I Need to Buy a stroller/Car Seat Combo

GRACO travel system. My second child is using the same car seat travel system that I used for my first and it is still in great condition.

I loved our Graco Safe Seat and the stroller that went with it. We chose that set because of the car seat. It got good ratings and the car seat held babies all the way until they were 30 lbs which is larger than most. We didn't want to have to buy two car seats while she was still backward-facing. Also, the stroller had the amenities that any new mom wants: cup holder, basket, clock etc. The stroller is on the larger side, but it is very easy to fold and the car seat latches in and out of it (and the car base) very easily. We used it until she was 1 1/2 and then switched to a smaller stroller, but that stroller is still in great shape!

We bought a GRACO too and LOVED it. But we spent $199 so maybe you could go in with someone??? The best part (in my opinion) of the one we bought was that the tray clicked open so once the child is old enough they can climb in and out without you having to lift them!!!

We loved it and if we are blessed with any more children we will purchase another one like it! (We sold ours as it was going on 5 years old and we've had 4 miscarriages and it was just hard to have it sitting around reminding me that we lost our baby yet again......)

I agree with Graco. I think we spent around $180 for our set.

However, it's highly unsafe to clip the car seat to shopping carts. I know everyone does it, but they're not designed that way and it's not something the AAP recommends. The carseat should ALWAYS be placed in the basket.

I just read a story about a woman whose baby became unclipped and fractured his skull when he crashed to the ground. His soft spot saved his life because the pressure was able to relieve itself since his skull wasn't fully fused. He would have died otherwise. The mom looked into suing, but was told the accident was totally her fault (carseat manuals and many grocery carts warn against doing this).

I would suggest that you go to Babies R Us or USA baby and try them out. If you want a 'standard' car seat, the Graco is a good one. No infant seat will last you 'the life of the baby' because most only rear face to 22lbs. If you get the Graco Safeseat 30 or 32, it will hold a child until 30 or 32lbs, most kids to age 2 can use it. However most parents choose a typical infant seat, and when the child outgrows it (usually around 6mos the infant seat is outgrown) parents purchase a CONVERTIBLE car seat and keep their child rear facing until the bare minimum of 1yr and 22lbs. However the AAP is now recommending that children remain rear facing until 2yrs and 30lbs, or the rear facing weight limits of the converitible car seat (convertible car seats rear face to 33, 35, or 40lb depending on model).

The 'slots that pop in and out of the grocery cart' aren't for a grocery cart, that is what holds the car seat into the base. Using it on a grocery cart is not only dangerous, but it can compromise the seat to where it may not latch into the base properly in the car, so its not wise or safe to use it on the top of a grocery cart.

Strollers, wellthats all personal preference. We've went through 4 with our two kids and the only one we have really liked is the one we have right now, a Chicco umbrella type stroller. It has recline and its slightweight, with a basket under, 5pt harness. Ita ll depends on preference. So again head to the store and try them out.

Remember hwen purchasing a car seat to never buy a used car seat. Always purcahse new, iwth a 5pt harness, and find a CPST in your area (www.seatcheck.org or www.safekids.com) to get it installed properly. READ THE MANUAL and make sure they read it too. 9 out of every 10 car seats aren't installed properly, leaving children at risk for injury or death. The manual explains exactly how ot use it properly, but they are rarely read.

ANYWAY, Graco, Graco SafeSeat 30, Chicco Keyfit, Chicco Keyfit30, they are all good seats. All infant seats will do the job as long as they are used properly, however htye must be aware that it probably wo'nt last the baby for more than 6mos before its outgrown, so she needs to keep in mind to know when its outgrown (again read hte manual) and purchase a convertible nad keep the baby rear facing as long as possible, but the bare minimum is 1yr and 22lbs. Most car seat /stroller combo's are around $150 and up, but go to the store and play with them to see which she likes.

Your going to want a GRACO then! Graco is one of the best brands for the price. Stay away from Cosco,Eddie Bauer, Evenflo.

Walmart and Target carry Graco Travel systems for cheaper. Babies R Us and such have the more luxurious Graco travel systems and cost quite a bit more.

Graco. I used mine all the time--it assembled easily, folded easily, the carseat was 5-point, snapped into the grocery cart, the wheels never had any problem, and the visor part could be turned all the way down;so when the child is older and riding in the stroller with their face to the sun, you can put the visor down in front(it even has a plastic panel that you can see through). All in all a great, sturdy model. As for the price, I have no idea as I received mine as a gift. Maybe you could "go in on it" with another person if it's over your budget. Congrats to your niece, and good luck

I agree, Graco is great for the money! We just bought a new one 8 months ago and love it. This is my third so didn't want to spend a ton of money, but needed to replace the last one. I love that it is also light and very easy to use.

We actually bought ours online. I looked at them in the store, but wanted a color that I couldn't find near by. I went to the graco website. I think it is gracobaby.com. You are able to see all the options they have including the colors. They will tell you what their suggested price is and also where you can find them. Some you can purchase online. You can click on purchase and it actually takes you to I think baby warehouse. Ours was a little less than $150 and included the seat, stroller and shipping! We ordered it on Sun. night and got it by Wed. I couldn't believe how fast and I hadn't even paid for quick shipping.

I agree with the Graco travel system with the snug-ride infant seat. The infant seat has EPS (I think that's what it's called) foam that cushions the baby in case of a crash. It was rated really high by Consumer Reports. My daughter used the infant seat until she was about nine months old, and then we switched to a rear-facing convertible seat because she was within an inch or so of the maximum length for the infant seat, and it was nowhere near worn out by the time she outgrew it. We loved that seat, and your niece can even buy a separate base, so that they have one in each vehicle. We're still using the stroller that came with the travel system, and my daughter just turned two last week. I wouldn't go anywhere without that stroller - it has a nice-sized basket under the seat, two cupholders up by the handle, as well as a little storage compartment (great for a wallet, keys, cell phone), and a cupholder and snack tray for the child. I don't remember how much it cost - we received it as a shower gift. I want to say it was around $170 or so, but that was a couple years ago. Good luck finding what you're looking for!