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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Baby Strollers and Other Baby Carriers

I had a pregnant friend as me the other day about baby strollers.

There are now so many on the market, she wanted to know which baby strollers are "best" and which ones she should stay away from.  She also wanted to know what I always used to carry my kids when they weren't in a stroller, (usually called baby carriers.)

Here's what I told her:  No one person can say which stroller is the absolute best.  That's why there are so many on the market with so many different features!  What's important it to narrow down what features are necessary for you.  From there you can decide which one will meet those needs.

Based on the conversation I had with her, I thought it'd be helpful to list some things to consider when choosing between all of the baby strollers and baby carriers out there.  I've not included everything, just brushed over the highlights.  For a more all-inclusive list of things to consider, check out the pages on Positive Parenting with Purpose focused exclusively on each of these. Check out the pages on baby strollers and baby carriers. 



Strollers:

- Do you want a stroller that fits the infant car seat initially, and then converts to a sitting sitting stroller?
- Do you want your child to be able to lie all the way down?  (Some allow for that, but most strollers don't recline all of the way;  older styles do, some newer styles that are take-offs on the old ones will, and prams do.)
- Do you want a "travel system?"  These usually allow for the infant car seat initially.  They also have a lot of nooks and crannies for storing a diaper bag, purse, clothes, drinks and other items.  They're like stroller minivans!
- Is the weight it important to you?  (Will you be taking it in and out of the car a lot? 
How difficult is your vehicle to get a stroller in and out?)  Is the weight more important than the storage space for belongings?    If so, you might want to consider something like the Snap n' Go which carries the infant carrier and is one of the most light-weight ones on the market.
- Where will you be taking the child?  What will you be doing?  (i.e., shopping versus jogging.)
- How many children do you need to transport, and what is the age difference?



Baby Carriers:

- Do you want the child upright or lying down?
- Do you need a lot of mobility or does it matter?  (Some baby carriers are made specifically for hiking/camping and are like backpacks, which allow the parent to have a little more mobility in the front.)
- Are you breastfeeding?
- Do you want your child to be able to face the front, or does it matter?




For both baby strollers and carriers, you'll want to check recalls with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.  With this link you can input the product you are interested in and research any recalls on it and the reasons they took place.  If you just want to research strollers, Parents.com has put together a consolidated list here.

If you are wanting a broader search of all baby products, see this page on baby product recalls.

Know that sometimes companies voluntarily recall their products and/or provide fixes for issues that may cause concern.  You'll want to read the particulars about any recall before deciding against any product.

Do you have any specific features of baby strollers or baby carriers that new or expecting moms should know about?  Let us know!

See these links for more on baby equipment and the baby monitor.

1 comment:

  1. Baby strollers and baby carriers both are different but main intention behind it is different. Using baby carriers you can wear baby and strollers are used to carry baby while travelling.

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