Guide To Buying The Right Baby Stroller (By Age Range)
I’m trying to use WAYISAVE as a platform to help other mothers & fathers out there, by giving you all the answers I’ve found through raising our daughters. And, I know one of the biggest questions I had was what baby stroller should we buy? The problem was, we ended up buying a lot of them. We had the stroller systems. Next came a few lightweight strollers. We even purchased a double stroller at one point. Seriously, we’ve probably spent a couple thousand just on strollers between our two kids. But, why did we buy so many strollers? That’s because each stroller was perfect for our children at that specific time. So, here’s a guide on how to buy the right baby stroller by the different age ranges.
A Guide To Buy The Right Baby Stroller By Age
Newborn Stroller: Make Sure It Provides Support
The number one priority of a newborn baby stroller (or a newborn baby period) is making sure it provides support.
From the first second that you hold a newborn baby… all that you will be concerned about is making sure that you support the baby’s head and neck. But it doesn’t stop there. You want to ensure that your baby’s head and neck are secure even when laying them down. So, make sure that the baby stroller you choose has the correct support to hold your baby’s head up.
A simple umbrella type stroller just won’t cut it at this point since they are too soft to provide the proper back support. And, these strollers won’t typically support the baby’s head from falling to the side. Now I’m sure that some high-end strollers will. But, I suggest opting for a stroller system. A stroller system is a full-sized stroller that is designed to have a matching baby car seat that snaps into place.
They are so convenient at this age since they usually come with a car seat adapter as well. That way you can take your baby out of the car and into the stroller without them even noticing (or vice versa). Here’s a tip: if you have more than one car, you can usually purchase additional car seat adapters. Get one for each car. This just makes your life so much easier.
3 To 12 Months Baby Stroller: Make Sure It’s Safe
At around 3-4 months, your baby should be able to hold their head up on their own1. This is the perfect time to start getting your money’s worth out of your stroller. Just make sure it’s safe.
Sure, you should make sure that any stroller you use (at any age) is safe. But at this age… it’s pretty much vital. That’s because your baby is old enough to support their head. But, they are not only enough to look out for themselves yet.
So, you should look for a baby stroller that makes it easier for you to look out for your child’s well being. This means making sure the stroller has a braking system that works. Test it. Lock the brake and see how easy or hard it is to move the stroller. Also, make sure that you can see your baby while pushing the stroller. Ours had a mesh top that allowed a perfect view at all times. Some other things to look for is if it will provide adequate shade, is it easy to fold up, does it have places to hold your child’s bottle or snacks. Ok, I know snacks have nothing to do with safety. So, that one might be optional. =)
1 Year Old Stroller: Make Sure It’s Secure
At 1 year old… your child becomes more mobile. So, make sure that you purchase a stroller that can keep your child in the stroller.
This is about the age where your child starts exploring the world. They become curious about how things work. Which makes them want to touch things. The problem is when those things that they want to touch is just out of their reach. They will get up and go.
So the priority of your baby stroller at this age is to make sure that it’s secure. This can still be your stroller system without the car seat. Or, you may choose a whole new baby stroller at this point. Just make sure that whatever stroller you end up using… it features a 5 point harness. Even go so far as to fit them properly at home. That way you won’t go crazy at the store when your little Houdini decides to practice their escape trick. Believe me… it will happen. =)
Toddler Stroller: Make It Convenient
Your toddler will spend half their time riding in the stroller and half their time walking. So buy a stroller that is convenient for you.
If you’re anything like me… you’ll pretty be in your parenting groove by the time your child is a toddler. This means that instead of packing a suitcase (diaper bag) every time you leave the house you just grab some diapers, wipes and a snack. You will also be tired of lugging around that full-sized stroller that takes up your entire trunk and is getting heavier and heavier every time you lift it.
This is the perfect time to transition to something a little more convenient. And, when I say convenient I mean lightweight and small but still get the job done. We chose the 3D Lite by Summer Infant (Amazon Link) and it pretty much changed our lives. We could fit two of them in the trunk and we still had the extra storage room to spare. But, the best part is that they weighed only about 7 pounds each! They are light enough to carry with one hand while holding our child’s hand with my other.
We pretty much bring them everywhere. And, we still use them to this day since they support up to 50 pounds (for Disneyland trips).
Right Baby Stroller For You
I hope this guide was useful in helping you choose the right baby stroller at any age. Just remember that this is a starting point. There are also jogging strollers, double and triple strollers and even daycare strollers (for those out there with 4+ kids). And the price range can go from about $15 up to over a thousand dollars. So, my best advice is to choose the one that works best for you at this time. But don’t go too crazy since you will probably be buying a new one more sooner than you think.
By Grace – Child Development Associate Teacher in California
My husband Mark and I have been blessed with two beautiful, smart, positive (I can go on and on) girls… Kenzie & Kayla. And, we have learned many tips and tricks while raising them. Tips and tricks that we felt would be useful to other new parents out there. So, we started WAYISAVE as a website built by parents for parents to share the best baby deals, coupons, tips, tricks and the occasional piece of advice.
