strollers: luxury items for the rich?

Well, i have two, so have no qualms about having a stroller for dd. I use a sling for ds and put dd in the stroller. Or sometimes she pushes him in the stroller.lol

I don't consider it a luxury for the rich. I also have a jogging stroller which is very nessecary for me to go jogging with. It's a double. And I don't find it against AP standards to excersise if it means using a stroller. Nor do I consider using a stroller when you are carrying tons of books at the library.

I would go ahead and get the ergo and a cheap umbrella stroller

I got a lovely jogging stroller (not cheap!) through freecycle and while dd is primarily a sling baby, it's wonderful for exactly the situations you described. In general, I think it's good to keep carrying your baby as he grows because your strength will grow with him, but there are times when you need to carry baby AND heavy things, or want/need to walk a fair distance, and that's exactly what a stroller is for.

This is where I'm of the opinion that if your dh doesn't want to buy something you and your baby need, then he gets to take over -- so in this case, he gets to do all the baby carrying and juggling.

Interesting comment by your DH!

In my neighborhood, it seems strollers are a necessity for the poor - those who do not have a car to run errands with and must walk. I even see people with no kids also using strollers to carry their laundry, water jugs, etc. Strollers do not have to be expensive. Most of these moms I see using the basic umbrella stroller. I think these run between $10 and $20.

I also use a stroller myself to walk on these errands. I would often end up carrying my son on the way back, but I still needed the stroller to carry the groceries!

Wow--that's some comment for him to make.
I don't use a stroller when I go to the store because one kid walks and the other rides in the cart--I wonder if shopping carts would be considered a luxury item as well???
I do have a double jogging stroller--I run marathons and this is a great item to have. Maybe it is a luxury item---but, consider the alternative: I used to be an overweight mom with health problems due to being overweight, who could have died young and woudln't be able to care for her children.
The opposite of exercise: possible heart diesase, heart attack, obesity, anxiety, and reduced longevity--have you noticed that there is an obesity crisis in this country? My children like to see the world as I run, my insurance premiums are reduced and my doctor tells me that I have added years to my life. I am sure I have saved millions in therapy as well.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And not only that but my children are learning that mom takes care of herself, and it's good to be healthy and fit--and hopefully my children will see that as they grow and choose a healthy lifestyle instead of ending up starving to fit into that pair of jeans or seeing mom fat and follow suit. I want to be a role model for them in every way....this is just one more way.
So I am thinking that "luxury" item is one of necessity. Especially when you consider the alternatives.

Luxury item for the rich???

In 2004, I was lucky enough to have my rent, electricity and phone covered, by living at my mom's house for a year. In return, dh & I bought most of the groceries (not specialty items that mom & stepdad snacked on) and did all the cooking. Our (me & dh) income that year was $9,000.00, less tax. That was for groceries for four adults, one preteen and a baby (7 to 19 months), all activities (school stuff and tae kwon do) for ds1, clothing, enterntainment (not much of that!), etc. We still owned a stroller! In fact, we walked everywhere with dd in the stroller or the Snugli. When she was in the Snugli, we still usually used the stroller - for groceries, library books, a floor lamp, various hardware items, etc., etc., etc. (Some of those purchases were after the timeline I'm talking about, but we still carried them in the stroller. I'm just using 2004, because we had very little money.)

I won't say a stroller is a necessity, because I can see doing without one, if using other carriers (slings, Ergos, Snuglies, backpacks, etc.). But, I do think some kind of carrier is almost a necessity. There are many things that are extremely difficult to do with the babe in arms. And, just because the child learns to walk doesn't make things easier for a while. They don't walk very quickly at first! I can't count how many times I've almost felt my arms pull off while I lugged tons of groceries home, and ds1 toddled along with me at a snail's pace.

Slings seem to be much more luxury items if you're buying a good one (thought it's easy enough to make one yourself if you can sew), at least here in America. I'm at your DH though. I have had two different strollers and they were pretty handy for DS1. In fact, we used them more after DS could walk because he was much heavier then and it was good for going on walks during naptime, or to the mall, or to festivals, or for going to the park, etc.

I guess your DH better watch out because your DS will need many many more things as he gets older (clothes, food, shoes, etc...) and he will cost a lot more than he does now.

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Yeah that! People without cars will find a stroller even more a neccesity. I can't imagine carrying a baby and groceries while walking down the street. I always thought my Bjorn was a luxury item for the rich. Darn thing cost me $100. It's about to hold it's third baby though so worth the expense. Our stroller wasn't super expensive, about $50, so not cheap either. it's looking a little rough but is still in good shape after having been used for the last 3 years. Also if you are planning on having another child fairly close together I can't emphasize enough the value of a decent stroller. I spent enough time carrying a 2.5 year old and a six month old just when she wouldn't sit in the stroller. It would have been hard to go out alone without it.

Wow! Thanks for all the replys so far. Of course, I agree with all of you.

I don't know if dh realizes how inexpensive a stroller can be, or if it is just the idea of accumulating "things," even if they are free. He is from another culture and I know the American attitude of "I have to have this (insert frivilous item here)" gets to him. Of course, I'm not saying a stroller is frivilous, but I think he applies that type of thinking rather broadly sometimes. He grew up with so much less and got along just fine.

And I honestly don't think it bothers him to carry ds around. I just have a very difficult time managing!

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and insight!

i bought our big stroller before we had a carseat for the unborn dd. (it was a really good deal.) a stroller is a necessity for us as i don't drive but still do most of the daily errand running. dd is 17 mos. and couldn't make it 3 miles round trip to the grocery store, and i couldn't get the two of us and the groceries on the bus. but even if i did drive, we couldn't do the zoo or shopping without the stroller.

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that might teach him!