Strollers are a tricky subject. It’s a big ticket item that you will need, but how much? How much should you invest? How often will you use it? And how much should you pay? Most people don’t read that much into it and decide on something cheap and easy up front. Resist the urge! When I began in the baby business, I was told that “the average family purchases 5 strollers over a lifetime”. I want to make sure that you don’t become that family.
Picking the right stroller for you depends on your lifestyle. If you imagine your days with your baby involving a walk in the park and maybe a stroll around the mall, you will need a completely different stroller than someone who will be trekking around in a big city or taking a hike.
The first piece of information we need to cover when we are talking about strollers is the need to get a “travel system”. Graco, Chicco, Britax and even UppaBaby now loves to bank on the fact that you don’t understand your options. They love to reel you in and show you how easy these systems work. Let’s break it down. A “travel system” is a fancy way of saying that a car seat clicks into the stroller. This is really nothing special, the majority of strollers that are safe for newborn will hold a car seat, it’s just sold separately and I promise it’s not difficult find, install or understand. My advice has always been to pick your stroller first. Then you can choose the best car seat from those that your stroller is compatible with.
For example, the City Mini from Baby Jogger can hold a car seat from Graco, Chicco, Maxi Cosi and more. Pick the stroller, then pick the car seat.
So now that you have put some thought into what you might be doing with your future stroller I will go over the 3 basic categories of strollers. In a future post I will go into specific brands and strollers but for now let’s keep it basic.
Everyday: Everyday strollers are lighter weight and usually at a pretty good price point. An everyday stroller is right for you if you travel primarily by car and will be using your stroller at a destination with a smooth terrain like a park, mall or green belt. These strollers will hold a car seat, feature a good recline for use with a newborn and will be relatively easy to travel with.
Sporty: If you plan on jogging with your baby or taking him or her on rough terrain like hiking trails or dirt roads you will need a stroller that can keep up. Sporty strollers are typically heavier, equipped with some sort of suspension and are more durable than other strollers. These strollers also start at newborn and hold a car seat.
Note: Please do not jog with a newborn and check with your pediatrician before jogging with your baby.
Beware: Sporty strollers are a commitment, if you think you might start jogging after the baby don’t run out and buy a jogging stroller because if you end up not following through you will find the stroller too bulky and heavy for everyday and it will inevitably sit and collect dust.
Active/Premium: This category of stroller is for the parent who will spend much time strolling with baby. If you walk to your local coffee shop or grocery store on a regular basis you will need something a step up from an everyday stroller.
These strollers are the most expensive of the three categories and have all of the bells and whistles. They are mid weight, hold a car seat, come with a bassinet and a toddler seat capable of housing a newborn, typically hold multiple children, have upgraded wheels, and have pretty decent storage. If your days will be spent traveling by stroller to places with decent terrain like parks, zoos and metropolitan cities it is worth investing in a premium stroller.
As exhaustive as this may feel, these three categories are just the very basics of strollers. In a later post I will go more into specifics but try to keep these categories in mind while perusing the vast variety of strollers to pick from. Happy shopping!
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