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3/29/2012

Cars Seats and Strollers and High Chairs, Oh My!


When it comes to major purchases for a baby, there are about a million things to consider. After you have done your research on safety and quality, you then have to decide style and price. But there are a couple things that you might not think about when it comes to those purchases, especially if you are a first-time parent. I am going to let you in on three tips to consider when shopping for Car Seats, Strollers, and High Chairs. You may or may not realize that infants spend a lot more time in their car seats than they do in the actual car. Even if you don't opt for the travel system, you will be carrying them around almost everywhere in the carrier. Before you purchase your car seat, go to a store where you can actually lift the carriers. There are two major types of carrier handles. One goes straight across the seat.


And one has a 90-degree turn.


They make a difference on how you will carry them and your baby as it grows from a cute little 7-pound newborn to a 20-pound butterlump. I have carried all three of my kids with the car seat on my forearm, resting against my hip. The straight handle works a thousand times better for this.


So the moral of the story is you will be carrying around a lot of weight in that car seat, so make sure you get one that you can carry comfortably. Try them out before you plunk down the money for a travel system.

Speaking of a travel system, there are even more features to take into consideration for a stroller. Again I recommend going to a store where they will let you test a stroller out. Push it around and check the turning radius and DEFINITELY try collapsing the stroller. It can be a lot harder than you think. I also highly recommend cup holders and storage under the stroller.

Last but not least, when looking for a high chair, make sure you consider a space-saving-style high chair that straps to one of your regular kitchen chairs. It gives you all of the benefits of a regular high chair, but it is also portable, easily stored away, and typically less than half the price of a traditional high chair.


And without a doubt you want a chair with a completely removable tray for easy cleaning. One that is dishwasher safe will make your life very happy.



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5 comments:

Julie, RN said...

The part about trying out carriers is right on....Those things get really heavy as baby gets bigger!
Also, as a NICU RN, I can tell you that not all baby products are created equal....do your research and shop the products. More $$ doesn't always mean better quality. And, save your receipts...no one plans on a preemie, but it happens and you may need a smaller carseat to go home (and they are pricey)!

chksngr said...

I used one of those highchairs for both my boys...in fact, my 2 year old STILL sits in it for his meals...he likes it and its an easy clean up, portable, can be put away when we have company over for an adult dinner and it was FAR less expensive...

Sherron said...

I purchased that kind of high chair when we had our first baby because we lived in an apartment with a very small dining area. The traditional high chairs took up too much floor space. The smaller one is easier to store and it has been great to pull out when I have friends over who have babies.

About the car seats, once the baby is a bit heavier, it was too much for me to hold them in the car seat, so I rarely carried them around in the seat, I used a sling and it was easier for me.

anky said...

Thats a very nice Blog which describe cars seats and strollers and high chairs.This cradle is hygienic and healthful for a baby.But in my opinion a baby strollers is healthy requirement for a growing baby and it must provide a healthy sleep and nice seating for your loving baby.

Omgirl said...

Great tips! I should add, though, that the dishwasher safe tray is only good if it's a 2-piece tray. I don't know about you, but I feed my baby way more often (4-5x a day) than I run my dishwasher (1x a day). So unless there is another tray underneath, you'll have no tray until you run the dishes.