Monday, October 20, 2008
Help!
I know I need to post some pictures, and there's news and such to blog about, but for the time being please indulge my soon to be a new mother cry for advice. We are looking at strollers and car seats and every possible combo of the two. With my limited experience, I just really am not sure what is best. I don't know what is really the most functional, what I'm actually going to want and what conveniences I can and can not do without. So, experienced mothers of the blogging world, please impart to me of your wisdom. Of all the tons of baby stuff out there, I just don't know what all I want/need. Help!
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7 comments:
Okay, Julianne, I pretty much stick with Graco because of the quality. They are pretty much the highest rated when it comes to safety, good investment. Graco carseat and stroller. If you have money now, get the carseat he will need when he is too big for the carrier now, so that it's not like, "oh crap, he is too heavy/tall for the carrier but we have no money now!" Baby swings are a must have! If you have a smaller place they have "travel size" swings. A "Pack 'n Play" is nice to have, but they are a bit big if the baby is sleeping in your room for the first couple of months. I would suggest the "Travel Lite Crib" by Graco. It's basically the same thing, but smaller. The key is that the cheapest is not always best and the most expensive is not always best. I have so much more I could share, but I will wait for you to ask more specific questions, haha.
ok, so i'm not a mom (yet) but i did work at a babies R us for a long time and formed my own opinions. graco snugride is going to be my pick... and i think i want to go with a universal stroller. it's basically a frame and you can snap your infant carrier on to it to make it a stroller. it's a lot less expensive than a travel system (carrier plus stroller) and a lot less bulky, altho definitely not as fancy. then, when you boy gets too big for the infant carrier, a simple umbrella stroller should do the trick. also, play pens can double as cribs! so there you go- free advice is worth just that. :)
If you have money to spend, do the Graco Winnie the Pooh stroller and car seat combo--everyone has that one; it's the best value new. If you are strapped for cash, just get a Graco car seat and I bet you a million dollars you can find a stroller on Craigslist for 1/2 the price (all the Graco car seats fit on the Graco strollers I am pretty sure. You don't have to buy them together and they don't have to match). I do reccomend you buy the carseat new for safety reasons. If you are really strapped for cash I would even go without the stroller (that can hold the car seat) all together. You are having a winter baby so you probably won't use it that much. Also, those travel systems are big and heavy for little people like us, so I use an umbralla stroller most of the time. In the grocery store the carrier fits on the cart, and you can use a Snugglie baby carrier in the mall. That is what I think. Travel systems are way expensive and you can live without one. Like I said, if you discover you can't live without one you can buy a handy down one. I would rather have a swing for my baby.
I agree w/the others. You must have a carseat. Graco is the best all-around. Laura is right about not needing a stroller right away but you may want something else like a wrap or sling to carry them in. But I lived w/o those too. my stroller is huge and takes up a lot of storage space so I would recommend one w/a smaller frame. One w/cup holders for both you and the kids is helpful. basket underneath is necessary. fold easily. umbrella to cover child. etc. Graco is my fave but Jana (my sis-in-law) just found a great evenflo travel system. Baby depot and babies r'us have the best deals/sales and selection. always buy carseat new. stroller doesn't have to be. good luck.
I was going to try to add some wisdom, but reading these comments, I must just agree with what has been said! I have loved my travel system and use the stroller all the time, because it holds so much. It is bulky and takes up space though. I just keep it in the car most of the time because that's when I use it. I have a stroller that I got from Walmart for $20 that I think is great. It will be for later though so don't worry about getting it now. It is just as small as an umbrella stroller, but has a shade for Cailen and a basket underneath. So it has all the necessities. If you have specific questions, please post so we can help you! There are tons of things so its too much to write in one little comment :) P.S. I NEED TO SEE YOU! I'm going to stalk you at work if you don't let me know when is a time we could hang out :)
I love the thoughts that have been posted so far! I totally agree that the only big item you need new is the car seat (oh and crib mattress...you can do a used crib but not the mattress!) Craigslist is such an awesome resource for new mommies on a budget. I could not live without my swing(one that they can lay back in (new babies love motion and sometime this is the only place my babies would sleep for the first month)! I also highly recommend a front carrier...I wanted my baby with me all the time and this was a great way to get things done and still hold them! Good luck!
We have one of the car seats that go from car to stroller and I love it - I can take Melissa out of the car, put her carrier into the grocery cart (the basket part) or stroller, shop, put her back in the car - all without unbuckling her or waking her up if she's asleep. But I DO wish I had a carrier with a twisted handle. I don't know the technical word for it, but the handle of my carrier is straight, and some have a twist in the middle. I have head this makes the carrier a LOT easy to lift (for those of us whose muscles aren't quite in the Superwoman range) - it lets you grip it more naturally. Also, I have a little Bumbo baby seat. It's from WalMart (around $40) - it's not a "must", but it's great once babies can hold their heads up. It tricks Melissa into thinking she's being held :o) - and since she's still pretty tiny, we are going to use it instead of buying a high chair when she starts on solid foods. (There's a picture of it on my blog if you want to see it.) Good luck and happy shopping!
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