Baby Strollers - Picking the right one for your Baby

Picking the right set of wheels for you and your baby can be quite an undertaking - not unlike searching for a new car. your choices range from a simple, inexpensive, "umbrella" stroller (a light weight model with a "pouch" seat) to a luxurious, expensive European - style vehicle. Model names even sound like classy vehicles: "Legacy", "Explorer", and "All Terrain".

And, of course, you will want to take a test drive. In spite of innovations, most parents are sticking to tried - and - true domestically made reliable - the Fords of the baby world - dependable mid weight models from familiar companies that keep on rolling, baby after baby.

Specialty strollers are a whole other category. Every major manufacturer in the country now offers car seat/strollers combos, virtually unheard of only a few years ago. Tandems and side by side strollers with dual or triple seats can cart more than one child. Three wheeled sports strollers are made to appeal to runners who want to take their babies along for the ride or parents who like the look and the ease of handling on rough terrain.

The Many Stroller Choices

Strollers are indispensable baby gear. They are the third largest seller in the juvenile product world, second only to cribs and mattresses. And for good reason - with a stroller, you can take a baby just about everywhere you go. But finding the model that really works for both you and your baby may take some looking.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each type. For example, umbrella strollers are inexpensive and easy to push but may prove fragile. Carriage/stroller combos adapt to your growing child but can be heavy and cumbersome. Sports strollers roll along outside but are unwieldy in close quarters and take up considerable trunk room.

Shopping Savvy Strollers

The close resemblance of one stroller to another - especially in the mid-priced rang - makes it hard to single out one model from the herd. Most strollers have navy blue seat covers - navy and white dots, navy with white stripes, navy checks - because these are the biggest sellers. No one really knows why parents prefer navy. Does navy show less spoiling? Does it emanate quality? Or is it a good "Daddy" color?

As you shop, aim to look beyond the remarkable surface similarities to the sound construction, performance and price you want.

A model for your lifestyle. If you live in a big city, you will appreciate a sturdy, lightweight model with good shock absorbers. You will be jiggling in it across uneven sidewalks; opening and folding it repeatedly as you get in and out of cars, taxis or buses; and probably lugging it up and down staircases (without baby inside, please).

If you are a suburban dweller and anticipate long. leisurely strolls with baby, then consider a mid weight model with its plush seat padding and big easy rolling wheels. You might also consider a travel system that combines a mid weight stroller with a snap-in infant car seat and base.

If you will be spending most of your out-of-the-house time with baby walking through stores and shopping centers, get a model slender enough to roll through aisles or squeeze into crowded elevators. (Never ride escalators with baby inside a stroller). A big storage bin is a must, too.

Vacationing and air travel demand a truly compact model you can squeeze into a loaded trunk or a plane's overhead storage compartment, or box and check as luggage.

If you have got more than one child, you may want a two seater to wheel them both at once. The model should be lightweight and maneuverable and not so wide that it cannot fit through doorways or in the back of your car.

Fitness fans may want a large-wheeled sports stroller that will roll you and baby beautifully along rails, tracks and paths. (It's good for the open road but a liability in a mall.)

You could decide, as some parents do, to purchase two strollers. A combination carriage/stroller will recline flat for the child's first sex months to a year. The second, a more compact model, would carry you through the toddler and early preschool years, providing wheels for errands and trips that won't take up too much space.

Price & Quality don't always match

High price and good quality don't always go together. Over the years, rigorous stroller tests conducted in Consumer Reports labs have shown that some economical strollers can perform equally as well or, in some cases, even better than models priced hundreds of dollars higher.

Even the most sophisticated models - regardless of how costly or ingenious - are prey to typical stroller flaws: malfunctioning wheels, frames that bend out of shape, locking mechanisms that fail, seat belts that come loose, or buckles that lose their holding power.

Safety Testing

The Juvenile products manufacturers association (JPMA) sponsors a stroller certification program. Strollers are certified by an independent testing laboratory if they meet all of the requirements of a safety standard by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM).

Not all strollers on the market are certified. Uncertified models might be as safe as certified models, but there is no verification of that. All things being equal, go for the certified model.

You will find the certification sticker on the stroller's frame or the carton. The sticker will state that the stroller has been tested "for compliance to ASTM F-833 safety standards for carriages/strollers." You can also call for a copy of JPMA's most recent directory of certified products.

Judging a stroller

When you begin your stroller shopping, start with the inexpensive strollers and move along toward the plusher, more costly ones to see how additional features affect the price.

The difference between a high quality stroller and a flimsier model isn't always easy to figure out. Here are some of the signs that a stroller has been poorly constructed:

The frame will feel rattly when you give the handlebar a good shaking. Metal components may be thin and have sharp, unfinished edges. You may spot roughly welded seams or uneven paint. The folding, opening and reclining mechanisms may be stiff and uncooperative. The axle rode connecting the back wheels will appear thinner and thus be more apt to bend than the thick axles on better quality models.

Thin, cheap fabric coverings have an insubstantial, rough feel, interior padding, rather than thick and plush, will be loose and lumpy. Seat covers may sag because they don't fit the seat securely, and you may spot loose strings or uneven stitching.

Thin plastic components, such as the foot rest or brake tabs, may be uneven and warped or have ragged, unfinished edges left over from the molding process. If there is a canopy, it will be thin and shallow. There may be little springiness or shock absorption from the wheels. Tires, instead of thick and cushioned, will be blown plastic or without treads.

Wheels may not contact the floor uniformly. The storage bin will appear flimsy and have thin, poorly attached flooring. The bottom of the bin may bow especially when filled, causing it to drag on the ground or scrape over curbs.

The safety belt and belt latch may appear weaker or do a poorer job of contacting baby's waist and crotch than those on well designed models.

Taking a Test drive

If you find models that appeal to you, don't hesitate to lift them off the shelves so  you can examine each version more closely.

Next, take a few models on brief test drive, steering with one hand for part of the trip. Check to see that the tires on all four wheels contact the floor and that the stroller rolls straight, with no veering, even with one handed pushing. Press down on the handlebars to test how easily the model might tip over backward.

Locate the reclining mechanism behind the seat and check the number of positions. Find the locks on thee folding mechanisms (usually on both sides of the stroller), then try shutting the stroller down the latching it in the folded position. The task should at least be doable. (Tip: Fold back the canopy and make sure the seat back is in an upright position)

Lift the stroller a few times to see if the weight is comfortable for you. Now open the stroller and lock it into position. Then press into the seat padding, pinching to test thickness. Open and close the seat belts a few times, and pull on the belts when they are latched to test how well they hold.

Keep notes about your favorites, including the manufacturer's name, model name and number, and price. Give the model an informal grade - A+? B? F? Once you have rated about five models, you will have a better idea of which features are important to you.

At this point in stroller shopping, many parents wade into deep waters. A salesperson may subtly (or not so subtly) try to steer you toward costlier models. And after spotting a lot of the flaws in poorer quality designs, you may find yourself moving toward the stroller with the biggest price tags.

So it may be time for a reality test. Come back with a veteran parent and a good sized tot and try out your favorites a second time. Some models may do well with very little weight inside but shimmy or be tough to steer with a real baby on board.

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