when do you use a stroller?

[holliam]

Hey babywearing mamas,

We have high hopes of primarily being a babywearing family. Daughter will be close to 8 months old when she is finally home. I have just about 1 of every type of carrier so I know we will find one she likes.

But, we have an all-terrain stroller for neighborhood/park walks, only! I can't decide if we need or will use a lightweight stroller ever. I really have no desire to get a standard stroller.

Do you use a stroller ever?

Holli

[npace19147]

We live in downtown Philly so are really able to walk most places carrying DD. When she was a newborn she liked to sleep in the stroller so we used it more then. Now we pretty much only use it if we're going multiple places (shopping, grocery store, etc.) where we'll wind up with too much stuff for me to carry plus carry her. And I know a few moms who bring the stroller just to carry the stuff - they keep the baby in a carrier! I'm going to have to try that, esp. with the weather getting nicer! LOL!

We haven't really traveled with DD yet, I can see where there might be some instances traveling where a lightweight stroller could be useful. HTH, I'll be curious to see other responses.

[hapahaolegirl]

I mainly sling my daughter but when I go to the mall alone with my daughter I like to bring my stroller (and my sling). Especially if I plan on trying clothes on. There's no way I could put my daughter down and try things on at the same time without a stroller. I often wish that I had just bought an all-terrain stroller though since I really use my stroller more on walks outside then anything else. Of course if we had the money I would invest in both. I think both kinds of strollers have their uses.

HTH

Kristen

[betsydenny]

Keep in mind that it also depends on how much your baby weighs. I have worn DS quite a bit (easier to have him attached as I chase DD)since birth but at 6 months he now weighs 19lbs! And as much as I love having him attached, there are times when I just need to put him down for a while (after several hours on the playground) and the stroller is a savior in that moment.

We have a Volo and at six mo he is able to situp well and even happily snoozes in it. I love how easy the Volo is- so simple and light. I dont really miss the recline as both my DCs are happy sleeping sitting up. Occasionally I miss the sun shade so if it were my only ltwt stroller (dont ask... I have a plethora of strollers AND carriers) I might have gotten the Quest or Triumph for that extra bit of flexibility and gather now the Silver Cross Micro and Minis are great too. But that said, it is the Volo that gets the most use in our stable of strollers and I highly recommend it.

Good luck and can't wait to hear when your DD comes home at last!
Betsy

[pittsburghgirl]

Holli,
I have done a lot of babywearing, but now that DS is 25 lbs, I can't always do it. He does get too heavy at times.

I always wear him for quick trips in and out of stores, post office, that kind of thing. I sometimes wear him on my back (mei tai) in the grocery store, but he likes sitting in the cart so I have a cart cover for that. I use my stroller for longer shopping trips or when I know I'll need to try things on (I just don't like the idea of him crawling around the floor of those changing rooms), when I'm meeting someone for lunch at a place like Panera and need to have a hand free to carry my tray until we can get seated, that kind of thing. He can be very wiggly and I find that wearing him gets tiring more quickly when he wants to wiggle. He also can more easily eat his Cheerios from his snack trap when he's in the stroller.

If I was in better shape perhaps I would find it easier to wear him all the time. If I were in your position, I would wait until your DD is here and try out lightweight strollers to see what she likes to sit in, if you decide to get one. If your all-terrain isn't too huge/heavy/hard to fold you might just use that whenever you need it rather than buying a lightweight.

Marilee
mommy to James
http://lilypie.com/baby2/040120/1/1/1/-5/.png

[holliam]

Thanks everyone! The babywearing is also important for us for bonding so we're going to try our best to do it as much as physically possible. DH can carry her anywhere forever I think. He is much stronger and in way better shape. I think I'm more worried about me. Our Zooper Zydeco is waaaay too big for me to ever bring anywhere in public besides the neighborhood or park trails. I'd die of embarrassment! LOL

I am still thinking.. DH wants to wait until she is home so we probably will.

Holli

[npace19147]

You may want to start doing some weight training to get in shape if you have a while before your baby will be home. Starting with an 8 month old will not be easy! I would suggest chest, shoulders and back for babywearing...and arm muscles for baby carrying! :) Good luck!

[holliam]

LOL Yep, I should have started doing that oh, about 16 months ago when we started this adoption. Now we're down to the final month. Oh well! :)

Holli

[Saartje]

We started as a babywearing-only family. We knew we'd want to get a running stroller/bike trailer when DS was a year old, though, so we (I, mostly) could return to those activities with him along.

We wound up getting it when he was just a few months old; DH could carry him anywhere, but I was still recovering the physical strength I lost during pregnancy, so I couldn't walk and carry Ishie for long periods of time. The stroller meant I could go out (for a walk or to run errands) without DH but with DS, and not fear I'd wear out so completely I'd have to call DH to come pick us up.

Now I'm trying to get another stroller, a very lightweight one that folds very small. I'll be doing a lot of travelling in the year to come, and though I'm strong enough to carry Ishie for long periods of time now (and he's really not too heavy for me at 22 lbs) and can make it through the airport just fine, carrying baby, diaper bag, and luggage for the two of us (I've done it alone!), walking for exercise while wearing him is impractical. So I want the lightweight stroller mainly for exercise while travelling, because as it is I don't get nearly as much exercise as I'd like when I'm on the road.

[tarahsolazy]

We are a primarily baby-wearing family. DS has never been comfortable sitting in a stroller for any period of time, and has never slept in a stroller! I don't know if that's because I never used one when he was little, or what. We have a jogging stroller, which I hope he'll deign to sit in for walks/runs this spring/summer. I also have two others, a Silver Cross Mini, and a Peg Milano XL I got for a song. The Peg was an impulse purchase, its really for the as yet to be conceived #2. I got the SC when Fory was about 7 months old. He tolerates the SC or the Peg for an hour, max, at places like the mall, or maybe 20 minutes at the library. I have found the SC to be invaluable though. It is essential for solo airline travel (just the boy and I), because it can carry either him or his carseat, whichever is fussing less. It is also a nice shopping cart, and is very light and easy to fold. It is very solid and well-designed. I was looking at the SC or a Mac, and I am happy with my choice for an older babe.

ETA: I have one of every kind of carrier, too. I prefer the Kozy or a simple unpadded ring sling these days. Usually the sling. DH uses a frame backpack, he used to use the Moby wrap or Bjorn.

[squimp]

Hi Holli - I recommend that you wait, too. We did really well with a Bjorn, KKACP and a jogger for the first year.

I now love having a one-hand fold stroller in the back of my car at all times - DD is heavy :) and loves riding in her "soul-der". And it's easier to maneuver than a jogger. But it's really a luxury, so I don't have to take the jogger in and out of the car all the time.

Glad to hear you're down to the last month!

[squimp]

Hi Holli - I recommend that you wait, too. We did really well with a Bjorn, KKACP and a jogger for the first year.

I now love having a one-hand fold stroller in the back of my car at all times - DD is heavy :) and loves riding in her "soul-der". And it's easier to maneuver than a jogger. But it's really a luxury, so I don't have to take the jogger in and out of the car all the time.

Glad to hear you're down to the last month!

[quikeye]

Hi Holli!

We're mainly a BW family here, but I do use the stroller. I'm home w/ ds during the day, and if I need to go to the store and pikc up some heavy things (or several books @ the library), I'll take the stroller for the basket... We also used it @ Sea World/Disneyworld which was nice to have a larger stroller at, and since dh doesn't like to carry ds when we go on walks but wants to participate, we'll often take the stroller on the long walks we go on in the afternoons.

I still carry him comfortably though (opuch mainly), and make sure to always ahvea pouch with me if there's a chance of being out for any period of time... even if we have the stroller... since he has about 45 min of time he can spend in one before freaking out. :) Stroller is mainly for long walks w/ dh though-- My pet peeve is strollers in crowded shopping areas so ds never is in one when we go shopping/mall/ikea etc.

MIL bought us an inexpensive "umbrella" that I never use, and we havea jogger that we tried to jog with :) '

Good luck! :) I'd not worry about more strollers til babe gets here (so many congrats, btw), and see how comfy you are wihtout them before stocking up.

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif
12 months, w00t!
http://gynosaur.com/bf_ribbons.php

[tribegirl3]

Hey Holli-
Congratulations on the baby! You must be very excited! I agree with some of the other posts about two things...
1) start lifting and arm exercises!
2) wait until the baby comes to see what she likes!

I got a great Graco set for a shower gift and it has been doing nothing but collecting dust the past 11 months. I used to use it for walks but DS doesn't even like that anymore! He absolutely hated the car seat and won't sit in the stroller more than 5-10 minutes. To think of all the time I spent researching strollers!!! I take it to the mall with me when I go by myself but it holds my bags and our coats!

Good luck!

Angie

[lizamann]

Funny - I just went for a jog with my almost 2-yr-old in the jogger, and then walked about the neighborhood for a while musing about how weird it felt to push her around. We don't use the stroller a lot. I have used it when walking to the grocery store or other times when I need to haul lots of stuff (it was awesome for Christmas shopping!). I have never taken a stroller on a vacation or on an excursion, like to the zoo, museum, street festival etc. I find that crowds and strollers don't mix. I love to just jut in and out with babe strapped to me. I just streamline the junk I need to take and pop babe in a carrier. I have never once regretted it and wished I had the stroller with me.

Edited to add that strollers do come in handy for OTHER people who may be looking after your baby who don't have their babywearing chops up to snuff. Grandparents, aunties...of course they may really love to learn to use the slings, too. My mom loved wearing the carriers because for months it was the only way dd would allow herself to be carried by anyone other than myself.

[katenyc]

Holli,

I would say our stroller gets used once every 7-10 days. I live in NYC, so I run all of my errands on foot. If I know in advance that I am going to be picking up heavy things (milk and juice and canned goods all in one shot), I take the stroller, but I have been known to take dd out at the store, sling her, and put the groceries in the stroller. No matter what, if I am out with the stroller I always have a carrier too.

I totally agree with the previous posters about needing a stroller when it's necessary to try things on (clothing stores, or at a tailor's). And now that dd rides on my hip, mostly, if we are going out at nap time sometimes I choose to take the stroller because it makes for more peaceful napping for her.

My husband will wear dd in a mei tai or baby backpack (he's not a sling/pouch guy), but for short jaunts he either takes the stroller or carries her in-arms...no idea how long the former will last, since she's upwards of 21 lbs now!

Congrats on your adoption! It must be so exciting!