My son was born in Oct. He is 5 mths old. When I was pregnant I ordered a Britax Marathon carseat because it seemed to have a great rep for safety. After it arrived I read many users complaining that it was unsuitable for a newborn. So, I registered for, and received a Graco Snugride. I also got a snap and go. When people would ask what I was doing for a stroller I told them that I would wait until I met my baby and maybe get a stroller around Christmastime. There was no way I could afford a whole "status stroller system" and I couldn't justify asking my family or friends to do it for me in this economy.
The snugride/snap and go worked out very well in the beginning. He was a tiny six pounder at birth, so I never regretted waiting to install the Britax, based on reviews. I wore him alot in the beginning, and we went through a phase where we would struggle to get him to nap--he would nap - in the moby if I was walking (once he was a couple of months old he hated being awake in the wrap, but when he needed to sleep it usually worked) and in the snugride carseat (if it were in the snap and go moving or in the car moving....kid needed movement for sleep.) So I haven't stopped moving until recently when he discovered the joys of napping laying down. Strolling with him through the steep hills of our neighborhood has become one of our soothing rituals. I still wear him A LOT in the moby (facing out now) or the ergo....but there is something that we all enjoy about the stroller. Often, it will make him happy when nothing else does--my husband has really loved pushing him in the snap and go--and my mother in law who can't really carry him that much (even I can struggle in the Southern California heat up and down these hills...) loves to take him for a walk once in a while.
So here I am. Christmastime has come and gone. He is getting too big for his snugride, so we are going to install the Britax. When we do so, we will be in the market for a stroller. We took him to a stroller store yesterday and I am overwhelmed. Oy! The options! When we walked in the store I was unable to fathom putting him in a "face the world" position. He can be quite a littler fuss-ter and when we face one another I can often catch him and distract him before he cries. I know that soon enough he will want to sit facing the world, but right now seems too soon.
But there don't seem to be many options (affordable or otherwise) of strollers in the store or online that can convert from "face mama" to "face the world" that aren't part of an entire crazy expensive system. We put him in a Bumbleride (which I had never heard of) and it didn't seem like a slam dunk. Babe didn't seem totally comfortable and it was a lot heavier than I thought and still so big when folded. I had thought about just getting a jogger (before I knew him - and before I realized how huge they are...perhaps not the best bet for an all purpose stroller?) My husband really liked the Maclarens and when we put the baby in one he was comfortable and happy as we pushed it around the store. The stroller was lightweight and since we do a lot of travelling and a lot of walking seemed like it would be a good choice. Except for the fact that it is an umbrella stroller and thus only faces out. And my little guy is still so young and fussy and well....maybe this sounds crazy--but I am not ready to not see him!
I got used to driving with him in the backseat very quickly, although I remember when he was born thinking that I would never be able to do that---is this another thing like that or am I right that he should be facing me....and if so what do I do since he has outgrown our current system?
Please, can any of you mamas recommend a stroller for me?
The snugride/snap and go worked out very well in the beginning. He was a tiny six pounder at birth, so I never regretted waiting to install the Britax, based on reviews. I wore him alot in the beginning, and we went through a phase where we would struggle to get him to nap--he would nap - in the moby if I was walking (once he was a couple of months old he hated being awake in the wrap, but when he needed to sleep it usually worked) and in the snugride carseat (if it were in the snap and go moving or in the car moving....kid needed movement for sleep.) So I haven't stopped moving until recently when he discovered the joys of napping laying down. Strolling with him through the steep hills of our neighborhood has become one of our soothing rituals. I still wear him A LOT in the moby (facing out now) or the ergo....but there is something that we all enjoy about the stroller. Often, it will make him happy when nothing else does--my husband has really loved pushing him in the snap and go--and my mother in law who can't really carry him that much (even I can struggle in the Southern California heat up and down these hills...) loves to take him for a walk once in a while.
So here I am. Christmastime has come and gone. He is getting too big for his snugride, so we are going to install the Britax. When we do so, we will be in the market for a stroller. We took him to a stroller store yesterday and I am overwhelmed. Oy! The options! When we walked in the store I was unable to fathom putting him in a "face the world" position. He can be quite a littler fuss-ter and when we face one another I can often catch him and distract him before he cries. I know that soon enough he will want to sit facing the world, but right now seems too soon.
But there don't seem to be many options (affordable or otherwise) of strollers in the store or online that can convert from "face mama" to "face the world" that aren't part of an entire crazy expensive system. We put him in a Bumbleride (which I had never heard of) and it didn't seem like a slam dunk. Babe didn't seem totally comfortable and it was a lot heavier than I thought and still so big when folded. I had thought about just getting a jogger (before I knew him - and before I realized how huge they are...perhaps not the best bet for an all purpose stroller?) My husband really liked the Maclarens and when we put the baby in one he was comfortable and happy as we pushed it around the store. The stroller was lightweight and since we do a lot of travelling and a lot of walking seemed like it would be a good choice. Except for the fact that it is an umbrella stroller and thus only faces out. And my little guy is still so young and fussy and well....maybe this sounds crazy--but I am not ready to not see him!
I got used to driving with him in the backseat very quickly, although I remember when he was born thinking that I would never be able to do that---is this another thing like that or am I right that he should be facing me....and if so what do I do since he has outgrown our current system?
Please, can any of you mamas recommend a stroller for me?
It also can be used as a high chair (front facing adjusted to the highest position) so you don't have to use the yucky ones provided.
