Do We Need a Stroller....?

you can always wait, and see if you feel like you need one. That baby carrier gets very heavy as the baby gains weight. I used a stroller a lot for shopping or just walking the mall, or walking around the neighborhood.
p.s. umbrella strollers aren't good for little babies. They don't offer any back support. The poor things look all slumped over and uncomfortable. Also,now that my youngest is 3, I MISS taking the stroller simply to have a place to put the diaper bag, snacks, etc.

A lot of people have said that you do need a stroller. It can be convenient, but it can also be extremely inconvenient. Lugging a stroller up and down stairs, or in and out of a car, can be a real pain. If you have a hands-free carrier (like a sling, mei tai, or baby wrap), a stroller isn't really necessary. You don't really need to carry around a whole ton of stuff just because you have a baby - a diaper bag with diapers, wipes, and an extra change of clothes is really all you need, and you can totally carry that along with having the baby in a carrier.

I used my stroller all the time! Not only did I use it for walking/exericising, but I used it for shopping. Honestly, I wasn't all that comfortable throwing my baby and the carseat way up on top of a shopping cart, and the stroller I have is sooo nice to manuever around a store. I bought a jogging stroller that has a swivel front wheel from Target. It was only about $100, and it allows storage on the bottom, and the seat can be reclined all the way back if needed. It's sweet.

Yes! Try lugging one of those car seats around, they are heavy! ( Plus all your "stuff"). Get the car seat/stroller combo, that way when your baby is older you can still use the stroller. Combi is great, also Peg Perego. I f you are in Denver baby world on Leetsdale and Monaco has good stuff, Target does too. The European brands are more expensive but I think worth it, you use these items alot. Good luck!

Baby+ diapers and wipes+ change of outfits (for when they poop through)+ snacks+ bottles+ water for you+ coat+ hat+ purse+ toys to keep them occupied = lots of weight.

If you plan on walking more than 2 feet, then you need a stroller. A trip to the mall, the zoo, the park, to a neighbor's house all require the baby and all the stuff to keep baby happy. So unless you are a pack mule, do yourself a favor and go with the best invention of all time: a set of wheels.

C H,

I felt very much like you... do I really need a stroller, but honestly I decided I did. I couldn't be happier I got a stroller. Because I was so hesitant on needing one I decided to go green and reuse one. I purchased a used one at a garage sale... luckily the mother was a clean freak and kept this stroller so nice. I figured in case I don't use it then I didn't waste a ton of money on the item. I loveee my peg perego stroller and use it almost every other day when I go for a walk. If you like to be out doors and walking a carrier is just not practical once they get over a certain weight. I hope this advice helps you make your decision.

Good luck and you can always wait to get one after she/he is born and you know what will fit your lifestyle better.

C.

YES, you need a stroller. You will get so tired of lugging around your infant car seat so fast. I skipped the large Graco travel system stroller and instead opted for a carseat stroller frame (the Graco brand, since I had a Graco carseat). We used that quite a bit during the first 6 or 8 months. I also had a combi single stoller (the one can that be travel-system-able) and I would HIGHLY recommend it. It has a full recline and a boot so that you can put an infant in it, even a brand newborn baby, lying down without the car seat. We used our a ton... wore the wheels right off nearly. My husband used it to take my daughter on walks when she was a newborn and we took it to Europe with us, where I walked everywhere for 2 months. It is an AWESOME stroller... I would HIGHLY recommend it.

Congrats on your new addition!
I used and still use my stroller all the time! I use it for walking and it is great for shopping or taking those trips to the park/zoo/mall/etc. I did not feel comfortable putting the car seta on top of the shopping cart. I would recommend the Graco travel system which has the car seat with base and the stroller. Look for the ones that have the swivel wheels in the front as they are quite easy to manuever. Has a nice storage compartment on the bottom, it reclines for naps, and can collapse with one hand when needed. Umbrella strollers are nice too but I liked mine when my now 2 1/2 year old daughter was older. I still use the bigger stroller for bigger events (zoo/outlet mall/etc.)
Good luck.

I actually used my stroller more during the first 6 months than I have since. The carseats get heavy and I didn't like the way it fit on the shopping carts. They sleep so much at first and you really don't want to disturb them.

I have the Chicco travel set. I love Chicco, and my only complaint is that it doesn't umbrella fold. This is fine when I am home, but not very easy for travel (I have only traveled with it once on the 6 plane trips I have taken, and probably won't again.) I'm not sure if they have a KeyFit that umbrella folds, but I really like the KeyFit and not having to transfer him all the time.

After my son could control his head, I tended to go more for the sling, snugly, and then the Ergo when I got that (LOVE THAT!). Probably more selfish reasons, so I can cuddle with him, but also ease of use at any crowded location. Look around and when you are annoyed at all the people that take up so much room and block your way with all the stollers, that is probably the time to use a front carrier.

We mainly use the stroller to take walks, and when we are going to be at something and my husband is going to have to hold our son for a long period of time - he doesn't have the holding stamina, and doesn't use the Ergo. Mainly for the long periods.

Yes, you need a stroller. Depending on your style, you'll probably want one if you fly, at the mall, at the zoo, for walks, etc. It really is a longtime investment. Babies are quite heavy in baby carriers, no matter how light the carrier is. They're also awkward. I use the Baby Bjorn or sling a lot, but we've still gotten our money's worth on the stroller. A good one should be the last one you have to buy. Our Combi has been great! Our almost 6 year old still rides in it sometimes. You only need to go to the mall a few times and rent a stroller before you will have paid for your own. There's also trips to the park and family activities like weddings and such where you want the baby to sleep, which they do much better with the smooth ride of the stroller. Sometimes just the simplicity of having your hands free is worth it. We tried without with our first, but had bought a stroller by the time he was 6 months because he was too heavy to carry. It would have been cheaper and easier to get it as a set. Congratulations on the little one! Just had another thought. If you have a c-section, you won't be allowed to carry the baby in the carrier for 6 weeks. That's pretty limiting if you don't have a stroller.

This will really depend on personal preference. I actually only use a stroller for when I go jogging. I've depended on my baby carrier. Part of that is because my parenting philosophy is attachment parenting, meaning I believe that especially in the first months, babies need to be near their mom. In the stroller, it's usually too far for a newborn to even see you well. Here's a website with more: http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/28/baby-essentials-that-....
A lot of people have said that a baby carrier will be too hard on your back. That's not always true. If you go to a La Leche league meeting, you'll find enough people experienced in "babywearing," and you could probably try theirs out to see what's comfortable. I borrowed my sisters ring sling when my daughter was first born, but I found that it was too uncomfortable. I switched to an asian baby carrier/mei tei, which is like a baby Bjorn, except it has wider straps and wider body piece, both of which make it more comfortable. Once you find the style you like, you'll have to practice a bit before you find the perfect adjustment. Others have said that it's nice not to wake the baby up. From what I remember, my daughter would either stay asleep or fall quickly back to sleep when I transferred her to the baby carrier. (But now at 15 months, she usually wakes up, but at this age you usually don't have the "bucket seats" anyway.)

Now that my daughter is walking, I only sometimes use the baby carrier, mainly when I can't stand her crying/whining anymore; then I put her on my back and bounce her to sleep. We do try to walk as many places as we can. If I'm not in a hurry, I let her walk. (I think it's important to get them used to walking.) If I have less time, though, I bring my red wagon. It's nice because it fits 2 (I babysit a 3 yr old). They don't always stay in, though. Sometimes one of them wants to pull the wagon or walk.

I think you may find that you want some kind of stroller to put the carseat in sometimes, especially when you're getting out of the car and the baby's asleep - which is a LOT of the time. We got a Peg Perego and it was complete waste of money. I personally think a snap and go kind of thing would be a great thing to have. Wish we'd just gone that route with our jogging stroller (with carseat adapter) as the other option.

You might not need a stroller per se, but you will need ways to carry your baby, so you still have your hands free, ie shopping, walking for exercise, and countless others...
I'd suggest a "snap 'n' go" made by BabyTrend. It's a stroller frame that collapses flat in your trunk and can safely hold your carseat allowing you to push your child around. They're the best and will essentially hold off your need for a real stroller for as long as you use that infant seat.
You might also consider a baby bjorn or ergo carrier, so that if you choose to not get a stroller you can still give your arms a rest. Those carseats are heavy after a while, and believe it or not your baby will get heavy, too! These two baby carriers were my dd's faves. Ergo's lifespan is HUGE-wore it from 4 mos till around 13mos.

good luck :)

The infant seat does work everywhere... but it gets HEAVY!! I can't imagine not having the stroller to put it on (like the travel systems, I guess). I guess most places have carts, but you still have to carry the seat inside to the carts. Also, the mall. If you ever go to the mall.... it is DEATH to carry the seat the whole time, its so nice to just be able to plop it on the stroller and go. Walks... the park... etc etc.

We debated this same issue - I simply couldn't envision myself using one either. However... my infant son isn't much of a napper - so I have used it to stroll him to sleep around Wash Park. I was using it every day for this purpose until I got him to take a nap in his room. Also, it allowed me to get some exercise with him involved. I have a sling, which I really love a lot more than the stroller - especially for shopping. We aren't die-hard stroller users, but we do use it a fair amount. When it's too cold for the sling for example, or too windy but you still want to get some exercise, you will want something with a little more substance like a stroller - or an infant carrier stroller system. In the summer, it may be more difficult to shade your baby in a sling than in a stroller, so the same thing applies. (On our 75 degree winter days I would use the sling and hold fabric over his head - my arm was sweating and tired after an hour or more of this.)
I do have a friend who says she simply isn't in good enough shape to carry her baby in a sling for extended periods too - so that is something else to consider.
Carrying around a car seat is the last alternative to me - they are SO HEAVY - even my husband complained - and not all shopping carts fit the car seat either - like at Whole Foods for example.
We have a Bob. Love it, but the tires go flat a lot. Easy to fix though, and for Denver's old neighborhoods with broken up sidewalks, the big tires are really much more useful than the tiny ones on most strollers.

Honestly I couldn't live without my stroller, but it is a lifestyle question really.....

Do you plan on physically carrying your child everytime you go to the dr, the park, a walk, the family reunion, do you want to lug the child and carseat into the mall/clothing stores/dr offices/etc. (all w/o carts)....Oh and remember you'll be carrying a diaper bag and perhaps a purse tooo....

Combi travel systems look awesome....

R.

Honestly, with my first, I didn't use the stroller much -until she was older and then we used an umbrella stroller.
I didn't like how bulky they were and how incovenient. We went to a lot of shows (like home shows, garden shows...) took walks, and I always used the bjorn carrier and then a hip carrier when she was bigger. Oh - and there aren't any that are truly "lightweight"! They are all heavy and bulky. Some are better than others - but basically they take up the same amount of room. :)

Now, with my second, we used the stroller more because we had an infant and a 2 yr old. It just made it easier for me to get around on my own with two (shopping, parks, etc). But if I had it to do again.. I wouldn't have bought the stroller for the first one.

Just my two cents worth!

Congrats!! and God Bless -
C.

Just think about this. You have to go to the store to get diapers, and your little guy just fell asleep after a long night of not sleeping, picking him up out of the car seat will wake him up, and you will not want that, believe me. Being able to move him in his car seat, into a stroller of some kind, is seamless, and most babies will just stay asleep, especially when they are first born. Strollers are worth it, and there are so many varieties, you will find one to fit your budget. As a first time Mom, just being able to walk around a mall with your baby asleep in a stroller, just to be around people, will be worth the stroller purchase. Just wait...

we had a combi travel system and totally loved it and still do my little boy is almost two and it has been used for everyhting.it s a great stroller

Oh my gosh you totally need one. Those carriers get so heavy and the stroller is a life saver with all the diaper bag and purse and extra things you carry around for a baby. If you go anywhere other then right into a store with a cart and out you will want one. Malls, the zoo on a walk especially with summer coming. In and out of church. I think it is a must for sure. If still debating throw a 10 or 20 pound bag of potatoes into the carrier, pile on your diaper bag and purse on the other arm and go outside and see how far you get before you are exhausted.

You got lots of responses... but of course YES!
It will hold so much stuff for you (diaper bag, purse, ect) plus keep baby up off the ground. Not to mention it can be a bed and changing table as well.
We went to San Diego for a wedding when my daughter was 4 months old and while it seemed crazy to lug that along it was SO needed. She slept in it, got changed in it, and basically it became her home away from home.
Trust me you won't want to go places without it one.

I think the Graco travel systems are great and you can get a decent priced one. Plus they come with the infant seat and base so it will be your car seat as well. I love mine. Look them over, but for sure get one!

I am a birth doula and I see families make all kinds of choices. Some swear my their travel system, others are pure sling wearers. You have to do what works for you. If you are interested in using a doula, I'd love to help you out!

Congrats on your upcoming addition!!
My baby boy just turned 7 months. We got a Graco travel system (big stroller, infant carseat that straps in, and carseat base for the car). Well, I can tell you that we have used his car seat CONSTANTLY, and having it just snap in and out of the car is so easy! I love being able to transfer him where ever without waking him up. Well, In all the 7 months we've had the opportunity to use it, the stroller has only been used ONCE. It would get used more if I went on more walks, but with it being winter I am only jsut starting to want to take him on walks, plus he is finally getting old enough to enjoy them I think. I have no problem carrying his carseat into the grocery store and putting him up on the cart, especially since the carseat I have clips onto the car so it wont slip off. The only time I think a stroller is really handy is when going clothes shopping or shopping at the mall. Carrying a carseat around for that long HURTS, plus its nice to hang your purse and bags off te stroller. Although, some stores are so cramped that you can't really manuver the stroller in there anyways. I actually like putting him in the front carrier for shopping trips, since then we can fit everywhere and you have your hands free. But, if you are planning on trying cloths on, bring the stroller!
My final verdict is that a stroller is nice to have, although you really DONT need the big travel system. That stroller is SO HUGE even when its folded up that its a giant pain to bring it places. Not just that, but they only come with an infant carseat, which your baby grows out of pretty quickly (mine is already busting right out of his) and then you have to buy another carseat later anyways. If I had to do it over again, I would have gotten the stroller and carseat separate, and would have gotten the convertible carseat so I wouldn't have to end up buying two, and I would have gotten a nice jogging stroller instead of the large clunky stroller that comes in the combo. Because now that its getting nice out and I want to go running, I want a jogging stroller ANYWAYS and I could have easily used it for walks and everything else as well. Thats my advice, get them separately, there will realy not be many times where you want to put the carseat in the stroller, and this will keep you from having to buy two carseats and potentially two strollers if you want to exersize. Good luck!

It is totally your choice. With my first one I mainly used a front carrier. If you planing on doing a lot of walking once the baby is born then you may want to consider one that lays down so the baby is safe at any age. The umbrella strollers I think are more for older kids. With my second child I had a travel system and loved it. So convenient to take to the store or wherever. Good luck in you decision.

CONGRATS! How exciting!
YES You will need a stroller, carrying a baby carrier around will break your back. There are a lot out there like ones the work with your infant carrier then convert to a toddler more stable stroller. I had a Graco, it had a sun shade and I had tons of underneath storage and the infant carrier clipped into the top part, when my daughter got older I just set her in the seat portion and it had a cup holder. I used that thing big time, the underneath storage was perfect if I went to Target, the mall, etc. I assume you should be getting out of the house and going to the mall,going for walks, zoo, the park, where if you were to even attempt to carry that infant carrier your back will be in bad shape and it is not good for your body to lug it around. Even if your baby doesn't weigh alot, the carrier itself can be very heavy. I highly recommend one that will grow with you and as the baby gets older you have a seat to put them in. Mine folded up very easily, fit in the back of my vehicle and I could open it one handed. It had double wheeled breaks. I got the same brand and same type double stroller when I had my son so both kids could use the same stroller. Go to Babies R Us and look at the displays.
My son outgrew the infant carrier at 5 mos so you never know, my daughter was in an infant carrier until 12 mos! :)

Oh heavens yes you do!! Especially in the first six months because when you go places you dont want to be holding this tiny tiny baby for everyone to touch and want to hold. And they'll sleep a lot so its better for them so their not disturbed. And if your due in the summer its really important to have a stroller if you want to go do things, like go shopping, walks, parades, parks, family get togethers. and its also good for when they're older so they are strapped in and arent running all over the place while your at the mall or something.

We did not use a stroller with our first, ever. However, if you plan on walking which is a great way to get rid of baby weight, I would get one. If we had lived in town, I would have used it. But out in the country, no. So, asses your needs. For running around, no. But you should enjoy the nice weather and get out and do some walkint. I now have two and we have double stroller we use all the time.

In my experience, the combi stroller was heavy and cumbersome. As soon as my baby had a little head control I switched him immediately to an umbrella stroller. It was more maneuvarable in stores, fit through doorways, and was easy to load and unload in the back of my car.

I scanned through the responses and it looked like there were alot of Yes's. But I want to say NO! You do not NEED a stroller. And when you may want one, the super compact umbrella strollers work great. The only time I needed my stroller was when my 3 year old broke his leg and I had a 2 month old. That left me 2 kids that had to be carried -- which was impossible given the size differences of them at the time -- and then I had to get a double stroller. I hardly used my first stroller and the double stroller has only been used once since my son got his cast off.
Yes, car carriers are heavy to lug around after the first couple of months. I stopped taking mine out of the car when my daughter was 4 months old. But by that point she was easy to carry or use our baby pack. If you do decide on a travel system, see if the store will let you test out how it fits in your car. I probably didn't use my stroller much because it just took up too much space in my car -- so once it was in there wasn't room for much else. You could always get a stroller later if you decide you need it.

We used the Graco car seat. They have a compact stroller base you can purchase separately. It's about $60-70. It's much lighter than their regular strollers. It's just the base, so no seat. It's designed so the infant car seat fits on it. It worked great! I liked it better than the stroller that came with the travel system.

A.

I agree with most of the posts here, but I have one more reason to add for getting a stroller. When your baby has fallen asleep in the car you can just keep them in their carseat and snap it into the stroller without waking them up and go shopping or whatever you're doing. If you put them in a carrier then you will almost always wake up them up in the process.

YES! The first few months are tough and a nice walk with your little one is just what the doctor ordered. Not to mention giving your back and arms a break when shopping. Also my son would have crabby days when a walk around the block is all the would quiet him down. Even if you don't use it right away you will want one for trips to the zoo etc. when little legs can't go as fast or as long as needed. If you are concerned you won't use it purchase it leave it in the box with the receipt taped to it, if it does not come out of the box after a month then take it back. I did this with a lot of shower gifts and was able to take them back and get the stuff I really needed.

YES, YES, YES! A million times yes! First of all, that baby carrier is HEAVY. It will break your arm off to carry it more than a few feet, especially after baby grows a bit. So any time you want to take baby into a store, through the mall, into church, to the park...you will have to lug that thing around if you don't have a stroller. As they get older and are mobile, a stroller is the only way to keep them contained. You don't want them crawling all over the dirty floors? Stroller! You have to haul them and all their stuff and all yours through the airport/zoo/mall? Stroller! You have packages to take into the post office and can't carry baby and the packages too? Stroller! Even if you don't see yourself as an outdoor walker (which you will do more when you have baby weight to lose, trust me), you will find a stroller useful for a thousand different things as your child is a newborn, a bigger baby, and even a toddler. A stroller is probably your most important investment other than the carseat.

When it comes to which one to buy, I have had three different brands and learned the hard way. The thing I suggest you do to make your choice is 1)ignore the color/pattern until you 2) try detatching the car seat from the base with one hand. If you can't do it easily, don't get that car seat. You'll have a baby or purse or diaper bag in one hand all the time, so make sure you can get the carseat out one-handed. 3) Check how easy it is to adjust the straps. Babies grow fast. if your carrier has to be dismantled to adjust the strap height, you'll wish you'd never bought it every couple months or weeks. 4) Make sure the handle is comfortable to carry. I like the ones where your hand can face forward and back, not side to side. 5) Make sure the sun bonnet stays in place easily and moves easily 6) make sure the carrying handle slides back and forward easily. 7) For the stoller, make sure it has a place for mom's drink and keys (preferably one with a rubber ring to hold smaller drinks in place over bumps). I had a an Evenflo travel system. I loved the stroller, HATED the carseat. Then I got a Graco stroller. It's good, but not fantastic. I got a Baby Trend FlexLoc for my next child's carseat. Not only is it rated the safest out there, it's a wonderful, easy to adjust carseat.

Good luck! (And get that stroller. You will be glad you did a thousand times before your child turns 2.)

I am not sure if you need a stroller, but if the baby is sleeping, the carseat/stroller combo is awesome. I have a Combi and love it. I chose it because it was very light weight compared to the others. I remember some carseat carriers weighed 20+ pounds empty! Combi weighed less and was easy to use. Good luck with your decision.

Trust me, you will want a stroller! Especially one that the car seat can just snap into. Even if you don't use it very often, you will be glad you have it. Babies are tiny and you wouldn't think that carrying your baby around would be all that difficult, but it can be very tiring! The travel system is great because you can just snap the car seat right into the stroller and then back into the car. It's great for when you go shopping or to an event. It's also good to just take your baby out for a walk if the weather is nice. It's good for you both, and a nice time to spend as a family. But I would recommend a stroller.

I rarely used a stroller- only for the park or the mall.
Anywhere else had baskets. Other things, I just carried the baby or the carrier- church, people's homes, etc.

If you go to the mall or go to the park or other outdoor area, you may find you need one.

I would recommend getting a Snap-n-Go. It's basically the frame of a stroller and you snap your infant carseat into it. Very lightweight and easy to manage. You definitely do not want to be hauling around the baby in the carseat any more than you have to. We used several different baby carriers/slings/wraps, but there are situations that you don't anticipate ahead of time where the stroller is better. Maybe it's really hot and you don't want the baby pressed against you. Maybe the baby doesn't wan to be carried that way. maybe you're clothes shopping and can't try on clothes with the baby strapped to you. Maybe you're going out to a meal and the baby falls asleep and you want to wheel him/her into the restaurant. The Snap-n-Go is affordable, convenient and comes in handy. It's great option f you don't want to invest in or lug around a full travel system stroller.

Strollers are great if you plan on shopping in a place where there is not a shopping cart to put the seat in, or walking longer than 5 minutes (to the park, zoos, museums, airport, etc). The infant car seats get heavy, plus they're bulky and there's a lot of jiggling going on for the baby. Its tough balancing a diaper bag and a baby. There's a stroller sold at Babies r Us that is very lightweight, it is only used for the infant car seat, there's no separate seat. But once the baby is out of the carseat, it can't be used. I'm not sure of the name, I had a friend had one and loved hers, then when the baby was old enough to sit up, she got a light weight stroller that reclined in case he was tired. Travel systems are nice, but can be bulky. I have a graco travel system for my son and the stroller was not that big and he used it till he was about 3. For my daughter, I bought the carseat, then a double stroller that her seat fit into. I have a tiny car with a hatch, and it fits in there and is easy to fold and push around.
An infant carrier works well, but tiny babies need more support than a lot of them offer, especially if the baby sits up. I've had a few, and the only one I found comfortable is the one sold on Dr Sears website. I'm not sure of the name, my sister bought it for me. Unfortunately my daughter didn't like it when she was very young, so I didn't use it much. They are also not practical for a lot of shopping, since it feels like the baby could fall out if your bending and lifting.
I would highly recommend a stroller even if you don't get one the seat fits into, just make sure it can properly support a young baby.

Very exciting news! Congrats on becoming parents.
YES - I loved my stroller time with my daughter - every day we went for a 1 mile walk and she loved the sounds and sites and fresh air. I would highly recommend a stroller - one that allows your baby to recline and as they get older, sit up. A Definite in my mommy-do book. :)
Best of luck!

Hello -
Yes you need a stroller, those pumpkin seats start to get heavy and annoying and plus a stroller holds a lot of baby junk that you tend to acquire and carry everywhere with you. I thought teh same thing at first, but realized after trial and error that a stroller is great. First time I used it was taking my son to his first check up, I thought I could handle carrying everything at first but saw all the other moms with strollers as I was struggling with a bunch of stuff in my arms and hands, so theres one place. Just if you want to go walka round the mall or zoo or something like that, snap your pumpkin seat in and go, alot better than trying to carry the pumpkin seat around. Its really a neccasity. I bought the whoel travel system- the stroller, seat and base and was very please with it. I still use the stroller now and my son is 17 months. I would wait on buying and umbrulla stroller or jogging stroller as new borns dont sit so well in those (wait until they are like 4 months old atelast). But yes, I would say you need to buy a stroller now. PLus you get a better deal if you buy the whole "travel system". I used the baby bojorn alot to - but more for around teh house and hiking/walking, but those dont always work so well in stores and other places, but are a blessing, I love those things. I use a back pack carrier now and still love it.

I agree with Tiffany, they get very heavy. After my son was born we went everywhere. We walked to the park, zoo, mall and I am glad I had a stroller. My back enjoyed not having him in a sling or bjorn. I liked the travel system since I did not have to wake him up to put him in the stroller or car seat. Don't forget, people will need ideas for the baby shower.

Besides going for walks, we use our stroller for when we go to the mall and other stores that don't have carts. Our baby is almost 6 months and we have used ours quite a bit. It depends on how much you get out, I guess. If you don't like to go on walks, you might be able to get by without one though!

I personally like the combo system because it's so wonderful to snap in your car seat and off you go, especially when it is cold outside or if they are asleep. I actually hated when they got to big and had to go to the bigger car seat. They are a must have if you go to the mall, or shopping at places without shopping carts. They are great to go on walks too, unless you are an avid walker a jogging stroller is nice too. Maybe see if they have jogging strollers that take car seats???

Get a stroller that you can use with your car seat. (Car seat can set right into the stroller...they are made to go together.) It is heavenly! Go for walks and have fun while your baby is sleeping soundly!! Enjoy the weather and let your baby be comfy too! Have fun!

Congrats on your new baby on the way. For my first we got a Graco travel system. We did some research and got the best Graco carseat (safety-wise, we researched on Consumer Reports) and the travel system associated with it. When baby is so little and fragile it's so much easier to just keep them in the carseat while you are going in and out of stores, doctors appts, etc. I LOVED being able to just click the carseat into it's base in the car (we only had a 2 door car at the time having the system was a complete lifesaver for us), and just clicking the carseat into the stroller was quick and simple...We got the one that was quick and easy to breakdown with just the twist of your wrist, one-handed. I preferred the bigger wheels that our stroller had too. It didn't get stuck in invisible ruts in the road when we went for walks. Someone mentioned a jogging stroller, those strollers are recommended only for babies who can hold their head up, you would not be able to use it for running for some time though there are some that have a special bar you can purchase to click your car seat into them.

We used our travel system constantly in the first 6 months. A bit less as she got older and we didn't need to put her in a convertible car seat until she was 10 months old. I think getting 2 carseats is no big deal...it's so much easier to transport a little baby in a newborn carseat with a travel system that to have to climb back and strap and unstrap a sleeping baby when you are running errands. And when #2 comes along, you already have the needed carseats for your children.

Good luck, there is so much out there I'm curious what you decide works best for your needs.

Hi!
I had a Combi City Savvy system, stroller & carseat, loved it. The stroller is narrow, real light weight, collapsible, then easily whipped out one-handed. Unless I was shopping for clothing or walking a great distance, I used a sling. When we moved I actually gave away the whole system...I haven't missed the stroller at all, my daughter walks.
I imagine, since she'll be almost 4 or so when we have another, I'll probably stick with the sling 'cause it cuts back on amount of gear. My favorite sling is the Maya Wrap, baby-pack is the ERGO Baby Carrier.
Good job mommin'!

Do you go to the mall or department stores? Do you want to be able to go to the park, the zoo, etc? Do you walk places? Then you need a stroller. The baby car seat gets really heavy really fast.
I found that, because I had a stroller, I would go out more with my baby than otherwise. It was good weather, good exercise, some fresh air, and exposed her to new stimuli. You don't have to get something that fits with the car seat, but it can be convenient when baby is tiny. Just make sure that the back of the seat is very adjustable, so baby can lie down or recline or sit up (depending on age and if the baby is sleeping or wants to look around).

With my first born I went with the travel system that has the carseat and stroller. My son very rarely was in his stroller. My daughter that is one now, we didnt use a stroller for her..she was always in her carseat/carrier and that worked for where we went. I would however recommend at least getting the small inexpensive umbrella stroller just to have! It would be good if you are somewhere, like the zoo or somewhere with a lot of walking that carrying the carseat would become heavy. That is what I plan to do with my next child that is due in August. It'll also be a blessing to have when your little one starts walking and trys to wander off if you are at the mall, etc.
Congrats on the baby and best wishes!

Yes! You definitely need a stroller! You will be desperate to get out of the house, trust me on this. You simply cannot carry those car seats around the mall, the bookstore, and what about the nice long walks you are going to want to take? We have also used front carriers like Baby Bjorn and wraps like the Maya wrap. These are great and have their place but when you are going to be doing some walking - the zoo, the mall, the airport, exercising, the stroll around Breckenridge or Vail - you must have a stroller. Just go to craigslist and get a good used one. Honestly, if you are interested in saving money, you should get just about all of your baby contraptions on Craigslist. Good luck!

You need to ask yourself these questions....
1. Do you go for walks?
2. Do you go shopping at the mall?
3. Do you go to church? Some people use the stroller exclusively at church, especially if they have more than one child.

If you say yes to those questions then you would definitely need a stroller. Some carts are okay to put the infant seat on, but there isn't a cart at the mall that you could put an infant seat on. If you plan on going for walks anywhere you will need a stroller because it will get awkward to pack around. And as your baby grows, quickly I might add, he/she will get heavier and the seat will get heavier to tote around and a stroller will be very helpful. I used my stroller combination with my first son especially when I went for walks or shopping. Then I had to buy another set for my twins and used that for everything.

CONGRATULATIONS

Absolutely. Get a travel system that the infant seat will fit into (typically they come together -- although I have a stroller that will fit an evenflow infant seat to sell if interested -- I don't want to sell the seat because it has expired but the stroller itself is still in good condition). Regardless if you get something that will hold your infant seat you will be thrilled. You have no idea how heavy those things are with a child inside -- you do not want to have to carry it if it's not necessary. Then you'll already have a stroller when you do need it and you will.. I am sure.

Snap and go- my total favorite stroller for the beginning months when they are in their baby car seat!

I have 3 kids. I could not live without strollers because I take my kids out all the time. I have like 4 strollers including the cheap umbrella stroller that I rarely used. I have an infant carrier for my 5 month old. It gets heavy after they get to be over 18 lbs. So, my advice is get a stroller that is light but can lay flat sometimes. (The five piece harness is the best) We have a single Graco one that lays flat and gives me the option to take only one kid out but convenient for walks to the store and around the neighborhood. However, it's not so light . I got a light McClaren(double) and it's great bc we take it out all the time for all two of our kids and our oldest walks sometimes. So if you plan to go out on walks or go to the mall, you may not always want your kid in a carrier or sling. It's also more convenient at the doctor's appointment when you are filling out paperwork and you need to put your baby down. Plus, you can wait to buy it too for when you really need it.
I like the jogging strollers too. Now that I have 3 kids, I would get that bc I think they run better. They are certainly more expensive.
Now, even though the umbrella strollers are cheaper they aren't comfortable for babies. It is usually better for older kids anyways.
Four things besides diapers and wipes that I think are must-haves are a great stroller, an excellent car seat,a play pen, and a carrier for the first few months. Making it convenient for you is the best thing. It makes traveling a lot easier.
So, congrats to you on the upcoming baby!!