Need Advice on a Stroller and Other Infant Gear

I highly suggest slings! I had a pouch sling when my daughter was an infant and finally bought an Ergo when she was around 12 mos. I absolutely LOVE the Ergo. At 2 yrs old and 26 lbs I can still put her in there and be comfortable. (not that we really do since she runs around like crazy but I still could if needed) For infants the Ergo sells an infant insert. When my daughter was first born she used the Peg Perego infant car seat. I thought it was rated pretty safe? Its been awhile since I looked at that stuff. We went to put her in her Marathon and it was just TO huge when she was first born. I have no idea how they think a 5lb baby can fit in there. She was 7lb 2 oz and the straps were almost as big as she was.

Hi D.,

As another mom said, there are going to be alot of different opinions on this topic.

It really comes down to what YOU want to do. I was a baby wearing mama. (went through 5 different slings until I found the Ergo Baby, which I love.) However, I also had a stroller with a bassinet attachment. We were living overseas in a big city at the time, and did not have a car. I walked EVERYWHERE... to get groceries, to go shopping, to get a coffee. Walked everywhere or took the underground. I tend to have back issues, so even with a great sling... carrying my daughter all day long for literally 5 miles a day.... just was not going to work.

We moved back to the States when she was about 9 months old. I will say, once we moved home I used the stroller MUCH MUCH less. Basically, if we went to the mall I used the stroller. I'm sure if we were here in the states when she was first born I wouldn't have used the stroller much.

Think about what you do in your typical day. How much are you REALLY going to use your stroller. I had the Graco SafeSeat for the carseat, which you COULD take out and put in a grocery cart or something....but when we were here in the US.... I never used that option. I always took my daughter out and put her in the sling.

So, think about where you will be taking baby.... and what makes the most sense in transporting. You may just have to try different things to find what works best for you and baby.

I would definitely go with the stroller/buggy. That way you have the option. It's good to give your back a break!

D.,

I think you will get a lot of varying opinions on this topic. I just wanted to let you know that my husband and I opted to go with a convertible car seat for our baby girl as well . I know that the car seat/carrier types can be convenient, but I planned on being a baby wearing mama! With that being said I have a couple of slings that I will be using and then when she gets big enough and has the head/neck control we will be using our baby jogger city mini stroller.

There are many benefits to using baby carriers (for mom and baby), but I have to say you need to chose what will be the best for your situation. You need to consider if you go on a lot of walks and utilized your stroller regularly when your son was an infant. Was your stroller something you couldn't live without when your son was an infant. I plan on doing a lot of walking this summer, but for me my slings will work great for what I need.

I wouldn't trade my carseat stroller set for anything! When they are little and fall asleep in the car it is so wonderful to not have to wake them up every time you transport them. Whether it be at every store or just when you get home after being out and they are sleeping. Especially in Michigan winters---they stay so much warmer in the car seat all bundled up. I do also have a Moby wrap which I really like, but for those first 6 months, I still wouldn't live without my stroller/car seat combo.

Now that she is a little older she loves not being in the stroller, but it is nice outside and she doesn't sleep as much. I enjoy holding/wearing her and not keeping her in the car seat or stroller.

If your asked the baby, he'd say he wants to be on your body as much as possible until he's older and more interested in the world around him. I guess some of it depends on how much you plan to use these devices.

I had a Graco travel system and loved it!! We just switched our 9 mo old Daugher to a convertable carseat. I took the car seat off of the base and used it on carts in stores etc. It helped when she was sleeping she woudlnt wake up when we were moving her. Sense it sounds like your using a stationary convertable car seat maybe use a baby sling then one of those back/front carriers when he gets a little bigger. I would be leary of a jogging stroller that doesnt lay flat when he is an infant and has no head control, I would invest in a regluar graco or graco like stroller, I love mine I got the big graco stroller and I have had no isses in grass or dirt sense the weels are big and sturdy.

Good luck and congrats!!

The strollers that accept the infant seat are soooo convenient. I used it with my great niece when I kidnapped her and it was wonderful. The stoller is nice to use after the baby is no longer in the infant carrier. Just be sure if you go this route, the car seat does not have to take a base to go into a car. It is a hassle when you have to move both the base and the car seat. Extra bases are expensive. Good Luck.