Choosing the right stroller for your baby starts with you.

One of the more frequent questions we get at our store is how to choose the best stroller. When first time parents look at the number of brands and model choices available, it can be confusing and stressful. But it doesn’t have to be if you keep some basic ideas in mind regarding your geographic location, your lifestyle, and your current and future needs.

Where do you live?
For families that live in the city, choosing the right stroller may actually mean choosing more than one stroller. Urban life usually means more walking, so a good heavy duty walking stroller may be your best option. But if you regularly use the subway or bus, a compact, lightweight umbrella stroller may be a good choice for those occasions. But you need to keep in mind that while umbrella strollers are convenient, they may cramp your infant, especially when they are dressed in bulky clothes. And because they don’t have a suspension system or much support, the ride is usually not very comfortable for your child, so you will probably want a second, more traditional stroller for longer walks around the block and in the park.

In the suburbs, a good walking stroller is also important, but another key consideration will be what kind of car that you drive. Suburban life for most young families involves a lot of short duration car trips – to the grocery, to the mall, to church, to grandparents. And that means a lot of folding and storing the stroller, and getting it in and out of the car. In this situation, you will need a stroller that will fold easily and compactly so that you can get other necessities in the trunk.

Suburban parents can generally select a stroller with more features, such as a storage basket, a canopy for sun and rain cover, and a snack tray with cup holders, but keep in mind how much it weighs. This is especially important if you drive a sedan instead of an SUV or minivan. Many of our strollers offer a two-step, one-hand release for easy folding to fit neatly in your car trunk. Your baby’s age may also play an important role in stroller selection. For example, you may elect a combo stroller that allows you to use a bassinet or infant care seat for newborns and a stroller seat attachment as your child gets older and can sit up on its own.

If you live in the country, you might need a stroller that can handle rougher terrain, so a stroller with larger air-filled tires and a good suspension becomes an important consideration. We offer all-terrain strollers that let you push your child on a variety of surfaces, from uneven sidewalks to gravel drives to unpaved roads and other off-road terrain.

Let your lifestyle be your guide.
For most families, a traditional four-wheel stroller with the features you need is a good choice. But how active you are, and how often you plan to use the stroller become an important part of your decision criteria. The more active you are, the more you should consider things like suspension, wheels, and extra features for convenience.

If you’re a runner or like to go on brisk walks, you might choose a three-wheel jogging stroller or heavy-duty walking stroller. Jogging strollers come with hand brakes, non-swivel or lockable front wheel, and larger, air-filled tires. In this case, the larger tires make it easier for the person who’s pushing, and the air in the tires helps provide as smoother ride for your infant. A longer, high handlebar provides more space for your legs and feet to avoid bumping into the stroller’s frame.

If you do jog or like to take brisk walks, you should always use a wrist strap attached to your wrist to keep the stroller from getting away from you if you fall or trip. And please keep in mind that most manufacturers suggest that a child should be 8 weeks or older and have some head support to withstand the potentially jarring ride.

What is your family like today, and what will it be like tomorrow?
Do you want a stroller made specifically for an infant or for a toddler? Do you plan to have more children? How soon? These are some of the questions we ask in order to help you make a best decision for your family.

A seat-carrier frame can be a good choice for newborns because they can’t sit up without support and thus can’t ride in a standard stroller. These lightweight frames have no seat of their own; you simply attach the infant car seat when strolling. But remember that the frame cannot be used as a stroller once your child outgrows the infant care seat. Other options for newborns are combo strollers and travel systems. These options are a combination carriage and stroller, and allow a bassinet or infant car seat to be snapped into the stroller until your baby can sit up. They can help you to comfortably move a sleeping baby without disturbing them. After your baby can sit up on its own, you can use the stroller without the bassinet or car seat.

If you plan on having more children, you may want to consider a tandem stroller that can be adapted with additional seating. Tandem strollers differ from side-by-side strollers as they have one seat directly behind the other, and are the same width as a single-passenger model. This allows them to more easily fit through doors and store aisles. But there are some cons to consider, as tandem models can be tricky to steer and maneuver over curbs and are often quite heavy.

Other considerations.
Who will be pushing the stroller? If the person who will be doing most of the pushing is above or below average height, you’ll want to pay attention to the height of the handlebars. Some strollers have adjustable handlebars, and you can buy attachments for others.

Where will you store it? If space is tight, either in the trunk or in the home, a more compact model is essential.

What special features are you looking for? Rain covers? Cup holders? Extra storage pockets? There are lots of choices to consider.

How much do you want to spend? Many parents are tempted to just buy the cheapest model that will fit their needs, but then regret it when the stroller breaks after just a few months of use. On the other hand, we don’t want you to spend a lot of money on a stroller and end up hating it because it’s not what you need after all. We try hard to understand your needs by asking these and other questions, and then encourage you to try the stroller out in the store before purchasing.

Our goal in everything we do is to work with you to make the right choice for your personal situation.

We wouldn’t want it to be any other way!

Telling your boss you're pregnant: 5 things you need to know

When surfing the web, I ran across an interesting article that offers good practical advice on how a working mom should tell your boss that she is pregnant. I'm sure this can be a very stressful situation for both parties, so I have included it in our blog in hopes that it will help our readers who are facing this situation.

Here is a short recap of that article:

1. Do your research and know your rights. As soon as you can, either before you get pregnant or soon after, research your employer's health plan and parental leave policy. You can do this by reading your contract or talking to someone in human resources, your company's personnel department or your union. Find out specifically what paid and unpaid leave you are eligible for.

2. Talk to your doctor. It is useful to check with your doctor about when to make the announcement. Many people like to wait through the first trimester before they start telling family and friends. Your doctor may also have an opinion about how much time you should take off from work before and after giving birth, depending on your health.

3. Think about the kind of maternity or paternity leave you might like to take. It is very difficult to imagine what life with a new baby will be like. Many people imagine that they will feel much the same as they do now about working, child care and spending time with baby. However, lots of people find their feelings change considerably once they become parents

4. Analyze your finances. In order to give yourself as many options as possible, it is useful to think about your income, budget and expenditures. Imagine whether it would be possible to alter your lifestyle so that you could go without your income for several months -- or several years. Consider ways you might be able to reduce your income and increase your time at home by working part-time.

5. Arrange a comfortable time to talk with your boss. Once you are informed about your company's policy and have thought about how much time you might want to take off, make an appointment to talk to your boss. Depending on your relationship with your boss and your company's policy, you may choose to write your boss a letter rather than talk to her in person. As well as telling your boss about your request for leave, it is also useful to discuss your long-term interest in working in the company. Some employers may be willing to give a generous maternity leave if they value you and feel like you are committed to your job.

The full story can be found at http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/pwork/0,,p94p,00.html. I hope that articles like this help our customers. We want to be a valuable resource to help you make the right choice for your personal situation in all things, not just the furniture and accessories that we sell.

September Is Baby Safety Month

September is Baby Safety Month, sponsored annually by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). JPMA is one of several associations whose goal is to educate parents and caregivers on the importance of creating a safe sleep environment for children. We support the JPMA and other worthy organizations for their efforts to promote child safety.

Each year hundreds of deaths occur when children are placed in a sleep environment that is not specifically designed for children. The safest place for a baby or child is in a fully functional, properly assembled crib, cradle, bassinet, portable play yard, or toddler bed.

Recent recalls of juvenile products highlight the importance of proper assembly and use of cribs that meet government standards. All cribs sold at our store meet or exceed JPMA standards. Cribs are intended to last for years (or multiple births) when properly cared for. So, with some careful planning, naptime and nighttime can be a pleasant and safe experience for parents and baby.

We are committed to educating parents and caregivers on the best safe sleep practices to make every night with baby a good, safe night. We encourage you to follow these five safety tips:

• Adult Supervision – The only sure-fire way to keep your baby safe is direct supervision when juvenile products are in use.
• Read Instructions and Warnings – For the safest product use, be sure to always read and follow all manufacturers’ instructions and warning labels.
• Be Careful If Using Second-Hand Products – Be particularly cautious when using older and second-hand products. Make sure they have all of the safety features originally built into the product, all parts are fully functional, not broken, and that the product has not been recalled.
• New Products are Safest Option – Keep in mind that new products meeting current safety standards are the safest option.
• Frequent Inspection During Use – Don’t forget to regularly inspect all children's furniture and play products for missing hardware, loose threads and strings, holes, and tears.
  

Crib safety: Making sure your baby is safe

As many of you know, the CPSC has recently announced a 2 million-crib recall involving seven companies.

Some drop side cribs can malfunction causing part of the drop side to fall and create a space into which an infant or toddler can become entrapped. This can lead to strangulation or suffocation. A child can also fall out of the crib due to incorrect assembly and with age-related wear and tear.

At our store, we've checked and re-checked all of our cribs to make sure they meet all safety standards. But if you are currently using, or plan to use a drop side crib from another source, we recommend that you check the manufacturer’s website to see if your crib is on the recall list. In most cases, free kits are available to immobilize the drop side of the crib, but other preventative measures may also be needed.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell them about it by visiting http://www.cpsc.gov/egibin/incident.aspx.

With millions of cribs recalled over safety concerns, it is important for parents and caregivers to understand how to ensure their baby's sleeping environment is as safe as possible.
Here are some tips from the CPSC and the American Academy of Pediatrics to make sure you are doing all you can to keep your baby safe:

• Place the baby on its back to sleep.
• Use a tight fitted sheet.
• Make sure the mattress fits snugly inside the crib.
• Never use quilts, pillows or any soft toys or accessories (consider a sleeper instead of a blanket).
• Check for crib recalls from the CPSC and sign up for the children's products recall e-mail list.
• Follow all printed directions for assembling a crib and be particularly cautious of damaged hardware when rebuilding a crib.
• Be sure the slats are not too far apart (no more than about the width of a soda can).
• Never use a crib with missing or loose pieces.
• Be particularly careful when using a drop-side crib because the chance of entrapment is higher.
  

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association has created a crib safety program that includes tips, videos and other important information and can be accessed at http://cribsafety.jpma.org

Let's all work together to make sure our baby is safe!

Planning Your Nursery

Setting up the perfect baby nursery for the arrival of a baby into the house is almost as exciting as seeing that plus sign on the home pregnancy test or sharing the first ultrasound image with family and friends. But there are many things you must keep in mind when making your choices – room layout, nursery theme and colors, initial and future furniture needs, and storage needs are all part of the decision process.

Fortunately, many parents-to-be begin planning their baby's nursery long before the birth of their child. Starting your planning early will give you more time to search multiple sources for ideas and to organize your thoughts to create that perfect room. Looking at other nursery designs in magazines and on the Internet can be a great source of inspiration during this pre-planning stage. And don’t forget to visit baby stores for ideas. Many stores are organized into vignettes to let you see a variety of styles and room settings.

Assessing Your Room Layout

What is the basic shape of the room, square or rectangular? What about the size of the room? These two factors can affect other decisions you must make about color and furniture. For example, you can make a small room appear larger by angling the crib in the corner. Choosing a light paint color for the wall can open up a small room. The same is true for furniture finish and window treatments. Lighter ceiling colors will make the room appear higher and more open and inviting.

A good tip here is to make a scale drawing of the room shape in order to assess furniture size and placement options before making a purchase. Another way to get a realistic picture of how the furniture will fit in your room is to tape newspaper together and cut to the size and shape of the specific furniture items you plan to buy. Then place the newspaper on the floor of your nursery where you want the furnture to go. This will help you determine if that particular furniture piece will actually fit and still allow you the walking space, etc. you will need.

Choosing a Nursery Theme and Colors

First of all - relax. You don't have to decorate with a theme if you don't want to. There are many modern and elegant furniture styles that will make your baby’s room special. However, nursery themes do add an element of fun to nursery designs, so if that's your idea of a nursery room, then go for it! Babies' and kids' rooms are often the only places in the home where you can let your creative juices flow.

Some parents begin by purchasing a crib set and basing the rest of the theme on this one item. If you do this, you can take your cues for paint and accessories from the color and décor of the set. Others prefer choosing a favorite paint color and searching for material and patterns that match. Whichever method you choose, picking one major item in a preferred style and working around that item is typically the easiest way to decorate any room, including your baby's nursery.

The traditional colors of blue for boys and pink for girls are still valid, but most people today opt for bright colors, like yellow, green, or even white. One thing to keep in mind is that you should select a semi-gloss or egg shell finish to make wall cleaning easier.

Selecting the Right Furniture

After you choose the furniture style you prefer, a major decision you must make is to determine what pieces of furniture are most important and will comfortably fit in your room. A crib is a must. Beyond that, you must decide what you can or can’t live without based on available space.

Don’t forget to consider the room’s work flow patterns and the need for certain items to be close to each other. For example, your changing table should be near, or attached to, a dresser for easy access to diapers and clothing while changing the baby. But you also need access to a diaper pail and baby’s personal care items like diaper rash cream, baby oil and cream (Burt’s Bees is my personal favorite), and a hair brush.

Many new mothers find that a glider or rocker is an essential item, but sometimes there just isn’t room in the nursery. That’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with keeping a rocker in the family room or an extra bedroom if you’re sure you need one. If space is limited, a wardrobe or armoire will provide plenty of storage and take up less floor space than a wide dresser.

Be sure to choose a furniture style that you won’t tire of easily, as you can use much of the baby furniture to grow with your baby as he moves into a big kid, or for another family addition down the road.

Tips on Increasing Your Storage Space

You can use the space under the crib with baskets or plastic containers that easily slide in and out. Another good idea is to make the most of vertical space with wall-mounted shelves. (But not above the crib where things can fall and hurt the baby.)

Most closets have a clothing rod hung at the right height to accommodate adult clothing. But since baby clothes are small, you can utilize the space beneath the rod by adding a second closet rod, or by installing shelves or a small dresser. Over-the-door and closet organizers can hang up and out of the way to hold supplies, socks, shoes, washcloths, hats, etc.


Planning your nursery is an exciting time and sets the stage for many happy hours with your baby. Our friendly, knowledgeable associates are always ready to help you in any way that we can.