Choosing a stroller is a big decision, it can make your life with young children easier, more comfortable and more manageable or, if you choose the wrong stroller, it can result in headaches and frustration. There are an enormous variety of strollers available in stores and over the net. Something for every lifestyle and every pocket.
When choosing a stroller you should really look around, consider what you need the stroller to offer your family in terms of lifestyle, space, comfort and safety. After you have a clear idea of what you need, start looking at your options.
Some things to consider before buying a stroller are:
What can you afford?
Do you have an infant car seat?
Number of children that may use the stroller?
What space do you have , especially for transporting?
How often will you use the stroller?
Where will you, mostly, use the stroller?
Safety:
As a mom of three, my biggest concern was always for my baby’s safety. Was he or she going to fall out of the stroller. When looking at safety issues you should look at the harness on the stroller and try to go for a 5 point harness as this offers the best safety available.
Adjustablitily:
Try out a stroller before you buy it. Consider the adjustable features on the stroller. Can it be rear or front facing? Does it have adjustable handles which allow mom, dad or other caretakers greater comfort. Examine the wheels on the stroller and see if they turn well – especially around tight corners and make sure that they lock easily. How many reclining positions does the seat have? To see an example of these features, look at the bumbleride flyer. Many strollers have all or some of thee features you just need to decide which are a must for you. Another option is to choose a stroller that allows you to add features as you need them. To look at an example of this read this article on Teutonia strollers.
Convenience:
Make sure the stroller has the convenience aspects that you need. At one point I had three small children and so needed a big basket underneath to hold shopping bags/ clothes/ etc. Some strollers allow for attachments for older siblings to stand on therefore allowing you to push an extra child if needed. Do you need a cup holder, snack holder, toy bar etc?
Folding and weight:
Look very thoroughly at how the stroller folds. Will you need to get it into the trunk of your car, will it fit easily or will it be very tight? With small children you always have a million things to take along, if the stroller is taking the entire trunk do you have place for all your other things? Strollers need to be simple to fold. There is nothing worse than trying to work out how to fold a stroller or battling with tight clips and stiff levers when all you want to do its get the stroller folded and put into the car or cupboard.
As a woman it was always important to me that the stroller was not too heavy. For many years I was using taxis and needed to be able to fold up the stroller and get it into the trunk in a relatively short space of time. Part of this meant being able to lift the stroller easily. Some manufactures are bringing out strollers where parents buy sections independently in order to better suit their needs. For example when your child is an infant you may buy a base and a bassinet attachment. Later you could buy an upright seat to fit the base. This type of system may allows for greater flexibility in use as well as in storage and folding.
Travel Systems:
When your baby is very young you may consider a travel system. This is basically a standard stroller that comes with an infant car seat. Most of the infant car seats have some sort of base that stays in the car. The infant seat then clips in and out of this very easily and just as easily clips into the stroller. It is fantastic for getting your baby in and out of the car without battling with straps or waking them. Its also great if its raining or extremely hot, as it is very quick to do. This might sound a bit mundane but I really found that being able to get my baby in and out of the car quickly and easily reduced stress. Once the child no longer fits the infant seat, the stroller is used like any standard stroller.
Standard Strollers:
Standard strollers generally give your child more space than lightweight strollers. They have extra packing space and more convenience features. Standard strollers are however generally heavier and more difficult to maneuver in crowded places than lightweight strollers but less bulky than jogging strollers.
Lightweight strollers:
Lightweight strollers are a great option for travelers or parents who are frequently at malls or other busy, crowded places. Lightweight strollers have become far more advanced over the last few years and now offer many of the extras that used to only come with larger strollers. Many now have storage space and reclining seats. I believe their best feature is that they fold up so small. To see what I am talking about have a look at this example of a lightweight stroller.
Jogging strollers:
Jogging strollers are becoming more and more popular, especially for parents who like being outdoors. I think they are best used in addition to a standard or lightweight stroller as they do not usually have many of the extras – like large storage spaces. They are however very sleek, have great suspension, strong tires and can be used on any terrain. They generally do not fold up as small as some of the other strollers and are not recommended for children under 6 months.
Strollers for Multiples:
When buying a stroller for multiples you need to really think about the purpose you will need the stroller to fulfill. If your children are different ages you amy consider strollers that allow for attachments for sitting or standing for the older child. There are also some options with lightweight strollers whereby you can clip the strollers together. This gives you greater versatility as they can be used as a double or single stroller. If buying a stroller for twins or triplets you should look at storage space, reclining seats – can they recline separately, size when folded and weight of the stroller.
