First of all, I'd like to welcome my friend Lauren to pregnant-hood! 25 years ago... our mom's were great friends, living next door to one another, both pregnant with baby girls. And now their baby girls are both pregnant at the same time. Its funny how life works out that way. But please say a prayer for Lauren. She is 10 weeks pregnant, and has had very little relief from her 'all-day' sickness. Hopefully as she near the end of her first trimester things will level out so that she can focus on enjoying her pregnancy.
Secondly, let me tell you how much I hate my Pre-natal Cradle Mini Cradle. That is the brand my midwife recommended. Apparently she has never tried one on. I was not happy with it, at all. It was basically a thick strip of elastic with hooks. It offered no support, was uncomfortable, and pushed on my belly in weird places. So while I was running baby related errands with my friend Kendra today, I looked at what Babies R Us had to offer. I settled on the Madela belly band thingy. I tried it on as soon as I got home, and feel much better about this one. We'll see how it works wearing it for more than five minutes, but it definitely seems more supportive and comfortable than the other one. Hopefully it'll help with my current pelvis problems. Last night was a rough night. And after running errands with Kendra for about five hours... I was quite sore!
Lastly, I'd like to share the stroller I have selected for Baby M. For years really, I have been working on finding the perfect stroller. And let me tell you, its not easy. I am finding I'm more a minimalist. I'm not big on gadgets and accessories and toys with lights and batteries. I like simple things, and doing things in a way that I find natural and functional. That's just me. So I have decided not to use an infant car seat carrier. I understand why people like them and use them, but I have my own reasons why we have chosen not to use one. And because we are not using an infant car seat carrier we will not be needing a 'travel system,' just a car seat (which we already have a convertible one for 5-50lbs) and a stroller.
In my search for a perfect stroller, I evaluated our needs and purpose. And I only intend on buying one stroller. Many people end up with one of those BIG full size strollers... then six months later end up getting a smaller, lighter stroller to get them through toddlerhood. Considering our largest car is not that big... I decided to skip the big, expensive full size stroller, and search for the perfect smaller, lighter stroller that will get us from infant through toddlerhood.
Here is what I came up with. The Chicco Liteway Stroller. First I did my online research reading reviews from a variety of sites. I was pretty certain this was the one. Today, I finally got to test drive the Chicco Liteway at Babies R Us. And it is the perfect stroller for us. Here is why:
*It is sturdy, solid, and smooth * It is easy to open and close * It is light and compact * The seat has multiple reclining positions, including flat for an infant. * Accommodates children weighing 1-40 lbs * The foot rest has multiple positions, including straight up to enclose a flat laying infant * It has a three and five point harness system * The seat and siding seems very comfortable and cozy * It has nice, high handle bars * A nice big canopy with a peak a boo window * A basket underneath to hold the basics *
Sure... it doesn't have a big basket, it doesn't have a cup holder for the baby, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles. But as I said before, I like simple and functional. I will be able to use this for trips to the zoo or park, for traveling, or for walks around the neighborhood. In almost 25 years, Nathan and I have yet to show our selves as runners, and I don't see us doing a lot of off roading. If that changes... we'll look into getting a more rugged stroller. But until then... I'm confident this stroller will meet our needs and serve Baby M well.
At the risk of making this post too long... I'm also going to mention a swing that I think I have fallen in love with. I say think because I have not seen one in person. BUT this swing once again goes along with my philosophy of simple and functional. See it here. It is the Arm's Reach Beautiful Sleeper Cocoon Sleeper. There's no music, no 'nature' sounds, no engine. It is simply a swing. It moves in a more gentle, natural motion. And notice how cozy! Most of the reviews that did not rave about this swing, stated that their baby just didn't take to it, which is the case with standard swings. I'm willing to give it a shot considering I have yet to be impressed by any of the standard swings on the market.
Hey Kelly! I'm totally with you on avoiding too much stuff because man oh man does it pile up. And I don't want to be one of those people who is always recommending stuff, but you might check out this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2266236&camp=PPC%3A281591622
It's small, inexpensive, and not cumbersome but it will let you use your car seat (if it's a Graco) in a stroller. It might not matter, but Molly has wanted to be able to sit up (leaning against something of course!) and be able to look around since she was 4 or 5 weeks, so if Baby M's like that, this might be a helpful option.
Hope your pelvis stops hurting soon!
Kelly, I bought one of those belly band-type things for my daughter when she was pregnant. Actually, I'd forgotten about it (he's almost 12 now!), but it really helped her, too. I can't remember for sure, but I think she was able to quit wearing it after awhile. I'll have to ask her again. Also, I think you are SOOOO wise not to go with one of those big strollers. I bought THREE of those "bells & whistles" (1 for each of our kids when they were expecting) because they all thought that's what they wanted (despite warnings)...just as you said, they ended up going smaller. When the boys (we have 4 grandsons) were little, we kept a stroller, bouncy seat, highchair, pack-n-play, size-appropriate carseat(s) and a toddler bed at our house. It was just easier than hauling..and with the carseats we were always ready to go! Good thing you've had the Nanny experience...bet it's really helping now and in the future. All 3 of you continue to be remembered in my prayers. God bless -
ReplyDeleteOkay.....so your choices make total sense...I just have a question about the carseat. Is it not a carrier? The one wonderful thing about travel systems is that the carriers are delightful and make it soooo easy to take baby to a restaurant or anywhere. Both of our boys have slept through all kinds of things in their carrier (including a wedding once). I just rocked it with my foot. And honestly, Owen slept at night in his quite a bit when sniffly because I could set the whole thing in his crib and it kept his airway open better than lying flat. And if we were out driving and got home and he was asleep....we could just bring him in and put him in a quiet place and the nap continues. Just thoughts. I can see avoiding a travel system, but carriers are something I could not live without!
ReplyDeletelove the stroller choice
ReplyDeleteI babysat for friends that had a similar one
it worked well, and was good for transport