A stroller is your baby’s first set of wheels. It provides mobility for them while being under your control. Neat, huh? It means you don’t have to lug your child around and have one or both arms out of action for other necessary activities such as shopping, eating and generally being a normal two-armed human being.
The freedom you gain from using a stroller, however, can be negated by the safety hazards to be mindful of. Considering how long you’ll be using it, isn’t it best to buy one that has all the safety features in place from the start?
Comfort is important
Fundamentally, what you need is a stroller that is comfortable for your child while being practical for the whole family. Your child has to fit in it without a struggle, and the stroller has to fit in the car without taking up the entire trunk. After all, what good is shopping if you can’t carry your treasures home with you?
Safety and cleanliness
It also needs to be safe and easily cleaned. Getting little fingers – or your own – jammed in the mechanisms is guaranteed to bring misery so look for a stroller whose construction is approved by the safety authorities. Ideally, you would pick one which features fabric, padding and netting (if it has it) can be easily removed for cleaning. Or, it should be wipe-clean.
A safety harness or seat belt is an absolute must. Those little tikes often want to take matters into their own hands and jump out and before you know it, you’re minus one adorable child. Strolling down hills can also be a slight problem if your youngster is adventurous and likes to hang over the front. Grazed knees and noses are not just the domain of falls from running.
Brakes are a no-brainer. If your stroller doesn’t have brakes, it’s not worth owning. Even on the slightest slope you should apply the brakes because children tend to move of their own volition.
Examine closely
Look out for sharp edges, loose connections, smothering risks, strangulation risks and brake sturdiness before buying a stroller. Run your hands all over it, turn it upside down, roll it around with your child in it and try assembling and dismantling it. If any of these things present problems, it’s not the stroller for you and your family.
Price is not always a good indicator of quality and safety though it should be your last consideration. Find the right stroller for your requirements, make sure that it meets the exacting standards you have for your family and then check the price tag. Happy strolling!