Stroller...

[RileyAnn]

I got a Graco Snugride 35 at my baby shower. You know how the car seats are supposed to snap on? I was wondering if any Graco stroller would be compatible? & When are babies big enough to just be in the stroller part without a car seat? I don't know why I'm so confused about this, but I am! This is the only thing I actually have left to buy so I'm pretty excited about that.

[Baby_Cakes]

You mean like a snap and go?  That would work fine!

http://www.amazon.com/Graco-SnugRider-Infant-Stroller-Frame/dp/B0007KMUH4

If you wanted like a travel system to click into, I think they have to be purchased all together.    Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

When babies can sit up pretty much on their own, they can sit nice in a stroller (not an umbrella stroller, but like a lightweight terrain one). You won't need to carseat to click in then, so you can pretty much choose whatever one you want, that will fit in your car, etc.  We had this one for DD, and only had the snap & go for the carseat.

http://www.amazon.com/Peg-Perego-Aria-Lightweight-Stroller/dp/B000BN3T0Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1308785547&sr=1-5

[egmaranian]

I know the Graco Snugride 35 is compatible with the BOB jogging strollers when you add the car seat adapter to it.  A jogging stroller can be a great option if you plan to take a lot of walks with baby or if you are a runner/jogger.  BOB's are a little pricey though.  You may be able to find a good deal for one on Craigslist if you are diligent in looking often.

[Baby_Cakes]

Oh I forgot about the carseat adapter!    

I'm getting this stroller and it totally works with the graco snugride b/c of the adapter.  Get whatever you want, Riley!!

[RileyAnn]

Yeah, Carrie I think I was talking about the travel systems at first. I don't really like those anyways, I just knew they couldn't be in a regular stroller right away. I don't get exactly how the car seat adapter works, but I really want a jogging stroller so that'd be cool. They seem a lot less bulky than the other ones I've been looking at. If I don't get the adapter the stroller frame would last me about 6 months right?

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by RileyAnn 
 If I don't get the adapter the stroller frame would last me about 6 months right?

If you don't get the adaptor and use the snap and go, yeah I'd say you'd get about 6 months out of it.  Depends when your LO outgrows the carseat.

[mama2soren]

If you have a stroller that lays down flat a newborn can safely ride in it.  It is best if an infant spends as little time as possible in an infant car seat.  The semi-upright position that babies sit in in infant car seats puts them at risk of decreased oxygen levels, especially the youngest babies.  Plus, the more time an infant spends in one position the higher the likelihood that s/he will develop plagiocephaly.  It is recommended that infant car seats be used for their intended purpose only: as protection during car rides.  Having a great wrap or sling to carry baby in is a great alternative.  Or, use a stroller that reclines completely, maybe with a rolled blanket or two next to baby when s/he is super tiny.

[mama2soren]

the Chicco Liteway is an affordable (cute!) option for a stroller that lays completely flat.  It even comes with a boot to pull up over tiny infants.  The First Years Indigo also reclines almost completely flat, and it also has the option of having baby face you!  Diapers.com has the Indigo for $130-140 in certain colors.

[SynEpona]

Originally Posted by RileyAnn 

, I just knew they couldn't be in a regular stroller right away.

What is this regular stroller thing? :P (just kidding,a little!). I have quite the stroller collection, and I don' t know if any of them are 'regular'. The most main stream looking one of them all is the only one that IS suited to a newborn, as it is the only one that reclines totally flat. The company that made it doesnt' even make strollers anymore, so I can't recommend it as you'd never find one! But it's a basic all purpose stroller that folds umbrella style, instead of flat like most of the travel system ones. When it's set up it looks like them, but when it's folded it takes up less space & fits behind my 3rd row seats very nicely.

That's what you need for a newborn, is the lay flat or nearly flat option. I have an infant sling for my running stroller (but with the sling, it's only for walking, not running ... no full on running till baby has neck control!), so I can make that work if needed. My other 2 strollers are upright so they are only for 6mth++

I never put my carseat on my stroller, even though it did have the attachment, I often just put baby in a sling skipping the stroller entirely, or put him right into the reclined stroller. It seemed easier to me than lugging that carseat everywhere!

[RileyAnn]

Originally Posted by SynEpona 

What is this regular stroller thing? :P (just kidding,a little!)

I just meant upright. lol. I like the idea of having one that lays flat. It would be cheaper then getting a frame and jogging stroller for when she's older. I also didn't know about the risks of using a car seat too frequently. I don't even know how often I'll actually use a stroller, like you guys mentioned slings are much easier, I just want to have one around in case I feel like walking instead of driving. Thanks for the help everybody. :)

[macandcheese]

We got the Chicco stroller that's linked, and we love, love, love it. We easily have a few hundred miles on it already, and it has been terrific. The complete recline was a great convenience at times, though we mostly wore the baby on walks and out in public until he was able to hold his head up well and sit semi-reclined (3 months or so?).
 

Originally Posted by mama2soren 

the Chicco Liteway is an affordable (cute!) option for a stroller that lays completely flat.  It even comes with a boot to pull up over tiny infants.  The First Years Indigo also reclines almost completely flat, and it also has the option of having baby face you!  Diapers.com has the Indigo for $130-140 in certain colors.

[earth-mama]

We have a Bob Revolution and the carseat adapter.  It worked great, but honestly we didn't use the stroller much until DD was heavy enough that it was more pleasant for me to push her in the stroller and then she was able to sit in it with out the carseat.  I used my moby most of the time and never brought the stroller for things like errand running.

[myorianna]

I heard this too, so mainly used the carseat in the car.  It is very convenient to just snap out the seat and put on the stroller, so I was tempted to do that a few times...but definitely not for any extended period.  This time I plan on mostly babywearing when out and about.  Last time I got the Bumbleride stroller which was nice, but really for the amount of time we ended up using it wasn't really worth it at all! 

Originally Posted by mama2soren 

If you have a stroller that lays down flat a newborn can safely ride in it.  It is best if an infant spends as little time as possible in an infant car seat.  The semi-upright position that babies sit in in infant car seats puts them at risk of decreased oxygen levels, especially the youngest babies.  Plus, the more time an infant spends in one position the higher the likelihood that s/he will develop plagiocephaly.  It is recommended that infant car seats be used for their intended purpose only: as protection during car rides.  Having a great wrap or sling to carry baby in is a great alternative.  Or, use a stroller that reclines completely, maybe with a rolled blanket or two next to baby when s/he is super tiny.

[Baby_Cakes]

I was wondering about how much I'd really use the carseat adaptor for the jogger too...but I figure even for walks it might be nice to have, you know?

[Peony]

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes 

I was wondering about how much I'd really use the carseat adaptor for the jogger too...but I figure even for walks it might be nice to have, you know?

I got the carseat adapter for my BOBs (double and single) last baby. It was handy but I didn't use it that often. More for special events when I knew I'd be walking a lot and wanted an option to stash baby. And the pool! I used it all the time for the pool, wheel stroller/carseat in. I would put DS in the seat when he fell asleep, swim with the girls and then have a safe place to keep him while trying to get everyone through the locker room. I don't regret buying the bars but it wasn't essential.

[JenniferMurray]

We used our snugrider quite a bit - mostly when ours was asleep, just popped her carseat out of the van and into the stroller - otherwise she generally prefered to be more or less sitting up/propped up to see what was going on. We got about 4 months use of it for the first.

-J

[Inali]

I got the BOB Revolution with car seat adapter too.  I also plan on baby wearing more often than lugging the stroller around with me, but I wanted the option of not having to wake the baby if she is a light sleeper going in and out of the car/stores if it came down to it!  Trying to listen to the advice of friends and family while still planning on doing my own thing...  Like puttin the baby in a sling/moby/ergo instead of car seat.  But I doubt if you really know what you will need/use most until the situation arises

[Italiamom]

My vote would be to return the stroller (if there's a gift receipt) for store credit and just WAIT.  See what you'll really need.

We bought a stroller (a snugride) that DS wouldn't ride in.  At all.  Just screamed his bloody head off both in the carseat (clipped in), and later on when he was sitting freely in the actual stroller.  I think he would have gone in (in the carseat) if he were already sleeping, but at a store you can just set them on the shopping cart in the carseat if you really don't want to wake them.

I craigslisted our basically unused stroller at around 5 months.  At about 9 months we tried him in a BOB, and he seemed to like it.  But I wish we would have just waited until we knew he's actually ride in a stroller before getting one.