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Boston Babies
Can anyone give me the low-down on strollers?
I am 33 1/2 weeks and my husband and I are looking for carseat and stroller. Not sure if we should go the travel system route. We want something that is going to last --- for all of our future children. I do know that carseats have to be replaced every 3-5 years though. We want to be able to transport carseat easily from carseat base in car to stroller.
Everyone tells me to just get the carseat, and get the stroller later, which is reasonable as I am due the first week in December and do not think I will be going out in the snow alot. Are there adapters to fit the carseats on strollers if they aren't the same brand?
I am kind've picky and only want a simple pattern...solid colors...preferable black/gray.
If anyone can help, I would greatly appreciate any and all advice! Thanks!
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Re: Can anyone give me the low-down on strollers?
Go check out the nursery and baby gear board -- there are tons of stroller threads on there.
Most strollers have car seat adapters for all the major brands. You could also get a Snap and Go, which is just a frame that the infant car seat fits into (looks sorta like a granny grocery cart when the seat's not on there).
DD #1 we had a carseat/joggingstroller system (Graco) which was great. It was actually given to us by a relative, and we ended up replacing the stroller w/another style. When she outgrew the infant carseat, the stroller was still usable...and is now being used for DS. However, w/DS, we were given one of those snap and go frames that hold the infant seat and I LOVED it. It was so much simpler/lighter than the stroller that comes w/the system. That said...it only works when the baby is in the infant car seat, but I think it's worth it. We used it until last week, when we finally moved DS from his infant car seat to a convertible. Now, he's using the stroller DD had. Graco is a good brand that lasts!
I also went the basic route on colors, and am really glad now that a lot of DD's things weren't pink!
Also check out the Baby Bargains book as they help narrow down stroller choice by your lifestyle.
I thought I was going to end up w/ a Snap-n-Go, but I didn't love the way they moved. I opted for a Bugaboo Bee as it has a car seat adapter, but then it can be removed, and it's a great light-weight stroller.
I recommend "test driving" them up in NH at Buy Buy Baby - they have a great selection. Magic Beans is a good local spot, but they don't have as many.
If you're really looking for the simplest thing, get a Snap-n-Go. Lots of strollers have carseat adaptors, but the adaptors often have to be removed to fold the stroller (with the exception of a Bob Revolution). With a Snap-n-Go, you just unfold and pop the carseat on the top. It's lightweight and compact and fits neatly in your car....and it's fairly cheap. (In fact, you can often pick them up on freecycle or craigslist.) Since you're giving birth in December, you'll probably be doing more mall-crawling than long walks outside, and the Snap-n-Go is perfect for this type of thing. Once spring hits, you can get a more long-haul stroller.
Two thoughts on the "real" stroller:
1) If you're planning on having more than one kid, you may want to consider getting an expandable stroller now so that you'll have a double when you're ready and won't have to buy a new stroller. Look at the City Select, the Phil & Ted Vibe, or the Uppa Baby Vista for starters. If your stroller budget is lower than that, look at the Kolcraft Contours or some of the strollers in the One Step Ahead catalog. (I didn't think of this and now I'm faced with replacing my single stroller with a double.)
2) Check Magic Beans (www.mbeans.com) to see if they carry any of the stollers that you're interested in. They'll let you "test drive" anything out on the street. It's really helped us choose.