strollers

[Cumberland]

My mom wants to buy us a stroller (not that we need one for 5 more months) but since she is offering now, I am taking her up on it pronto. I have always sworn I would not have one of those moving city type things, but now that I am looking into it- it does seem smart to buy a car seat/carrier that fits into a stroller too. I was just looking for opinions on what to get.

[SueC]

It is nice to have those "travel systems" that have the car seat that snaps directly onto the stroller. If the baby falls asleep, then you can just take their car seat and snap it onto the stroller without having to wake them up. A woman in our playgroup has one of those deals that is like a frame you can snap the carseat onto instead of an actual stroller that it snaps on to. It is much more compact and she really likes it.

[fluffhead]

We have the Peg Perego Venezia (good god I never realized how yuppy that was until I just looked at it)...we've been very happy with it.
For travelling, we picked up a $20 umbrella stroller that's been great.

Just to offer a different opinion....

The usefulness of a "travel system" stroller wears off as soon as your kiddo is out of the infant carrier. When our daughter was born, the travel system strollers had just come out and were HEAVY. Maybe they are better now. Anyway, think about what you will use the stroller for over the next three to four years. Will you travel a lot? A nicer umbrella stroller would fit the bill (Combi ultra-savvy or a Maclaren are very nice choices). Walking a lot? Check out the wheels on that baby. Strolling around the mall, zoo, parks? Something that is easy to get in and out of the car, opens/closes on the first try (with one hand is a nice option), and fits in the car. I would test out strollers at a store before picking one out.

We have a mid-grade (in terms of quality and weight) folding combi stroller that we use for the car and travelling. It has held up fairly well but we don't use it a whole lot (air travel has done the most damage). We also have a babyjogger which I just love. I put an odometer on it and have logged over 500 miles in not quite two years and it's in great shape and ready for more. There is an outlet for baby joggers -- try http://www.babyjogger.com/onestrollers1.htm for factory seconds.

There is a great book....that I can't remember the name of ....called Baby Bargains or something like that. It is written by parents and suggests what you should spend $$ and where you can save money. They have product specific information. In my opinion, the stroller is a place to spend a little more because you will use it over a long period of time.

Disclaimer: I used to work in a retail in a baby product store and got a little too used to the nicer baby stuff. IMO, not only is it nicer but it lasts a lot longer and works better! (I'm talking about big-ticket items like cribs, strollers, car seats, etc -- not the fancy un-neccessaries).

The book is Baby Bargains by Alan and Denise Fields.
Not always full of bargains as recommendations are based on quality and safety but I think the book offers very good advice.

*****
Edit: forgot to mention that my daughter's infant carrier did fit into our combi folding stroller (had no idea when I bought it) -- the car seat clipped onto the front bar of the stroller (after removing the padding). You may want to see if other strollers offer this feature even if they don't come with the infant carrier and stroller together.

[mommax3]

I would recommend the travel system things. Since this is your first baby, you will still be able to be out and about quite a bit and even if you only use it for five months or so, you can get a lot of use out of it in that amount of time. I would also recommend an umbrella stroller for when the baby is older.

My experiences:

First baby --- no money ---- had a basic car seat and an $80 stroller that I used the heck out of. It had a basket underneath and the seat reclined, but no bar in front.

Second baby --- some money --- I got a new (infant) car seat. I got the trusty old stroller out of the garage to clean it up and discovered that my cats had peed all over it. I bid it a sad goodbye, went to a re-sale shop, and discovered a stroller the same brand as my car seat THAT MY CAR SEAT FIT IN that was $79. Bought it & used it a ton with my second child and also with a baby that I took care of for about six months.

Third baby --- done with residency --- I got a top of the line travel system. The stroller had a canopy, big basket, you could push it one-handed, the baby could face you or face out, recline or sit up.....you get the picture. I love it but since we have moved to the middle of no where and have two other kids, our outings have been severely curtailed. The stroller is HEAVY and if I had a car it would for sure take up the whole trunk. It almost fills the back of our Suburban. I still use it if we go to a park around here or take a long walk, but if we are going out of town, there is not room for it with all of our luggage. We have been using our umbrella stroller more often since Nathan turned one, but it got stolen during our recent trip to Six Flags, and I ended up having to rent one at the park which was nicer for him and easier to push for me. If you are tall, umbrella strollers can be a pain to push because you have to stoop a little. You also have to use both hands.

So, take a look at your lifestyle and also check out epinions.com and go from there.

Sally

[Phoebe]

I had to respond to this post since we are in the midst of stroller shopping ourselves. The first time around, we purchased a travel system which I really liked. We picked a model which folded up easily in my opinion and fit fine in our vehicle. I used the infant seat carrier and snapped it on the stroller up until our daughter was 6 months, which worked very well for walks, trips to the mall, etc. Once she turned one, we bought an umbrella stroller which has stayed in our car and used more frequently than the other stroller. However, I prefer the travel system because it is more sturdy than the umbrella, has better storage and is more comfortable for our daughter. I have used it tons since we moved going on walks, etc.

My advice about picking a stroller echos much that has already been written. Definitely test them out before buying, check out epinions.com or babiesrus.com for model specifications and product reviews. A website, strollers4less.com has strollers a little cheaper and free shipping for purchases over $100.

Also, consider your needs for a stroller. A travel system, a jogging stroller, an umbrella stroller and possibly a double stroller in your future are costly and take up a lot of space.

I advise if you plan on having more than one child and may want a double stroller in the future to buy a brand that also makes a reputable double stroller so you can reuse your infant carrier. Our brand, Evenflo didn't make double strollers until a couple months ago and we couldn't find an affordable stroller we felt comfortable with that also accommodated our infant carrier. Luckily, Evenflo just put a double stroller on the market. Our kids will be just two years apart so we definitely need a two seater.

Good luck on the stroller hunt.

Jennifer

[houseelf]

You have already received great advice, so I hope this isn't redundant.

We never bought a travel system because of lack of money. We have beat the heck out of our Combi ultralight stroller and will buy another one if/when the time ever comes. Seriously, this thing has been through 20 airports! It is super light and durable.

Depending on your lifestyle, I also would contemplate purchasing a baby jogger. They are light, super easy to maneuver, and go over moderately rough terrain. This is great for hiking, festivals, jogging, walks throughout the neighborhood, etc. You can pick one of these up in good condition for a reasonable price at Play It Again Sports, Once Upon a Child, or Ebay. The only problem is that baby joggers don't fold down, so fitting them into a compact car can be tricky. As a preschooler, our son is reluctant to get into a traditional stroller but still loves the baby jogger and demands that I "go faster". My own little personal trainer. One caveat---Sometime after I had used our baby jogger for our newborn for 6 months or so, I read that these strollers shouldn't be used new borns because their neck and back muscles aren't strong enought for this upright position. Wish I would have known that sooner. I think that was back when my parenting mistakes only numbered in the low hundreds.

Keep in mind that most babies, particularly large babies, are in these punkin carriers for a handful of months. Then you have to store all this stuff and it takes over your house. Looking back, I can't believe that someone bought us an $80 exer-saucer that our kid used for maybe 9 months. Seriously, contemplate swapping baby stuff with friends or second hand sleuthing. I would even let would-be gift givers that I encourage second hand buys. This stuff is sooo expensive and used for such a small time.

Whew.....I guess that I want to avoid work today.

Kelly

Just a funny story about the travel systems...and it has already been mentioned several times...

When we had our first kiddo, we got the big 'ol stroller with the dome, and double paned windows, and a full basement. What we didn't do was check to see if it fit in our cars when we bought it! Both DW and I had wonderfully economical LITTLE cars and this beast got to ride in the front seat while I sat in the back seat (what little bit there is in a Pontiac Sunfire!) with the baby. We did that for over two years....it never made it on any long distance trips.

IMO, I hate pushing it. I am 6'4" and take long strides when walking. I have stepped on the axle and nearly bent it (and had several displays of my graceful movements to keep from falling). I have stepped on the brake system causing me to slam into said stroller and nearly fall down when it comes to a sudden stop. But it will haul lots of stuff.

Umbrella strollers, for me, suck to push as well. I feel like some type elderly old man with a suped-up walker with jabber-box child attachment.

Jog strollers are the way to go. Big wheels, less resistance, and you can run to the car for the A/C when you are leaving the zoo, and it can still carry a fair amount!

Thanks for that laugh, Matt! (I'm laughing with you.....)

[houseelf]

Sue Ann,

In all seriousness, Matt makes a great point...have both you and your husband try out equipment because these products represent one area that is scaled more to women's proportions. Like Matt, my dh is also over 6 feet and we had a hard time finding equipment that would suit both his frame and my 5'2" frame. This is particularly true for rockers, strollers, and baby backpack/carriers. Now, if I could just get my living room chairs and kitchen cabinets to accomodate my size too, I'd be in luck.

This conversation reminds me how much we had to learn when we had our little guy. Looking back, it is truly astonishing that the hospital even let us take our little guy home at all. We had never been around babies and didn't have the first clue on how to deal with him. Videos of us bathing, changing, and feeding him are hysterical to watch. We were so unsure of every little thing and spent twenty minutes trying to figure it all out...even referring to "What to Expect The First Year" on tape! Fortunately, babies break parents in pretty quick. Enjoy!

Kelly

[SueC]

Matt does make a good point--the travel systems take up a lot of space, and I don't care for the umbrella strollers myself because they are so short.
Also, I have to agree that jogging strollers are terrific, though I only use mine if we are walking around the neighborhood (which we do about every day) or if we go somewhere like the zoo where there will be lots of walking. I don't like it for the mall just because of the maneuverability--the front wheel doesn't turn so you have to tilt it onto the back wheels to turn it. We keep a lightweight double stroller in the trunk (the girls call it the "mall stroller" which has a nice big basket and is narrow enough to fit through the clothing racks at the mall. It sucks for outdoor use, though. It has no cup holders, which is inconvenient at times, but since it is smaller I don't mind too much. Also, I am able to fold it up one-handed. That was a big requirement for us because we had two kids so close together and in the early days I often had to fold up the stroller while carrying somebody. We keep the jogging stroller at home and use it for anywhere that we are going outside. For us it is necessary to have two strollers because there isn't a double stroller on the market that fits all of our needs. For single strollers, I've seen a lot out there that would work well indoor and outdoor.

[twinsmom]

Since we started out with twins, we got to go right for the caravan-pull-out-the-fog-horn-here-we-come style :P . We did the travel system-duo style (Our choices where narrowed since we had to find a double stroller that also fit two car seats at the same time). I scoured the baby stores, and tried all that I could. One clerk actually started laughing at me as I litterlaly climbed on top of the stroller to get it to fold and lock - I swear, they make some of those things complex enough to require and advanced degree in stroller-folding!

We actually got a double stroller for a shower, which solved a lot of our problems. Then I found a side-by-side graco double stroller at a garage sale for $5 (still in incredible condition!!). If you are in the double stroller market, the side by side ones are great for walks, great for the kids to both be able to see, and interact with each other. The front and back one is essential for stores, and anywhere else you have to get through small doors. Last month we found a double jogging stroller at a garage sale (can you tell I'm a garage sale junkie?!), and have LOVED it!! It makes walking both the kids and the dogs actually enjoyable again.

My advice overall would be, whatever you don't get as gifts or from parents, get at garage or resale shops. Around here we have mom2mom sales, where a bunch of parents rent out a school hall or church and it's like a massave garage sale just geared toward babies. They have about 20 each season (spring and fall), and those things saved us. Being pregnant with your first, having to get both boy and girl stuff, not to mention the cribs, car seats, strollers, etc and living off a med school budget don't really mesh all that well. Needless to say, I became a regular face at every mom2 mom sale in the area. I agree with the above post, you use things for a while, and then pack them up and watch them overtake your storage space! I found both of our exersaucers for $10 and $15 at sales, so it didn't break my heart to have to pack them up. (does anyone need an exersaucer??)

If any of you are in Michigan, there is also a web site for mom 2 mom stuff. It is mom2momlist.com. They have some really great stuff and advice on there.

Okay, things suddenly got quiet upstairs, so I better go and see what off-limits thing that kids are into . Good luck and happy shopping!

Jen B.

[Meenah]

Both of my girls have a Honda Civic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Luanne