Choosing the Right Stroller

How to Choose a Stroller

With so many excellent choices of strollers, how does one choose the right one? Consider the following points that can help you narrow it down to the right stroller for your needs.

1. If you use the car a lot, you might want to start with a car seat frame. This can carry your baby in the infant car seat straight out of the car. Car seat frames are lightweight, fold compactly, and are pretty inexpensive. You can use these until your baby grows out of the infant car seat.
2. Strolling around the neighborhood a lot requires a comfortable “cruiser” stroller. These are generally larger, have multiple recline positions, large sun canopies, and sometimes, a reversing push handle to allow you to face your baby. Most of these are larger when folded so they take up quite a bit of room in the car. 

 

3. Sport strollers have bigger wheels, often pneumatic rubber tires like a bicycle. They provide easy strolling on any surface. Some have a swiveling front wheel that can lock in a stationary position when used to jog. Many of these strollers can adapt to carry an infant car seat. Most are quite large when folded.

 

4. Compact strollers provide a light weight way to stroll your baby. Today, you can get one that reclines sufficiently for a newborn, a partial recline, or a single position for toddlers. Generally, the fewer features, the lighter the stroller weighs.

 

5. Try pushing the stroller with some weight in it to see if it maneuvers easily. Does it provide enough stepping room so you can walk without kicking the frame/wheels? Are the handles high enough to push comfortably? Does the seat recline sufficiently for the age of your baby? Are the wheels large enough for the type of road surfaces you plan on traversing? Can you easily lift it into your car or up and down stairs if you live in a two-story walk-up? When folded, will it give you enough room to put bags of groceries in the trunk of your car? If you take public transportation, can you fold the stroller with one hand while carrying your baby?

 

Consult your Baby News stroller expert to determine what stroller best meets your needs.