How to choose a stroller, many future parents begin to think during pregnancy. When the baby is born, mother will no longer have trips to shops and markets, so it is better to make a choice in advance, carefully considering the different models and comparing their characteristics. What should be the pram? First of all, comfortable, stable, maneuverable and, of course, beautiful! And in order to understand how to choose a stroller for a child, it is necessary to determine a number of requirements put forward for her, read reviews of various models on the Internet, ask friends of young parents (after all, who, if not them, should know all the minuses and advantages of their strollers).
How to choose a stroller for a newborn
First, you need to think about whether the weight of the stroller matters to you. If, for example, you live in a private house or on the first floor of a multi-storey building, or you have the opportunity not to lift the stroller into the apartment (leave it in the garage, pantry), then you don’t have to think about the weight of the baby crew. Also, you are unlimited in choice if you have an assistant who is ready at any time to take out and bring the stroller (for example, a husband or other family member working at home) or if you live in a house with an elevator (although there are also difficulties there, because elevators tend to break at the wrong time). In other cases, you should choose the most lightweight models, as well as strollers that can "walk" up the stairs. If you have an elevator in your house, be sure to measure its width and length, because not all children's vehicles are placed in it.
Secondly, wheelchairs are of great importance. Some models are equipped with small wheels (most often double), which provide good maneuverability, but they can only be rolled along perfectly flat tracks. As a rule, such wheels stand on wheelchairs of well-known European manufacturers, and they are not oriented to roads with pits, bumps and bumps, and also not to winter with snowdrifts and ice. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the likely routes of your walks (it is one thing if you just walk along the alleys of the park, and another if you need to combine a walk with a trip to the market, to the post office, to the bank). You also need to consider the duration of operation - if your child was born in the spring, then you can buy a light and maneuverable cradle on small wheels, and by winter buy a full stroller with large wheels. In general, when deciding how to choose a stroller, keep in mind that for our conditions, strollers with large wheels (with a diameter of 30 cm or more) are best suited, which easily overcome various obstacles, drive through snow, sand and off-road. Inflatable wheels provide good maneuverability and cushioning (the child will not be shaken on bumps), but they have one drawback - they are easy to pierce, and at the same time get into a situation where it is impossible to carry a stroller, and it is still very far from home. Although if you do not plan to make long march-throws with a stroller, then inflatable wheels are not the worst option. Cast wheels have a one-piece design, so they are not afraid of punctures and damage, but a stroller with such wheels has a less smooth ride. Wheels that rotate around its axis will make the stroller much more maneuverable, but it can be inconvenient to ride curbs and walk along very rough terrain with them.
Third, decide which handle should be in your stroller. Most often, models for newborns have a one-piece handle, which allows you to easily control a children's vehicle with even one hand. Although some strollers are equipped with double handles, making the stroller more maneuverable. It is better to give preference to models with a height-adjustable handle, because such a stroller will be conveniently rolled for everyone regardless of height - mom, dad, grandparents and even a younger brother or sister.
Fourth, before choosing a stroller, pay attention to accessories that at first glance are not necessary, but make walking with your baby very easy. This is a mosquito net, a raincoat, a bag (backpack) on the handle, a shopping basket, the ability to unfasten the top layer from the hood and canopy to get the summer version and many other useful things that make walking much more enjoyable.
Types of prams suitable for newborns :
- classic cradles resembling strollers, in which at one time current mothers and fathers rode. Their distinguishing features are a spacious basket with a high base, flat bottom and high sides. Most often, these strollers have large wheels and are characterized by a smooth ride. "Classic" is suitable for babies from birth to 6-10 months (depending on the size, growth of the crumbs and its nature, since not every peanut at the age of 8-9 months agrees to lie in a cradle). The interior upholstery of such strollers is often made of cotton.
- 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 models, in which a cradle for newborns or a walking block can be installed on one chassis (and a 3-in-1 model also has a baby car seat). Such strollers will serve the child from birth to 2-3 years. They combine all the advantages of classic strollers, coupled with great functionality.
- transformers that can take any position from “lying down” to “sitting” and are suitable for babies from birth to the moment the stroller remains relevant (up to 2-3 years). These strollers most often have a flip handle, which allows you to rotate the child both face in the direction of travel and facing the mother, which is very convenient. In addition, these strollers are reliable and stable. However, transformers also have disadvantages - a lot of weight (although you can find relatively light models) and poor maneuverability. For such strollers it is very advisable to use a special carrying cradle with a hard bottom or a hard mattress, because in the prone position their bottom does not have a perfectly flat surface, which is very important for babies in their first months of life.
Most of the strollers on the market for children's vehicles are manufactured in Poland, Italy, Germany and China (although you can also find American, English, Swedish, Korean, Japanese and Russian models). Of course, in terms of quality, reliability and thoughtfulness of all details, Polish and Chinese strollers lose to Italian and German, but they are more affordable. In addition, many Polish manufacturers offer a wide variety of models that are ideal for our not always smooth roads and harsh weather conditions, which is why Polish strollers for newborns are loved by many parents. The most famous manufacturers of baby strollers are: Taco, Anmar, Baby Design, Koneko, Roan, Kiteks (Poland), Peg-Perego, Cicco, Inglesina (Italy), Hauk, Graco, Geobi (Goodbeby), Capella.