How to Choose the Perfect Stroller for Your Lifestyle
When it came to researching strollers, I had no idea where to begin. There are so many fabric options and cup holder attachments and car seat adapters and a myriad of functional accessories, like carabiners to hook your grocery bag onto the handlebar...
Turns out these choices (as overwhelming as they can be) are actually helpful in allowing you to pick and choose the stroller details that best meet your lifestyle and needs. The part that tripped us up was understanding how our lifestyle should be reflected in our stroller.
To help you research and identify the perfect stroller for you, ask yourself these 12 questions to pinpoint the features you should look for in a particular stroller model.
1. Do you have to lug your stroller up any stairs?
Whether you live on the third floor of an apartment building (like we fools do) or if you have two small steps from your garage into your mudroom, stairs turn into mountains when you’re lugging a stroller up or down them. I found it particularly difficult to pick the stroller up the first few weeks after giving birth because I had no core strength.
So, really consider the weight of the stroller against how many stairs you will have to bring it up and down. Andrew’s recommendation: If possible, go to a store and practice picking them up.
2. How wide are the aisles at your grocery store and other commonly frequented coffee shops, pharmacies, etc.?
City dwellers are pretty familiar with shoulder-width grocery aisles and cramped restaurants. If the places you frequent have narrow passageways, consider a stroller with a slimmer profile to make it easier to navigate.
3. What are your neighborhood sidewalks like?
Are your sidewalks well-paved or a little more craggy and cracked? You want your little one to have a smooth ride and certain tires are better suited to a particular terrain: air-filled tires and air wheels with sealed ball bearings are often recommended for cityscapes while standard rubber wheels run smoothly on commercial flooring.
4. Do you plan on having another kid within the next three to four years?
I know: You’re overwhelmed as-is getting organized for baby #1. But the reason you may want to factor any subsequent children into your stroller choice is that some strollers allow for you to add bassinets, second seats, and kickboards. Although you may spend a little upfront on a stroller that can convert into a double baby stroller, it may save you money (and time) later on when you have a toddler and an infant in tow.
5. How much storage do you need underneath?
Babies require a lot of travel accessories: a diaper bag, sun hat, lightweight blanket, a clip-on fan, a rain slicker cover-- nearly all of which will be stored underneath the stroller. So if you plan on putting any of your own belongings underneath (like a purse, a book, or a few groceries), you may want a stroller basket with more space. Baskets max out at a certain weight, so double-check that your stroller basket can handle what you hope to put underneath.
Also, it’s worth checking how accessible that basket is. Sometimes I have to angle Lee’s seat in order to wedge a carton of milk in and out of the basket.
6. Do you imagine yourself pushing your baby around with an iced coffee in your hand?
If so, you’ll definitely want a stroller with one-handed steering.
7. Do you drive?
If you have a car, consider investing in a car seat and stroller travel system. This allows you to easily transfer your car seat into a stroller base and vice versa, particularly helpful if you need to move a sleeping baby from their stroller to the car and home again.
8. Alternatively, do you rely heavily on Ubers or taxis to shuttle your family around?
Most car services do not offer infant car seats. If you are used to riding around in an Uber, you may want a car seat and stroller travel system so you have less gear to lug around. But double-check if the car seat requires a base or if it can be buckled into the car without one.
9. Does your stroller need to fit in your car’s trunk?
If you plan on towing your stroller around in your car, consider how easy it will be to load the stroller into your car’s trunk, especially if you have a taller SUV. Similarly, is your trunk typically empty or do you often have more to transport around (like groceries, a dog, or dry cleaning) in addition to your stroller?
10. Where will you store your stroller when it’s not in use?
Certain strollers are easier to collapse than others. So, if you don’t have a space to keep your stroller upright (ergo, you’ll be frequently folding it), find a stroller that is simple to close and open. This is also food for thought if you plan on bringing your stroller along on any air travel.
11. Do you have a washing machine?
Depending on whether you have a washing machine at home or, like us, head to the laundromat each week, it may factor into which color your stroller is and how easy it is to remove the seat cover to spot clean or fully launder.
12. Is there a height difference between you and your partner?
Andrew is six inches taller than me, so having a stroller with an easily adjustable handlebar makes it so much more comfortable for each of us to push Lee around.
Shopping for a stroller is overwhelming: it’s a financial investment and it’s not particularly easy for you to change models after a few rides out in the real world. Our main takeaways:
Consider your lifestyle and needs. I got very swept up in finding a handsomely designed stroller and, while we love our stroller, we could have gotten one that is slightly more compatible with our third-floor apartment and city living.
If possible, go in person to look at the stroller. Get a feel for its weight-- and remember you will also inevitably have to carry it with a baby and all their diaper bag trappings, too. Also, see if you can quickly and easily collapse it.
Read the reviews thoroughly. Comb through the reviews and see if you can find similar complaints among the commenters. Are there red flags about the stroller needing servicing after only a few months? Is everyone saying the cup holder broke off immediately? The themes (positive or negative) will give you amazing insight into the value of the stroller.