Product Spotlight 2/5: Strollers!

livinthesunnylife · February 2018

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... stollers!

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.

For S+TMs:

Favorite [stroller]:
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
What you like about it:
What you don't like about it, if anything:
Is there a [stroller] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
Is there a [stroller] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?:
Additional thoughts on [stroller]?:

For FTMs

[stroller] you're interested in:
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?:

livinthesunnylife · February 2018

For S+TMs:

Favorite [stroller]: I own the Nuna Tavo and the Mountain Buggy Nano- for two completely different reasons.
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $250-300 each
What you like about it:
Nuna Tavo: what I really liked about it is that it does clip the bucket carseat in but it also lays completely flat so it can be used without the carseat right from birth. It's hot here, so leaving the baby in the bucket seat isn't something I did very often. The other thing I love about the Tavo is the sunshade that almost completely covers the baby- this is key for my "sunny life".
Mountain Buggy Nano: this stroller is for when they are older. It folds up small enough to put it in the overhead compartment for traveling but it also still reclines- a hard combo to find.
What you don't like about it, if anything: Lately my kid refuses to sit in either stroller.

My question: Should I bother with getting a double stroller if DS already doesn't like riding in the stroller? They will be 21M apart.

hfooter · February 2018

We had a bob when we just had one kid. I loved it and highly recommend it.
https://g.co/kgs/U1nPPo Resale is also great on these.

once the second was on the way I knew I wanted a double stroller but wanted it to be inline as the side by sides are cumbersome and huge. I got a Moutain Buggy +one. I highly suggest it. It’s been fantastic for us.
https://g.co/kgs/U1nPPo

we also have an uppababy umbrella stroller that is perfect for when the oldest wants to walk but the little guy can’t for extended periods of time.
https://m.buybuybaby.com/m/product/uppababy-reg-g-lite-stroller-in-jake/3259033?skuId=43209187&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_strollers_online&product_id=43209187&product_channel=online&adtype=pla&adpos=1o1&creative=86711512860&device=m&matchtype=&network=g&mrkgadid=2998194943&mrkgcl=611&rkg_id=h-24d6ee1cbd599c173182268682121930_t-1517856884&gclid=Cj0KCQiAnuDTBRDUARIsAL41eDp7KpLq5OIdhu8nZMzjOcgj7vkilxvE46k0hM25mBZNAZfeGj9kvBEaAtAEEALw_wcB

calimom2524 · February 2018

For S+TMs:

Favorite [stroller]: The foldy umbrella strollers
Link/picture: https://www.amazon.com/Chicco-Capri-Lightweight-Stroller-Tangerine/dp/B000FFS9VM/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1517857435&sr=8-3&keywords=chico+umbrella+stroller&dpID=41TPcM5WEZL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch&th=1
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $
What you like about it: It's super super simple.
What you don't like about it, if anything: Sometimes it can be hard to fold.
Is there a [stroller] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: I had the Uppa Baby Vista with DS1 because I was a brand whore and needed all of the fancy things as an FTM. We used it, but didn't love it. It was big and bulky, not that simple to fold, and for the price, a cheaper stroller would have been just fine.
Additional thoughts on [stroller]?: I got the toddler seat to add on to the Uppa Baby when I was pg with DS2 and we used it one time. Babywearing was SO MUCH EASIER than a stroller. I bought the cheapy foldy umbrella stroller that I linked above for a few trips with DS2 but usually wound up using it for DS1 when he got tired of walking because I wore DS2 all the time. With number 3 I'm not even going to buy a stroller, I don't use them, they take up space, and they are not that convenient IMO.

livinthesunnylife · February 2018

@calimom2524 That's what I'm thinking. Baby wear #2 if DS is in the stroller for some reason. But since he hates the stroller already, I can't imagine he will be in it much after 2.5 or so?

calimom2524 · February 2018

DS1 was hardly ever in the stroller as it was, he's always wanted to be out and about and involved in all of the things. I found that a wagon worked better for us if we were in a situation where he needed to ride. We took our wagon on long walks to the beach and to the zoo way more frequently than using the stroller. I personally wouldn't get a double stroller because they're huge and hard to maneuver in crowded places but again, I'm team #wearallofthebabies so my opinion is probably different than others.

livinthesunnylife · February 2018

@calimom2524 Yes! I've been looking at the Radio Flyer stroller that would allow me to (eventually) put them both in there together after #2 is too big to put in the Tula. I feel like little boys would love that. And they get to face eachother and food and toys can be involved... Winning.

elsieisamoocow · February 2018

Two words: Uppababy Vista. I'll promote this thing until the day I die

For S+TMs:

Favorite [stroller]: Uppababy Vista!
Link/picture: https://uppababy.com/vista/overview/
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $$$$
What you like about it: Everything! Seriously. It's such a smooth ride, insanely easy to push with one hand, super easy to fold up, fits well in my trunk, can convert to a true double stroller (which is why we splurged on it with DS), comes with a bassinet and a regular seat, the tires can never go flat but are nice and cushy, the Mesa car seat (also recommend) clicks on super easily, the basket underneath is HUGE and so convenient when I'm shopping at Target, and it looks so nice, especially the new version with the leather handles (yes I'm a little jealous).
What you don't like about it, if anything: It's a little heavy, which is only an issue right now since I'm pregnant and high risk, I just don't want to lift it in/out of my trunk at the moment.
Is there a [stroller] you don't have but are considering? Why?: Nope.
Is there a [stroller] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: I really think you get what you pay for. I've pushed my friends' much cheaper strollers, and hated them. They're not smooth, they can be hard to push especially if you have a lot in it, and they don't have large baskets underneath.
Additional thoughts on [stroller]?: If you can afford the crazy price tag, I really do say it's worth it. For us, I looked at it this way. We were getting it for our first kid, and we want it to last until we are done having kids, so at least 5. We go on walks and to places like Disneyland a lot, so we needed something that would be comfortable for him, would hold all of our stuff, and would hold up very well after many miles were put on, and the Vista really is in fantastic shape after 3 years. We bought the extra pieces to make it a double back when we got the stroller, so I'm looking forward to putting DS in the lower seat and popping the car seat right on top. It'll be so convenient! Also, Uppababy has "tune up" events where they'll give your stroller a tune up and fix anything that is broken. The quality is so good, we haven't had an issue, but the customer service is also impeccable!

calimom2524 · February 2018

@livinthesunnylife plus you get super cute pictures. The only annoying thing is when they’re both in there there’s not much room for stuff.

livinthesunnylife · February 2018

@calimom2524 YES! I need this cuteness overload of my two boys together in the wagon in the future. But I need the one with the canopy cause..."sunny life" over here.

calimom2524 · February 2018

livinthesunnylife said:

@calimom2524 YES! I need this cuteness overload of my two boys together in the wagon in the future. But I need the one with the canopy cause..."sunny life" over here.

We had the canopy but never used it. Perks to the boys being 1/2 Hispanic, they do really well in the sun.

legallykate · February 2018

FTM Q: I am really confused on how/whether carseats and strollers work together. I keep seeing all this talk of adaptors and I am like wait what is adapting to what here. Can you either have them be totally independent or have ones that coordinate/adapt together somehow? What are the pros/cons to either having them be independent or work together?

calimom2524 · February 2018

legallykate said:

FTM Q: I am really confused on how/whether carseats and strollers work together. I keep seeing all this talk of adaptors and I am like wait what is adapting to what here. Can you either have them be totally independent or have ones that coordinate/adapt together somehow? What are the pros/cons to either having them be independent or work together?

That's a super valid question. I purchased the maxi cosi infant seat and the uppa baby vista stroller so I needed to purchase the adapters. They clip into the sides of the stroller so the car seat will slide right into them and click in. If you don't buy the car seat that is designed to go with the stroller you're purchasing you will need the adapter. I'm thinking of this time around buying one of those little frames that is super tiny and made just for infant seats, they look so convenient.

livinthesunnylife · February 2018

legallykate said:

FTM Q: I am really confused on how/whether carseats and strollers work together. I keep seeing all this talk of adaptors and I am like wait what is adapting to what here. Can you either have them be totally independent or have ones that coordinate/adapt together somehow? What are the pros/cons to either having them be independent or work together?

The idea is that if the LO is sleeping you can transfer them from the infant carseat to the stroller without ever waking them. Our Nuna Tavo works with the Nuna Pipa carseat that we had, but I never once did that. I was just not much of a fan of carrying the infant carseat. Even though it's one of the lightest on the market, I just felt like it was big and clunky. And I used the stroller mostly for stroller walks so I wasn't going from the carseat to the stroller anyway. Some people swear by it, I never used it.

delujm0 · February 2018

@livinthesunnylife DD1 hated the stroller once she could walk and run consistently, so by about 15-18 months. DD2 was born right before she turned 2, and we never got a double stroller. I figured that if DD1 wanted to be in the single stroller, I could wear the baby, and otherwise the baby could be in the single stroller. It's worked well for us, but we're not city dwellers so we don't do a ton of stroller time. If you live in a city and do a lot of walking, it might be another story.

I do need to read more about double strollers because since this baby will only be 14 months younger than DD2 I am thinking we'll need one. DD2 appears to be in no rush to move (not even trying to crawl or pull up yet), so if she's not walking by the time this one is born we'll definitely want a double stroller right away. We're going to Disney World next month and I rented a baby jogger double City Mini for the trip so I can try it out. I'll probably try to find a gently used one at a consignment place or Craigslist because I don't know how long DD2 will want to use it.

Anyway, for DD1, we determined that since we are not city dwellers, and the stroller would be used mainly for travel or just a stroll around the neighborhood, we just bought a nicer umbrella stroller and skipped the bigger stroller. It breaks down super fast. we have the Joovy Groove Ultralight. We also got a frame stroller for the car seat for when she was an infant. The Joovy Groove reclines almost flat, but you aren't supposed to use it until at least 3 months. We have the Chicco KeyFit car seat and just got the Chicco frame for that seat. It also folds down super easily and has a good amount of storage.

DH took DD1 on a walk in our neighborhood every morning in the Joovy until she wouldn't stay in the stroller anymore and wanted to walk and it held up perfectly. We have also brought it on several flights and it folds up very small for the trunk.

mrsbubbles-2 · February 2018

@legallykate - we got the Britax B-Agile travel system so the infant seat would clip in to the stroller. I will say that if you're interested in the travel systems make sure to go to the store in person and see that the infant seat and stroller work for your lifestyle. We love our Britax infant seat and it did need adapters to clip in to the Britax stroller. However, the stroller doesn't really work for us. It's pretty big for a single, DS sits at more of a reclining angle than he would prefer and the sun shield thing doesn't really cover when the sun is anything but overhead. I wish we had done more research into the independent pieces before we bought the system. We got a cheapie umbrella stroller for travel that we like much better but it wouldn't work for an infant because it doesn't recline and there's no where to clip in a car seat. So definitely shop around in person before buying

elsieisamoocow · February 2018

legallykate said:

FTM Q: I am really confused on how/whether carseats and strollers work together. I keep seeing all this talk of adaptors and I am like wait what is adapting to what here. Can you either have them be totally independent or have ones that coordinate/adapt together somehow? What are the pros/cons to either having them be independent or work together?

Ahhh I'm stuck in a box! Yes to what others said. For example, our Uppababy Mesa clicked right in to the Vista with no need for special adapters. This was super convenient because DS would sleep a lot on the go but never ever transferred well if I took him out, so if I needed to run an errand, I'd pop the car seat on the stroller and go. Plus then I didn't have to carry the bulky car seat, so I was fine bringing it wherever. If he was awake, I'd usually just wear him since he was teeny at the time. As he got older and liked to look around more, I put the toddler seat on our stroller with the infant insert and he could look around and eat a snack, play with toys, etc. Pretty much the rule of thumb is if you're buying a stroller and car seat that are two different brands, you'll need an adapter. Usually just going to a store like Buy Buy Baby can help you figure it all out and what will work for you.

livinthesunnylife · February 2018

@delujm0 Have you seen the Joovy Caboose? I was thinking DS might ride in that since it would be more "fun" and not as constricting, plus he could stand if he wanted to and was just tired of walking.

https://joovy.com/caboose-graphite/

laufisch · February 2018

@legallykate I won't repeat what other people have been saying but I did want to add our travel system was great for multiple people using it. My dad, mom, and in-laws all watch DS and we only needed 1 stroller and 1 car seat for all of us. To make the carseat work everyone gets their own base.

We got the baby jogger and it worked out really great for us. The stroller is easy to fold and unfold once you learn how and it clipped in really nicely. https://m.buybuybaby.com/m/product/baby-jogger-reg-city-mini-gt-travel-system-in-black/1046205094?skuId=46205094&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_strollers_online&product_id=46205094&product_channel=online&adtype=pla&adpos=1o2&creative=86711512860&device=m&matchtype=&network=g&mrkgadid=2998194942&mrkgcl=611&rkg_id=h-3dd653d394a3db416bc921da26460b7f_t-1517862675&gclid=Cj0KCQiAnuDTBRDUARIsAL41eDosJ3wZCWKGPk6ln0Nq8PX0mxdKdvGuPgI8FMiO5XF-seblsIgmlGEaAgP6EALw_wcB

I would say we mostly us an umbrella stroller now but that's because DS is to wiggly to be in the stroller for long so we wanted something super small/light we can carry.

The wagon is a great idea for #2. Thanks guys

lolog531 · February 2018

We got the Britax stroller and car seat combo. I loved the infant car seat and we will be re-using it with #2. The stroller is quite big, but for it's size it actually folds well and is light in comparison to some.
https://www.amazon.com/Britax-Agile-Travel-System-Black/dp/B0731KQ97W/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1517864615&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=britax+travel+system&psc=1

We went on a lot of walks when DS was an infant and it worked nicely. As he got older it did have him on more of an incline than he would like. The basket underneath was nice for extra storage, but you have to buy attachments for a storage compartment and snack/cup tray, which was a PITA. Granted we registered for it all, so it was purchased for us. I am still happy with our purchase, but would probably go a different route, or at least research again now that it's been a few years. I will add that the stroller was only used for walks and going here and there occasionally, so we wanted to stay in a certain price point, too, since it was not used enough to spend $$$.

We mainly use a cheaper umbrella stroller now though.

Question - DS will be 3 in May. He rarely rides in the stroller anymore as he insists on walking mostly. Do I even bother with a double stroller? I never caught on well to BWing, but I think I may have to give it a better try this time around with a toddler and newborn!

westphilly · February 2018

@calimom2524 LOVE the boys in the wagon. I have to look into getting one of those.

Favorite [stroller]: City Mini GT
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
What you like about it: We got the GT instead of the regular and it's totally worth the cost because the tires are more robust. They're air filled rather than hard plastic which can get around tough sidewalks and even bust through small amounts of snow and ice. I also LOVE that it folds down flat and has a mesh in the back to get air flow. The canopy folds down and totally covers the seat, so DS can lay down and take a nap. he's taken TONS of naps in the stroller and it was a lifesaver!
What you don't like about it, if anything: Small storage compartment below. So, we end up carrying a backpack, or dangerously strapping a bag to the handlebars (which you shouldn't do, I know, but I only do it while my hands are on the handle and take it off when I stop pushing)
Is there a [stroller] you don't have but are considering? Why?: Maybe a light umbrella stroller so we have 2. Or
Is there a [stroller] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?:
Additional thoughts on [stroller]?:

Regarding the carseat/frame/stroller confusion: Many carseats have the light snap frame option, and even though it's an extra thing, it's totally worth it IMO (we walk everywhere though, so strollers are life to us). We also got adapter clips for the carseat to attach to our main stroller, but never used them. We used DS in the carseat/frame combo until he was about 7-8 months old. We didn't use the 'big' stroller until then. After my Csect I was really happy to have the lightweight frame and carseat because it was much easier and lighter to move around, even though you only use the frame for 7-8 months.

I'm thinking of getting the ride behind roller board for DS to ride on when #2 gets big enough for the stroller. I'll probably baby wear (assuming #2 likes the carrier) for awhile, but eventually I'll want a way to have both in a stroller and I don't want a double because I think DS will be old enough to do more walking by then. Anyone have any experience with the roller boards? I've heard mixed things about them.

ecwk · February 2018

Didn’t we do the stroller one already?! Am I just going crazy? I’ll add my 2c in a bit if not! Would love the vista but I think it’s a little pricey since we already have a stroller!

lalala2004 · February 2018

ecwk said:

Didn’t we do the stroller one already?! Am I just going crazy? I’ll add my 2c in a bit if not! Would love the vista but I think it’s a little pricey since we already have a stroller!

I thought we did, too, but then I thought maybe I was mixing it up with the car seats because I have a travel system.

livinthesunnylife · February 2018

Shoot I'm sorry if this was done already, I didn't remember it. But it's a Monday so my brain isn't fully on.

coffeecocktailsandcake · February 2018

Skipping the copy/paste thing. I have a Bob for at home and a Hummingbird ultralight for the car. My son absolutely hated the car seat so I never needed to worry about having a stroller for the car that the seat could be used for. The Bob is great for our stroller walks as we walk every day during warm weather. It's too big and heavy for using during errands though. That's why I have the hummingbird ultralight. I LOVE it. It was and may still be the lightest stroller out there. I love that it folds and stands upright too. Cons, it doesn't completely collapse like an umbrella stroller. It's sunshade is small but pretty much every umbrella stroller is. It's great, one of my favorite baby items. Check it out.

For addition number two I already have a joovy caboose ultralight. I will use this for errands and haven't decided if I will get a double for home use or not.

Also, SALES SALES SALES. I get everything on sale. The Bob was about 40% off. The Hummingbird was about $50. The Joovy, $47!!!!! Keep your eye out and wait for deals! Check Amazon open box deals (one of my favorite ways to save) and end cap clearance items at Target. That's how I got the Joovy!

Advice? Skip the bassinet thing. Go for light and compact. The last thing you want is to struggle with a heavy bulky monster while the baby screams in it's carseat.

elsieisamoocow · February 2018

A couple things I thought of while reading the other comments:

Umbrella stroller recommendation: summer infant 3d lite! $80 and so good. It reclines, has a decent storage area, a pocket for your keys/phone, cup holder, and is nice and lightweight. I used to have the Uppababy g-lite and I hated it, it was poor quality compared to our Vista, and maybe it was a defective one but it was loud AF. I bought the summer this summer and am loving it for DS.

On the radio flyer wagon - test it out in a store first. I’m too tall to comfortably pull one (5’10”) and had to sell the cute one I bought and never used because it was just not comfortable at all. I need to look into other brands because I’d love to get a wagon for the zoo and park.

hfooter · February 2018

@legallykate that’s one thing I didn’t realize and we originally got a britax car seat and stroller. Hated the stroller and sold it. The bucket car seat had very little strollers it worked with at the time comparatively. Like would only work with britax ones or bobs I think. So I’d pay attention to that.

satin_doll · February 2018

@elsieisamoocow Thanks for sharing! I have been on Amazon looking for a travel set that includes the bassinet/pram attachment and have really been struggling. There's no big baby stores for me to get help from around here either. Does anyone else have the bassinet attachment with maybe a lower price tag?

@legallykate Thanks for that question and thanks for the answers everybody! I didn't even know adapters were a thing. I may have to use it to make a bassinet attach.

derbysquirrel · February 2018

FTM question: Do I even need a stroller? Can I just wear the baby for the first year or so? I'd hate to invest an insane amount of $$ on a stroller than I may not even use very much. I was thinking about just getting a super simple umbrella stroller when they are a little older/heavier, and not worry about one for the first 6 mos or so. Has anyone done this, or am I out of my mind? At what age can you put a baby in an umbrella stroller?

coffeecocktailsandcake · February 2018

Ive heard great things about the 3D, it's pretty popular.

Also pretty popular is the city mini. The moms I know that have it use it both at home and out and about.

If it's your first focus on the stroller you plan to use with the carseat (if you plan to) first. The babies don't technically sit in the stroller until they have good head control....4-6ish months.

hardlyhannah · February 2018

@derbysquirrel it’s nice for grandparents who may not want to baby wear. And I’m the summer heat there may be times you don’t want to wear either

elsieisamoocow · February 2018

hardlyhannah said:

@derbysquirrel it’s nice for grandparents who may not want to baby wear. And I’m the summer heat there may be times you don’t want to wear either

This. Here in SoCal I probably won’t be wearing the baby unless we’re in the AC because it was 110 almost daily from June until October last year and I don’t want to overheat the baby! Especially if you have a baby who runs hot, it may not be comfortable for either of you if you’re outside. I’m totally pro babywearing, but especially as they get bigger it’s nice to have a break sometimes and push the stroller.

derbysquirrel · February 2018

@elsieisamoocow
I'm in Colorado, and by the time the kid is born heat shouldn't be an issue

I'm always cold, so even if it were hot I wouldn't have an issue with wearing the baby, but I suppose the kid might!

@hardlyhannah
I didn't think about that, but since the g-parents are all out of state I'm not too worried about that. If they want one, they can buy it.

The thing I'm more concerned with is long days out and about. I may get tired of baby wearing if I have to be carrying the kid for 8 hours. We don't do many days like that, so it's hard to justify the huge expense for an occasional convenience. Maybe I could just rent one for days we do to a fair or something? Once they are older I'm sure I'll want an umbrella stroller for those occasions.

hfooter · February 2018

@derbysquirrel you could definitely wait. What’s nice about getting one that clicks with the bucket car seat is you don’t have to wake them. At least my kids never transferred so as soon as I pulled them out of the car seat they were awake.

melprop · February 2018

Favorite [stroller]: Baby Trend jogger travel system & umbrella stroller
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $$ For baby trend, $ for umbrella
Baby Trend jogger w/infant seat: We live in a small town in a very rural area. The jogger travel system functioned as our travel system stroller when DS was a newborn, and as our regular large stroller when he was bigger. We never actually used it for jogging. The bicycle tires were wonderful for walking on our really uneven sidewalks, through fields at friends’ houses & camping, going through dirt & mud at local fairsgrounds, etc.
Umbrella: With DS I bought a basic umbrella stroller when he was about 1yr old. I took that thing everywhere I didn’t need the bicycle tires of the jogger - malls, Home Depot, anywhere we’d end up carrying the stroller often like the zoo. It was nice to have a small stroller that just stayed folded up in the back of my car.
What you don't like about it, if anything: The jogger is actually too big to fit in my current car. DS grew out of the cheap umbrella around age 3, and the umbrella wasn’t super comfortable to push for a long time. I had to hunch down to push it.
Is there a [stroller] you don't have but are considering? Why?: I bought a “deluxe” umbrella stroller, an Urbini something, at Walmart for $30 on clearance. I put it together and let DS sit in it since he’s at the top end of the weight limit. It recliner quite a bit, is taller than a traditional umbrella, very comfortable pushing, and has a small basket underneath. DS (7) was barely too tall for it, so it should fit the new baby for years. If it holds up, it’ll be a great stroller for me to keep in the car.
Is there a [stroller] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: I borrowed a couple double strollers years ago when I was babysitting my niece FT with DS. I hated the ones that were side-by-side. They’re too big to comfortably do anything.
Additional thoughts on [stroller]?: If you have an older toddler/preschooler, look into a sit & stand stroller. They have a dedicated seat for an infant & usually a place to hold an infant seat. Then there’s a small bench or standing platform for a 2nd kid to sit or stand on while the stroller is being pushed. SIL & I used to use hers with her youngest and DS when we’d go places together. It was great - DS fit in the front seat as the infant/small toddler. Any of SIL’s girls (3-7yo) could sit or stand on the bench or standing platform behind the front seat. It was great for places like the zoo when the older kids would be up to look at animals but ride between exhibits.

melprop · February 2018

@derbysquirrel If you’re not sure about the stroller, look at travel systems. You can usually get a Graco-type travel system for around $150 that comes with an infant car seat. You’d be paying around $100 for the infant car seat anyway, so buying the package isn’t a huge additional expense. Or check your local Walmarts - they currently have an Urbini deluxe umbrella stroller on clearance for $30. It can hold an Urbini car seat, but reviews I’ve read say most of the Graco infant seats will click into it as well.

Edited to answer the umbrella stroller question: DS first used an umbrella stroller at about 3mo. I flew standby to a relative’s funeral in FL, just me, DS in the Moby, his infant seat, and a carry-on. My aunt had borrowed an umbrella stroller to use while we were there. DS was still a little too young for it. I used it twice when we walked their neighborhood in the evening and it was too warm to wear DS. I was really careful, and I borrowed the infant insert from the car seat to help with his head control. That being said, he was ultimately too small for it, and I wouldn’t have used it at all if I’d had a better option for those three days.

delujm0 · February 2018

@derbysquirrel you may want a car seat frame as a good alternative to the carrier, assuming you're doing an infant bucket seat at the beginning. If the baby is asleep in the car, generally taking them out of the seat to put them in the carrier will wake them, and no one wants that. If your umbrella stroller reclines almost flat, you can technically use it at 3 months, but neither of my girls were really comfortable in it until they could sit up straight on their own, so around 6-7 months. We used the car seat and frame as our stroller until then.

ladygali · February 2018

We got the Britax B-Agile travel system and I loved the baby bucket seat. DS has never been a great sleeper, so transferring a sleeping baby to the crib has happened maybe twice. With the bucket car seat I could click him in and out no matter what. I didn’t love the stroller, though. I’m tall and I wish I had gotten an adjustable handle, because pushing it wasn’t comfortable for me. It didn’t bug me enough to buy a different one, though, lol. It has held up well so we will probably just use it again.

We also got a baby trend jogging stroller with our Babies R Us registry rewards, around $150, and a $10 umbrella stroller for when DS got bigger and we wanted something that took up less space.

A safety FYI: the infant bucket car seats are NOT made to be placed on the seat part of a shopping cart and most have a warning label against it. I cringe when I see moms do that and I admit to doing it before I just listened to my instinct telling me it isn’t safe. The seat could fall, the cart could flip from being top heavy, and the risk isn’t worth it.

mrsbubbles-2 · February 2018

@ladygali - yes! When I was researching infant seats I was shocked to see how many seats would receive poor reviews because the design of the bottom of the seat made it impossible to sit on top of the shopping carts! I started to think that maybe the car seat people were doing it intentionally so that people would stop placing their infants in a dangerous position...

ladygali · February 2018

mrsbubbles-2 said:

@ladygali - yes! When I was researching infant seats I was shocked to see how many seats would receive poor reviews because the design of the bottom of the seat made it impossible to sit on top of the shopping carts! I started to think that maybe the car seat people were doing it intentionally so that people would stop placing their infants in a dangerous position...

Yeah, the way mine is shaped made it seem like it would fit, but nope. If anyone believes otherwise, just did a quick google search of car seats falling off carts. I’m sure there are a ton of horror stories.

Piperella · February 2018

Favorite [stroller]: Baby Jogger City Premier
Link/picture: https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-Premier-Stroller-Black/dp/B01JRVB3CQ
Cost: Was $399 in 2016; now around $199
What you like about it: It's a Baby Jogger! My son loves to fall asleep in it. When we do things for long periods of time, this is the stroller that gets used.
What you don't like about it, if anything: It's heavy lifting in and out of the car. Also, at first, it was very bulky trying to fit it in the back of our car.
Is there a [stroller] you don't have but are considering? Why?: The Uppababy Vista for the upcoming twins and our toddler. I've heard a few mom friends rave about it.
Is there a [stroller] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: Not yet.
Additional thoughts on [stroller]?: Get a lightweight stroller as well. Check out clearance aisles at Babies R Us, Target, Warehouse/Open box at Amazon. We got this one at BRU for a great deal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H5QL8LG/ and love it. It folds down so compactly and is easy to take with us anywhere. It even went to Scotland with us!

Want a personalized experience?

Product Spotlight 2/5: Strollers!

Re: Product Spotlight 2/5: Strollers!

Choose Another Board

Search Boards