Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

so, we need to pick out our stroller. we are going back and forth on two...but I figured to try this experiment.

I am going to describe my life to you, and then you tell me what you would get if you were me. my head is just spinning right now...this might help me.

ok, so typically during the week, I live in a very active, very accessible, very walkable nabe in Brooklyn. I walk to the supermarket, to most restaurants and stores etc. beside going to and from work, I rarely take the train...and we don't really drive all that much. my MIL will be caring for Newton and walking or taking the bus to get our nieces from school every day, so she would probably get the most use out of the stroller. she is an ACTIVE 76-year-old, but has been struggling with knee pain and inflammation. (I am trying to get her to not have to walk at all...but for purposes of this experiment, I'd like to keep that in mind). MIL is our childcare, so I don't mind spending $$ on what she needs to make her life easier. so, we are basically walking.

on the weekends, we are UPSTATE in our house. similarly to most places on LI, we have to drive to stores and such. we shop at the mall sometimes, and woodbury commons most times. besides walking for exercise (which I would use the jogger) I wouldn't be doing much walking without driving to the destination first, kwim?

I am also a lover of the baby carriers, and see myself really trying to use that more than a stroller when it's possible.

so, with these facts in mind, what stroller would you get?

if it helps, we are looking at the Peg Perego Skate (with the Viaggio car seat) and the Inglesina Zippy (with the corresponding car seat)

I am really wondering if getting a Snap and Go will work out better for us upstate, and having a lighweight stroller will work out better for us in Brooklyn...the stroller needs to be good enough for the nean streets of Brooklyn, and also light enough to not give my MIL any problems (I don't see her using the baby carrier at all).

anyway, if you've peeked this far into my life, thank you. and if you are going to advise me...thank you a lot.

I think I am overthinking this...which I have a tendency to do when I am desperate to get things "right". especially when it comes to allocating funds correctly.....I will stop talking now.

thank you for your time.

ETA: b/c of course i forgot that important detail...our Brooklyn apt is on the first floor, with four steps from the ground level to our door once inside the buidling. thank you!

further ETA: is it a waste of money to purchase a carry cot for a stroller if I already have a snap and go?

Message edited 9/4/2009 10:53:04 AM.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

Whatever large stroller you get is really up to what you like
BUT
you will thank me in the future for recommending the snap n go.
This is EXACTLY what your MIL will need. You dont want her lugging a whole carriage...its really a PITA.
76 and taking care of a newborn...God bless her

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

I would get the snap and go for upstate-However, that could be a short team thing for you.

We used ours for a year since DD stayed in her infant car seat that long but many people retire the infant car seat much earlier, so you might only get 6 or 8 months out of the snap and go. At least it is cheap and will buy you some time to figure out what will work for you.

As for what will work in Brooklyn. I would focus on lightweight-I assume she will need to take it upstairs? Unfortunately, I have no experience with the two you posted and my own stroller (the Metrolite) is good, but kind of bulky.

She could get away with the snap and go, but the suspension on it is nill and if she is walking a lot it may be a bumpy ride for your little one.

Message edited 9/4/2009 10:45:44 AM.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

This was my life (sounds similiar) and this is what we did:

Brooklyn streets with lots of walking--I LOVE my Bugaboo

We also have a Maclaren for our trips upstate and to LI

Def buy a snap and go. We used it constantly with both DS's for an easy transition from the car seat to the snap n go

This worked well for us for 2 years!! Now we have a double stroller as well

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

Keeping in mind my info is dated.

I would get a snap & go for upstate. You're going to have the infant carrier initially to drive up there & it's a godsend when you're running in & out of stores. Down the line, I'd get something along the lines of a Peg Perego or Combi which is easy to open & folds compactly.

I don't believe the jogger can be used in early infancy but could see you wanting it later on.

For Brooklyn, I would get the lightest weight, yet sturdy stroller. The snap & go will probably not work for your MIL here. First, you are carrying the baby in the car seat down plus the frame downstairs (assuming there are stairs somewhere in your building). I know my friend loves the Combi, but city moms usually love their McClarens & Bugaboos.

If it were me, I'd get one stroller (which can be used in Brooklyn & upstate), one snap & go (because they are GREAT if you have a sleeping infant & worth it for the months they are in the infant car seat). Also in terms of the one stroller, I'd opt for one with thicker wheels with threads for the winter months when she's picking up the kids at school.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

thanks ladies. I did forget about my apt. we are on the first floor. once you are in the building, there are about four steps from the landing up to our apt door.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

I would get a snap and go for upstate as well.

I am going to throw another one at you. We had the snugride and a Metrolite stroller and we LOVED it. My parents live on the UES and they used the Metrolite all the time on buses, subways, etc.

Out of the two you said, having seen the Zippy, I'd get that one.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

Honestly, for Brooklyn I would get two strollers. One comfortable one (I love my Bugaboo for the streets of Queens, which I sometimes need to push with one hand (especially when I'm out running errands and its raining)) and a super light stroller for your MIL when she needs to take the bus...or maybe she can just avoid using a stroller when she is going to pick up your nieces from school and use the strap-on carrier. It would be too much for the poor thing to have to carry a stroller and a baby on the bus...heck its hard for me when I have to take a bus with my son. Seriously, city buses are the most uncomfortable buses! Think about it!

ETA: For upstate I would get the snap-n-go. If you get the Bugaboo, all you need is the special adapters for the infant carseat/carrier.

Message edited 9/4/2009 11:46:44 AM.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

City: Bugaboo or Jogger type stoller. Especially after reading you don't need to put it in and out of the car and you don't have 3 stories to go up.

I would bring the bugaboo Upstate also.

I personally like joggers but with a front swivel wheel.

The advantage of the bugaboo (or something similar) is that it can accomodate very young baby with a carrycot. I love carrycot. They are great if you take a baby out in the City.

I was never a fan of the snap and go. Mostly because I did not want so many strollers. Place is limited at my house.

Also, what will you be doing upstate? Are we talking walking on dirt roads?

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

i would get a snap n go and then get a lightweight stroller for your mother in law sounds like the best solution. your not really going to need a big cadillac type of stroller.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

1. you are very lucky to have a 1st floor apt. I lug my baby and all of her stuff up three flights of stairs!

2. We live in the same nabe and I LOVE my Maclaren Quest. From Months 1-6, I loved the Snap and Go.

3. I bought a used Bug Cameleon b/c I go to the beach a lot.

4. I think the Skate is pretty heavy. Not sure though.

Living on the 1st floor makes a huge difference in your choice. I leave my Bug in the car. i would never lug that thing up and down stairs.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

My friend lives in Manhattan and has been using the City Mini since her daughter was a newborn and absolutely loves it.
Are you looking for two strollers - one to keep upstate and one to keep in Brooklyn? Or are you going to take it back and forth with you?
They City mini has an adapter for the infant carrier - like a snap-n-go. This would work for you if you were planning on bringing the stroller back and forth.

I know you didn't ask for recs on a carrier, but I highly recommend the ErgoBaby carrier. Love it!

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

We have the Peg Perego Skate and LOVE IT! We live upstate (New Paltz) and are in and out of restaurants with it, it drives great, DD loves it, and when there is a little rockier terrain she is still pretty stable. It is extremely easy to push which was the biggest pro for us and with the adjustable height handle bar both DH and I can use it easily.

We are using the car seat with it and it's great, just snaps right in.

We did so much research on this and were really happy with our decision.

Cons: It is HEAVY, but if you are primarily in a car like me it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

I would say you could use a Baby Jogger City Mini. I LOVE ours--it's perfect for bumpy sidewalks, long walks, lightweight, and folds up very easily (I have arthritic hands, wrists, knees, feet, so this was important to me). The only minus--it really doesn't fit a newborn well, although I think some have used an insert of some kind? We bought ours for DS at 6 months, and at the time, that was the recommended age for it. Things may have changed though. Before that I used the Snap n Go, which is really good for easy transportation of sleeping baby, but it doesn't handle bumps or slightly rough terrain well at all. The Snap n Go has a great basket on the bottom too if you are shopping in the city.

The Baby Jogger has an okay basket, not huge but bigger than many I saw. The Pereggos I looked at had baskets, but there was a weird metal bar that made it difficult to put anything in and take it out. But I didn't see the Skate, maybe it's a new model? It may be different.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

Posted by PrincessP

Whatever large stroller you get is really up to what you like
BUT
you will thank me in the future for recommending the snap n go.
This is EXACTLY what your MIL will need. You dont want her lugging a whole carriage...its really a PITA.
76 and taking care of a newborn...God bless her

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

thank you all so much!!!!

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

I was so glad I had my snap and go! I wish I could still use it It's so easy and light for elders! My inlaws are 70 and they liked the snap and go. Then I had the Britax vigour, I loved the ride but it was soooooooooo heavy and I had to struggle to get it into my truck. so my mom bought me a graco metro lite, it's not fancy BUT it handles well, it wasn't too pricey, and it's nice and light , easy for me to toss in the truck or drag into my apt which has 2 steps (i'm on the first floor as well)

I bought the baby bjorn and My back was just too sore, baby grew much faster than I could handle (was born at 5th Percentile , grew to 95%) so I returned it.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

Jessica, we live in the 'burbs, and also about 20 minutes from downtown Philly so we spend a lot of time in the city as well. Coming out of surgery (c-section) I couldn't lift the Metrolite easily, so I bought the snap n' go, and LOVE IT. I use it EVERYWHERE with Yael, and rarely, if never, use the Metrolite. I stroll her around the city in it, and use it out in the 'burbs when I'm shopping. Even took it with us for this week in the Hamptons.

No matter what you do, I highly suggest getting the snap n' go. It's a godsend.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

I walked everywhere when DS was a newborn b/c we lived in NYC. Now that we live in LI I still walk everywhere. I consider my Bugaboo Cameleon one of the best purchases I ever made - I've never found a smoother easier ride - no matter what the terrain, the weather, etc. It's great for shopping b/c there is space underneath and it is sturdy enough that I hang things on the side too. It goes over bumps, ice, snow, through leaves etc. without DS feeling a thing. The bassinet attachment for when DC is under 4 months is amazing - the way it is designed it keeps out the cold and the wind and everything - DS spent most of his naps in here while I walked in even in February. It's big and soft and like traveling in a bassinet.

It is cumbersome however, once you know how to detach and reattach it and get into a routine it is totally fine. In fact, I use it as my only stroller even though I have another one (peg perego) b/c I love it that much. The only time it is becoming a bit too much is now that I am 21 wks pg with #2 - I am thinking I might need something lighter for in and out of the car.

I wish they made a double stroller! Anyway, so to answer your question, as long as your MIL does not have to put the stroller in and out of the car - If I had your life - this would be my choice

Message edited 9/5/2009 11:57:19 AM.

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

update!

thanks everyone.

well, we went shopping this weekend, and for the time being, we AT LEAST have a car seat and the Maclaren Easy Traveller (similar to the snap and go).

I figured, we NEED the car seat and we NEED to be able to get around with the kid...and since we STILL could not find a stroller we really liked (we are probably opting against the Skate and are having trouble finding a place to see the Inglesina Zippy...BBB only has the Swift) at least this takes off some pressure.

thank you all for your help and input. I really appreciate it. and I DEFINITELY see the bene's of the snap and go type thing now!!!!

Re: Can we play "if you were me and this was your life" please?

If this helps at all, one of my close friends lives in Forest Hills, walks everywhere and loves her Zippy.

You could totally get away with the snap and go for months in Bklyn and upstate! If I had to do it over again, I would have waited to buy my "real" stroller until I really knew how much I was going to use it.