(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best baby strollers

>Make sure you spend time playing with your kid. It won't be even remotely interesting for the first three months or so, but it's important that you do it.

I disagree. I love playing with my 10 week old. Just watching him start to put things together, seeing him smile and look me in the eye, reaching out to touch my beard, etc. It's great fun.

>We have a big stroller (off-road wheels, cup-holders, luggage area underneath) and a little ("umbrella"-style) stroller. Having the choice is really nice.

I totally agree with this, we have a travel system, which is really nice. You pop the car seat out of the car, and into the stroller. Then we have an umbrella stroller which is perfect for things like bus/subway trips, or when the Ergo/Bjorn gets too heavy. Our umbrella stroller was super cheap. And we have a third stroller, the three wheeled jogger. For jogging, obviously. It doesn't fold up too well, but it's got big rugged wheels. I suggest getting one with a swiveling front wheel.

Diposable diapers are probably a little cheaper. But the cost comparisons I see online look like if you buy your diapers in small packages at the supermarket. If you order Kirkland brand diapers from diapers.com, they run about $.18/ea, which is pretty cheap. With cloth, you also have to be sure to factor in the cost of doing the laundry (hot water, detergent, electricity, and wear and tear on your washing machines). Like I say, you are probably saving some money, but I doubt it's anywhere near what those websites say. That being said, the convenience factor is worth a LOT (to my wife and me). Also, recent studies are showing that it is no more environmentally friendly to use cloth diapers over disposable, if that is of a concern.

You definitely get what you pay for when it comes to strollers.

I would go at least mid-line. Any lower and the quality will not outlast the time she will need it for.

Does she plan on more kids soon? Or is she going to wait 3.5+ years?

Our first stroller was a phil&teds mod. For some reason Amazon doesn’t have all the colors on one page so you can see the color options here.

We paid $400 when it was a new product and I’ll say I was very happy with it. The price has gone down now to $300 and it’s definitely worth that price. It is a modular system and converts to a lie flat bassinet (newborn ready), can do forward and rear facing, and they have adapters available to accept the most popular car seats.

I really loved that stroller but I wish I had thought through our timeline a bit more in terms of sibling spacing, because it cannot convert to a double. I ended up selling it to buy an uppababy vista and I LOVE it. The quality is amazing. The phil&teds was great, especially in comparison to cheaper brands, but you can definitely tell that the uppababy is a high end product. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat. I bought mine as an open box model from Amazon Warehouse and it was in perfect new condition. Saved $300 that way but they don’t always have them available.

I love that it will grow with our family and then “shrink” again when our oldest no longer needs a stroller. And I’ve seen so many older models of this stroller still “in the wild” running just as great as my brand new one, and I think that’s a great sign.

That all said, just ask your sister what she wants. Some people really don’t have a preference but some are researchers and she may have a particular idea of what she wants.

And like other posters said, either get what she wants or contribute whatever your budget was towards the one she wants.

Full disclosure: I don't have a baby yet, so all of my "it will totally work" is positive thinking. That being said, it sounds like we have the same Pack-N-Play! (Or at least with the same functionality.)

It sounds like we're in the same boat registry-wise. We opted for the Fisher Price Rock-N-Play, my girlfriends' kids like it, so hopefully baby girl will too. I initially wanted the Puj, but a friend got me something else, and it seems like it'll work just fine. It collapses nicely and fits under our sink. We have the Baby Jogger City Lite Stroller, and the Britax Roundabout Convertible Carseat. Some of our friends surprised us with a BoB running stroller, so my husband is pumped to take the kiddo out on the lake shore path.

I want a carrier, but I'm holding off on buying one until I have a baby to put in it. I liked the Baby Bjorn and the Baby K'tan. I've heard great things about the Ergo, though, so that's another reason why I'm holding off.

Again, we don't have a baby yet, but I don't anticipate adding too much stuff. It'll be some time till baby comes home, so I'll know in about 4-5 weeks whether my plan worked. :) Best of luck to you and your family!

• Diapers Sensitive skin runs in our family and the regular brands made her break out something awful but cloth, babyganics and [up & ups] (http://www.target.com/p/diapers-bulk-plus-pack-select-size-up/-/A-15121671 ) worked great. Pull Ups for older ones.
  
  
• Potty Training We have [This one] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C431NRE/ref=twister_B01E930B16?_encoding=UTF8&th=1) and [This one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F667QS2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1)
  
  
• High Chair like this
  
  
• [Stroller] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H8MQBFQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1) its well padded and is comfy for even the older kids.
  
  
• Carrier We have [This one] (https://www.amazon.com/Carrying-Positions-Carrier-Detachable-Included/dp/B01IUS08FK/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1478452855&sr=8-4&keywords=mei+tai) and a ring sling that I still use but I wish we had bought one like [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Infantino-Cuddle-Ergonomic-Hoodie-Carrier/dp/B01B45KW0C/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1478453079&sr=1-6&keywords=carrier) It would be easier to put on.
  
  
• [Nursing pillows] (https://www.amazon.com/Boppy-Nursing-Pillow-Positioner-Peaceful/dp/B00HMGBJCS/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1478458541&sr=1-4&keywords=nursing+pillow) my husband used it all the time and this is her favorite spot to cuddle up still
  
  
• Pack n Play
  
  
  
• Bouncer chair I believe ours was the previous model.
  
  
• [Swing] (https://www.amazon.com/4moms-rockaRoo-Baby-Swing-Classic/dp/B00I0BVQFO/ref=sr_1_27_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1478452147&sr=1-27&keywords=swing&th=1) We have one similar to it the other ones tend to be a pain to move around.
  
  
• Some sort of walker This or [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Starts-Around-Activity-Zippity/dp/B00OC8B1IQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1478454444&sr=1-6&keywords=activity+jumper) or [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-ExerSaucer-Learn-Jumper-Jungle/dp/B006PB2H4A/ref=sr_1_7?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1478454444&sr=1-7&keywords=activity%2Bjumper&th=1)
  
  
• Some sort of activity toys like This, This,
  
  Comfy rocking chair
  
  When it comes to cribs, pack n plays, rock n plays, bouncers and swings its upto the childs taste. Out of my nieces and nephews 1 always napped in a rock n play, 1 in the swing, 1 would sleeps anywhere, 1 would sleep on mommy or a boppy, 1 in the crib and my daughter would only sleep in the carrier or being held. She never used the rock n play, crib or pack n play but loved the bouncer and occasionally accepted sitting in the boppy or swing. They are all so different. With our little girl her reflux was so bad that if she was laid flat she would immediately throw up.
  
  
  (I will edit to add more when I get a minute)

SPEND THE MONEY ON A GOOD ONE!

I had a Graco jogging stroller with my daughter a few years ago. It was cheap, had overall four and a half stars out of thousands of reviews on Amazon, and was compatible with the Graco car seat we had already purchased. I am a bit on the short side, and the first problem I had with that thing was that the hand bar was too high for me and caused me shoulder/back pain when I ran. The stroller is also incredibly heavy and difficult to turn. I would run with it when I really really had to, but most times I would actually wake myself up at 4 in the morning just so I could get my run in before my husband went to work because it was honestly less miserable than running three or four miles with that damn stroller.

Fast forward a few years, my husband and I didn't think we were going to have another baby and had gotten rid of our Graco infant car seat. We decided we did want another baby, so we had to shop around for all new car seat etc. We found this lady on Craigslist selling a whole set of baby stuff that was all Orbit Baby brand. The only thing she didn't have was a jogging stroller base, so we went ahead and bought that on Amazon.

I cannot recommend the Orbit Baby enough. It is superior in every single way to Graco. I have run up to 10 miles with that stroller and could do even more without having an issue. It rolls smoothly, steers easily, and the hand bar is adjustable so me (5'4") and my husband (6') can both push it comfortably. It also has a "city mode" where you can lift the part that holds the seat up and then unlock the front wheel so it is super maneuverable.

The whole Orbit baby system is really awesome, I recommend you look into it. Everything is designed so that the seat can be turned while still being locked in so you can shield baby from wind or sun, or just have them face forward or back depending on their preference. I get tons of compliments every time we go out.

Here's the Amazon link

I have a Chicco Bravo Trio stroller and love it. My son is 15 months and far from outgrowing it.

I also have a Summer Infant 3D Lite. I don't use it as much but my mom uses it a lot (I keep it at her house, for now). We'll be using it when we fly to visit family in March, though. It's also a highly rated stroller, though I can see how a kid would mess with the wheels pretty easily on this thing.

I know you're looking for light weight, but have you considered something like a stragon? I have a Keenz 7S that is my absolute favorite mobile device for my son. He's strapped in (which is great because he's a climber), can't get to the wheels at all, and I have SO.MUCH.STORAGE. I take this thing to the zoo, the park, on holiday trips (halloween, christmas tree farm), and once my son is old enough to places like Disneyland. It's actually the only wagon that's allowed in Disneyland. Definitely one of my favorite purchases so far - it'll last us looooooong after my son has grown out of it. And if we have another kid it'll take the place of a double stroller!

I've taken my kids when they were 2 years old and 4 months old on a flight, but with my husband. I go on a LOT of road trips solo with my kids kids always have to take a ferry. I take our double stroller (also city select) with the carseat for the 4 month old. I had him on my lap but I would definitely just strap the carseat into the plane if given the opportunity! Anything to contain him! (but he likes the carseat). If your baby is in the ergo you might find it difficult to have to deal with your toddler, a carseat just gives you an extra opportunity for putting baby down. My biggest advice though is to just fully accept everything is going to take longer than you want. Security check takes longer, boarding takes longer but just roll with it!

If you're looking for a light weight double stroller, I can not recomend enough the Joovy caboose. Best $100 I have ever spent. It comes with a universal carseat bar too. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01BMAW0GS/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile

A used stroller is a great idea (holy crap though it’s still $400 used??). Our experience:

Thought we would baby wear everywhere. I’m also a minimalist + we had a small car, so had all these opinions about baby wearing vs strollers. Well exclusive baby wearing didn’t happen for a lot of reasons!

1. She was born very very small and wraps and carriers felt unsafe and dangerous for a while until she leveled up in chunk
   
   
2. Our daughter didn’t like them anyway until about 2 months!
   
   
3. We live in a big city but also have a car and drive a lot of places. The transfer from a carseat to a wrap/carrier is much more inconvenient than the transfer from a travel system car seat to a stroller. So for example, this mommy newborn class that I went to constantly was only accessible by car. If I were exclusively baby wearing, then I would have to stand outside my car on a steep hill and fiddle to get the wrap on, wake my newborn up to get them into the wrap and settled, then repeat in reverse when we returned to the car (I’ve done this several times. Pro tip: put on your wrap before you sit down to drive). With a travel system car seat, you quietly pop them out and into the stroller and go on your way.
   
   
4. As they get older, you sometimes carry a lot of stuff. Snacks, diapers, water, change of clothes for accidents, wipes, jacket... yes you can carry baby on your front and a backpack on your back, but for me that was pretty uncomfortable after a certain weight. Having a stroller is actually really handy as a “place to hold all that stuff.” A trip to the zoo with a stroller is pretty convenient in my opinion. And again, I’m a minimalist... but you can’t escape from this reality easily.
   
   
5. Eventually, baby gets too big to wear on your front! Then where do you carry your stuff?? I never figured that out because we pretty much just switched to stroller at that point. I’m sure pro-level-baby-wearers have techniques tho.
   
   Side note: our hospital in San Francisco REQUIRED us to have a car seat and leave with baby in the car seat, even if you don’t have a car and plan on taking public transit.
   
   Thought about getting this universal car seat carrier instead of a stroller, instead got this Britax Agile travel system and are very happy with it (and still use the stroller at 2.5 yrs). It’s very slim and un-fiddly and snaps shut/opens effortlessly.

Currently pregnant with twins (so definitely listen to other experts here!), and have the same plan. We purchased the Nuna Sena (full sized, not the mini). We chose it because the bassinet footprint is just about as big as the crib area (i.e. can fit 2 babies for a while), and the weight limit is 33 lbs. It seems very sturdy, and I don't think it will sag in the middle with two babies. Planning on putting some sort of non-suffocating barrier between them if we need to as well. I've read that placing the babies head to head, and not side by side, may be a bit safer from a rolling over or interrupting/waking up standpoint, so I'm thinking that will also lessen any potential sag in the middle. The Nuna is expensive new, but we found a perfect condition used one on craigslist for way cheaper. https://www.amazon.com/Nuna-SENA-Playard-Graphite/dp/B016DSWUNC

Our first baby outgrew the bassinet we used really quickly, and we were able to transfer her into her crib in under 3 months. I know it's recommended that babies sleep in your room for 6 months now, but she was fine with the move, and it worked for us.

This all said, we know that some twins don't share a crib well, or have to be separated for other reasons, so our plan is to be flexible! I think we'll transition them to cribs early if need be. Feel free to DM me in 2 months to see how it's going! :)

No I extensively researched every double stroller on the market and it fits through small doors, even in a tiny doctors office where nobody thought it wod make it through the door. We've had no issues. Only cons would be no snack tray, and the footrest is a little weird for the 2 year old but I just put it up and he puts his feet up on it and doesnt seem to mind. Pros, fits through doors, keeps them contained, fits in our small Pontiac vibe, and we can even still fit our groceries in around it which is awesome. It folds and unfolds really simply and has a carrying strap. It's actually easier to open that our single stroller we had before! It also has lap bars which i attach a tether to for his 360 cup and her toy. Link is here for the one I use.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O4E5YMM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_D683DbTJXS0RE


Overall we've it since the beginning of october and I would 100% buy it again. It's very sturdy, was easy to assemble, and has been used on a regular basis since then. We used it for a zoo trip, doctors visits, church, grocery shopping...everything really. It makes my life 100% easier. I got it on sale for $211 instead of $249. It's on sale for that price right now too!


Jeep Destination Ultralight Side x Side Double Stroller, Midnight (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B7QC8DV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_m-83DbTEKKYJH

I had This car seat with my first and this base to go with it. Both worked really well and were super easy to use. We'll be using them both for our second too. We also have this stroller and I love it! I'm a big graco fan :)

We are in an NYC walkup and started with the Joolz Hub, which was great for bassinet times, but honestly it was packed away around month 8, when we got the Zoe XLC Best. Love that thing. It's narrow, light, one hand collapsible, and seems sturdier to me than the Yoyo.

I have this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003U4F6JI/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/187-6386389-6300232

It has been a life saver. My two are 22 months apart. We have the sit and stand front/back with the car seat, and this one. I've never used the sit and stand after buying this. My son (younger) was in this at 4 months.

It is NOT double wide either. Very easy to fit in standard doors and I use it at the mall constantly.

It's small, easy to maneuver (not on grass) and has sun shades. It's also super light and I can fold and toss it in the trunk quickly.

Wish it had better handles and cup holders, but for the money it's amazing and I highly recommend it.

I use the Joovy Groove umbrella stroller.

It has 2 cup holders, a zippered pocket, and a basket underneath for storage

The seat lays completely back and the footrest lifts up which is awesome for napping.

The canopy is larger than most I’ve seen on umbrella strollers.

The handles are on the taller side and the wheels roll very smoothly.

It is pretty lightweight, easy to open and close, has a strap for carrying, and also has a kickstand so it can stay upright by itself.

I love it!

Edit: it also has mesh pockets on the sides of the seat which is nice for snacks or sippy cups!

One note about Amazon - keep an eye out for combo packs, which might not show up right away depending on your search criteria. We got super lucky when I was trying to figure out what stroller/car seat combo to get - I found a Chicco Keyfit & Neuvo travel system combo that was the same price as just the car seat alone, so basically got the stroller for free! Fortunately we ended up liking the stroller, since there wasn't one in a store nearby for us to test out first. It might be discontinued or something at this point (the color or the model, not sure) since it hasn't been back in stock since. Just thought I'd share some other potential bargains. :)

I know you said you wanted in line, but we have this and love ithttp://www.amazon.com/JOOVY-Scooter-Double-Stroller-Black/dp/B00O20OPTQ
It is so so easy to push, folds up easily with one hand, and fits thru doorways! And a huge bonus, it's so much cheaper than most of them!

I have no experience, but I did a ton of looking.
A neat option you can try is a joey attachment for a side by side double stroller. This is like a higher seat that clips in centered over the double.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0041F2CFQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_a_it?qid=1462804233&sr=8-2&keywords=joey+stroller&pi=SY200_QL40

My third is older so I'm just going to get the board for him. :-)

This is the stroller we have. We originally had a 3-wheeled one that came with our first car seat but didn’t care for it. We do like this one aside from the handle bar issue. I tried taking off the folding mechanism on the handle (I was hoping there may have been a split in the bar inside it).

Good to know!

We did purchase this umbrella stroller but never used it outside of the house, so difficult to give a proper reco but I did do a lot of research prior to purchasing: kolcraft cloud

My problem with those long ones are that they're boats, and no matter how well they're made, they will not collapse to fit into the back of a normal car because the bars are just too long. :/

This is what I was referring to (the link is just the joey seat, but it shows the whole deal). I believe you can also use a conversion kit to put a baby carrier in the joey seat, so it will work for infants as well as toddlers.

With my son, we've got (or were given) three strollers. I think we've used one maybe a half dozen times in his life. We live in suburbia, if we take him somewhere, now he sits in the cart at the store, and he's too little to want to go 'visiting' anywhere we'd need a stroller. With three, that changes, we won't be able to go anywhere without a stroller. Time will tell!

Joovy 8077 ScooterX2 Stroller, Black
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00O20OPTQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=thebigaawes06-20&linkId=254892cf03d98f8b7ef3bdecbe388b6b
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61UPjXaZoYL._SL1299_.jpg