The Stroller Debate Part II

So what did we end up using instead? I bought a Graco SnugRider Infant Car Seat Stroller Framesecond hand and got a Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat as a gift. Overall, it’s a heavier package, I’ll admit, but it’s a lot easier to get it onto intercity busses (intra-city busses in Israel, at least, allow you to bring the stroller on the bus for an added fee – always worthwhile, in my opinion). You fold up the frame while the seat is on the ground, put the frame under the bus, and then you have your baby in a comfy car seat on the bus. Total price so far $138. The cheapest Peg Perego Uno I could find is $350 and you still don’t have a car seat. The downsides to this are:1)that you have to buy a second stroller when your child is one.2) the car seat is somewhat difficult to put in a car without a base. If you have your own car or one that you use often, the base is certainly a worthwhile investment at roughly $35. (You’re up to $173.87)

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Stroller Search, part 1

My name is Naomi, and I’m a stroller addict. Although I only currently own two, I’ve spend a good proportion of the last two years, three months (and a good few months before that) checking out every Bugaboo, Quinny, and Mountain Buggy that crosses my path (and In Modiin, there are a lot of strollers). When we bought our main stroller, our Peg Perego Pliko P3, all that time ago, it seemed to be the perfect pushchair. It came with a bassinet and carseat which clipped directly into the frame, it was lightweight enough to carry up stairs (we used to live in a building with no lift), it folded and unfolded relatively easily, had a decent sized basket, cupholder, and best of all, had an amazing sunshade, perfect for our British-skinned baby. So two years later, did my Peg Perego complete package live up to my expectations? In a word, no. Despite being relatively lightweight the P3 is clunky to carry, and is very heavy to push a toddler in. That easy one hand fold definitely takes two hands, and even though I’ve got the hang of it now it’s certainly not the dream fold I was looking for.

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What About B.O.B.?

Before my second child was born, the only actual piece of baby gear we needed to purchase was a double stroller. This was a huge decision. I decided to go straight for a double jogger since we would only be using a double stroller for serious walking (both for power walks around the neighborhood and on shabbat). I ended up buying the B.O.B. Stroller Strides Fitness Stroller Duallie. Before buying it, I also researched the InSTEP Safari Double and the Baby Jogger City Classic Double strollers. All of these are side-by-sides (as opposed to front/back or one seat on top of the other). Here’s why I chose the B.O.B. over the others:– more storage room (basket underneath, plus huge pockets behind each seat, plus includes a large parent console)– most head space/growing room for my already very tall for her age 2 year old– shock absorbers (the InSTEP does not have them, the Baby Jogger might)– car seat adapter (must purchase separately) for the first few months. The other side of the car seat adapter is a tray for the older child, without which would mean no snack in the stroller. Another difference is that the InSTEP only has one

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Universal Carseat Carriers: A Comparison

I think I’ve already expressed how these universal carseat carriers are smarter than your average stroller. Until your baby is too big for the infant carseat, why bother dealing with strapping in and out of the carseat only to then be strapped in and out of a stroller and then back again? Why shlep a heavy stroller when you can just snap your carseat into a lightweight frame? And last but not least, for the car-less ones of us out there, universal carseat carriers are a lifesaver when using cabs when you can’t just leave the carseat in the car. It looks like there are four universal carseat carriers on the market: The Graco Snugrider Car Seat Frame, the Kolcraft Universal Carseat Carrier, the Baby Trend Snap N’ Go Stroller, and the Maclaren Easy Traveler Stroller. They each have all the basic features: A place to snap/strap the carseat in, a large basket, cupholders/tray, and an easy fold. Let’s look at some of the difference. BASKET: The Kolcraft by far has the biggest basket (though they all really have large baskets) and it is easily accessible while the carseat is attached. It extends so far back, however, that people with

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Sit’n’Stroll: The Real Deal

I am now the proud owner of a Sit’n’Stroll 5-n-1 Combination Carseat/Stroller. Wow. This is quite an ingenious product. I had been wondering what we would do when Hila outgrows the carseat/Snap N’ Go combo (or, even sooner, when we have to give the Graco SafeSeat back to Bethami). Car-less as we are, will we have to put Hila in our Baby Jogger City Mini (yes, I decided to keep it) and shlep around a carseat with us just in case we need to take a cab? No baby of mine will ride in a car without a carseat. So what do people in our situation do? And here comes the Sit’n’Stroll to the rescue! This is the direct answer to our problem. She’ll sit in the carseat and then when it’s time to get out we’ll pop out the wheels and extend the handle and VOILA! — we’ve got ourselves a stroller! Getting back into a cab? No problem — tuck the stroller parts in and you’ve got yourself an infant (backward facing) or older baby (forward facing) carseat! It also serves as a booster seat and an approved airline seat. It’s not heavy and comes with (at an

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Simply Good: For you and your baby

I have found a line of products that I simply love: Simply Good. They make wraps and slings, (I bought their cozy wrap at Shilav and it is so soft and cozy), diaper bags (I like this square one — but they all come with these innovative one-at-a-time wipes dispensers and little pacifier pouches), fun pillows, and more! Look at this adorable little booster cushion!But what I really want is this Poncho for 2. There were a few times when it was a bit chillier out when I was wearing Hila and then had to tuck blankets into the cracks to keep her warm and then my coat didn’t really fit over us so then I was cold too and it just wasn’t so comfortable. This poncho really solves the problem, and maybe someone will see you and think you’re really fat or pregnant, but then they’ll see a tiny little head popping out. So cute. I can’t seem to find where to purchase these products, but there are other wraps and slings that are similar to them, like the Moby Wrap. And there are baby carrier coversavailable too, and while they take care of keeping baby warm, you’ll still

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Other inward facing tandems…

Not that we’re looking for ourselves (yet), but it seems like the Leebruss ABC Zoom Twin Stroller is not available in the States (let me know if you know otherwise). So I’ve done a little research and discovered that there’s a small range of other truly awesome double strollers that have the option of having the two kids inward facing. On the more expensive end are two Peg Peregos: The Peg Perego Duette Stroller (about $890) and the Peg Perego Tender Twin Stroller (about $575). On the less expensive end of the spectrum is the Eddie Bauer Bryant Two-Way Tandem Stroller (about $180) and the Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem Plus Stroller (about $220). Ok, so let’s check out this last one. It is by far the coolest. The Kolkraft Contours Options Tandem comes with SEVEN different seating options — with carseats, facing forward, facing mom, facing each other, facing away from each other, and more! (Note the word “options” in the name!) Maybe it’s not as aerodynamic looking as the Leebruss, but it’s cheaper and more readily available. More about this to come…

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Baby Jogger City Mini vs Baby Trend Snap N’ Go

Time for me to weigh in on the Baby Jogger City Mini debate! The City Mini is definitely for some people, and definitely not for others. If you’re more than 6″0, then it’s not for you. If you don’t have a car, then it’s not for you. If you live on a third floor walkup, it’s definitely not for you. But if you’re an average height, driving, ground floor living kinda guy, then I would definitely recommend it. The problem is, first of all, that I can’t push it without my knees banging into the back (try it in the store before you buy it, for sure. But make sure you’re trying it with the seat fully reclined if you plan on using it at all for your baby’s first six months or so of life). If this is an issue for you, but you still like Baby Joggers, then I’d recommend checking out the City Elite, or the City Classic. Both are much more accommodating for us taller types. The Baby Trend Single Snap N’ Go Stroller is also a good solution. Though no taller than, and possibly a bit shorter than the City Mini, the Snap ‘N Go

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