Best stroller for Graco Snugride infant seat?

[redstarlg]

Hi,

I'm planning to register for a Snugride infant seat. (Do people recommend the 30 or 35 lb models?) I am trying to figure out a good frame or stroller to go with it. I live in NYC, ride the subway, have a car, am on the tall side (5 ft 7 and hubby is 6 ft 1), and most importantly, have a bad back. So I'm trying to find that sweet spot of lightweight + easy to maneuver and fold and carry + durable and safe.

Any suggestions?

THANK YOU!

Leigh

PS: I looked at the Peg P Vela and liked it, but it's gotten really mixed reviews. I like the BJ City Mini. I like the Bugaboo Bee but can't justify the price. I don't like the Uppa Baby Vista. People rave about MacLarens but I'm partial to one handed bars for pushing, if possible...

[jiggaman]

People around here generally don't like keeping baby in a car seat for long periods of time. It's an awkward angle for baby's neck and they prefer to be fully reclined.

If you need to keep them in a car seat, you may want to start with a snap n go. It's just a frame with wheels you attach the car seat to.

[MamaBear]

I think most strollers will take a Graco. I recently got the Graco adapter for my Bee+ (my baby is tiny and seems to be in no rush to get out of his SafeSeat, LOL!) and it works well. I hardly ever use it, but the few times that he's fast asleep and I need to run a very quick errands, it's great. Best of all, it's simply an amazing stroller - light, nimble, easy to use. It is now my car and travel stroller.

[Mrs.Christie]

I had a snugride 22 and that's the one I'd recommend. The heigher weight seats will last longer, but they are heavier to begin with. When DD was around 5 months I moved her to a convertible anyway, long before she had outgrown the limits on the snugride 22.

Most strollers will take a snugride as it is a very popular infant carrier, although some stroller adaptors might require a strap or something which is less than ideal IMO. With DD I used a graco metrolite as my indoor stroller and I was quite happy with it. I loved being able to just snap her carseat in and go. Both DD and I did not care for babywearing, plus who wants to wake a sleeping baby and get them out of their toasty seat in the winter.

However, I would figure out what stroller you want first, then consider the infant seat. For many the infant seat is only used for maybe 6 months while your stoller could be used for years.

[roseyloxs]

Cybex Callisto (http://cybex-online.com/site/us/pushchairs/callisto-neu.html). Umbrella fold, TALL one bar handle, huge canopy, AW suspension, takes a bassinet or car seat.

http://a1468.g.akamai.net/f/1468/580/1d/pics.Drugstore.com/prodimg/329511/200.JPG

There is a 2010 available for $220 from drugstore.com (http://www.drugstore.com/search/search_results.asp?N=0&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntk=All&srchtree=1&Ntt=cybex+callisto&Go.x=0&Go.y=0). Regal Lager also has a carrycot (http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/Callisto+Carry+Cot+2010/part_number=12-10412/487.0.1.1.61463.61403.0.0.0?pp=8&) on sale for $100 and the car seat adapter (http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/Infant+Car+Seat+Adapter/part_number=12-8000001/487.0.1.1.61463.61403.0.0.0?pp=8&) for $25.

http://mediacdn.shopatron.com/media/mfg/487/product_image/52ee98257cb961cbc69bd8a98aa8b360.jpg?1267677457

[blondflava]

Lugging around the carseat with baby gets tiring quickly, especially that they grow quickly and get heavier. The bigger limit ones are bigger and bulkier than the regular infant carriers as well (we had Graco Snugride 32). I used the carrier to carry my DD around a lot but we had plenty of doctor's appointments in the first months (she was a preemie) as she was tiny and would throw up laying flat because of reflux, so for us being in the carseat was the 'lesser evil' :wink2:.
Almost every stroller will take a Graco, usually with adapters, I' definitely look into one that reclines flat and use it for walks... Sidewalks in NYC are awful though, I recommend air tires though, at least for the first year.

[roseyloxs]

would throw up laying flat because of reflux, so for us being in the carseat was the 'lesser evil' :wink2:.

Some bassinets have reclines in them so a baby doesn't have to lay completely flat, since not all babies appreciate a flat surface (my kids didn't either). I bet strollerqueen would know this better but off the top of my head I can remember that the Inglesina Zippy has a reclining bassinet and the Peg Perego Skate (but this one is not for you.. too heavy).

[edurnemk]

Most strollers take Graco car seats, so I wouldn't center my search around that, plus the infant seat phase ends pretty quickly. So choose a stroller that will fit your lifestyle beyond that phase.

I second the suggestion for the Callisto. I'm also partial to single bar handles. Also the BJCM is nice, although wider in the back, but you can't beat that fold.

If I were getting a stroller frame I'd go for the Maclaren Easy Traveller, but I don't feel they're necessary, I prefer to go straight to a nice stroller and snap the car seat in it when necessary (like a PP said, it's not good to keep baby in car seats for long periods, plus some babies like mine, HATE the seat).

When's your baby due? UppaBaby will be releasing the Cruz later this year, which is lighter and narrower than the Vista, more like the Bee, and also reversible.

[redstarlg]

Will the Cruz be out in time? I could look into this...

So much great advice! Thanks everyone!

I'm really partial to the BJCM, though I've heard the adapter is subpar (some parents feel the seat stays a bit loose, and you need a strap?), but I will also look into this Calisto.

[Detny]

Can't help you with the stroller question (I have Uppa Vista & G-Luxe), but as for the infant seat... I strongly recommend the smaller/lighter Graco. We got the Graco Snugride 32... my reasoning was that I thought my baby was going to be a giant and I wanted to put off getting the convertible for as long as possible. That was really stupid. You have to get the convertible eventually, so what difference does it make whether it's at 6 months, or at 16 months?

The big issue is that the seat is *much* heavier than the seat that goes up to 22 pounds. The weight of the seat combined with the weight of the baby equals super heavy. I found that by 6 months, a) it was impossible for me to get the seat out of the car and keep my baby asleep, and b) the seat became too heavy with DD in it to make it worthwhile to take her out of the car while she was in the carseat.

Good luck and congratulations!