Strollers

Every stroller needs a take-along toy bar, so you can keep your baby entertained without worrying about toys being dropped (or thrown) as you walk. I have grown a bit bored with our collection of stroller toys, especially since most of them are a bit loud and obnoxious. That is part of the reason that I am drawn to this understated toy.

Made out of soft fabric, the People Pram Cord by Esthex offers fun on the go without a lot of annoying bells and whistles. I love the simple design, which resembles a chain of paper dolls. The toy makes a pleasant rattle as the child plays. You will appreciate this toy’s simplicity, and it will look elegant on your stroller.

Price: $29.95 at Piccolinionline.com.

It seems like a common problem with strollers is that you can have one that is plush and luxurious or one that folds down to an easily portable size. The Mutsy Spider is a great little stroller that doesn’t make you choose between comfort or portability.

The stroller has all of the features of a high end stroller–a comfortable reclining seat with side protection, a five point harness, and even an adjustable handle. At the same time, however, it folds to an extremely compact size and can be easily carried or tucked into a car.

Another huge plus in my book is that the Spider is incredibly easy to put together. I have put together a lot of strollers, and this was by far the easiest. I never had to look at the directions. I just took it out of the box, popped on the wheels and canopy, and we were out the door with it. It also steers very easily because of the swiveling three wheeled design.

I would highly recommend this stroller to anyone who is looking for a lightweight stroller that doesn’t require you to compromise on comfort or safety. You will love the hip modern design, too.

You can purchase this great stroller on sale for $179.10 (shipping is free) at barebabies.com.

When I was pregnant the last time, I stumbled on Bumbleride’s innovative line of strollers and was intrigued. I came close to buying one, but the lack of online reviews at that time, coupled with the lack of a local retailer where I could check it out, led me to go a different route. Three years later, we are now the proud owners of a Bumbleride Flyer, and I am realizing how much I missed out on last time around.

In many ways, the Flyer is comparable to many of the other strollers in its price range. It has eye-catching color combinations, is suitable for an infant or a toddler, folds easily, has a five point safety harness, and is adaptable for use with a car seat. What makes this stroller exceptional, however, are the added features that other companies either leave out all together, or sell separately.

Among these are a great foot muff to keep little legs protected from the elements, a built in window in the canopy so you can see your child when he or she is forward facing, and a handle which can be reversed so that your child can either face you or the world. In addition, the cup holder is sturdier than most I have encountered, and it can hold a 32 oz drink, a big plus in my book. The handle height is also adaptable, which is a great feature if parents or caregivers are not quite the same height.

I would highly recommend this stroller to anyone. You will feel stylish as you push it, and your child will enjoy the cushy ride. You can purchase the stroller for $329.99 at bumbleride.com.

This is our first big purchase for the new baby. I wasn’t planning on buying a double stroller so early in my pregnancy, but I found a great deal on the Tender Double Stroller locally, and knew I couldn’t pass it up. We already have two Peg Perego strollers, so I trust the brand completely.

After watching my friend struggle with her side-by-side double, I decided that this style is the way to go. I tried it out by putting my two year old in the front, and was amazed by how easy it was to steer even with the unbalanced weight.  Other great features about this stroller include the fact that it folds easily and is amazingly compact for a double stroller.  It also can stand upright when folded, which is a nice feature that I haven’t seen before.

Both seats have five point harnesses for safety, and the stroller is compatible with the Peg Perego infant car seat, which was a big plus for me. Finally, it is very stylish. You will definitely feel hip pushing this stroller even if you are a slightly frazzled mother of two little ones.

You can purchase one on sale for $584.99 at barebabies.com.

Check out the other Peg Perego reviews on our baby blog.

This great bunting bag is sure to keep your little one warm this winter. If you are like me and you like to be outdoors even when it is cold outside, you might want to check this out.

Made by Studio 7 AM, this bunting bag has a waterproof shell and a cozy micro-fleece lining. I love the bright colors that are reminiscent of a stylish parka. I think the green is especially striking. The bunting attaches easily to your stroller, and accommodates a 5 point harness.

You can purchase one on sale for $102 at artbebe.com and stand out this winter.

I have a GPS for running, but I still love the idea of this simple, yet innovative, product called the Strollometer. As its name suggests, the Strollometer attaches to your stroller and keeps track of how fast you are going, how long you are out and about, and how far you travel (it works for both walking and running).

The Strollometer also has a clock and a thermometer built in. It would definitely be a great way to motivate yourself to get back in shape after the baby. I know I always need little incentives to get back into it at first.
It comes in blue, pink, or green.

The sleek design would look great on any stroller. Other moms will no doubt be jealous of this contraption. You can purchase a Strollometer for $45 from landofnod.com.

I love the Maclaren Volo because it is so light and easy to use. No more hauling around that bulky stroller if you get the Volo. It weights only 8.6 pounds and is very easy to close. There is an easy use carrying strap and a removable mesh seat.

The are foam handles are ergonomically correct and it has self locking wheels. Includes a sun and rain cover. Five point harness keeps Baby safe. For Babies six months and older. Phthalate and lead free.

Victoria Beckham, Rachel Griffiths, Michelle Williams, and Jennifer Garner all love their Volos. It costs $114.99, but it’s worth every penny. It comes in four colors, citrus lime, raspberry pink, coffee brown stripe, scarlet at major baby stores.

This stroller was also reviewed at The New Parent Blog.

Here is an item I wish I’d had when my children were little! The Joovy Caboose Stand-On Tandem stroller caught my eye, because, as every mom of two or more children knows, big brother or sister is going to want to share the ride!

With a standard stroller (even a double stroller) your older child is going to be squeezed into a tight spot. But not so with this nifty item. The Joovy Caboose provides a rear padded footboard for standing, sitting, or kneeling.

Your toddler can jump on for a quick ride and just as easily and quickly step off without disturbing little brother or sister! And don’t worry - the added foot board feature does not take away from this product’s safety, reliability, and storage features.The Joovy Caboose Stand-On Tandem has a five-point safety harness on the front seat and a three-point harness on the footboard.

Locking front-swivel wheels and rear foot brakes gives the Joovy ease of handling. There’s plenty of storage for diaper bags and your child’s favorite toys in an underseat storage basket as well as a a mesh storage pocket on the back of the seat. All seat padding is removable for washing.

Check this product out at the Baby Center Store online at www.store.babycenter.com. Listed priced is $159.00.

I bought this stroller originally thinking that it was just going to be a secondary stroller that I kept in my car. Instead, I ended up using it as my primary stroller while my much larger carriage system sits at home.

The reason is that although this stroller has small wheels, it has no trouble navigating sidewalks and curbs. It also folds easily and neatly, which allows me to stash it in a corner or under a booth in a restaurant.

In the early days, it also was compatible with my Peg car seat. A unique feature of this stroller is that the canopy can be stretched to reach all the way to the tray—protecting your child completely if a rain shower pops up.

Other things to love about this stroller are its aesthetically-pleasing design, its easy to remove tray, and its sizeable basket. It also has a five point harness, and reclines completely for infants (or sleeping toddlers). You can buy one for $339.95 at www.store.babycenter.com.

If you’re looking for one of the hottest celebrity baby stroller systems on the market, look no further than the Orbit Infant System. Dubbed “The best thing since sliced bread” by Tori Spelling, the system’s main innovation is that the infant car seat can rotate on both the stroller and car seat base 360 degrees for easy access and mobility.

A nifty demonstration of this feature can be viewed on the website at orbitbaby.com.  While this product has for the most part received rave reviews, you might want to take the cons into consideration. One major drawback is that it’s very much a collection of seats and gear that you must buy in order to get the most out of it (meaning continued use through the toddler years) and it can get complicated.

In general, however, the product has received rave reviews, and if you want to join the ranks of celebrities like Heidi Klum, the Orbit System is the way to go.

I love my ridiculous Peg Perego carriage to death, but now that I am going to be faced with two stroller-aged children at the same time, I am lusting after the DuoWalker Sky. I am a sucker for any stroller with a bassinet attachment, so when I saw a double that can accommodate a bassinet, I was absolutely in love. Other features that attract me to this stroller are the bright colors and the large tires. As far as double strollers go, this one looks like it would be relatively easy to maneuver. Unfortunately for me, having spent several thousand dollars on 3 strollers the last time around, I can’t really justify this splurge. The base price is $649.00. The Carrycot Bassinet attachment is an additional $149. Numerous other accessories are available as well. You can buy one at strollers.com.

I highly recommend Phil & Ted’s Sport Stroller for Moms who want to get in shape before baby turns six months old. Most jogging strollers you have to wait until Baby can hold his or her head up well, but Phil & Ted’s has a newborn option that allows Baby to recline and relax while Mom does all the work. All you have to do is unzip and unclip the sides and the stroller turns into bassinet. I took my son on a two mile trek and he fell right asleep. The stroller has air-filled tires which allow for a smoother ride. It is very light weight and easy to handle. Phil & Ted’s also has a major added bonus, a second seat. If you buy the attachable second seat the stroller easily turns into a double stroller. This stroller and only this stroller allows you to have a newborn and a toddler or two toddlers ride comfortably at the same time. You can find these strollers at many upscale baby boutiques. It comes in several different colors and retails for $399.99 and the additional seat is $89.99. It is a favorite of celebrity parents, Brooke Shields, Holly Hunter, Carrie Ann Moss and Russell Crowe.

I consider myself to be a pretty serious distance/marathon runner. Luckily, I am able to log most of my miles without children in tow. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to bring my toddler along. All I can say is that on these occasions I am so grateful for my Baby Jogger and its 20 inch wheels! Since my first daughter was born more than nine years ago, I have had three jogging strollers, and this is definitely my favorite. I will never buy another brand. It is very light an easy to run with, and the giant wheels make it easy to navigate curbs without too much hassle. A clear “window” built into the canopy keeps your little one in site at all times. The ease of use is no doubt contributed to the popularity of this brand of stroller with celebrity moms and dads. Jennifer Garner, Gwen Stefani, Brooke Shields, and Michelle Williams are just a few of the parents who have been spotted with them. You can buy one for $399.99 at www.joggingstroller.com.

The Quinny Buzz stroller is an attractive contraption, I’ll give it that, but for a price of around $549.00 at www.amazon.com, I’m not sure it’s worth it. As featured on The Ellen Degeneres Show, it has a pretty outstanding folding system and looks as though it will fit inside a car trunk quite easily. I liked the idea of being able to face baby forward or backward. For those first few months, it’s nice to be able to face baby toward you while pushing your stroller, and later on, little ones like to see the world facing forward. With a height adjustable handle and canopy, shopping basket, bug net, wind stopper and rain shield all included, it is a convenient alternative to most strollers on today’s market. It’s even compatible with Quinny’s other baby items, like the bassinet and Maxi-Cosi car seat and comes in many attractive colors. See its features at www.quinny.com.

At first I wasn’t very enthusiastic about JJ Cole’s Bundle Me. My friend raved and raved about it, but I wasn’t sure it was for me. After receiving one as a shower gift, however, I decided to try it out. I ended up loving it. My daughter was born in December and this carrier cover was a lifesaver! The shearling lining is extremely soft. The cover attaches to a car seat without interfering with the operations of the seat’s harness. It can also be attached to a stroller. One of my favorite things about the Bundle Me is that it stays put. You don’t have it worry about losing your little one’s blanket in a snow drift or under the wheels of your stroller. I was so happy with this product that I have now bought several as shower gifts for friends. I loaned mine to my sister, but I will definitely be reclaiming it before my new baby arrives. Celebrity parents have also been impressed with this product. It was even featured on the Martha Stewart Show. You can buy the original Bundle Me for $39.95 at bundleme.com. A lighter weight version for warmer weather is also available, as is a larger toddler size.