Stroller Advice - Clearwater, FL

I think strollers really depend on what you use them for and you lifestyle. Think of them as cars--do you like the sleek sporty kind that are easy to maneuver but maybe not so much trunk space or are you more the cadillac--lots of room and comfort, but huge?
I found out that I'm the first. I got a "snap and go" for the car seat for when my son was using his infant carrier --its a frame with a basket (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=pd_luc_23_lc_a##...)
that an infant carrier fits into--nice, small and lightweight (and inexpensive compared to the big stroller that do the same--$50),The basket easily fits enough stuff in for a trip to the mall or a place that doesn't have a shopping cart, and its very lightweight and folds up nice and small. Once he got too big for the infant carrier, we also got a metrolite, since it seemed middle of the road--not to big or small and soon hated it. It was just too big and bulky for what I needed it for (and heavy). So it soon ended up in a garage sale. I ended up with an umbrella stroller--so easy to fold and get into the car (the one I got you can open and close with one hand). But I didn't need it until my son was well over 6 months old.
I actually ended up with two different umbrella-like strollers once is the McClaren Triumph http://www.strollers.com/Maclaren-W###-###-####-EK1212.html that I keep at my mother-in-laws and the other is the Peg Perego Plinko http://www.strollers.com/Peg-Perego-IPFT28NA63GT34CR13-PG...
both I like a lot (if I had to pick one it would be the McClaren) but like I said, I really didn't know what I wanted until he was much older and realized when I would need it and how much I would use it.

I have the metrolite for my daughter and though it is easy and lite to get in and out of the car, it is very cheaply made. My daughters won't even sit up anymore because the pull string on it got caught in the loop. It is very cheap for a pricey price. I would not recommend it to anyone. I hope this helps.Congrats on the new baby!

I highly recommend a sling or a wrap versus a stroller. I'm sure you need a stroller once in a while, my husband and I have one just in case, but we have yet to use it. 'Wearing your baby', as it's referred to, is shown to be advantageous to their development overall (they spend more time in 'quiet alert' -- their learning state -- than babies who are carted around in artificial devices), as well as keeps them where they were meant to be -- right up close next to Mom. You can't believe the amount of physical contact you and your little one miss out on every day by carting them around in a carseat/stroller combo. There is a great website wearyourbaby.com where you can find videos and instructions on all different carries, as well as info on the different kinds of carriers. Please give it a try - you can't possibly imagine how much more natural it feels (once you get used to the carriers -- and it does take 2 or 3 times before you start to feel comfortable) until you've spent a few days carrying your baby up close. I highly recommend a wrap (which is just 5 yards of breathable cotton or jersey material that you can go buy at your local fabric store) in a 'front cross carry' for a newborn. We've used that one since our son was 4 days old, and though we've branched out into different carriers and holds since then, you still can't beat that hold for sleepy babies. Good luck and congratulations!

Hi K.,
I looked around for awhile for a nice stroller.. I finaly went with Graco's Laura Ashley stroller and carseat. It is a beautiful set. It is light weight and durable. I know there is a new Laura Ashley now out by Graco.. I have the older one.. they still have it at babies'r us.

I too have the graco metrolite and have mixed reviews. Overall, I like it. The car seat is great, I have no complaints about that. The stroller itself had one minor flaw. The way you adjust the back of the stroller is just with a pull tie thing, meaning that there is just some rope in the middle that you pull to adjust the back up or down. I found that because it is designed this way as opposed to a bar that runs the enitire length of the back, I could never get the back to be straight across. So, when my son sat in it, he would slump to one side. However, when I bought the stroller I purchased the insurance on it, I think it was $25. Do this no matter what stroller you get! Graco and babies r us were great! I called the number and told them about the problem. I mailed them a copy of my receipt and of the insurance and they mailed me a check for a full refund! I still use the stroller, the problem wasn't that bad. Normally, they send you stuff so you can mail the product back, but since this product is to huge, they didn't do that. The stoller has held up great and it is easy to take places, so I do like it. Just buy the extra insurance if it is offered.

Hi I had the graco metrolite stroller/car seat system for my first and thought it was great. Not to big or heavy. Someone mentioned a weird seat adjustment, mine did not have that. It was very easy to use with the car seat and without. My only minor complaint was that if I closed it up with the child tray on, the tray would scrape the ground, and frankly I was too lazy to remove the tray each time. It had a nearly full recline for sleeping and I loved the parent tray, and found it to have plenty of accesible storage underneath.

My advice would be to go to babies r us and "test drive" all of the strollers/car seats you may be thinking about. Be sure to close them down and open them, sometimes that's the worst part! They also let you take the car seats and (I think) strollers to your car so you can see how they fit and work for you. I also think an ugly well working combo is far better than a cute print one that doesn't work.

Good luck!

I have the Graco travel system in willow that i got about one year ago in perfect condition that I am selling. I am selling it $50 only because I dont have a base (I never used it so I gave it to a friend) but bases are only $25 at Babies R Us.

I also have the Evenflo Aura, and I love it. The car seat is light and very easy to strap the baby in. The cover removes easily for washing and adjusting the straps as the baby grows. It also has a sun shade for the car seat that is big enought to actually keep the sun out of your babies face. The stroller has cup holders and a basket underneath but it is still light and folds up easily. Congratulation and hope this helps. :)

Hi K., I am a big fan of the Graco line myself. Mine has lasted very well through all three of my kids. It's lighter weight but still has all the bells and whistles, but really, you cannot beat it for the price. Some people spend crazy money on strollers, it's not a car for crying out loud. Get one tht's affordable and easy to maneuver, and you'll be happy. I suggest going to the baby depot at Burlington Coat factory to check out strollers (even if you don't buy one there) because they actually keep them on the floor so you can test them out, unlike most places that only let you see them on a shelf. Congrats and best wishes!

Hi K.,

I use the Graco Quatro and love it. VERY sturdy and while, heavier than a lot of them now, stands up to a ton of wear and tear. But it's also really functional, with a lot of storage space underneath for the mall and I even used to walk her to the grocery store and could do a light shopping for the two of us with no trouble. Also, it's very roomy and comfortable for her and she's almost 2, 34" tall and weighs 30 lbs. Also, the wheels are made well and I have no trouble pushing it through grass, sand (yes, I have taken it to the beach), etc. For $99, I'm not sure there's a better total package. It's also easy to clean and has many extras, like headrests, extra pads, etc. for when they are small that come off once they get bigger. Also it reclines fully.

Good luck,
K.

We bought the Chicco travel system for out 3rd baby and love it. Yes, it's a little more expensive than the systems we used for our first two children, but in this case, you get what you pay for. It's sturdy, easy to turn on all surfaces, has a big basket, and carries up to 50 pounds, so you'll use it for years. If you plan to have more children, you'll be glad you made the investment up front. The moms who suggested trying out strollers were right; also, I got some very candid feedback from Babies-R-Us employees who told me about returns, etc. Have fun!

I've had 4 children so I've been there and back with many strollers. The combo carseat that snaps into the stroller is fantastic... while they're in the carrier carseat. As soon as any of mine were into the bigger or front facing carseats, the big stroller went out of use with us. It's bulky and takes up a lot of car/trunk space. Plus, most of those have the smaller plastic wheels which will just grind into anything that's not pavement and come to a complete halt very abruptly. If you will never take your stroller off even pavement, it's perfect for you.
Once mine turn a year old we go for the better of the umbrella type strollers. The ones with the better wheels, recline and storage basket. If dad will also be pushing the stroller (I'd hope so), have him there to test out the height. A lot of the strollers have low handles which can cause people to slump over and end up with sore backs.
It's something that you have to weigh all your options over and test drive the ones you're comfortable with. Not just wheel it around the store, but also practice the folding and unfolding part. Practice walking while holding the carrier with one arm and then imagine another 10-20 pounds in it to see if it's something you can deal with. Some are very heavy to begin with and the handles are turned weird so you get arm cramps. Bring a friend if you can, who has children. Young children so she is still fresh with the memories of how it was for her.
Good luck. Baby Trend has a lot of great ones. Go to Babies R Us and Baby Depot in Burlington Coat Factory.

Peg Perego is the best and the stroller weighs less than 10 pounds you can flip the seat to face you or look away, the carseat attaches nicely and you leave the base in your car.
When it folds it folds up so you don't have to bend down to pick it up. We searched and searched as I had back problems and neck surgery before the birth of our 3 child and we needed something that was the lightest yet most functional out there and something where I didn't have to bend over everytime to fold it up.
good luck and congrats on the Feb. Baby. that's a good month to be born in. I am a Feb. Baby and 3 of my friends are due that month as well.

We had the Metrolite, and it worked perfect for us. I didn't want a huge stroller that took up as much space in my car folded up as it did not folded. It really was much smaller than most of the other Graco models, and much more lightweight, which is nice when you have the carseat with baby in one hand and you're loading the stroller with the other. The only issue we ever had with it is now that it's almost 2 years old, the basket doesn't stay up like it used to, but we're pretty sure that's because we can never get my mother-in-law to put the basket up before she closes the stroller up.

Hope that helps!

Having the carseat fit in the stroller was a big deal for us. I also wanted something light and compact. We went with the Graco ultralight something another. The only complaint I have and it didn't matter until I started to put her in the stroller without the carseat was the sunshade doesn't extend long enough to cover her if we are in the direct sun. You would have to buy a seperate sunshade that doesn't match. If I was buying a single stroller again I would get the chico because it had the same features with the sunshade that pivots down.

HTH!

S.

I also have a Graco Metrolite and absoulutely love it! You can't beat the lightweight carseat when you are carrying the weight of a baby on top of it and the safety is great. The stroller is easy to fold. Cup holders for both mom and baby. The wheels work well on rough surface (they aren't plastic) on the stroller. Big basket to hold your shopping bags, baby bags etc. Good luck in your research!

I think the advice one person gave about going to the store and testing each one out is the bets thing you can do. I tried several out, the strollers, the seats, putting it in taking it out, closing it, setting it back up, driving it around lots of turns, fast and slow, checking all the extras, storage areas, cup holders, shades, recliner, etc. You look for something you are comfortable with that has the features you are concerned with, and will be comfy for a baby to sleep in, while not breaking the bank.

I did go with a Graco and love it. My kids are 3 and 5 and I still love it and use it. I heard some complaints before I got it but mostly they seemed petty, and simple. Many people seemed to complain about the size and weight of some strollers (not just Graco), but really, try to remember the huge hurking things our parents had to deal with, yet they managed. Just make sure it fits in each vehicle you have or may soon get and size should be fine. The umbrella strollers are easier for short trips when they get older, but the regular strollers are excellent even after they are older for day long trips, like zoos, museums, theme parks, fairs, long mall stops, etc. I am so glad I kept mine for those rare long trips. It gives the kids a break, provides storage for all your stuff, holders for drinks, recliner for kids to sleep, and a place to hang bags. the umbrella strollers don't offer nearly all that.

There were a couple I remember being very unimpressed with. One was Evenflo, the other I think was Costco. I don't remember the exact lines, just that they were stiff, hard to move & turn, difficult to collapse, carrying seat was awkward, and not very cushy seats.

OK I hope I didn't ramble on too much. Good luck in what ever you decide. Also remember you might even be able to push a few hints to friends and family making suggestions like joining together for big purchases, certain items you "really" like or others you are not impressed with. Maybe you could squeeze out an expensive item or two at a baby shower. Good idea to request diapers too. Our baby shower diapers got us through a pretty good length of time and really helped financially.

Both my husband & I have bad backs, so we needed something light and easy to use. After a lot of research, we picked the Graco Safe Seat 1 and the Snugrider Stroller. This stroller is REALLY light and the car seat just pops on. It is extremely simple to use. We haven't had any problems getting the car seat in and out of the car either. The best thing is that the Safe Seat 1 will hold a baby until 30 pounds, so it should be the only rear-facing seat you need (babies need to be rear-facing until 1 year old, but most newborn rear-facing car seats only hold babies until they are 22 pounds, so then you have to buy another). PLUS ... the stroller is only $60, the car seat is $120 or so. Only $180 to get you through a whole year. But the most important thing was how well it works, and so far we are extremely pleased ... light and easy to use! (And, of course, very safe!)

I got the "zanzibar" stroller with carseat from babies r us- don't get it. The carseat is heavy, hard to buckle, and the handle that you carry is hard to move. Take into consideration these things for the carseat- is it light? Does the shade cover the baby completely? Is it easy to carry? Is it easy to buckle? Does it look comfortable? I know you're really looking for advice on strollers, but I wish someone would have told me this before I bought my combo. I also have the evenflo Aura stroller and I love it. It reclines completely, works for an infant or toddler, glides smoothly, and the hood is very versatile. I highly recommend that one.