Toddler transportation, what to do?

[Vermillion]

My son will be 3 next month, he is just about 31 pounds. He has never been in a stroller. I never wore him either, just carried him everywhere from birth. Now here is my issue. I like to walk when it is warm out, and I plan to start walking for exercise soon as well. I can not carry him anymore. Even carrying him short distances makes my upper chest and shoulders ache. he's just too heavy for me now. He likes to walk, he loved walking last summer but after a while he would get tired and need to be carried the rest of the way. It was fine last year, but this year I can’t do it.

I did have one of those cars with the push handle last year that we used to get around the neighborhood, which he loved! I think he may be too big for one this year though.

So, what would you all choose? Should I get a stroller for him this late in the game? I’d prefer something else, a wagon maybe, but I don’t think that would be so great for exercising. Any ideas would be helpful before I go waste a bunch of money

[fluffernutter]

Depending on where you'll be walking an umbrella stroller might work.

[mammastar2]

How tall are you? I always find I have to bend over with our umbrella stroller (I'm almost 5'10" though). You also can't hang anything over the bars, and its not good on bumpy terrain.

We have a wagon - we got it second hand, and I would rather have one with a longer handle (the height issue again), which is possible. My dh walks long distances with our 3 year old in it - she can stretch out with a blanket if she's tired, we can put groceries in it, and overall it works very well, mostly because he's shorter than me. With me, if it's a long distance, I just enforce using our regular stroller - she was boycotting it as being for babies for a while, but now she's ok with it.

[Vermillion]

I’m 5’3 ½… So height isn’t an issue for me, unless I can’t reach! I don’t think an umbrella stroller would work for us because I live in a hilly area and I plan to walk a lot outdoors. I guess a jogger might be the way to go if I get a stroller.

I’d really MUCH rather have a wagon though. I am wondering if it would be fairly easy to pull a wagon behind me though while I am walking for exercise. Walks to the park I am sure would be fine, but hour long walks through the neighborhood and up some hills? I’m not so sure.

[mammastar2]

My husband finds the wagon really comfortable, and they take some pretty long walks with it. You are pulling instead of pushing, though, so a jogger might be easier (but costlier too).

[dharmamama]

We tried out our neighbors' wagon a few times, and I hated it. It felt like my arm was being pulled out of its socket after we'd walked a few blocks, and you have to walk in this funny, half-twisted postion. If you're going to go for long walks on hilly terrain and you don't want stress injuries to your body, I'd say get something that's designed for your purpose. A jogging stroller would be excellent. Don't let the fact that it's a stroller turn you off on principle. There's nothing inherently wrong with strollers. Like everything else, it's all in how you use them.

Namaste!

[Lula's Mom]

I have always used a backpack. Lula weighs somewhere around 34 pounds, and my backpack is still very comfy for both of us. I've been a hiker/backpacker for years so I got one with many "real backpacking" features- chest strap, load lifters, padded hip belt, etc. Oddly enough, the brand is fake outdoorsy company Eddie Bauer. :LOL Many of the other carriers I tried on were not well padded or structured enough for long walks or hiking. Mine is this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=4365194063

You see it has a kickstand so you can take it off with the child inside, and a sun/drizzle cover. It was about $100 at Target when I got mine.

The bonus is that you lose more weight carrying a child than pushing a stroller.

[Yooper]

Do you have a bike? I use a bike seat that atteches to my bike and dd loves it....not babyish at all. I have a front mounted one that goes between my seat and the handle bars so that I can also put a backpack on for groceries. And once she is older I am going to get one of those extra wheel things that attaches to the back of your bike like a trailer. It has a seat, pedals (that work) and handle bars (that do not steer) and it is almost like riding a real bike except dc can "keep up".

Yooper

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

I really don't like walking on hills with our wagon. If you are headed down it nips at your heels and up just pulls at your arms. Before you spend any money, you should probably try to borrow something so you can test it out.

Would you consider changing where you are walking to a flat spot where your child could ride a tricycle with you? I don't think I would be comfortable with hills for a younger child, but on the flat it might work.

If you do decide on an umbrella stroller, test it out when you walk with a long stride. Ours is great for short steps, but I find that long strides (well, for me, I'm only 5'2") mean that I catch my foot on the rear axel, causing me to fall.

[AmyB]

Depending on where you live a bus pass might do the trick. If your toddler gets too tired to walk any more you can take the bus home.

I live in an urban area with lots of busses and I practically never use a stroller (even though I own a jog stroller and an umberella stroller).

--AmyB

[L.J.]

I love my wagon & haul my boys everywhere in it.

My ds is also 3 and he loves riding his tricycle everywhere we go. He goes fast enough now that I can walk very briskly or even jog along beside him. It's great!

[andreac]

How about a trike with a push bar? MIL got DS a Kettler trike for x-mas, so we haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but I've heard really good things about them.

[Ravin]

I was going to suggest a trike w/ a push bar. If you'd like to go bicycling together, you can get a trailer, a bike seat, or an add-a-bike addition that adds a third wheel to the back, like a trailer but w/ pedals and handlebars and seat rather than an enclosed space.

A bike w/ training wheels could be a good option, too, and can probably be found w/ a push bar not unlike a trike. Or a scooter, or even those sneakers w/ the wheels in them. When he gets tired he can just flip out the wheels and hold on to your belt/waist while you do the walking!

[girlzmommy00]

I don't have any ideas but wanted to add that a wagon is not good for extended walks. I walked around town for just 30 min & my shoulders & back hurt for a few days.

The push trike sounds like a great idea. Kettler makes ones where you can take the back handle off & on & a foot rest so you can push if he doesn't want to peddle. Since the attachments come off, you can still use it as a regular trike, too.

[USAmma]

I think a trike would be great! My dd is too big for a stroller. When we go to the zoo or for long walks she loves to ride next to me and never gets tired that way. (BTW she's 33.5 pounds at 4 years old )

[sharksmum]

I don't have much to add. Just that if expense is a consideration with regards to the jogging stroller/ bike trailer, you can often get them second hand and they have great resale value.

I personally find that I need the 2 grip stroller as opposed to wagon/ push bike for exercise walking.

[mom2alicia]

we just recently started using a trike with a push bar. so far, so good! although i am also seriously considering a backpack.

[Peony]

I pull our 4x4 wagon (it's the one with the big wheels) all over the place and have never been sore afterward. And our driveway is 1/2 mile uphill, dd and I walk it at least once a day. I even took it on a 2 mile hike last weekend. Now I can't stand the backpacks! I have a really nice for dd and I can only wear it 5 minutes before my shoulders and back are killing me, it just goes to show that everyone is different.

[Vermillion]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

Trike with push bar- Sounds good, but I already bought my son a nice trike last year which is still in brand new condition, so I don’t want to buy a new one.

Backpack- Tried one last spring, 2 actually, both made my back hurt and arms numb on every adjustment Very uncomfy for me.

While exercising I’m going to want to move pretty fast, so a trike doesn’t seem like the best thing nor does letting him ride beside me. So, I think I will just eat the cost and get a jogger for exercise and a wagon (which I want so badly! ) for leisure walks and such.

Thanks all! Your advice made my decision easier.

[Lula's Mom]

Originally Posted by AMB8301

I pull our 4x4 wagon (it's the one with the big wheels) all over the place and have never been sore afterward. And our driveway is 1/2 mile uphill, dd and I walk it at least once a day. I even took it on a 2 mile hike last weekend. Now I can't stand the backpacks! I have a really nice for dd and I can only wear it 5 minutes before my shoulders and back are killing me, it just goes to show that everyone is different.

So true! Every person and every backpack, too. I'm 5'10 and broader in the shoulders than most women. Most backpacks' shoulder straps are set too close together and cut into my neck. I tried on probably a dozen different brands before I found the one that fits me properly. So many of them are just not comfortably made. Thin, inadequately padded straps= PAIN!