Hi Ladies. My post today is for an alternative take on strollers. I say this because I am one of the few people who didn't register for a stroller when I had my babies. I used a baby sling and/or carried my baby for the first four months of his life. I made this decision for a few reasons: 1) I didn't want to spend the money on a new stroller, 2) I wanted to have the closeness to my infant, and 3) Ed and/or I really enjoyed carrying him. We finally started using a stroller some when someone gave us a hand-me-down when Samuel was 4 months old. It was an Eddie Bauer three-wheeled stroller, but it was missing the part to attach an infant carrier. We would stroll him around the neighborhood every now and again, but I was still almost exclusively using the sling.
It wasn't until Samuel was over a year old that I started pushing him places in a stroller. I was pregnant with Joel shortly thereafter and found the Eddie Bauer stroller to be sufficient. We still own this stroller today.
Once Joel was born, I again put him in a baby sling to go places. I would sling Joel and push Samuel in the stroller if we were going to the park or someplace like that. Once Joel was a few months old, I purchased a Baby Trend Sit N' Stand stroller for $40 off of Craigslist. Samuel was only about 20 months old at this point and too little for the sit/stand option he was supposed to use. BUT, Ed and I figured out that you could position our Graco Infant Carrier in the back portion of the Sit N' Stand with complete security. We would put Joel back there and have Samuel ride up front. We used the stroller this way until Joel was over a year old (at this point he wasn't using an infant carrier as a carseat - just as a seat in the stroller). Now Samuel is old enough to ride in the back on the sit/stand part and Joel rides up front. I like this stroller a lot - especially for the price.
We also recently purchased the cheapest ($15) stroller from Walmart over vacation and we use that sometimes to push just Joel down the street while Samuel walks alongside or if Ed wants to take just one of the boys somewhere. We like this stroller just fine as well.
All of this is to say that fancy, top-of-the line strollers aren't for everyone. I'm very happy with the strollers we've had and the money we've saved by not using one.
3 comments:
Can you believe I got a very nice hand me down stroller from a friend for FREE and left it in the library parking lot one day?!? Talk about feeling like an idiot! It was days before I realized it was gone and by then, someone had taken it. We can't afford to buy another one, so for now, he is in the carrier everywhere we go, which has automatically added 22 pounds to my morning workout :)
Thanks for the stroller info I actually have a sit n stand too. but I had a questions for you I am looking for a carrier that works front, back etc...I have done slings but I need something a little more structured for a month of traveling without a stroller would you recommend an ergo that seems to be the best I can find would love any info or suggestions
Thanks
AJ
AJ,
I would say the Ergo is the way to go...although I must be honest that I don't own one. I've never been able to bring myself to spend the money. I've used one before, though, and I really liked it. It's great because it spreads the weight over both shoulders. And it is the most unisex of all the carriers as far as mom or dad being able to use it. Good luck!
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