How to Choose the Perfect Baby Stroller

About 4 months into my wife's pregnancy, we started thinking about all the things we needed to purchase for the baby. One of the first things we shopped for was the stroller. But when we first stepped into the local Babies R Us store, we were immediately overwhelmed by all the different types of strollers! How should we choose a stroller? What should we look for in a stroller? Are there safety issues to consider? We basically ended up leaving the store more confused than when we entered. We just hadn't realized that shopping for a stroller is almost like shopping for a car. I mean... they have European brands, U.S. brands, and even model grades like EX or DX! (Although I will admit that it was kind of fun researching and "test driving" the strollers...I think I had more fun than my wife).

And just like buying a car, there were a lot of things to consider. And we wanted to make sure we purchased a stroller that suited our lifestyle and made sense for our baby. So here are some of the things we took into consideration as we shopped for our first stroller.

Safety is always the first thing to think about when purchasing anything for the baby. For the most part, I think stroller safety has more to do with how you USE the stroller rather than stroller features. But there are some things to look for. For instance, is the stroller stable, and does it feel sturdy? Does it have brakes so you can load the groceries into the car without worrying about the stroller rolling down the parking lot? Also check the balance...meaning, will it topple over if you hang a diaper bag on the handle? Good strollers also come with a 5-point harness to keep baby in place.

Price is obviously a big issue too. We were completely shocked at how expensive some strollers are...especially the European ones! They do have cool features and all, but wow! I don't know if being able to spin my child around while seated is worth several hundred dollars more! There are plenty of good strollers in all prices ranges. Just shop around to see what suits your lifestyle AND budget.

Size and weight. I know plenty of friends who got strollers because of the "look and feel" or the brand name, and they ended up struggling with a bulky and heavy piece of equipment that they could barely stuff into their trunk. We don't have a mini van (at least not yet) so we needed one that would fit easily into our car. Also, my wife is petite so we wanted to get an easy to fold and lightweight stroller. Maybe you have a large vehicle and don't care so much about lifting a 35 pound stroller every time you take your baby out. But I would encourage you to consider this carefully!

Convenience features. Much like a car, strollers come with convenience features for the "driver." For example, you might want a large basket underneath for storage. My wife really wanted a cup holder, because she carries around a water bottle all the time. Just remember, there are trade offs. If the stroller has a huge basket, it may not fold up as small as you want or it may be heavier. There are also convenience features for the baby. Some strollers don't have back supports that fold down all the way. I've heard parents complain that their babies can't sleep if the back support doesn't fold down. Also look at the canopy to see how much shade will be provided for your baby. Some strollers don't provide much shade (this could even be a safety issue depending on how you feel about too much sun exposure for your baby).

I'm sure there are other things you can consider as well, like jogging strollers and two-seaters. But these are the major issues my wife and I thought about when choosing our stroller.

Do you have any other suggestion on how to compare strollers? Please add your comments.