Product Spotlight Series: Check Our Work

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

This is usually a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. But this week.... we're asking for work checks. So, FTMs, S+TMs, if you have questions about your plans (i.e., "Does how I'm planning to use this thing make sense?" or "Do I really need both of these items?" or "Am I missing something from my thought process?") this is the place to ask. Questions asked here are likely going to be more specific to each person, so a big thank you in advance to everyone who provides feedback.

To get the best feedback you can, try to use the prompts below or at least format your question in the most easy-to-read format you can think of.

Lifestyle factors to consider:
Link/picture of item you're considering or have questions about:
Cost of item (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
Question:

To view past Product Spotlights or view the upcoming schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gjNtxy2Kd2JceTYYR5wkwVcpTbU-khgazhjcZnfI1y4/edit?usp=sharing

(Also just a reminder that if anyone wants to revive old threads to ask questions as we get further along and it becomes more likely everyone is doing further research, please feel free!)

mytinc · April 2018

@doxiemoxie212 - I feel half asleep today, and my brain isn't getting what you mean by "work checks" for this thread. Can you elaborate?

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

Lifestyle factors to consider:

I live in NYC and walk almost everywhere.
Very rarely take cars, except maybe to the airport, but the subway is actually easier.
Car seats are not required in cabs/trains/buses here, and they are not required to leave the hospital with baby.
I already have the Uppababy Vista as our primary stroller.
We do go back to CA fairly often to visit my mom, where driving is the only real mode of transportation, and we have some trips planned in the fall for weddings where we'll likely need to at least drive upon arrival. Thus the car seat question.

Question(s): I am considering two things:

Getting the Babyzen Yoyo (with both seat types) as a "travel" stroller to use in CA at my mom's, on day trips, to weddings, etc.
Getting an infant carseat for the few times we use the car here, but almost entirely for when we travel.

So, my two questions are:

I am curious how you guys feel about the Babyzen Yoyo plan as a backup/travel stroller (since it folds so small/can be a carry on, but is also not inexpensive)
I'm also curious about my plan to try to find a carseat that is compatible with both Uppababy and Babyzen -- seems like Nuna Pipa is my best bet? But is that carseat too expensive to risk damage when traveling by plane if we check the carseat? The weight seems ideal for travel, but the cost less so.

(Note: the reason I don't want to use the Babyzen as my primary stroller is that I feel I need more storage space in NYC since the stroller will basically be like my car.)

Alt options:

I could not get the basinet attachment and save $225.
I could get the Pockit stroller instead and save a lot of $$ (but reviews seem mixed, and I'm not sure it is compatible with any carseats?)
I could get a cheaper carseat and worry less about stroller compatibility/weight.

Link/picture/cost of item you're considering or have questions about: Nuna Pipa $300 / Babyzen Yoyo frame + seat $500, and bassinet attachment $225 (but eligible for 15% off Amazon discount)

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@mytinc I updated the upfront of the original post to explain a little more

mytinc · April 2018

Ah, okay @doxiemoxie212. Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with the products you're looking at, so I can't provide feedback.

marcus7676 · April 2018

@doxiemoxie212 are there other carseats that are compatible with the babyzen? I honestly wouldn't spend the money on the nuna pipa when you will use it for less than a year. I know it is the lightest on the market, but in the grand scheme of things, it is not going to make that much of a difference. Especially if you aren't planning on putting the baby on it on the plane, and just checking it. (FWIW, I strongly believe that the baby should have its own seat on the plane). Can you buy an infant carseat to leave at your moms? Can you wait to see if you actually need one?

I've heard great things about the babyzen yoyo, but couldn't justify the price after buying an uppababy cruz and mesa.

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@marcus7676 I was thinking about just leaving a car seat at my mom's, but we're going to need one for our weddings in Sept/Oct/Nov which are in DC/North Carolina, etc.

These are the carseats compatible with the Babyzen Yoyo: https://strolleria.com/collections/infant-car-seats-compatible-with-babyzen-yoyo
(Nuna Pipa, Cybex Aton Q and Cloud Q, and the Maxi-Cosi Mico)

None of those are really less expensive, or if they are slightly less expensive there are trade offs... and I would want one that is also compatible with the UB Vista as well...

marcus7676 · April 2018

@doxiemoxie212 can you get adaptors for other carseats (it doesn't look like it)? That's a fancy list of carseats. We tried the Nuna Pipa and the Cybex in our car at the time and neither fit quite right. I'm not sure what I'd do in your situation because it sounds like you'll need one intermittently, but not frequently. I don't like the idea of rental car carseats because you don't know the quality / whether they've been in an accident, etc. And in September, I don't know if the baby will be able to sit up in a stroller (I think 6 months is the recommendation). Maybe the Nuna is your best option?

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@marcus7676 I mean, it's super light, and we're hoping to have another kid before that carseat expires so assuming we don't get into any accidents with it (fx), we'd use it again, and by then we definitely will be somewhere that we need a carseat fulltime..... so..... maybe it's not as dumb as it sounds in my head....? The car seat I'm actually going to wait to buy because I don't think I can use any discount codes with it (can't find it on Amazon...? Seems excluded from other stores?). The babyzen I can get from Amazon so I do want to buy it with my discount code order since I only get two orders but each can be up to $2k.

ETA: but then part of me is just like, girl you are so dumb, if you are going to spend this much on a carseat, wouldn't it be better to have the stupid Mesa? Sigh. BUT IT'S NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE BABYZEN!

krash_ · April 2018

@doxiemoxie212 we got the Mesa to go with our Vista purely out of simplicity sake and not having to get an adapter for the Vista. The cost of a cheaper seat + the adapter was about the same cost as just getting the Mesa. But I will say it is heavy. If you're going to be traveling with it I would go for a lighter one.

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@krashke the issue is the Mesa isn't compatible with the Babyzen Yoyo, and I don't want to take the Vista when we travel because of stories of it breaking, etc. Plus it's pretty bulky for traveling. And we won't really use the Mesa here where the Vista is...

elsie42 · April 2018

@doxiemoxie212 have you looked at the doona?

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@elsie42 yes, but I decided against it since we won't use it here in NYC, and I wouldn't want to travel with that on a plane.

marcus7676 · April 2018

@doxiemoxie212 if you get the uppababy travel bag and register it, they will replace the vista if its broken while traveling. We have the bag for our Cruz (which we flew with once).

LaceyBee522 · April 2018

@marcus7676We're registered for the Vista and the travel bag. I didn't know that about the replacement. Thanks for that!

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@marcus7676 yeah, I was considering that, but the reviews on the bags say that the Vista almost always breaks when checked on planes, and while UB is really good about replacing them, it takes a week to get a new one, which just seems like a huge pain. But then again, people writing reviews are usually people who have had shitty luck.

marcus7676 · April 2018

@laceybee522 definitely double check to make sure that rule still applies, but that's what it was in 2016!

LaceyBee522 · April 2018

We're doing the Uppababy Vista stroller. Originally, I'd planned to just use the Mesa car seat with the stroller, until the babies were big enough to sit in the rumble seats. However, recently, I've been hearing people say it is bad to keep the kids in the car seats. So, should I be registering for an extra bassinet (in addition to an extra rumble seat and two car seats)?

Lifestyle factors to consider: City living. We don't travel by car frequently, but MH's family has a car and we will be traveling over the summer in our own rented vehicle. They will be in their stroller pretty frequently because that's the only way we get around the city (unless they're in a carrier).
Link/picture of item you're considering or have questions about: https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/uppababy-reg-vista-cruz-2018-bassinet/5030922?skuId=63870428&registryId=545635240&sopt=
Cost of item (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $$$

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@LaceyBee522 I'd heard the same thing about carseats not being great for long periods of time because of babies' necks, and it's part of the reason we went away from the Doona, got the Vista, and now I'm in this predicament with what to do when traveling lol.

Weird question re: twins..... is there any chance that two babies could just snuggle together in one bassinet? Is that nuts/bad? We already have our Vista, and the bassinet seems huge to me.

LaceyBee522 · April 2018

@doxiemoxie212 I think that kind of gets into the weird co-sleeping debate. We're generally not keeping them together, so it will be easier to transition to cribs. I.E. they will both get their own bassinet by my bed, they'll both get their own stroller seat, then eventually crib, etc. I mean, this is me assuming all they'll really do in the stroller at that age is sleep.

marcus7676 · April 2018

@laceybee522 how long will they really be in the carseat? DS rode in the carseat for close to two hours per day between time in the car / stroller on the way to / from daycare. That didn't concern me.

MissKittyDanger · April 2018

Those in wintery areas, need suggestion!

We have this stroller:
https://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=50542596
{Baby Trend - 3 wheeler, intended for jogging}

The wheels seem pretty good to 'plow' through the snow, but never experienced it.

lisa2589 · April 2018

@LaceyBee522 I mean from what I understand of the don’t use the car seat too much, the biggest concern is say you get home and baby is sleeping in the seat, don’t let them proceed to nap for another 3 hours in there due to potential neck/airway issues if they get too relaxed and slumped in there. But I think using car seats/strollers when out and about is perfectly acceptable because you’ll have an eye on them and they’ll be waking (even if only partially waking) periodically throughout whatever you’re up to with them.

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@MissKittyDanger what is your question...?

MissKittyDanger · April 2018

MissKittyDanger said:

Those in wintery areas, need suggestion!

We have this stroller:
https://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=50542596
{Baby Trend - 3 wheeler, intended for jogging}

The wheels seem pretty good to 'plow' through the snow, but never experienced it.

Because apparently it deleted half the post:

Is it actually good in snow or does it just look it?

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@MissKittyDanger if your question is purely related to strollers, I'd reco putting it in the stroller thread just to make it easier for anyone looking for general info: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gjNtxy2Kd2JceTYYR5wkwVcpTbU-khgazhjcZnfI1y4/edit#gid=0

MissKittyDanger · April 2018

@doxiemoxie212 dammit, it didn't post entire thing *sigh* fixed.

krash_ · April 2018

@LaceyBee522 what I read was that if baby is less than 4 weeks old they shouldn't spend more than 30 consecutive minutes in the car seat. Honestly, in the first 4 weeks with twins I doubt you will be out too much. After 4 weeks they shouldn't spend more than 2 hours consecutively in the car seat. Like @2589 said, you shouldn't leave them to nap for hours on end in it. If you're out and about or on a long car ride, I would just take them out for 10-15 minutes, they will probably need to be fed/changed anyway, and then they can go back in.

That's not to say that they can spend all day in the car seat as long as they have breaks, but if you're out for a few hours and take them out a bit, I wouldn't stress about it.

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@MissKittyDanger yeah, I would put that in the stroller thread since I think that would be helpful information for anyone looking at the stroller to have.

LaceyBee522 · April 2018

@marcus7676 That's good to know. I'm not really sure how long we'll be out. I keep imagining my current life with the babies in it - long brunches with the stroller parked next to the table. Days in the park, etc. However, I have a feeling these outings will change.

@2589 Thanks! That's true.

@krashke That's a good point. Even if I somehow manage to maintain my lifestyle and enjoy a three or four hour brunch with the babies parked next to the table, I will be taking them out to change and nurse, etc.

I think ya'll convinced me I do not need to spend the $$$ on a second bassinet. Thank you!

MissKittyDanger · April 2018

@doxiemoxie212 It won't let me delete it so I just reposted it there

rnielsen321 · April 2018

Ladies who are in "the city" who do not need a full time car seat... STM here, and I want to point out that you can RENT car seats in most major destination cities.... for a day, week, etc. Along with strollers, play yards etc. It may be worth looking into, rather than risk the damage/hassle of travelling with a large amount of equipment, and or investing in some equipment you won;t use.

We have the UPPAbaby Cruz, with a Chicco Keyfit infant car seat, (which my girfriend with a Vista used as well) there is an adapter for it, and works well. (You may find the car seat adapter on a resell group) We did not get the Bassinet. Our 23 in long newborn would have gotten very little use out of it.

doxiemoxie212 · April 2018

@rnielsen321 I looked into that, but it seemed like it would be $80-100 per day?? Which seemed crazy, and also seemed hit/miss re: cleanliness, safety, etc. But I'd love to hear more about it if anyone has first hand experience!

Want a personalized experience?

Product Spotlight Series: Check Our Work

Re: Product Spotlight Series: Check Our Work

Choose Another Board

Search Boards