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Rolling with Baby

By: Daxx Strassbergg

When looking for the best stroller, try to take as much time as possible so you can match it with your needs. A few guidelines might help.

Less than 6 months old?
When a baby is born, the head and neck areas are not fully developed yet, so upright strollers will not cut it. That's why at the early stages, you will need a stroller that is specific to newborns, or you can get one of those models where you can attach infant seats or bassinets. You can also get one of these newborn inserts that holds the child more securely in the stroller. It's important at these early stages not to jar the baby while in the stroller, so jogging with a baby in the stroller is out of the question!

Once babies are over six months old, you will have much more options in terms of shopping for a stroller.

Will it be for daily use?
If you know you will be using this daily and often, then you need to focus on ease of use and how comfortable it will be to push around. Long walks will be much more enjoyable for you and the baby if you picked a nice, rolling stroller. If you are buying online, this will be hard to figure, so try to check the online reviews first on how a specific model handles, before you even think of purchasing.

The same rule of thumb applies to strollers, shopping carts and even cars -- the larger the wheels, the better. If the wheels are made of rubber, that means the handling will be better. If it has springs or shock absorbers, that means you will have a smoother ride. Sometimes it feels like you are buying a car!
If you do not plan to use the stroller that much for long strolls, then it's not as important to be concerned about the ride.

How many pounds?
A good quality light stroller weighs about 8 pounds. For the full sized and full-featured models, expect more than 25 pounds! Keep this in mind in terms of the lifting you will need to do up and down the stairs, or in and out of you vehicle. It's especially important if you will be doing this daily, so you will need to balance off the features that you really want versus the weight that it adds on to the stroller.

Remember that the lighter the stroller, the less smooth is the ride and the less features it will have. They also tend to be smaller and will have less comfortable seating for the baby. Seating adjustments are also limited in terms of available reclining angles. On the positive side, these lighter models are great if you are traveling frequently or you do a lot of daily errands with the baby.

If you can find a full-featured standard stroller that is less than 20 pounds, and the weight is comfortable for you, get it!
For the all-terrain (aka jogger models), you can get them at weights below 20 pounds. In addition to the weight factor, also check how the stroller folds and make sure it's not to bulky so you can move in and out of your car with ease.

What features should I look for?
The most common are as follows:

Reclining seats : the more angles the better, plus some are easier to adjust than others.

Adjustable handles : make sure you can adjust the handles so that it matches your height, as this will make it more comfortable to push around.

Reverse handles : this lets you see your baby as you are pushing, a very nice feature to have.

Cupholders : it's a nice-to-have but not a must-have since you can always purchase separately.

Storage basket : it's very handy for the usual diapers, bottles and snacks, -- the more storage space, the better.

Canopy : this is a must have to protect your baby from too much sun.

Five-point harness : this is the safest type of harness you can find, you will need this.

Adjustable leg rest : babies grow up fast, so having an adjustable leg rest is a great advantage.

Toy bars or grab bars : this holds the toys in front of your baby and keeps them amused and while you stroll.

Last but not least, if you are an avid jogger, consider getting one of those jogger models. These models usually have large tires which means you get a smoother ride over rough surfaces. Yo do not need to be a jogger to benefit from this. Jogger models also have these handlebars which are also specially designed to allow you to hold on as you jog behind the stroller. Your baby may not be getting any exercise while you run, but they will definitely have a more enjoyable ride!

Article Source: http://www.gambling-articles.org

Daxx is a retired school teacher who is now relieving the boredom of retirement by promoting a varied collection of sites such as this one for polaris pool cleaners and a site for the best polaris 'bot out there, the polaris 280.

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