# What's wrong with strollers?



## Funny Face (Dec 7, 2006)

I've heard people say "I'm very AP, I wear my baby, I don't even own a stroller!"

I'm just wondering the reason behind a carrier being better than a stroller. I know more contact with the baby is good but is it actually bad or detrimental to put your baby in a stroller? Don't mamas get tired or achy backs sometimes?

Just curious!


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## janerose (May 9, 2004)

There's nothing wrong with strollers.

What I think many people are referring to with the comment you mention is that they aren't part of the "baby bucket brigade". You know who I mean. Those people who you NEVER see their kids not in a bucket, swing, bumbo, stroller, or crib. I've also heard people refer to it as plastic parenting.

But, no, just on their own there is nothing inherently evil about strollers. IMHO they are just like most other baby stuff -- they are a tool. Like any tool it's up to the individual to use it responsibly.

We really appreciated our stroller more after having #2 (who LOVES stroller rides & has made up her own sign for them!). Oh, and for carrying all the baby gear of course.


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## miche28 (Sep 16, 2006)

Well, I use both, depending on the circumstances







. And I think your quote sounds like some one-upmanship









The same things that are advantages if you babywear are disadvantages if you don't







. The idea is that babies are most comfortable and safest carried close to mama (or daddy's) heart and that this is where they get the ideal stimulation for their development.

As for tired and achy, sure - though depending on where you are, hauling a stroller up and down stairs or carrying a bucket seat on your arm is pretty uncomfortable too. A carrier that's worn properly and is appropriate to the baby's size and the activity is really not that much more tiring than pushing around the same baby in a stroller.

I still pull out our stroller(s) from time to time (mainly to carry gear), but as I've gotten better at choosing my carriers (and not just for how well they match that day's outfit







) and wearing them properly, I really don't use it much.


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## isisreturning (Jul 16, 2007)

i wear my daughter and bring a stroller along. she likes both. the stroller is definitely handy for all the baby gear (i am not a light packer and never will be). she likes to ride and chill out in the stroller and then after a while she lets me know she needs some hugs and snugglies (or, i feel the need for some hugs and snugglies). then i bust out the ergo, which always comes along in the stroller basket, put her in, and push the empty stroller along. it's a good system for all of us.

also, my ds, who is almost 5, usually walks. but sometimes he gets tired and then it's nice to have the ability to let one kiddo ride in the stroller and wear one kiddo. i can wear my 40 lb. son on my back in my ergo carrier if my dd is in the stroller (lately she's more comfortable napping in the stroller than on me).


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## Aquafina (Oct 2, 2006)

I usually use the carrier but if I am shopping to try on clothes stroller is with me.Its not fun clothes shopping while wearing a bebe.......


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## rightkindofme (Apr 14, 2008)

I don't own a stroller, but it's not because I am "so AP." I hate having stuff to lug around. I loathe having to bring crap with me. It's a personal thing. So I don't have a stroller because it would encourage me to gradually have "just one more thing." I also have personal space issues and when I'm out and about and people have strollers taking up lots of walk space I tend to have irrational feelings about that and I don't want to be one of those people. (I know it is irrational. See. I said so.)

And I'm a cheap bastard.









I think of this as similar to why I don't have a tv. It's not because I am superior (being on the internet is *not* superior to tv) it's because tv irritates the crap out of me.


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## ryansma (Sep 6, 2006)

What's wrong with strollers?

Nothing. I babywear and own an awesome stroller. There are time and places for both. I didn't use a stroller regularly until ds was 9 months but I didn't need to -that is my situation. There is nothing wrong with pushing your baby in a stroller. What many AP parents oppose is seeing baby's that are hardly ever held.


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## JennTheMomma (Jun 19, 2008)

We own both. I think they both have their place. If we are at a family function, like a long graduation from medical school (was at one in may for my sister, wow was it ever long), family reunion etc. We bring both. DS is 13 months, so he decides what he wants. If we are shopping for a long time we will bring both and keep the stroller in the trunk until he wants it. When we go for walks he picks, it seem pretty equal. DS doesn't like to sleep being worn, so I've noticed if he is getting sleepy and we go for a walk he'll want his stoller so he can lay back.


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## cotopaxi (Sep 17, 2007)

Not a thing wrong with strollers. Some babies don't want to be worn, at least not all the time, so I don't even think it automatically makes one more AP to avoid them.


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## hippy mum (Aug 12, 2006)

I hate lugging crap around too. I have a sling diaper bag and I think it lives in the car now







One day I realized I had to change out the pants for shorts that were in there.
I have a double jogger because we walk daily with the muts. I have a regular stroller only because it was a gift with our first son (travel system thing), but I used it daily for walking then. I had to buy a new carseat in three months. I also have one of those umbrella stroller things that I got on vacation last month when we went to an amusement park. I thought since I might have to ride with our three year old, I needed to put the baby some where. It came in handy at the airport wait too, since it was just me and the boys.
Day to day though besides walking, I don't use it. I carry ds in his sling everywhere. Sometimes he sits in the cart instead of his brother but not usually. Oh, if we go to a local theme park or the zoo or aquarium, I do bring my regular stroller because our three year old like to get up and then sit down between things. Why am I going to pay for a stroller when I have one?


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## Roxy2007 (Dec 12, 2007)

i babywear but also own a stroller. i use it mainly when i go cloth shopping for myself and on my own with the kids. we dont own a car but we hv a chariot stroller, that thing is my workhorse.


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## Maela (Apr 2, 2006)

I use both about 50/50. I see nothing wrong with it.

It's when the baby is just constantly in there or the bucket seat and never held that bothers me.


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## greenmamapagan (Jan 5, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rightkindofme* 
I don't own a stroller, but it's not because I am "so AP." I hate having stuff to lug around. I loathe having to bring crap with me. It's a personal thing. So I don't have a stroller because it would encourage me to gradually have "just one more thing." I also have personal space issues and when I'm out and about and people have strollers taking up lots of walk space I tend to have irrational feelings about that and I don't want to be one of those people. (I know it is irrational. See. I said so.)

And I'm a cheap bastard.









I think of this as similar to why I don't have a tv. It's not because I am superior (being on the internet is *not* superior to tv) it's because tv irritates the crap out of me.

This me too although we do have a pram now. DD saw it on sale just before her second birthday & begged for a ride in it so we bought it. I only use if I'm a) not going very far and b) need to bring shopping home. I hate lugging it around, It's just extra work to push it while wearing her & trying to hold on to it while trying to watch a toddler near the busy roads around here if she decides to walk is just dangerous.
I also like to take as little as possible with me (but still take too much) and it drives me insane when people ram their huge prams in between tables at crowded restaurants and cafes, especially when bubs is awake. Park it outside and PICK YOUR CHILD UP PEOPLE! So yes, I totally get the irrational thing & I don't want to be a hypocrite so I don't do those things.


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## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

I'm a huge believer in baby wearing, but we use a stroller too. It's great for older kids to nap in. Our first two kids are also 16 months apart, and I just couldn't carry both of them. Also, when we go out for the day the stroller is great for hauling snack, extra clothes, beach stuff etc.

One feature of our stroller that I really like is that the child can face the person pushing the stroller. I do feel sort of disconnect from the child pushing a forward facing stroller.


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## applejuice (Oct 8, 2002)

I bought a stroller for my favorite Aunt to use when she took my DD for a walk. My Aunt was over 70 years old at the time.

I used the stroller for grocery shopping when I had my second baby and put DD in the stroller with the groceries. Years later, I wore DS2 and put DD and DS1 in the stroller with some bags of groceries for the day. I even wore DS2 while I bicycled with DD in the back on a chair and DS1 on a chair in the front of my bicycle.

Later I had a little wagon that attached to my bicycle for all three of them.

Whew! I am tired just recalling that!


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## MegBoz (Jul 8, 2008)

The stroller is more of a hassle! That's all. Getting it up & down curbs when I go for a walk in the neighborhood is a hassle. Lugging it around. I haven't taken it out on errands yet - like the grocery store, but I imagine it's a hassle getting in and out of doors.

Nothing wrong with the stroller, but babywearing is just easier! And, I actually LIKE that I get a workout from wearing DS!


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## MoonStarFalling (Nov 4, 2004)

We have a really nice rear facing stroller. It has come in handy when I was physically unable to BW and DH wasn't around to BW. It's just so much of a hassle to use though. I think what the quoted person(s) are trying to say is that a stroller is not an absolutely necessary thing to have. For older kids I think strollers can be a lot of fun.


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## JavaFinch (May 26, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MoonStarFalling* 
We have a really nice rear facing stroller.


I have a rear-facing all-terrain stroller for taking walks and I love that thing - I can't imagine walking and not being able to interact and just plain LOOK at my baby - it's like 200% more fun to take a walk with that thing!

I also have a baby jogger, which is great for runs, obviously.

I've seen some siggies about being 'stroller free' and I'd hate to think someone was more interested in the label of it than, say, having the freedom to get a good workout in HOT weather. I love carrying DD for walks, too, but not in HOT weather with terrible mosquitos, which were extra horrible this year - DD is much more comfortable (and SAFE from bites) in the stroller with the netting around it. But for shopping or anything else (my strollers won't even fit in my Corolla) I babywear - much easier and of course, WAY more fun than the baby bucket, which I refuse to use as anything but a stay-in-the-car carseat, not that DD would have it any other way. She's not interested in sitting in it when the car isn't moving.


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

I think, in general, and more so for younger babies, and barring physical issues with the wearer, babywearing is kinda better for babies. There's nothing wrong with strollers, used appropriately, just like there's nothing wrong with pacifiers or playpens or bouncy seats or any other piece of technology that's designed to replace some function of a parent (suckling, carrying, bouncing). Really, there's nothing wrong with them, and they can be totally compatible with attachment parenting.

But I also thing strollers are way overused (just like pacifiers and playpens etc). And they're not nearly so much of a necessity as people make them out to be. _That_ is the belief (that everyone simply needs one because there are always going to be situations where they're better) that makes me say that my child is a year and a half and we've never owned or used a stroller. It's to counteract the myth that they're baby necessities.

Plus, strollers hurt my back way more than babywearing.


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## bjorker (Jul 25, 2005)

:
except that back hurting part.

I wore dd as much as I could when she was a baby, but unfortunately I have a very bad back, and just couldn't wear her as much as I would have liked to. Pushing a stroller was definitely easier on my back, but I rarely used one until she was older. Now, at 3.5, she still doesn't like to walk very much at all on her own, so I really have no choice to use a stroller if we wanna do much. If I could still wear her, I would, because in a lot of ways it's just easier. I can fold up our mei tai and put it in a bag, but a stroller I'd have to push or fold up and carry if dd isn't using it.

And, seriously, if you have 2 or 3 small children, what're you gonna do? Wear all of them?

Both have their uses, their pros and cons-- and I sure do hate it when people play that "what is/isn't crunchy/AP" game. Do what works and is best for you and your child/ren, end of story.


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## Samjm (Mar 12, 2005)

We have one of those cheapo umbrella strollers that we use very very rarely. Usually for us a stroller is more trouble than it is worth. But it does have a place, and we use it every now and again. We just used it this weekend to walk up to the park to watch a free movie the town was putting on. Used it to haul picnic blankets etc, and then our older daughter rode in it coming home (she was sleepy and wouldn't have been able to make the walk). I wore the little one in a sling there and back.


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rightkindofme* 
I don't own a stroller, but it's not because I am "so AP." I hate having stuff to lug around. I loathe having to bring crap with me. It's a personal thing. So I don't have a stroller because it would encourage me to gradually have "just one more thing." I also have personal space issues and when I'm out and about and people have strollers taking up lots of walk space I tend to have irrational feelings about that and I don't want to be one of those people. (I know it is irrational. See. I said so.)

And I'm a cheap bastard.









I think of this as similar to why I don't have a tv. It's not because I am superior (being on the internet is *not* superior to tv) it's because tv irritates the crap out of me.









:
This is exactly why I'm not planning to get a stroller anytime soon.

Well, that and seeing too many people fight with them on buses. I don't do clunky and awkward if I can help it.

I will probably get an umbrella stroller in the "mama walk!" "mama carry!" "mama walk!" "mama carry!" stage.


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## GoBecGo (May 14, 2008)

I have 2 strollers and 3 carriers (was 4, i keep giving them to people







)

My strollers are:

A jogger - i cannot run with DD on my back, even if it were safe for her, which it isn't, my feet would break up pretty soon.

A very cheapo canvas umbrella-stroller (folds up tiny like an umbrella, seriously about 36"X5"X7" folded up) - i use it for when i have to use a stroller, like when i'm going to get very heavy shopping, if i have a running injury or if it's raining very heavily.

My carriers:

A kari-me wrap - i used this when she was new until she was about 10 months, then her dad (XP) had it and used it until she was 14 or 15 months.

A papoose rucksack seat - i used this from 10months to about 14 months. It's not hugely comfy (don't know HOW people hike with them!) even with sheepskin padding under all the straps, but she liked it because it raised her up over my shoulder to see other people - her head is directly behind mine in it. I hardly ever use it now as she's too heavy.

A meitai i made - it's the 2nd one. I made one without padding when she was about 14 or so months old, and then when she got kind of heavy for it and the straps bunched up i gave it to a friend with a baby 12 months younger and made DD a new one with padded straps (padded them with old worn flat-nappies







). This is how she gets about 90-95% of the time she isn't walking on her own two feet.

I cannot steer strollers well (never used one which DID steer all that well). Shops never have aisles wide enough. Both mine face forwards and even though in the meitai she's behind me so i can't see her, we can still communicate because she can talk right into my eat and she will squeeze my arm or play with my hair and it's just very companionable and fun, you know? Stairs are a nightmare, lifes (elevators) are either not working or full of urine (i live on the wrong side of the tracks where the housing is cheaper), escalators insist you fold the stroller before embarking, buses and trains are a nightmare (i've had my front wheels catch in the gap between platform and train before now and my heart STOPPED!).

When they are new i think it's really better for them to be close (from the POV of attachment and security etc.) but i don't think it's harmful for them to be in a stroller. It's mainly very sad when you see a baby who goes, in the passage of his day:

Cot > bouncer > bassinet > car seat > stroller > car seat > swing > bassinet > bouncer > bath > cot

and is basically not held for more than 20 seconds all day.


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## 1littlebit (Jun 1, 2008)

i dont use strollers (and we have three of them.. thanks to my familys love of hand me downs) and i dont use them b/c for me it is harder way way harder. im small like barely over 5 ft all three of the strollers are almost as big as i am. two of them i cant get in and out of the car by myself lol. and cant figure out how people do it like at the mall or wal mart or w/e how do you push the stroller around all the stuff the few times ive used it i ran into everything (this could just be me im special like that) i have a 20lb 6 month old... and had spinal surgery when i was younger.. i definately get back pain... but i agree with pp... once i got the right carrier and all it was much better. im another one who doesnt bring much so with the carrier all i need is my purse b/c i can fit everything for ds in that and i keep a wrap in the car for outings


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