April 2017 Moms

Strollers and Car Seats

Hi - do you guys know the best stroller/car seat combos? Or are they better to buy separate? Any you have seen that are good but also affordable?
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Re: Strollers and Car Seats

  • we have a graco snugride.  I like that it snaps onto the stroller (it was set) and we were able to buy a separate base for husband's truck.
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  • KirstinH88KirstinH88 member
    edited September 2016
    For DS we used the Graco stroller/car seat that snapped in. It was nice.. But I plan on baby wearing more than using a stroller and (from my experience) babies grow out of the infant car seat at about 10 months. So I'll be buying a 3-in-1 convertible car seat and just baby wearing. I have the old stroller/car seat from DS and will use that if need be, but I don't think I will.

    ETA: Here is a link of something along the lines of what I'd like to get. http//www.target.com/p/graco-extend2fit-65-convertible-car-seat/-/A-50568374 But I think everyone needs to consider their lifestyle and what fits best for their family.
    Me: 29 DH: 33
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    DS #3: 7/8/2012
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    DS #4: 4/21/17
  • We're also forgoing the bucket seat in favour of 2 convertible seats this time around. We'll have to have 3 rear facing seats in a row so we're going with Clek fllo. Having said that, the best thing you can do is find a seat that fit's your budget, vehicle, and one that you can use correctly and easily. Carseats for the littles is an excellent resource. Not all bucket seats fit newborns well either (I'm studying to be a certified carseat tech, can you tell? Haha). 
  • There is a lot to think of.  One is how big or small is your vehicle?  Some seats will not fit in the backseat well.  Second, what kind of stroller do you want?  Simple? Or are you looking for a jogger, this will change if you want to get a combo.  If you get a jogging stroller I highly recommend a swivel wheel up front.  Go to a big baby store and push some around the store to find one that works for you :).   We prefer to babywear in my house :)  for a stroller I have a double jogger.  If you are on your 2nd kid and are thinking of having more I highly recommend a BOB, it is spendy but worth it! I wish I did but didn't know I would have 5 kids!!  
  • MWoodsideMWoodside member
    edited September 2016
    I am not a travel system person. I like a Chicco Keyfit 30 for infant/little baby times bc I don't like to wake baby if she falls asleep in the car. I used a snap and go with my first two kids, but it was ruined in a flood and I don't plan to replace it. It was convenient though! 

    I mostly babywear wear when baby is awake so I never needed a travel system. Once baby can sit I use a MacLaren umbrella style stroller if I don't feel like baby wearing. Very lightweight, sturdy and can be opened/closed/lifted with one hand. I keep it in the trunk.

    i have a single and double bob for running. 

    DD1 born 5/24/10.

    Missed M/C at 14 wks Feb 2012.

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  • @Cook3133 great info here! I'm planning to baby wear, but also get the Graco snugfit and frame and then a Bob jogger.. I'm really active and want a sterdy jogger to walk/run in.
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  • I plan on baby wearing, but will also
    get the adaptor to attach an infant seat to the BOB that I already have. I am not sure how much I will use it since you aren't supposed to run with tiny newborns, but I also don't want to have to get a different stroller. 
  • I've been doing quite a bit of research and this past weekend I went to babies r us to test out my favourites and hated them!! Definitely test them out, taking car seat out, folding it up etc.
  • We have the Britax b-ready stroller and infant car seat.  Snap together easy.  We have a separate Bob jogging stroller as well.
  • I think it depends on the weather where you live.  While the infant bucket seats don't last as long, for us, being able to go warm up the car, have the seat inside and get baby bundled inside (they CANNOT wear coats while in the carseat), was absolutely needed. We were in MN at the time. Since our babies will be born closer to spring this may not be such a concern, but if you are somewhere warm, it would be nice to have the seat out of the heat.

    Plus, being able to take sleeping babe out and go sit in a restaurant or coffee shop absolutely saved my life.  I also did tons of babywearing, but when she was already sleeping, I liked being able to bring her into stores in the seat.

    I agree with others that it just depends on your lifestyle (and how big your baby ends up being).  DD was in her bucket for well over a year because she's itty. Will you and SO or grandparents pick up?  It's cheaper in the beginning to just buy multiple bases than many 3-in-1s.

    We had a basic Graco something or another and it worked just fine for us.  We got the stroller to go with it from Target and with discounts, I spent $40 on it.  We still use it 3 years later....
    Me: 31
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    DD born 8/30/13
    #2 expected 4/25/17
  • With DS we had Graco Modes click connect Snugride 35. I loved it. You could take the stroller seat off the frame quickly and just use the frame and car seat. We got a great deal on it too which made it even better. That being said, now we are needing a double stroller and the modes won't work for us. We just spent a pretty penny on the city select and I still need to get the car seat adapter. But it has the best versatility to be a single or a double depending on what you need at that moment and is what will work best going forward. We'll still use the modes car seat and base. Also, DS was a year before we moved him to a convertible carseat and still hadn't outgrown his infant seat.
     
  • With DS, we had the Britax B-35 (I think?) infant seat and the Baby Jogger City Elite stroller.  For this little one we ended up getting a City Select (second hand) and love it.  I do love using the bucket seats so that once they are asleep in the car you don't have to wake them to bring them inside and they generally just click right in to the stroller.  

    We've loved the baby jogger brand of strollers - very easy to use/fold up and they've stayed in great condition. We also have a UppaBaby G-Luxe umbrella stroller for quick outings now with DS that he's a bit older. Something to think about if this is your first - you may not always want a larger (bulkier) stroller.  Definitely have to think about what will work for your family the best.  

    I strongly suggest going to the stores and trying the strollers out.  I know at BuyBuyBaby and BabiesRUs you can walk around with the stroller in the store to make sure you like it.  For us, we quickly learned that since DH is substantially taller than me some of the strollers were just way too short for him - the city elite had the ability to raise the handle bar. 
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  • We had a graco fast action fold travel system with DD. We still have the jogging stroller, we are going to buy another infant seat and extra base the click into it. I want to baby wear, but in all reality baby will be born April in Florida.

    So the first 5 months it will be so freaking hot! That I'm not sure either of us would be comfortable outside of the house. So I plan to baby wear at home, but definitely want to have a stroller option.

    Also if baby falls asleep in the car I like to be able to click the seat out. This is why we will do another infant seat instead of the convertible from the beginning.
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  • This is all so helpful, thanks everyone!! I definitely want a stroller that I can take walking/jogging on a regular basis so it's helpful to hear that many of you are using a jogger instead of a travel system.  Guess DH and I need to take a trip to the baby store  :o
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  • Before deciding on the Britax Agile we went to Buy Buy Baby to test out the models and practice collapsing and putting it back together. I also read Lucie's List and asked around. I like Lucie's list because it tells you the price point breakdown and features.

    We wanted something light, easy for travel/flying, easy to get in and out of car for suburbia driving and running errands, and sturdy enough for daily stroller walks... so this fit the bill.
    DS1 - 8-10-2015 LO2 - EDD 4-30-2017
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  • Keep in mind that all 3 wheel strollers are called 'jogging strollers' but this does NOT mean you can actually take all of them jogging so if you want to actually jog/run do some research first. 

    Also, make sure your infant car seat is LIGHT if you end up going that way.  There's definitely some convenience to having an infant car seat though it would also be pretty easy to function without if you baby wear,  but I despised our infant car seat because it was so bulky and heavy that I was constantly getting bruised by it and any convenience was taken away by my struggling with it. I had a heavy first baby so it quickly was completely unmanageable.  

    And definitely try to put the store model in your car before purchasing. Ours was too big for our car but we couldn't return it because we bought it at a store closing sale. 
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  • I sweat a lot, so don't think I'll be able to baby wear much in the summer, and I doubt we'll be going many places in April/May. I know I'm going to get so annoyed carrying a car seat carrier though. 
    DD #1: April 2017
    DD #2: May 2020
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  • I own 6 strollers.  And use almost all of them regularly.  I have a lightweight graco stroller that matches the car seat that I leave in my car.  We had a snap and go that we kept in DH's car when we used an infant car seat.  I have a baby trend jogging stroller that I love because I live on a back road and it's pretty rough.  I have a city select with the second seat for when we go to a fair or the zoo and the kids can't walk the whole time.  We also have 2 summer infant 3d lite strollers for lending to grandparents, the mall, etc.  All of the strollers serve a different purpose and worked for us at different ages.  So think big picture, and if you plan on having more than one kid I highly recommend looking into strollers that can convert from single to double.
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  • We had a Britax infant car seat with the bucket carrier for DS. It is the b-safe maybe? Even tho I wore him a lot, it was nice to have the bucket seat for doc appts, transferring a sleeping baby from the car, etc. We did switch to a convertible car seat(Chico nextfit) before he outgrew the infant seat bc he was such a chunk!

    for strollers we survived one kid with a BOB and an umbrella stroller. We had a bar for the bob for the infant seat. Our neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks and I wanted a real jogger so it has worked out wonderfully. 

    I'm undecided on what to do now- to get a double or not. Storage is very limited at our house so I'm not inclined to get a double, but maybe. 
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  • @pammasu0909

    we have 4 strollers!  And you're right, they each serve a purpose!
  • We did the Chicco infant carseat with travel system and didn't mind it. The only real drawback was how big the stroller was. Oh and the fact I had to drop another wad of cash on a convertible. Add us to the baby wearing/going straight to convertible group. DS hated sleeping in his infant carseat, so by the time we carried him inside where ever we were going, he was awake and screaming for us to take him out and put him in the carrier anyway.
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  • Has anyone had the Chicco Bravo stroller? Right now I'm looking at that and the Britax B-Agile stroller.
  • @twistsandturnsto2 we just went through the same struggle deciding if we needed a double.  We ended up going with a City Select and I'm so glad we did.  DS is 2 and will be closer to 3 by the time the baby is here.  I still fully expect he will want to ride when we go shopping/to the zoo, etc. It actually folds fairly compactly (for a double).  I hate that we have so many strollers but as others have said, each one serves a purpose. 
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  • Does anyone have experience with/suggestions for an infant car seat that will work well in a really tiny car? We have a Honda Fit. We only have one car (our town is very bike-friendly and DH takes the bus to work, I work from home) so we don't need an extra base or anything like that - just the one. Neither of us are super tall, so the seats don't have to be all the way back (I am 5'6, DH is 6'0). I will probably go to a store at some point and try them out, but just wondering if anyone had a suggestion for me first! Thanks!
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  • @kitkat8387 I believe most infant car seats with the base are roughly the same size. However, I think there are some convertible car seats that are on the smaller in. I think I remember seeing the Maxi-Cosi seats being smaller, i believe.
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  • I'm going in blind here!!! Baby #1 (and #2)

    We plan on getting the Graco All-in-one or 3-in-one car seats.  As for early stages, I will most likely be baby wearing.  I am looking at double strollers and would like to have it be a jogger, but they don't have a lot of options for the seats being one behind the other.  The side by sides are nice, but not conducive to fitting through doors and all.  I'm researching a storm and end up with more questions!
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  • I just bought the Graco Extended2Fit car seat for my 15 month old ($199 retail and I got a 20% coupon from Buy Buy Baby). I haven't gotten it yet so I can't say if I love it. However, has great reviews and option for extended leg room, therefore, will be able to sit rear facing longer. My son is tall.

    As for the infant seat, we have an Eddie Baur. Nothing expectacular, but my son loves it and naps well in it.

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  • Does anyone have experience with/suggestions for an infant car seat that will work well in a really tiny car? We have a Honda Fit. We only have one car (our town is very bike-friendly and DH takes the bus to work, I work from home) so we don't need an extra base or anything like that - just the one. Neither of us are super tall, so the seats don't have to be all the way back (I am 5'6, DH is 6'0). I will probably go to a store at some point and try them out, but just wondering if anyone had a suggestion for me first! Thanks!
    My husband drives a Fit and the Chicco Keyfit fit really well in there for the infant stage.  The bigger issue was fitting a convertible carseat in the car when DD got older.  The Evenflo Tribute that I have in my Subaru Forester does NOT fit in the fit :)  However, the Safety 1st Guide 65 Convertible fits well in the Honda - DH put it in the middle.
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  • My sister had the Britax B-agile stroller and it was the bomb. I was so jealous (we had a BOB).

    we had the Chicco keyfit and liked it. I had a small car and it worked well. 


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  • We also had a snap'n'go stroller that you could just pop the car seat into and I liked it. I believe it goes with any infant seat, but you can't use it beyond that. If I recall correctly it was pretty inexpensive.
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  • We have a Chicco Keyfit from DS that's got a few years before expiation so we'll use that again. I'm another one who likes being able to take baby in and out while contained, but I do a lot of babywearing so often the seat stays clicked in the car. I have a stroller frame called the Keyfit caddy and it's great. I despise actually carrying a car seat places so the caddy is my mobile car seat holder. Great at restaurants instead of using the super unsafe slings they tend to offer. I'm pondering double strollers lately and strongly considering the Joovy Caboose as a sit/stand stroller.
  • @kitkat8387 We have a prius and a mazda3.  We used a graco infant seat with the 35 lb limit.  Because of how the back seat is designed, we had to put it behind the passenger in the prius, but we were able to fit it in the center of my mazda.  We had a harder time with convertible seats, and had good luck with the Graco 4Ever and Chicco nextfit.  One thing to research is whether the seat can touch the front seats when installed rear facing.  That limits your space, especially with taller drivers.
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  • @kitkat8387

    Does anyone have any thoughts about the Doona? My MIL saw one while she was out and after a little research, I am really interested in it. https://simpleparenting.co/car-seat/

     KitKat, I tagged you because one of the positives that I've read about it is that it works really well if you have a small car. 
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  • @Omie_Wise wow, that looks pretty awesome. I just wish it were less expensive! 
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  • For my first we got the BOB revolution because my SO and I are tall and I loved the adjustable height of the handle. I found it to be great for maneuverability but there's not much storage space. We ordered the extra attachment to connect our bucket seat. We got the peg perego primo viaggio. We were thinking of a 3-in-one carseat but I wanted the ease of carrying DS in to the house, it didn't fit in our Hyundai at all and its a very tight fit in my moms Honda but our Explorer is huge so it was fine in there. We will probably be reusing the peg perego for the new little bean because DS has already moved onto a 2-in-2 evenflo with a higher weight restriction for rear facing.

    I used a carrier a lot at first so I'm wondering if ill be able to avoid getting a double stroller. DS will be almost 2 by the time LO will be popping out. 

  • We'be been using Lucie's list a lot too! I think we are going to go with the Britax B-agile 3/B-safe 35 travel system. It gets good reviews, has some nice features we are looking for, and is super affordable. I guess the stroller is a knockoff of the city mini but for a better price. 
  • @Knottie00910978 the only downside I've heard is that it's pretty heavy.  The lighter the infant seat the happier you will be!
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  • Does anyone have any experience with the Joovy Caboose? https://joovy.com/caboose-graphite/
    DD will be 3 when this one is born, so it seems like a pretty solid option.
    Me: 31 DH: 34
    DD1 born 3.2014
    DD2 born 4.2017
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