Skipping the stroller?

[Hannah32]

Wondering if anyone here has foregone the stroller until the baby was a bit older? I'm really hoping to use my ring sling and my Moby until the baby is old enough to sit up/support head a bit more. 1) I'm hoping this will help me lose the baby weight on walks 2) I really don't like those "alpha-base" strollers that are so big and bulky 3) we live in an apartment that has stairs leading up to it, so a stroller isn't practical anyway, especially at first. I'd have to carry it up if I was alone with baby in a sling, or hubby and I would have to work together.

I know I might change my mind and wind up shopping for an alpha base when he's two weeks old and that's fine if I do. Has anyone else tried it this way?

[MaerynPearl]

Some people never use a stroller and wear baby until they are big enough to walk on their own. That may be an option too I suppose.

[matey]

I have a travel system. In the beginning when I went for walks, my ds was in the ergo. Once he got older, we would use the stroller. If you end up wanting one, you can always get one later, so I say wait.

[AustinMom]

We had the stroller before baby was born as it was a gift at our baby shower. It was one the car seat could clip into, nice, and yes, very bulky. I used a baby wrap (and still do and baby is 19 MO) and have only used the stroller occasionally on walks.

If you need to wait a while due to money issues, sure, you absolutely feasibly wait till you feel you are presented with a need. And yes, the added weight of wearing the baby helps you burn extra calories, and plus, you can BF while baby wearing, and that's just more calories burned! LOL!

Our wrap is like a moby wrap type carry, I guess it's similar to a "sleepywrap". It's just a long piece of fabric from Hobby Lobby. As far as running errands and going out, we will use the wrap for this one too, till they are too big to carry, or are walking/sitting in cart at store.

[Peony]

I don't ever use a stroller with a newborn. DS is 9 months old and only rode in once a handful of times. Now being that I have 3 children, I often use a stroller for stuff rather then children. With DD1, I didn't even own a stroller until she was 2.5 years old, it worked out just fine, I wore her everywhere, and only took what I would carry, if DH was along then we could carry more. It is really very easy to just wear a baby everywhere and carry a small bag.

[Melly24]

We have only used a stroller a handful of times, like when it's to hot to wear her. And then only when she was over 12 months old. If you can wait to see if you need one, then wait. No harm done

[4Blessings]

I'd wait

[missmich]

I'd like to have a stroller for walks with the baby and for shopping trips. Where else would I out my groceries? lol I do live on the 3rd floor though,I have 2 sets of stairs to climb so that will be a challenge I think to get it up and down the stairs. I also love the idea of using the drink try on the stroller for my drinks! lol

[ExuberantDaffodil]

I got a travel system as a gift, and I never use it. I think we've pulled it out once, and that was because my mom wanted to try it out. It's the wrap for us always. I say wait and see.

[possum]

I have never used a stroller for my son who will turn 3 years old in March. Daddy once used a free one at the zoo when he didn't have a carrier.
My son was always big - 25 lbs at 6 months, and now 40 lbs. and we still wear him when needed.
I was given a used stroller but gave it away when we were moving for the second time in my son's short life and had not used the stroller once.
I would wait and see if you really find a need for a stroller.
Melinda

[Dahlea]

Weve never used a stroller and mine is 16 months old. We wore or carried him everywhere even though he was a big boy (30 lb at 7 months) now he walks or we carry/wear him when he's tired. Plan to do the sale for upcoming babe.

[Daffodil]

I had a stroller when my babies were little, but didn't find it very useful until they got older. There are so many places where a stroller is just more hassle (crowded stores, places with stairs, places where there's no pavement.) And my babies weren't always happy in the stroller; they were happier being held. It's really annoying when the baby gets fussy in the stroller and you end up having to take her out and carry her and push the damn stroller. If I were doing it all over again, I would definitely consider waiting to get a stroller until the baby was old enough to ride in a cheap, convenient little umbrella stroller.

[blizzard_babe]

We got a stroller when DS was about one, just a cheap umbrella one. However, we lived in a village in rural Alaska that had no roads, only boardwalks that were covered in huge snowdrifts all winter anywayss, so we couldn't have used a stroller had we wanted one. Maybe a stroller with skis instead of wheels... hmmm...

But yeah, we did it.

[Sk8ermaiden]

I have a travel system. I can count on one hand the number of times we've used it. There has only been one time in her 7 months that we NEEDED it.

It was the Texas Renaissance Festival, which is an all day thing. Once she was a few months old, she wouldn't nap on me anymore (too much to look at!) which equaled screaming meltdowns of tiredness like you've never seen before. Plus there would have been no way for me to keep the sun off her (all the hats with brims were too big for her. With the big system stroller, you can lay it completely back and make a bassinet and pull the shade totally down and it was naptime heaven. Plus it was great for carrying the whole group's bags. It was a total lifesaver that day.

But that's not really enough reason to buy one. You can always borrow one or get one super cheap off craigslist should you ever need one.

I wore her EVERYWHERE in the Moby. And then the Beco.

[judybean]

I've never NEEDED a stroller. At least not for my youngest kids! When I went on walks three summers ago and dd3 was just six months old, dd1 was 4 and dd2 was 2, I used the bike trailer as a stroller... but I just always wore dd3. I don't know if she's ever really been in a stroller now that I think about it....

You can always get one later if you need it, I think.

For my 'babies' (which can be a broad term... I was wearing dd3 even at 3.5 years in the mei tai on my back while hiking), I just prefer to wear them.

[frontierpsych]

I didn't use a stroller with DS until he was about 6 months, and then it was only occasional. I now use one most of the time when we go somewhere, he is 17 months and doesn't like being worn anymore, but is still too small to keep up sometimes if he's walking. He prefers to be carried, but still squirms a lot in my arms. No easy way to travel with this baby, lol!

[Theia]

DD is 2yo and still hasn't been in a stroller, I don't own one. I wore her in a couple different carriers, a sling/rebozo for quick in and out trips, a SSC or wrap for going walking, longer trips and stuff. It worked great for us.

[MrsMike]

I was given a stroller when I was pregnant with DS and it stayed in my parent's garage. I never took it home. My mom used on occasion after he was about 6 months because she has back issues and couldn't wear him. I wore him exclusively until he was 2 years old and only began using an umbrella stroller on rare occasions. I am a klutz and even umbrella strollers seem bulky to me.

[MammaB21]

We used a stroller when wearing DD just wasn't practical. Once she got older and heavier we used a stroller when I knew I would be walking all day. Out to the fair, or the zoo, or the mall all day. DD didn't like to be warn once she got older. Combining all that wiggling with the extra weight, and I just couldn't do it. But I pretty much hated the stroller too. It was big and inconvenient. It got in the way and was hard to lug around. We're to the point now where DD just walks, but I still don't trust her completely in very crowded places.

I'm planning on using a sling as much as possible this time around and possibly getting a sit and stand, or a small easy to travel stroller. But I agree to wait until you have a better idea of what you will need specifically. No sense in spending money on something you might never use.

[gcgirl]

I wish I knew how NOT to use a stroller. I have four different carriers and use them all, but how do you do an outing without somewhere to store diapers, food, water bottles, etc...? I can't carry all that on me, along with my purse (backpack). I'm going to get some carabiners this time around to attach to the carriers, but I really don't want a poopy diaper bag dangling around my waist on the train ride home, kwim?

ETA: Also what a PP said - DS didn't LIKE being carried all the time. Also, I just remembered...I always used the stroller when DS was little and fell asleep in the car on errands. Some people think it's no biggie to wake a sleeping baby to pop him/her in the sling, but for DS, it was a PITA. Much simpler and kinder to both of us to just leave him in the seat and pop the seat in the stroller. If he woke up and fussed, THEN I'd pop him in the carrier.