Stroller for 3 1/2 month old? UPDATE

[Leshaface]

I'm completely overwhelmed with the amount of strollers that are available on the market, I could cry.

I'm a FTM (first time mom) and have no idea what to do for strollers. I already know i'll be bringing a sling of some kind, but would also like a stroller for my mom to push around in case my DH and I decide to get on some rides by ourselves or venture off.

My DH says a light weight umbrella stroller would work, but i'm not sure if that's enough support for an infant.

I'm thinking more of a travel system would be better. Or what about the frame strollers that you can put a car seat right on top of the frame and having it facing you? I just don't know!

Please help calm the fears of this FTM!

 

[luvmy2babies]

Whatever stroller you get for a baby that size should have a full recline so be very careful to check for that while shopping. Most umbrella type strollers don't recline as much. The Chico Liteway has a manufactured age of "from birth" in the description and almost reclines flat. Of the ones I have looked at it had the most recline. The Baby Jogger City Mini (pictured in the Orlando stroller rentals picture on this page) has almost a full recline as well, but I couldn't find the minimum age on that one.

Mine didn't do much stroller time at that age unless I was using the travel system, but that can get hot after a while.

 

[deegack]

What do you plan on using the stroller for? How often
I required a BIG canapy (we are so pale you practically see through us) adjustible handles, and easy push but I use my stroller almost every day.

 

[Leshaface]

Whatever stroller you get for a baby that size should have a full recline so be very careful to check for that while shopping. Most umbrella type strollers don't recline as much. The Chico Liteway has a manufactured age of "from birth" in the description and almost reclines flat. Of the ones I have looked at it had the most recline. The Baby Jogger City Mini (pictured in the Orlando stroller rentals picture on this page) has almost a full recline as well, but I couldn't find the minimum age on that one.

Mine didn't do much stroller time at that age unless I was using the travel system, but that can get hot after a while.

I never thought about looking at the stroller renter page for some pictures on strollers. And the strollers that I was looking at at Target, didn't mention anything about "from birth" which is exactly what i'm looking for. Maybe Babies R Us will have better options. Thank you!

What do you plan on using the stroller for? How often
I required a BIG canapy (we are so pale you practically see through us) adjustible handles, and easy push but I use my stroller almost every day.

Good question thanks for making me think about this. We live in a town where we have to drive everywhere, not really a walking town. However, we go to Disneyland often (about 3 hours from us) and now that we're DVC members we'll be visiting WDW more often. Also, this is a stroller that we'll be using when we have more kids later on.

I also didn't know handles were adjustable, however, we're both small. I'm 5'5" and DH is 5'7 1/2" (I needed to add that 1/2 inch in there since it's so important to him )

 

[kmb584]

I would check out Zooper's Bolero. I have one for DD and it's a truly fantastic stroller! It's a bit pricey but when you factor in that the weight limit is 60lbs it very well may be the only stroller you'll ever have to purchase.

Despite the fact that it's a full size stroller, it's incredibly light and easy to both fold and carry. It's also not going to take up your entire trunk. I have a 2010 Elantra and the Bolero occupies 1/4 of my trunk space.

The main reason I'm recommending it is because it comes with a newborn/infant bassinet. It's a great feature that you don't come across too often, or when you do come across it the bassinet costs extra! It also has an infant safety enclosure so you're able to fully recline the seat without worrying about your little one.

It has a detachable snack tray, 5-point harness, the canopy extends and is able to fully cover your child and the seat and also acts as a sunshade, rain cover and UV net. DD is 3 and it was great to be able to completely shade her when she napped in the stroller.

All in all, this stroller gets one huge from me, the Mom who has gone through 5 strollers since DD was born! I only wish I came across this one sooner!

 

[pixiegoose]

We love our Maclaren Techno XT. We've used it since birth for our dd, including Disney World at 6 months. It has a full recline, adjustable handles, extendable canopy, reasonably lightweight, great steering and has bigger wheels than most umbrella style strollers so it handles better on rougher terrain (rough sidewalks, cobblestone, etc.). DH had no problems handling it on the Disney buses (he dealt with stroller while I dealt with dd in the Ergo).

 

[Leshaface]

I would check out Zooper's Bolero. I have one for DD and it's a truly fantastic stroller! It's a bit pricey but when you factor in that the weight limit is 60lbs it very well may be the only stroller you'll ever have to purchase.

Despite the fact that it's a full size stroller, it's incredibly light and easy to both fold and carry. It's also not going to take up your entire trunk. I have a 2010 Elantra and the Bolero occupies 1/4 of my trunk space.

The main reason I'm recommending it is because it comes with a newborn/infant bassinet. It's a great feature that you don't come across too often, or when you do come across it the bassinet costs extra! It also has an infant safety enclosure so you're able to fully recline the seat without worrying about your little one.

It has a detachable snack tray, 5-point harness, the canopy extends and is able to fully cover your child and the seat and also acts as a sunshade, rain cover and UV net. DD is 3 and it was great to be able to completely shade her when she napped in the stroller.

All in all, this stroller gets one huge from me, the Mom who has gone through 5 strollers since DD was born! I only wish I came across this one sooner!

Thanks for the great review! Off to check it out!

We love our Maclaren Techno XT. We've used it since birth for our dd, including Disney World at 6 months. It has a full recline, adjustable handles, extendable canopy, reasonably lightweight, great steering and has bigger wheels than most umbrella style strollers so it handles better on rougher terrain (rough sidewalks, cobblestone, etc.). DH had no problems handling it on the Disney buses (he dealt with stroller while I dealt with dd in the Ergo).

I've heard good things about Maclaren so i'll definitely check this out. Thank you!

 

[DSNY4ever]

We have the Chicco liteway and we got it for the reclining back, it worked perfectly fine during the newborn stage. I really like it and it has been serving us well. It's light easy to use. Has a good canopy, reclines great, pushes easily- it's fantastic. However...we recently saw a City Mini and now we are obsessed and wish we had gotten that, haha! We mostly like the giant canopy. It is VERY hot where we live, and we walk a lot, so the more coverage on our little guy the better. We ended up getting a Protect-a-bub cover to add extra shade over the stroller and so far I like that thing a lot too. You can also tie it over the car seat for when they are using a larger car seat without a shade cover.

Good luck!

 

[twinboysmom]

I would check out the britax b-agile and then , the baby jogger citi mini. You can purchase the britax as a travel system (and I highly recommend the britax car seats and will never again buy another brand). I have a maclaren and will not buy another one. The zooper the PP recommended looked nice as well.

I highly recommend babygizmo.com for her reviews on strollers and you can check our her lengthy and very thorough reviews all over you tube. She has never let me down. Just type in the stroller you are considering and her review will come up. Good luck!

 

[chloelovesdisney]

We took 6 month old ds to WDW a couple of weeks ago. We also brought the Maclaren Techno XT. Not all of the Maclaren's have the full recline, but the Techno does go way back and also has a larger canopy shade then some of their other models.

I also like the citi mini.

I have a car seat/stroller frame but I think it would have been too hot for ds in there during the day. I loved it for his first 8 weeks, but after that started to use his regular stroller. Now I only use it for day trips.

I'm thinking about getting the UppaBaby G-Luxe for our next trip. It also has a good recline, is lightweight and folds easily. (the G-Lite does not recline enough, so I would not get that model)

Do you have a store you can go to and check all the strollers out? It helps when you push them yourself and try folding them.

 

[SweetMissy]

When we went this year, our baby was 4 months old. I wear him all the time...we only have an umbrella stroller because my MIL bought one for my daughter once she grew out of the sling. With him I use a beco which is what we used at disney....love it! We did rent a stroller from kingdom strollers (and magic strollers last year) for my other 2 kids, I used it for the baby on the rare occasion I wanted a break or to change his diaper. I think renting one is the best option rather then spending the money on buying one....but it depends on how big you are on wearing the baby.

 

[clm10308]

It also depends on your budget.
When my babies were that young, I really liked having a travel system so that I could attach the car seat carrier without having to take them out and wake them up each time. It works great for running lots of errands in a day, but if you are outside for any length of time in the summer, it is very hot and sweaty.

If you are going to be using Disney busses, the car seat carrier will get old(heavy) very fast.

I can't reamber the brand name (came from babies r us), but the travel system stroller I had was able to recline completely flat and had a cover that unfolded to cover the area were a larger child's feet would hang down making more of a bassinet. I loved it when my son was an infant.

 

[pikaboo27]

We have two strollers, the Chicco version of the Snap and go which his carseat snaps into and the Bob Revolution SE.

I love the snap and go when I'm at home. For trips to the market or the mall, it's perfect because it weights 8 lbs and folds one handed so it's super easy if I have to make a lot of stops and DS can sleep through the transfer. The basket underneath is pretty big and unzips to get even bigger. The only issue is that you are limited with the canopy. The Chicco car seat canopy is just not big enough so I made a lightweight blanket with velcro to attach it to the carseat to keep DS covered.

When we went to DL about a month ago when DS was 2 months old we took the Bob with us. The Bob works from 8 weeks old, but they recommend additional head support (we bought an Eddie Bauer one for $12 from Target). Plus you can get an attachment that allows you to put the car seat in it. The Bob is pretty darn expensive (ours was a gift) but the shocks give a really smooth ride and the canopy is huge! We ended up using the attachment for the car seat on our trip, just because DS preferred it, but for our next trip to DL (June 15th! Carsland Opening! So excited!) we will have him in the main stroller part. Mostly because it's only May and his Chicco car seat is making him sweat like crazy already. The only two major downsides of the Bob are the fact that you can't fold it one handed and it weighs about 25 pounds. Not ideal for buses unless there are two of you so one can hold the baby while the other holds the stroller. The basket underneath doesn't look big, but I've stuffed his ergo baby carrier, a couple blankets, and a softsided cooler with 8 bottles of water in it with no problem.

Good luck with your decision! I'm thinking of getting a Chico Liteway once DS grows out of the snap and go but the Bob will still be going to DL.

 

[tms295psu]

A lot depends on your needs and budget. I've gone through a TON of strollers... I love my Full size tank/travel system for mall or full day theme parks (minus public transportation). Otherwise its just too big. Love our jogger for camping, otherwise its too bulky. Loved our snap and go... until we out grew the infant car seat. Our most used stroller is our full feature umbrella, light, reclines, accepts the carseat, has a decent canopy....

If I were buying all over again. I'd buy 2 strollers... a full feature tank (that grows to a double) ie. Britax b-ready, Baby Jogger City Select, Phil & Teds.... and a full feature umbrella... Really like the Bumbleride Flite and Flyer, I beleive Mac. Techo also takes a carseat.

http://www.bumbleride.com/strollers/flite-home.php

 

[Tink522]

DS was only 12 weeks old on his first Disney trip and we purchased a City Mini in anticipation for that trip. He's almost 21 months and we still use that stroller (at Disney and at home). I also have a Chicco Liteway but I would not recommend it for Disney. You're not suppose to use sunscreen on a infant less than 6 months old and the canopy on the Chicco sucks. I am debating selling the Chicco and getting a Britax B-Agile for my car (we keep a stroller on each car), but at this stage I'm not sure it's worth the investment since he's mostly stroller free at home. The City Mini is great though, the huge canopy keeps him covered and the big windows on the it allow me to see him easily. I primarily used an Ergo carrier that trip but the stroller did allow me to leave him with other members of our party so I could ride.

 

[mummabear]

Your baby wont be ready for an umbrella stroller until they are at least 6 months old. You will want to have full recline and a complete sunshade as your baby will be too young for sunblock. Travel systems are great but carseats are not intended (or apparently safe) for sleeping so for use around the part you wont need that. Have a look at anything that has a carrycot or similar and as a bonus you can use these as a bed to save extra gear travelling if you want

 

[Leshaface]

I'm so happy there are so many suggestions!

Originally this is what I was looking at:

http://www.gracobaby.com/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=1794303

Is a 3 1/2 month old baby too small for the stroller if it lays flat? We probably wouldn't take the car seat into the parks, unless it was easier for going to dining reservations, then we may.

What do you guys think?

 

[treemi01]

I will add one more for you. I love the Combi lightweight strollers!!! I think the model is called the Cosmo right now, but you will know it when you see it. I have 3 kids and just bought my fourth of this same model (each kid has had one, the oldest we finally wore out after loaning it out to numerous families, and my mom has one at her house.). We usually travel to WDW with 2 of them (way easier than a double) and I won't go with anything else, hence the recent purchase of the fourth! They recline almost fully, weigh practically nothing, fold as small as an umbrella, can fold really easily, are cool in the heat, have a great canopy and cup/snack holder, and are the original stroller with the strap on the back! (think 2 free hands to get on the bus!) best of all, they are significantly cheaper than the Maclarens, etc. My DH works at Babies R Us and it is the only stroller he recommends for WDW. He sells so many the other staff teases him about owning stock in Combi. No stock-just mom (and dad) approved on our last 6 Disney trips! My younger son was 4 months his first trip and it was perfect with the recline, and my older son was almost 5 on our last trip and the strollers worked great for those and all ages in between. We will be taking 2 on our trip in August for our will be 7 month old and our 3 year old.

 

[Shrimpandgrits]

I think the link you posted to the Graco full size stroller looks great.

I was going to say that the BIGGEST concern to me is that the stroller have a good recline position. Many of the umbrella strollers do not recline enough for a smaller baby to be able to nap. Even though they would be fine riding for shorter periods of time they would need to be able to fully recline for naps and such. There are some more expensive brands out there that are lightweight and recline well. Others have listed some of those brands. Our first stroller was a grace full size and it was great. Did the job well and was not too heavy!
You may also want the storage underneath that a full size stroller offers. They generally have better cup holders as well. I know that is a small thing, but honestly made a big difference to me.
In the long run I will say you are going to want both a full size and an umbrella type stroller. For that reason it may make more sense to invest in a better, more expensive umbrella stroller now.


Good luck!!

 

[CandleontheWater]

I second what others have said and suggest you look for a stroller that has a bassinet (or carrycot) attachment or one that has a full recline that is suitable from birth. I would not use a carseat all day for an infant at Disney. Babies are not meant to be in carseats all day, the angle can cause constriction of airways and a decrease in the amount of oxygen they are receiving. Also car seats are very hot and can easily lead to a baby overheating.

The babyjoggers have a carrycot, as do some britax models, the zooper mentioned earlier, the uppa baby vista and some others.

We took DS at four months with our Uppa Baby Vista and the bassinet attachment. He was very comfortable and happily slept most of the vacation.

I also always advise new parents against the travel system (like the graco linked above). They are huge, heavy, bulky and push like a hotdog cart. For the same amount of money there are way better strollers out there, and most have carseat adapters, so they will work just like a travel system.