A stroller is the first thing that comes to mind when you find out that you are expecting a baby. It will either be your best friend or your worst enemy if the stroller you choose is not right for you. Do not buy a stroller just because it is on sale, your friend has one or you like the color; buy it to suit your own lifestyle.
Below are 10 of the most important features that often missed by first time stroller purchasers:
- Warranty-It is important to check the warranty on the stroller since you are planning to keep it for a long time. Strollers also get a lot of wear and tear so having a stroller that you will be able to get replacement parts is a must.
- Customer Service-having a good customer service that you can have access to if needed. Make sure they have Canadian offices otherwise you will be having a hard time getting replacement parts if needed.
- Performance for your life style-do not buy a stroller for jogging if you never jog. Do not buy a stroller because it is what everyone has. You need to have a stroller that fits your needs and lifestyle as a family. Think about what you like to do and planning to do once your child arrives and look for features that will support that.
- Car Trunk Size-the size of a folded stroller is critical. If you have a sedan or a car with a small trunk, you really need to measure how big the stroller will be once it is closed. There are 2 types of strollers: that fold with the seat and those that require the seat to be taken off. If you need to take the seat off; you will need to know both measurements.
- Washable-most parts of the stroller should be washable and quick to dry. You will be washing it a few times per month for the first year. The parts should be easily put on and off since you do not want to spend hours taking them on and off.
- Max size of child it supports-if big kids run in your family you really need to consider the actual size the stroller can support. Do not look at the years but the actual weight and height. If the instructions says age 4 but your child might be well above the maximum height, the age will not be important.
- Does the seat face both ways-having the seat being able to turn back and front is very important. When the child is small, you will want them facing you so that you can monitor their every movement. Once the child gets bigger that will want to look at the surrounding and no longer will want to face you.
- Easy to get Parts-hopefully your stroller will not brake but realistically given how much abuse it takes you will need replacement parts. Read reviews and forums to see what the experience of other owners was. Also there has to be an easy way on the brand website to order parts.
- Basket Size under the seat-make sure it is big enough and also can be cleaned easily. Basket size will become very important especially on long outings, when you need to bring along all kinds of stuff. Ease of cleaning is also important as it will collect dust and food.
- Cup Holder-important to hold your child cup or even your own drink-having the ability to have a place to hold drinks is very useful in order to be able to have free hands to do other things with your child.
Girls friendly bonus:
Choose accssseroies that could make a stroller more a girly
