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How to Roll with the Baby

By: Dolores Jameson

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.

Is your baby 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. To adjust for this, you will need to get a stroller that is designed for newborns, or one where you have the ability to attach an infant seat or one that has a bassinet. Inserts are also available for newborns to hold them more securely in their strollers. 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 your baby is over 6 months hold, more options will be available for you in terms of stroller models you can pick from.

Will you use it a lot?
If you'll be using a stroller daily you will need one that is comfortable and easy to push around. Long walks will be much more enjoyable for you and the baby if you picked a nice, rolling stroller. It will be tough to judge this aspect of it if you are buying online, so try to go through various reviews on how a stroller pushes or handles, before you decide to buy it.

In general, the larger the wheels, the easier it is to push. Rubber wheels mean better handling. 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.

A basic rule of thumb is the lighter the stroller, the fewer features it will have and the less smooth the ride. 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?
There are many but 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 : the more storage space you have, the better it is for carrying your stuff(i.e. diapers, bottles, snacks).

Canopy : important for sun protection and the bigger it is, the better for your baby.

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 fun stuff to keep the little tykes amused.

Lastly, for the joggers among you, consider buying a jogger model, also known as a jogging stroller. These strollers have become more common recently, as more folks are getting more health conscious. One of the main benefits of these models are those large, air filled tires, which will give you a smoother ride over bumpy surfaces. Even if you don't jog, this feature alone might make it worthwhile to get. Joggers also have large handlebars that are designed so you can hold the stroller securely while jogging behind it. Your baby may not be getting any exercise while you run, but they will definitely have a more enjoyable ride!

Article Source: http://www.onlinearticlessite.com

Dolores is a student who is also promoting a varied collection of web sites on the side. If you are looking for a place with the best selection and pricing on baby halloween costumes or if you are one of the lucky few with an ipad and is just looking for the ideal ipad case , try visiting her sites.

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