Took a walk on the Stroller Side... - Page 2

[summerbabe]

I'm not anti-stroller--I realize there are good and practical uses for it, and I'm sure I'll use one a lot more once I have a second child. However, I really am not finding it useful at all with just one baby. One thing I notice about it is you quickly get an idea of what one aspect of life is like for a person in a wheelchair. Time after time you find yourself having to maneuver stairs, tight squeezes, awkwardness of one kind or another. My ds is still little so I can see him in the stroller as he is in the car seat/travel system thing. But he won't stay in the bucket for very long anyway--starts crying after 15 minutes or so unless he falls asleep. He might like it better once he can sit up and look out, but I doubt I'll use it much then, either. I think I'll also feel I'm not really "with" him that much. I love the closeness of wearing my baby but also the FREEDOM. Yesterday on our long walk, we went downtown and wanted to watch the people at the outdoor skating rink and to get there we had to go down a couple dozen stairs. Can't do that with a stroller. We would have had to go all the way around a big detour, and probably wouldn't have bothered. No spontaneity. Plus we did a little Christmas shopping in some small shops with tight layouts. No problem.

[cchrissyy]

the disconnection bugged me enough to spend a small fortune for a stroller where baby faces me!

And sometimes I need it, I can only wear one kiddo at a time! and it doubles as a cart for the diaper bag and whatever we've bought, so a hand is free for handholding

[lifescholar]

Oh yeah...can't beat all that carrying space! lol

I never go anywhere (except short trips) without the diaper bag (I learned THAT lesson the hard way! lol) so the stroller is essential for holding that.

Plus, now that winter is here, I put our coats, hats, mitts, etc. in the stroller with the diaper bag, and then I can fill it up with our shopping, too!

Thank goodness for slings! When he gets tired, I put him in it, and push the stroller around with all our "junk" in it! lol I think our coats spend more time in it than he does....but I definitely couldn't live without it!

[emma_goldman]

Yeah, I remember all the shared anxiety among the neighborhood Mamas about what stroller to get when we had babies... And now after BTDT I don't think a first-time Mom even needs to think about that. Wraps/carriers/slings first.

Even now with my toddler it IS so nice being out on the town without a stroller. I stick a diaper and snacks in my purse and GO!

[linguistmama]

I use my stroller on ocasion, but I think the moderation is key. With just dd its usually easier and better to wear her. From what I have seen the perfect stroller for me would be those little shopping carts that are about half the size of the regular ones. I would probably want one if they folded up small enough. I could fit tons of stuff in it!

[Katheda]

please delete, thank you

[mamums]

We may get a stroller at some point, but for now, we haven't found a need. At this point, it just seems like a lot of work to get the car seat out of the car and get it all set up with the stroller. Simpler just to pop baby out and put him in a pre-tied fcc. When DS is a little older and we can use an umbrella stroller, we'll probably get one to use in the summer when it just gets so hot and muggy and I probably won't want a hot, sweaty, heavy lump attached to me. A hot and sweaty lump provides some nice body heat in the fall and winter, but when it's in the 90s and humidity is high (and it gets VERY muggy on the east coast), a hot and sweaty lump might not be that desirable. We'll see when the time comes.

Of course, DH is very opposed to the idea of pushing ANYTHING. Even at the grocery store, he'd rather carry two hand baskets than push a grocery cart. He may nix the whole stroller idea. . .which means new summer carriers for mama . I love getting new carriers. . .

[Enudely]

the only way I can wear dd for lond walks now is on my back in the ergo, and I can't see her or talk to her.....

[mothragirl]

i agree with you OP.

[New Mexico Beach]

My baby was like that at that age (kinda zoned out, not liking or disliking it) so we just did not use the stroller much. I found that around 9 mos he actually enjoyed the stroller. Quite a bit, actually. We only use it at the mall and at the track so he's not in it a ton, but he is very happy to be in it, especially at the track. I guess because it's a change for him and a new way to experience things.

[~member~]

Originally Posted by Katielady

...he was kind of zoned out in a listless daze.

Excellent description! I rarely see a child fully engaged in the world when they are in a stroller.
I do like using the wagon with the toddlers, because I can't carry three of them, but it's easy to stop and they can get out and explore and then get back in.

[Village Mama]

I think kids zone out in a vehicle of any kind too!
I love our stroller. It is also a bike trailer. I wrecked a disk in my back when I was pregnant with my second. I cariied him for the first 6 months either in a sling, a hommade wrap or a backpack. I was so relieved to not carry him everywhere by that point! I used the stroller at that point with my then two year old first son. Since I dont drive, I often have to walk 5 km a day.... it isnt reasonable to expect your two year old to keep up or go that distance all in one go. I give them lots of opprtunity to walk.... our daily 2 km post office walk routinely took 4 hours! I always kept a sling folded in the back of the stroller for those moments where either of them needed a little extra lovin. Now the stroller still comes with us... almost always empty , maybe with a bag of 30 or so library book that we pick up about three days a week... maybe a chicken or somthing from the butchers, or a package in the mail! Still it is so nice to have somthing to ride in if they get too tired. I carried my three year old today after a spill, for about ten min. Both of the boys can fit in the stroller we have, one sitting way back and the other straddling the wheel. I have gone multiple times a week on a 10 km walk to the lake in the summer this way. Otherwise I couldnt get around as easily! I am kind of disappointed that we will have to let it go soon, a middle phase where the kids are too big to use it, or a bike trailer, and too small to make it very far on thier own! I loved having a stroller with young kiddos( I loved carrying the too)... do what you need to do!

[sphinx]

Originally Posted by sandsprite

but how you manage a stroller on a bus I have no idea.

Where i live in Europe, there are actually spaces designated for baby carriages and wheelchairs. Every normal bus in my city has a space that can fit 2-3 carriages at once. Ditto trams and metro. What a concept. I was shocked in the States to find that you had to fold up the stroller. Family values indeed.

I used the wrap exclusively with my kids at the beginning but I am a small woman and it did my back in after about 7-9 months with each child, so i did a combination sling/stroller for a while, but now that my son is 2 it's stroller/wandering around in circles (taking hours to get to our destination).

When you live in a city and rely on just your feet and public transport, a stroller can be invaluable for holding shopping and extra stuff and trying to get somewhere in a reasonable amount of time.

I admit I do often see that glazed look on a lot of kids, and it's sad that some people just forget to interact with their kids when they are in there! I always talk to ds a lot and don't make him stay in there for long periods.

[Village Mama]

We are allowed to use designated seats at the front of the bus as well here in Canada. I hate taking the stroller on the bus though, because the kids would rather sit in the regular seats. Going on the bus is funny enough, one of the times where I do without the stroller. Almost every time though the kids both fall asleep on the bus on the way home , and I have to carry them the final km home . Dead weight in my arms... hopefully I didnt need to pick up anything else when I was in town!

[KittyKat]

Originally Posted by boatbaby

I agree with the OP completely. And this IS the babywearing board so simmer down.
My ds is 2.5 years old and 30 pounds now and we still have never used a stroller. He walks or Ergo. Period.
I too love the closeness and I can totally identify with the OP. Good for you mama, glad you found a niche.

I think ya'll are being a little harsh on the poor woman. She was just trying to make a joke. If you know you are doing the right thing for your situation, then there's no need to be so defensive. She was just sharing how using a stroller made her feel and everyone is jumping all over her. And is this not the babywearing forum? Getting all defensive about your stroller use on the babywearing board is a teensy bit like going to the lactivist forum and posting about being offended because breastfeeding did not work for you

Geesh, what are the boards coming to when you can't come on the
BABYWEARING BOARD

and post a
HUMOROUS THREAD
about how trying out a stroller opened your eyes to a different POV without having to post a dang disclaimer "Sorry if this offends stroller using parents, etc. etc."


OP: once I got into the babywearing love with my 4th, I tried putting him in a stroller like I used to with my older kids... it felt SO weird to me!!! So I know where you're coming from.

FYI: when my sturdy heavy then 3yo DS broke his leg while I was 24 weeks pregnant, you better believe I used a stroller to cart him around. I'm only 5' and just lifting him onto the toilet, into bed, and into the stroller was probably more than I "should have" lifted him. I'm not anti-stroller. So you don't have to send me hate mail if you think strollers are the best thing since sliced bread.

[dnr3301]

big fat :

[~member~]

Originally Posted by Village Mama

Since I dont drive, I often have to walk 5 km a day.... it isnt reasonable to expect your two year old to keep up or go that distance all in one go.

Really? Tell that to the many children who walk that or more a day and not just in Third World Countries.
When I didn't have a vehicle, my kids, including the 18 month old, walked everywhere. They didn't have a problem with the distances at all and for that entire year, they were extremely healthy.

I miss walking. The nearest place is almost 20 miles, which would be too much for ME at this point.

[schmaela]

Originally Posted by KittyKat

Geesh, what are the boards coming to when you can't come on the
BABYWEARING BOARD

and post a
HUMOROUS THREAD
about how trying out a stroller opened your eyes to a different POV without having to post a dang disclaimer "Sorry if this offends stroller using parents, etc. etc."


OP: once I got into the babywearing love with my 4th, I tried putting him in a stroller like I used to with my older kids... it felt SO weird to me!!! So I know where you're coming from.

FYI: when my sturdy heavy then 3yo DS broke his leg while I was 24 weeks pregnant, you better believe I used a stroller to cart him around. I'm only 5' and just lifting him onto the toilet, into bed, and into the stroller was probably more than I "should have" lifted him. I'm not anti-stroller. So you don't have to send me hate mail if you think strollers are the best thing since sliced bread.

:

[Snowdrift]

Originally Posted by MamaInTheBoonies

Really? Tell that to the many children who walk that or more a day and not just in Third World Countries.
When I didn't have a vehicle, my kids, including the 18 month old, walked everywhere. They didn't have a problem with the distances at all and for that entire year, they were extremely healthy.

I miss walking. The nearest place is almost 20 miles, which would be too much for ME at this point.

I agree with you in principle, MITB, but not in the case where the mother cannot wear/carry the child if necessary. I don't think that "walk, no matter what" is a very gentle or AP approach. In that case a stroller or wagon backup in, imo, necessary for gentle parenting.

[~member~]

Originally Posted by tie-dyed

I don't think that "walk, no matter what" is a very gentle or AP approach. In that case a stroller or wagon backup in, imo, necessary for gentle parenting.

I disagree. I've BTDT and had absolutely no issues. Never had a child that cried and wouldn't walk, never needed a back-up....Why would I try to pull a wagon or push a stroller that no one would use in the first place? And, then there would be fights about who got to ride and would just undermine the entire experience.

I think today's parents underestimate what children are capable of doing.