Stroller Queen/Stroller Consultant needed for newtimer!

[mama_bliss]

I have begun the stroller research process but am very overwhelmed as a first-timer. I live in Texas in a big inner-city/suburban environment.

Helpful Criteria:
-will invest as necessary for quality/right stroller fit. Hope to use for additional little ones.
-Will use a stroller for neighborhood walks (old, uneven sidewalks, dirt paths, gravel, paved streets).
-Use for shopping and going-out...malls, inner-city shopping, restaurants.
-I *hope* to be out and active even with an infant in our mild winter.
-Am petite (5 feet) with good arm strength - will load stroller into a sedan trunk.

Does anyone have starter suggestions? I would rather have a narrow list to "test-drive" with a dear, but impatient hubby.
Thanks so much!

[hardysmom]

The best advice I have seen on this Board, which came too late for me :( is to get one of those no-frills snap-and-go type car-seat holders and wait until the baby is here to make a bigger investment. I know it isn't as sexy as a cool stroller, but I think you will appreciate it down the line. Save now, spend later. I remember that before I had my son, I though the car seats just looked so uncomfortable, but in reality, I think most babies feel very secure in them.

A stroller which is good on neighborhood walks on varied terrain, may not be so great in tight spaces like restaurants/stores. I started out with a Peg Perego Milano. It was very expensive and great when my son was very little, but now (just 8 months later) it is really difficult to haul around (I have a Subaru Outback), doesn't fit well in restaurants, and is really difficult to take anywhere with doors to open/aisles to manuver. I still use it often, particularly if I am going out around nap-time because of the full recline, but I got a Maclaren Vogue to keep in the car and it seems to be getting more and more use. Had I waited, I would have probably gone with a Peg Pliko. There are some great strollers out there, but it is just so hard to know what features will be important to you until you have had some time out there in the field.

[strollerqueen]

Hi there!

The best way to answer your question is to ask you one first. Do you own just one pair of shoes? And if so, what is it? Would you wear high heels to the beach, tennis shoes to a wedding, sandals to work? (well, maybe!) Are you catching my drift?

The point is, there is no one stroller that will work for all the situations you've mentioned. Two, maybe. A lightweight one for shopping and in and out of the car, and a heavier, fixed-wheel one for outdoors. Think prams, joggers, and A/T's, with 12" wheels. Thats the only thing that's going to go over broken sidewalks and gravel. These are not great for indoor use, though I have done it.

I used to advise people to buy just snap n go's to begin with. But now there has been a lot of new research out to show that it is a really bad idea to leave infants in car seats for long periods of time. The recline angle can cause breathing problems, and the hard shell can cause a flattening of the skull. I think it's fine for short periods, however.

My lightweight recommendation to you is the COmbi Ultra Savvy, which you can use as a stroller from birth, or snap a car seat into.

My heavy duty recommendation is a Mountain Buggy Urban or Terrain. There are several European prams I also like.

IF you really want to use this stroller for another baby, then try to avoid the mass-market models--i.e. Graco, Evenflo, Cosco, etc. Most models have serious durability issues, with a shelf life of 6 months or less.

Post back if you have more questions, and COngrats on your impending bundle of joy!

:) :)

[Rachels]

I completely agree! I ignored that advice and got both the Kolcraft Universal Carseat Carrier (like the Snap 'n Go) and the Perego Venezia. As it turns out, the Venezia sits in our dining room and gets used mainly for naps, and the Kolcraft is the one I take everywhere. I will be sad when my daughter outgrows her infant carseat and I have to start lugging an enormous stroller around. You really, really, really don't need the big stroller off the bat. If you're like me, though, and you can't resitst, be sure to try steering whatever you plan to buy with one hand, and push it over bumps as well. I had absolutely no idea how much I would need to push the stroller one-handed, but it happens all the time. And some strollers get hung up on bumps more than others.
Hope this helps!
-Rachel

[mama_bliss]

Thank you SO much for your help and advice!

The shoe analogy is perfect - I am reformed addict!
I was beginning to get the feeling that we would become a 2-stroller family (at least)...

I agree about the snap-n-go...great idea but, the research shows that it is not too healthy to leave baby in that position for extended periods.

Combi Ultra savvy gets lots of votes so we will test-drive along with your Mountain Buggy suggestions.

As for prams, what do you recommend? I have thought about getting one and letting it double as a bassinet in the beginning - my friend did this and it worked great - she could wheel the baby from room-to-room and place it by her bed to jiggle it up and down while she tried to nap. They are SO bulky though I am not sure if I want it as a permanent fixture in our house.

Also, I have looked at the Peg Pliko which is nice but I need to look at the boards again and get the consensus from the experts...

Thanks again for your time and I LOVED your Stroller Saga - it's been hilarious to read!
Catherine

[MamaKath]

Ebay often has Peg Perego prams that are gently used very reasonably priced (150 or less). I recently purchased a gently used Peg Perego 3 in 1 (Arianna model).

It is wonderful as a bassinet, as well as for long walks in the neighborhood. The bassinet has a backrest that can be put up to an almost sitting angle, and my ds (5.5 months) loves sitting in it. The stroller seat has a 5 point harness, and is very plush. It is fairly light, for a pram anyway, and fits in the back of my van although it might be a problem in a car. Also part of why it is quite light for a pram is there is quite a bit of plastic, but it is quite durable. The Italian brands (Inglesina, Chicco, Perego) are very similar in that fashion. Other brands that are great for prams are Silver Cross, Emmaljunga, Simo, Bertini, Brio. Simos and Bertinis are readily available in the US, the others are more diffficult to find.

Also I would look at 2 in 1s (the seat has a special boot that turns it into a carrycot/bassinet) or a 3 in 1 (seat and bassinet are seperate pieces), not a hard sided pram that can't be replaced with a seat which would be quite expensive and have a short lifespan.

HTH