Strollers
Having a new baby can be a walk in the park–with the right stroller, of course.
In fact, a stroller is one of the most important pieces of baby gear you’ll buy.
And as your baby grows, you may end up with more than one.
Many parents buy a traditional stroller for everyday use plus a lighter-weight one for traveling.
You may even want a more rugged stroller for jogging or simply negotiating uneven sidewalks and curbs.
City streets are deceptively hard on strollers.
There are dozens of choices on the market, including umbrella strollers, carriages, travel systems, jogging strollers, and models designed to carry two or more children.
You can also find a bare-bones frame that accepts almost any infant seat.
For a newborn, consider a fully reclining stroller with leg holes you can close.
Another option is buying a stroller that is not for a newborn but that allows you to attach an infant car seat, usually made by the same manufacturer.
When your child outgrows the infant seat–typically at about 6 months or 20 pounds–you then can use the stroller alone.
Another alternative is a travel system, which consists of an infant car seat, a car-seat base, and a stroller.
Some strollers now have air-filled tires for a more comfortable ride.
Five-point harnesses, a safety feature that better secures baby, are almost standard on higher-priced models.
Most strollers these days also have cup holders and trays for parents and for the child.
Some are even rigged for sound, an added feature that will, of course, cost you.
Strollers that don’t fully recline or that can’t accommodate an infant car seat are fine for babies older than 6 months, when they are no longer vulnerable to slipping through the leg openings.
Strollers are popular baby gifts and shower presents.
Still, you should shop for a stroller yourself then register for it at a department or baby store if you want to receive it as a gift because you’re the best judge of how you intend to use it.
If you receive a stroller you didn’t select yourself, make sure you want to keep it.
Strollers, like cars, are highly personal buying decisions.
You’ll probably use your stroller often, and your baby will spend a lot of time in it.
You should love the one you end up with.
A higher price doesn’t always mean higher quality.
Even the most sophisticated models can suffer typical stroller flaws: malfunctioning wheels, frames that bend out of shape, locking mechanisms that fail, safety belts that come loose, or buckles that break.
Thanks to design changes during the past decade or so, strollers have become smaller, lighter, and easier to maneuver.
Increasingly, manufacturers are forgoing steel for aluminum, which can reduce stroller weight by a few pounds, though it raises the price substantially.
Newborns can’t sit up, so they need a stroller that allows them to lie on their backs for the first few months of life or one that accepts an infant car seat.
If you live in the country, on the beach, in a snowy climate, or walk on unpaved trails, an all-terrain model may be what you need.
Somewhere on a stroller’s frame or carton there should be a certification sticker showing that the stroller meets the minimum requirements of the American Society for Testing and Materials voluntary standard and that its manufacturer participates in the pass/fail certification program administered by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association.
Because newborns can’t sit up without support, they can’t ride in a standard stroller.
Cons: Both the car seat and the frame can no longer serve as your stroller once your child outgrows the seat (typically at 6 months to a year).
Pros: Can be used for newborns and are convenient.
Tandem models, the most common type of multiseat stroller, have one seat directly behind the other.
They’re the same width as single-passenger strollers and the best choice overall.
However, while the backseat can recline, the front one usually can’t without infringing on the space of the rear passenger.
Your first decision is which of the types of strollers discussed earlier in this chapter you want to buy.
As we mention, you may want to have more than one–such as a traditional stroller and a lighter-weight model for traveling.
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