I'm having such a hard time deciding on a stroller!! Help me, please!

At first, I was thinking of getting a travel system stroller. But I read in my Baby Bargains book that travel system strollers are often bulky, heavy, and/or poorly made. I just want something comfy for baby, but not a PITA for me!

We're thinking about spending the extra money and getting the Graco Safeseat instead of the Snugride.....babies on both sides of our family tend to be big. If we were to get a travel system with the Safeseat carseat, it would cost atleast $240 (Babies 'R Us price).

So....I also looked into some other options; like getting a Graco Safeseat with a Baby Trend Snap 'N Go Stroller and then buying a decent lightweight stroller. Everything would end up costing about $280 (Babies 'R Us prices).

What do you guys think of travel systems? Has anyone used the Snap 'N Go stroller instead? Any suggestions and/or advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

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Heidi

I didn't use a Snap n Go but I did use the Graco MetroLite stroller and LOVED it! I am upset that I need a double stroller now because I loved it so much. A bit smaller than the travel system but super light and easy to transport. Even now that I am pregnant, it is so easy to fold, lift up, and put in my SUV. Has a great turning radius, huge basket, and 2 cup holders. I was going to spend about 5 times as much on a pricey stroller and was glad I didn't. They sell them at BRU and usually have patterns to match the Graco car seats. We didn't go with a Safe Seat because they hold more pounds. I couldn't wait to get Kate out of that infant car seat. It gets heavy when they start getting bigger. I would just put her in the stroller to go everywhere.

Good luck with your decision and keep us posted!

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--Kristina

I loved the travel system we got for our first. Never had any complaints. The only thing I wished later when I had my son was that I wished it were a double stroller. I wish I had thought ahead like that. If I had to do it over I would have got a double stroller that you can snap the carrier too and have a toddler ride in it as well.

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Dh Jason
My babies...
Katherine Elizabeth 6/04/04
Samuel Lee 5/04/05 (our son with God)
Griffin Michael 04/13/06
Harrison Gabriel 04/27/08


BabyLinq.com ~ Preemie Store - Hospital NICU
SAFE to going home.

If I had it to do again, I'd do it the way you are thinking about. Skip the travel system, buy just the infant carseat and a snap 'n go or something similar. By the time the baby is not in the carseat in the stroller, s/he will be big enough for an umbrella stroller or a small, light-weight stroller.

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I wish that we had passed on the travel system with my ds and had gotten a really nice stroller to begin with. We ended up getting four strollers before we found one we loved. My sister just got this one, which i think is really cute. I'm not sure if it would work well with a carseat, but we didn't use our travel system like that much anyways.
Cosmo EX Stroller- Mandarin - Combi International - Babies "R" Us
One thing that I found to be really important is to find one that folds up easily and isn't too heavy.

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Ohh, I like May's idea that if you plan on having more kids, you can get a double stroller that the carseat will snap into (like the Sit 'N Stand) that you will be able to use after baby #2 comes along.

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We got a travel system stroller, and it's not very bulky at all. We've put it together and messed around with it for a little but, and so far it seems really great.

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After doing lots of research and testing out lots of strollers, I decided to go with the Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe travel system. It comes with the Graco Safeseat. I liked how it handled and the awesome safety reviews. The smaller travel systems just didn't seem right to me. I put my friend's 7-month old son in the Graco Metrolite system and he just looked HUGE. He didn't even really seem comfortable in it. But he was totally digging the Quattro Tour stroller. I also like the big basket, the cup holders, parent tray and the way you recline it. On the metrolite system you pull a string and clip it into place. It just didn't seem sturdy enough to me. But that's just me.

Here is the travel system I'm actually getting...
Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Travel System- Sienna - Graco - Babies "R" Us

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I used the Snap N Go and really liked it. I'll use it again this time when I'm out with just the baby and me. It's super light and easy to use. It doesn't take up a lot of room when you go places, so it's good for shopping too.

Good Luck!

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That's interesting... they must have changed it from last year. Ours has a bar that you pull. Isn't it funny howthey are all so different!

My biggest suggestion is to go and play with them in the store. Open and close it a thousand times and even ask to take it to your car to load and unload it. BRU will let you.

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--Kristina

With my first we didn't get the Travel System, we got the Graco Metrolite stroller that mached the pattern of our carseat. I loved it, it is almost 5 yrs. old now and we are replacing it for this baby just because I want something new. Both of my kids loved sitting in a full size stroller, much better than an umbrella stroller until they were about two. The handles on the umbrellas troller we have are too short even for me and I am only 5'5", my DH refuses to push it! And there is no storage on an umbrella. I use an umbrella sometimes when we are on quick errands and I just need to hang my purse on the handle or something.

So, I suggest, getting a full size stroller that you carseat will clip into, then you have a great stroller when you're done with the infant seat. We just got the Chicco Keyfit carseat and the Chicco Trevi stroller. I love the Trevi because it is much more compact when folded than my Metrolite and it is very cute! Both of my older kids have tried it too and they think it is very cute. I had a 15% off coupon and I opened a BRU acct. and got 10% off so I think I spent about $250 on the carseat and stroller together, regularly they retail for over $300, I think.

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Now I am a first time mom here but our plan is to get the Graco Safeseat. We are going to get the BOB revolution and the infant carseat attachment. I am not really a mall person and I am planning on being outside with the baby most of the summer so she will either be in the BOB stroller or else I am getting some type of carrier.

I am also going to get a good umbrella stroller to use for traveling or quick errands.

We will see if this is the right choice soon enough...

I was thinking of picking up a snap n go off craigs list if I see one....

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Me: 28
DH: 28

2 cycles of clomid BFN
2 cycles of clomid + IUI BFN

IVF #1 May/June BFN

IVF #2 July/August
Beta #1 13dp3dt 574
Beta #2 19dp3dt 5922

if I were you I would get something that your infant carrier will go into wether that is a travel system or a separately made stroller that accommodates infant carriers (sounds like that's what the snap and go is). The reason for this is that you will want something you can put your baby into without having to unbuckle him or her. And that is really the only reason (that I have found anyway) for a travel system because in a couple of months your baby will likely stop sleeping in it's carrier, and then you will be sick of carrying it around so you'll just want to unbuckle your kid and put him or her in the stroller.

I almost convinced myself to get a really nice travel system for this baby, but I decided it wasn't worth it and I'd be better off with getting a decent double stroller (especially considering I already have a snap and go type stroller).

it's kind of tricky because they are so expensive and you really only use them for a short period of time, and then you get sick of lugging it around and you buy a more lightweight stroller. Anyway, that's just been my experience.

HTH!!

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I am kind of doing both. I also bought the Chicco key fit carseat and the Trevi stroller which is lighter than the cortina. I love it. It is very light and the carseat snaps in. I did buy a snap and go (different brand though) for the little baby I watch. I loved it when she was 6 weeks old to now she is 4 months old. But when we go out now she wants to sit up instead of stay in her carseat in the snap and go. I like the snap and go because it is so light, I think it is good for the beginning when you are still recovering and dont want to overdo it. Since it is only $50 I think it is worth it for a few months. Or if you can find it used even better!

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We had a Graco travel system with Derek...it was a less bulky model then some of the others out at the time. A friend got hers also around the same time and found it completely difficult to store in the car and it was alot bigger than mine was (both Graco brands). Hers cost lie $250 and mine was about $100 cheaper and I used it ALOT. When Sam came along we bought a graco duo glider (twin stroller) and the same infant seat that we had w/ Derek snapped into it like with the original stroller.

This time I am looking into another Graco brand infant seat (it's time to replace the old one- and I gave it away anyways)...but I am sticking with Graco because we have good luck with their products each time we have used them. This time I am bummed because the style I want is not available outside of the travel system (I only need the car seat) so I have to go w/ a different pattern...but that's pretty minor I guess.

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Derek (DH), Derek II (DS), Sammy (DS)

Allison Rene
May 13th 2008
7 lbs 6 oz & 20 in long

I hated my huge Graco stroller. I didn't think I would because I had nothing to compare it to, but it's huge. Once I realized there were substantially smaller/lighter options, I chucked it.

I'd totally get the snap and go if I had to do it over. And you have some time to think about a lightweight stroller- you'll be using the stroller that fits the carrier as long as they fit in that carrier (whether it be Graco stroller or snap and go).

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Mommy to Andrew, born May 27, 2005

We bought a graco snugride infant seat and we're getting the graco snap n go to go with it. We're also buying the combi cosmo stroller (someone has a link posted for it up above) for when the baby grows out of the car seat. The last family I babysat for had this one and I loved it! Its soooo light, it folds up really small so doesn't take up much room and has a carrying strap which is great for bringing it on a train or plane or whatever
Good luck with your decision!

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Aoife 28
Joe 29
Evan born April 29 2008. 6lb 5oz 19 inches
May 16 2008. 7lb 15oz 20 inches
May 30 2008. 9lb 7oz 21 inches
June 23 2008. 11lb 8oz
June 27 2008. 11lb 14oz 23 inches
Aug 29 2008. 16lb 13oz 25 1/4 inches

I got an Evenflow system from Walmart. Inexpensive set, and I really liked that the infant seat has a carrier handle that is rotated for a more normal carry. (my parents' recommendation) and since it was inexpensive I won't freak if after a while I want a smaller model. Because my vehicle is a Jeep Wrangler, a smaller one will be necessary to keep in there, and my mom, can keep the big stroller in her car. I went big on my convertible car seat - got the Britax (actually, 2) and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I know it won't be long before Natalie will be out of the infant seat.

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Sarah & Natalie

We have a graco travel system, and had one for my 1st. I'm the odd one out but I love them. Baby is so comfy in them and mine isn't to big or bulky. I had a huge eddie bauer double stroller when DS came along, and I hated it. It was to big and bulky, so I only used it like 3 times.

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