunting deal that I will be selling on ebay but would give the iMSN discount to anyone here. It's red, quilted, and fleece lined. Probably size 50. Also have a similar pink fine courdory RL baby snowsuit (fixed legs, doesn't zip to a bag).

Julie my gf who had her daughter in Sept in Alaska always did what you describe. She'd sling the baby and then zip her inside her coat. They'd take the dog for walks in temps I wouldn't leave home in, and Maggie was snug as a bug.

if the baby falls asleep in the carseat (um, like, all the time) then you don't have to wake them up.

Really...how does that work. Tell me more.... :banghead: :thud:

[DCJenn]

Nikolai and I bundled up and walked the dog in 20 degrees but he was over 1 at the time. The Chariot has a roll-down plastic screen to keep the heat in and rain/cold out. He was always toasty.

Jenn

[migirl]

I'm happy with a nicer quality umbrella stroller and a jogger.

This is the way we went too. I opted to not get one of those bulky travel systems, and decided instead to get a jogger and a Combi umbrella stroller. My thinking was: (1) DS was born in December, so we weren't doing a whole lot of walking around and strolling so I didn't necessarily need something that his infant seat would snap into, (2) I walk our dog around our neighborhood every day (rain, shine, snow, sleet - as long as it's warmer than 20 degrees) so I wanted something with nice, big sturdy wheels and would do well on sidewalks and grass, (3) I didn't want to have to fold/unfold our "home" stroller every time we went somewhere so we got the Combi umbrella stroller, it lives in the trunk of my car so I always have it.

Jogger: It has a reclining seat so I started putting DS in it around 4 months. He couldn't quite sit up on his own yet, but I could recline the seat and with the seat belt around him he did pretty well. I tried to find the link to the stroller blanket I used in the winter but couldn't find it; I ordered it from One Step Ahead and it was well worth the $50. For rainy/snowy/windy days I have a plastic cover that goes over the whole stroller. Between that and the stroller blanket, DS was so cozy and comfy that he would often fall asleep - even if it was only 20 degrees out! To answer your question, Julie, our jogger does pretty well in the snow.

Umbrella: We have the Combi, it's the basic model that Babies R Us had at the time. I *love* it. I can fold/unfold with one hand, the seat reclines all the way, it's lightweight and turns on a dime, it has a carrying strap and a cover (I've never had to use, but plan to when we travel in October), a smallish basket underneath (we're not really mall rats, so I don't use the basket a whole lot anyway). My only complaint about it is that the canopy doesn't swivel to shade DS's eyes if we're walking outside and the sun is shining in his face (our jogger's canopy swivels), but that's really the only thing.

[rainbabies]

we have the instep double stroller. it's a three wheeler...and we LOVE IT!! it's not for little babies, but you can recline it and put receiving blankets around their head(s) or one of those car seat bumper thingys.

we decided on the instep because it goes on most terrain, the front wheel swivels if you want it to, and you can use it for up to 100lbs. the girls will sit in the seats and ds will sit on the little triangle above the front wheel if we need to do all three in a pinch.

[DCJenn]

Definitely get a wheel that moves in the front if you're in the city- there are way too many turns to deal with if you have a stationary front wheel. The Chariot has two wheels for walking and it turns on a dime. The running attachment is just one wheel that doesn't turn. I found it impossible to walk the dog and dude at the same time if the running wheel was attached.

Jenn

The running attachment is just one wheel that doesn't turn. I found it impossible to walk the dog and dude at the same time if the running wheel was attached.

Jenn

Maybe that is my problem. I have the stationary running wheel on the Chariot.

[Cumberland]

I have the Ingelsina Zippy. A great stroller but too big and bulky and pricey IMO.

I just got a Maclaren Volo and it is great, but if I had more $$ I would have gone up a model or two ( like the Triumph).

I just tried out an Ergo carrier and wish to holy heck I had seen one earlier on. I am not sure it is is worth it with a 14mo but will definitely get one for our next baby.