Choosing Your Stroller
Choosing a travel system or a stroller and carseat can be so stressful. When I was trying to decide what to get with our first baby, that was one decision that took me forever to make. We ended up choosing the Uppababy Vista and are so happy with our decision. But there are so many great strollers available and I want to share a few things to help you make the decision of what’s right for your family.
So here are some things you should consider when you’re trying to pick a travel system or stroller and carseat for your little one.
- Is it easy to use and understand?
This was so important to me. I already felt like I had no clue what I was doing, but add in a piece of equipment that was overwhelming and I couldn’t easily figure out- no thank you. I knew I needed to feel confident and be able to use quickly and easily- this thing needed to be simple and mama-friendly.
- What do you want out of it?
Do you want it to be able to convert to a double stroller for down the road? Maybe it’s important that it’s super compact for your car. Or you know it needs to be light weight so you can easily pick it up. Or maybe you want it to be super sturdy and durable if you know you will be hard on it.
- What’s your budget?
This one is important. Know ahead of time how much you’re willing to spend on this. The price of strollers can range so much!
- How will you mostly be using it?
This makes a difference on what kind of a stroller you want. Will you use it mostly for walks, traveling, days out running errands, or for running?
- Are there any features or accessories that you care about?
Storage space underneath was important to me- and let me tell you, I’m glad it was! I love the huge amount of space in the bottom of my stroller! Some other things to think about are cup holders, something to hold keys, phone, etc. Additional accessories like a stand for a toddler to stand on or the option to convert to a double stroller may be important to you as well.
Once you figure all of that out, do some basic research online and see what fits what you want and know where you’re willing to compromise if you can’t find everything you want.
But my #1 piece of advice- Go to a store to try them out! I can’t emphasize this one enough! It made all the difference for me. It confirmed that the travel system I wanted was the one!
So many of the other options that were available were so complicated. I felt incompetent trying to figure them out. Some were way too heavy. Some felt cheap and like they would break if the wind blew too hard.
Going and actually using the strollers also helped me realize things I didn’t know were important. And I could ask someone questions. It just made my decision so much easier!
If you’re already a mama with a stroller, how did you make the decision?