Thursday, April 24, 2008

A Call for Help

I need some help/suggestions from all you experienced mommies. I've been looking online reading and researching about car seats/strollers and play yards. What are your recommendations? Which brands/styles are good? Which should I stay away from? Where did you get yours (Target, Walmart, Babies R Us, etc)? What about $$? What have been your experiences?? We're going to buy this stuff on Saturday so any advice before then would be great!

Thanks!

14 comments:

Brittany said...

For price and quality, I really like Graco. You can find their stuff pretty much anywhere.

Brittany said...

I just thought of one more thing, since I am looking for a new car seat at this very moment online (I recently found out that they expire, so I need to get a new one). If you can find one where the straps easily adjust (without having to reach to the back/underneath side), it's very helpful!

Anonymous said...

I'm not a mom, but I read this today and your post reminded me of it. Good luck!

xox

erin said...

well, get comfy... so this is funny cos i just purchased all this stuff today IN UTAH at a babies r us and matt will be picking it up from the babies r us IN LEWISVILLE on saturday to anticipate fox's and my arrival on sunday. i bought a graco car seat (i think they had the highest safety rating and are reasonably priced) -- the one that goes up to 30 pounds because my lad is already 14 pounds at 2 months (he's a big dude) (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2452267). i didn't buy the matching stroller to go with it (in the travel package thinger) because i have my heart set on a more sporty stroller by phil & teds (http://www.philandteds.com/nz/sport_07_1.htm) which i will purchase in a few months. instead, i bought a frame bare bones stroller (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2266236) that you can snap the car seat into and push around. it will be just what i need for the time being until i feel like fox will enjoy the phil & teds (it works for infants, but i just like rolling him around in the car seat for now). then for a pack-n-play i got this (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2983691)... i liked the nitelite and remote control feature on it, though i'm not sure how much i'll use them. i mostly just liked the look of this one and the gender-neutral colors. as if this weren't long enough, i PLAN on buying this swing (http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?e=product&pid=30548&st=2002)... while i've been here in utah i've been borrowing this swing from my sister and fox loves it. hope that helps ya out. if not, you can totally delete this sucker.

Mardi said...

I personally went for the safest and least expensive. Eli's swing is a cheapo hand me down and it was great. Babies hardly wear anything out, so used doesn't bother me a bit and the price makes me happy. If you don't mind the gently used, check out Once Upon a Child.

Amanda said...

I bought a Chicco travel system which has served me well, but I might not buy that if I had to go back and do it again. I love how it looks and how it feels when we're walking, but it was expensive, is very bulky and heavy, and you can't access the basket underneath when the baby seat is in. We ended up using it a lot when she was little and then switching to a more compact umbrella stroller later. The travel system is great if you don't mind spending kind of a lot of money on a stroller you'll only use for a couple of months.

Maren said...

Hi this is Katy Taylors sister (random, I know) But here is a thought: I went with something cheaper and it has lasted, but, I wish I would have gotten something I like more, because, you will most likely use it for more then one child. Paying more for something you love in the long run is a better idea. (I think anyway)

Mommydew said...

I got a Graco travel system when I was pregnant with Lathen. I loved it. Sadly carseats do have a 5 year life so by the time I have another it will expire. Lathen will be four in June. I would suggest taking a bag of flour and going to the store, but the flour in a carseat and walk around carrying it and see how they feel. I think finding a balance between price and comfort with a good safety rating is the trick.

Then again, if you want mine you are welcome to it. I was just going to list it on craigslist... It's got a base, carseat and stroller that all match. Let me know. I also totally understand if you want new stuff since this is your first. :)

Stephie said...

I also got the Chicco stroller. I thought I would love it since I loved using Tara's one time but it is very bulky and heavy and cumbersome. If I could get another one I would. I actually went and got an umbrella stroller when Jack was big enough to make it easier but Jason likes the other one better since he is taller. Just make it easier for yourself and get a carseat that fits into your stroller, those are awesome esp. when baby is sleeping!

Lara said...

Hi- You are getting so close. I can't believe it. Albeebaby.com is a great site with really good prices + free shipping over $100. They also ship really fast. We have looked at stuff in stores and then purchased from this site. I have really liked our Graco car seat and its nice to be able to put it into a stroller. For us in a NY apartment less stuff is always better so I just wanted to have one stroller work for everything for a while. City strollers and suburban life strollers are totally different- in Utah we got away with a really cheap one with a seat that layed down (a must) but in NY we have been through 5. So if you are wondering about specifics send me an email.

You find you really don't need everything you think you do. We did use- every single day- the papasan nature touch swing. The cradle motion is fabulous!! Blake slept in here until he was over the weight limit. We also have a Graco pack/play which he slept in once he was about one. Elle also slept in it for a year. You want one were you can easily change the sheets and wash it. We never used any of the extra features. I have a moses basket which the kids slept in until they were about 5 months old, which I really liked because it takes up less space, you can put it right next to your bed for night time feedings, and I would move it around for naps depending on what room I wanted to be in. Our baby bjorn has also been a must have. But I would wait and see if Lily is fussy or not. If she is- it would be great to have.

Well this is a double record for me. My first comment ever and an excessively long one. Good luck!! Don't be afraid to wait until Lily is born to get absolutely everything- you know so much better want you need after she's been around for awhile. All you really need are diapers.

Susan said...

Hi Mikel! I also like Graco. I got a Graco car set (the Safeseat), which goes up to 30 lbs. so our petite Grace is still in it even though she's 20 months! They're more expensive up front, but if you think Lily is going to be big, I'd definitely look for one that goes up to 30 lbs. I have a friend whose little boy was big and grew out of his 20lb. car seat quickly and they had to buy another rear facing seat up to 30lbs anyway. I got this Graco stroller: http://www.target.com/Graco-Mosaic-Stroller-Lotus/dp/B000AOBGE0/ref=bxgy_cc_text_a_3580011/601-0504514-3835366. It's a smaller, lightweight stroller, but the car seat still snaps onto it. Grace and I traveled a ton her first year and it held up really well and wasn't too much for me to handle alone at the airport. As far as a swing, we got one that could plug into the wall or operate on batteries, and I think that saved us a lot of money in batteries since that's the only way Grace would nap from months 3-9! We got this type (although an earlier model)http://www.target.com/Power-Plus-Swing/dp/B000I2USMA/ref=bxgy_cc_text_a_1041926/601-0504514-3835366, but I've seen them elsewhere and they've come out with some cuter designs. Another gear item I love (sorry this is so long!) is the Graco Bugs Quilt Pack 'n Play http://www.target.com/Graco-Bugs-Quilt-Pack-Play/dp/B000056C86/ref=bxgy_cc_text_a_1041924/601-0504514-3835366. We had a borrowed bassinet for Grace for the first two months so we hadn't gotten a pack 'n play, but then later, when she got mobile and I needed a safe, fun place to put her for a few minutes to get some things done I found this one. It's a larger size more like those old playpens our moms had, so it's roomy and we still use it as a travel crib and second crib when we're babysitting other toddlers/babies. We ordered most of our baby gear on Target.com, and got free shipping and 15% off (a sale they have with some frequency on baby gear). I've been really happy with all of these. Good luck! There is so much out there - it makes these decisions hard!

Mike & Rachel Barton said...

Hey Mikel - we went with the Graco travel system (179.99) from Babies 'R Us. We like that we can move McKayla from her carseat to the stroller or vice versa without taking her out of her carseat. It steers really well and has quite a bit of storage space underneath. The thing we don't like about it is that the stroller is huge and it takes up our entire trunk.

We also got a Graco swing (89.99).. McKayla didn't like it at all the first 6 weeks or so, but is okay with it now. It's nice to have it to put her in it while I cook or do other things so I don't have to put her on the floor.

I totally remember feeling how you are about all the products and everything!

Parkinson Family said...

we have a chicco. I do like having the car seat/stroller combo b/c it is so convenient for newborns especially when you go somewhere and instead of taking them out you can just transfer the car seat. Granted it will not last long, but since you are having the baby in the summer, you'll probably go for walks and stuff, and its nice that they can just fall asleep in it, things like that. Hailey is still in hers. We have a double stroller that fits the car seat, Tyler rides in the front and Hailey in the car seat in the back. But anyways, oh the bad thing about my chicco is that the car seat is really heavy, even with a baby not in it. My aunt got it for us because i guess she researched it and its supposedly the safest, i dont know, i havent used any other car seat carriers so i dont know if they are all heavy or just the chicco. But i do believe chicco is pretty pricey. So thats what we have. I have come to find out that kid things get changed pretty often, so i guess if you dont like it, dont worry because a few months later you'll have to get something else that fits them :) like after their newborn stage you'll get an umbrella stroller then a jogger, then your next kid will come and you'll need a double, then you'll need way too many things that you will have to go garage sale shopping so that they and their things wont break the bank, ha ha, happy shopping, its always fun, especially shopping for your upcoming bundle of joy!!! you have like no time left, how exciting!!!

Jami said...

I'm a big Combi fan. They are compact and light-weight. But it depends on how often and where you think you'll use the stroller. Whichever car seat you go with check how heavy it is - this is one place it really makes a difference.