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@AprilFool: i have ordered a few fun things. I'm also planning to hit up the Hanna Andersson outlet in July, and I will surely do some damage then (um, matching pjs for big sis and baby!!) Plus, once the baby comes and we find out its sex.....I went crazy from the hospital recovery room last time!
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@Silva: Matching pjs sounds so cute! It's much easier to shop when you have a sex. I am so sure this is a boy I have a few clothes stashed.
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@LCTBQE: I'm going with the Cruz. I've tried folding it in the store and think its folds down just fine. Although, I have zero experience with other strollers, the Cruz folds so much better than the general large plasticy type stroller my sister. I wanted the Vista initially, but the price of it made me balk, plus the sheer size/weight of it didn't seem to sway me with the draw of being able to turn into a double in the future. I don't know for sure if I will even be able to have a second child. Also, I figure that if I need the vista in the future, I can sell the Cruz to help defray the cost of a double. ETA: My husband is 6'2" and thought the stroller was fine when he tested it out.
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@LCTBQE: hey there - we're in a walk-up but also have a garage space at street level, and we typically leave our Vista in the garage in front of our car so we just have to carry our LO down to street level and then we can head into the garage to grab the stroller and just wheel her out. The Vista collapses easily but it is pretty heavy. not sure I'd want to carry it up multiple flights of stairs multiple times a day...
I can't remember why I went with the Vista over the Cruz - does the Cruz come with a bassinet? If not, that would be why we went with the Vista - we used the Vista bassinet for LO to sleep beside our bed for the first four months (until she started hitting the ends when she outgrew it!). There was some reason we never tried the Cruz...so I can't tell you if it's as tall-friendly as the Vista. Sorry!
ETA: we definitely knew we wanted a second kid someday so the ability to pretty easily become a double stroller is prob what swayed us toward the Vista over the Cruz. For what it's worth I was worried about the width of the Vista's back wheels in urban situations based on some reviews I had read, but that hasn't been an issue for us. That said I don't take it on public transit. I take our umbrella stroller (UB G Luxe) when we'll be on public transit or in our TINY and PACKED local hipster grocery. We also took the umbrella stroller on our trip to London/Paris last summer and it was awesome for that. My feet do kick the wheels on that one so I have to do a weird duck walk with it, but worth it for some situations. Our nanny, who is super short, LOVES the G Luxe and basically only uses that one now that LO is a toddler. I only use it for special situations due to the whole duck walking requirement (being 6' tall - might not be an issue with even a few inches shorter and boy it is light and easily collapsible).
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@LCTBQE: I went with the vista over the cruz because of the bassinet, and LO LOVED the bassinet, so it was worth the $. But we were in an elevator building. I dont think either is particularly easy to manage with a walk up (and a baby!) but i didn't find it to be a pain to fold up and store. But we left it at the entrance to our apt and just brought the bassinet in and out (it clicks in and out easily) so that was nice and easy for the first few months. Any chance you could store the base downstairs? then you could just carry the bassinet (if you went with the vista) or you could do the mesa car seat with the cruz and just click off the carseat (i don't have the cruz or the mesa so i can't speak to ease of use on that).
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so we're still undecided on this and i keep changing my mind. LO was born in the city, so our stroller was our "car" and we never used a carseat. so we just got a convertible carseat and she loved it. we have convertible carseats in both cars that start at 3+ pounds. But we need 2 more carseats, so either get LO a new carseat or baby an infant seat for each car (or 1 and 1). I don't have a snap and go, and i'm hoping to wear baby more rather than keeping him in a carseat, but obviously there are some situations where an infant carseat would be useful (preschool dropoff for LO comes to mind). But i hate to buy something that he can only use for a short period of time. plus i'd have to buy the snap and go, and i already have the vista.
SO, do i need an infant carseat if i live in the burbs? or can we proceed with the convertibles and just wear him while shopping, etc. FWIW, one of our seats is the combi coccoro, which is very light and we take it out all the time when LO falls asleep in it, so it's not like it's some huge heavy seat. BUT, we'd never be able to carry it around a store or anything.
Would love some advice from you ladies! I simply cannot make this decision!
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@Pirouette: I think sleep is always the concern for me. If you were to drive to the grocery store or restaurant and baby randomly falls asleep on the drive, what are you going to do? If you are ok with waking the baby to put them into a carrier/wrap thats fine. If you want the baby to continue sleeping while you are out, then I would get a bucket seat.
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@Pirouette: there is actually a universal bassinet that can be purchased separately and go on the Cruz stroller without an adaptor. I think buying the Cruz with separate bassinet is still cheaper than getting than Vista.
As for car seats and suburbs. I live in a suburb and have to drive everywhere. We are getting the uppa baby Mesa infant car seat. Just one with an extra base for husbands car. I don't see the need for two infant seats. It clicks right into the uppa baby vista and Cruz without the need for an adaptor. I briefly contemplated skipping the infant seat but like @T.H.O.U.: said, it might be useful in some situations. Let me know what you decide!!
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@agold: @Pirouette: Also, we decided to forgo the second base to help save a bit of money. We had the Britax Chaperone that had a VERY easy belt path for a belt instal. For the few times we did take the baby in my husbands truck or a different vehicle, it was very simple to just belt it in and lock the belt off tightly. Again, we only did this for about 6 months and then we got a convertible for his truck and then a second convertible for my car around 8-10 months when we fully transitioned out of the infant bucket.
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@T.H.O.U.: yea, that makes sense in theory, I'm just trying to think how much it will make a difference in our lives. I mean, we are definitely homebodies when we have a newborn, and we have a lot of family around so splitting up things like the grocery store shouldn't be a big deal. so i just don't see us constantly taking him in and out of the car to go places when he's sleeping. the only one that sticks in my mind is preschool dropoff, which is a 3 minute drive, so I don't know if he'd really fall asleep, but it would be kind of a pain to unbuckle him and put him right back in. But that would only be for my MIL once i go back to work - while i'm on mat leave, she can stay home with baby for a few minutes while I drop off LO.
@agold: oh that's cool! they didn't have that 3 years ago
and yea, i was thinking of looking into the mesa, because it would work with the vista, but then i was thinking if i'm trying to go hassle free with the infant seat, wouldn't a snap and go be smaller/lighter/easier to throw in the car than the vista?
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@T.H.O.U.: yea i doubt we'd get an infant seat or even a base for DH's car, since his car is small and i think 2 side by side RFing combi coccoros is the way to go (I want to keep her RFing as long as possible). the seat is super easy to install. so the infant seat lasted around 8-10 months total? i am thinking we probably won't need it much the first 3 months since we'll have so much help, so we'd only really use it from 3-8 months...but if we're gonna be so thankful we have it for those months, it might be worth it...
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@Pirouette: Yea ours was a life saver but we take baby everywhere. So even on a rare occasion we went to a party or dinner, it was nice baby could just sleep in the car seat and we would have a bit of time to enjoy ourselves.
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@T.H.O.U.: yea, for times like that, the combi is easy enough to take inside, which is what we have always done. I guess i'm just not sure if my MIL will be as homebound with the second kid when i go back to work, and it might make sense for her to have one.
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@Pirouette: So we are not homebodies (kinda makes me crazy to stay inside too much), so take my advice with a grain of salt. We loved having the bucket seat, and I used my full size stroller from the beginning.
I'm not really a fan of snap n go's - I figure I bought an expensive stroller that has a great basket and drives beautifully, I don't really want to use something else that doesn't have the bells and whistles.
When DS was tiny, we went all over with him. Out shopping, to restaurants, etc. It was so easy to just pop the car seat out of the car and into the stroller. Most of the time he just slept through most of the outing. So much easier eating lunch with baby in the stroller than wearing him. I also loved having the stroller be my pack mule. I'd load it up with a baby carrier, the diaper bag, nursing cover, etc.
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@ShootingStar: so you didn't find the full sized stroller a pain to constantly put in and out of the car? i was definitely a pack rat with the huge basket in the vista for LO, but we walked everywhere, so that was easy. I'm just envisioning it being a pain to take everything out of the stroller to constantly collapse it when you have to load it into the car. I guess it also depends on the type of baby he is and how he naps. LO was so easy going that it was never a big deal to her where or when she napped. But this baby might be the type that you ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT TO WAKE as he'll never go back to sleep! you just never know!
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@Pirouette: The biggest pain to me was that we had a carseat that didn't click into our stroller. It had a universal adaptor that was kind of a pain. I didn't mind folding and unfolding the stroller though. Without the seat it's just a frame - pull it out and unfold and pop in the carseat. I'm super excited that we now have a stroller the carseat can click into, lol. We have an SUV too, so it's not like it had to be lifted up out of the trunk of a sedan. Plus, DH was around most of the time, so he did most of the heavy lifting
.As for loading and unloading, I think for me, we had a bunch of stuff we had to carry around anyways, like the diaper bag and coats (November baby). So with the stroller we had a place to put all the stuff we seemed to need. I didn't want to be wearing him plus carrying the diaper bag, plus hauling a coat around Target or the mall or wherever.
Then to make things even simpler I got these diaper bag hooks so I could easily clip it to the stroller - http://www.amazon.com/Ju-Ju-Be-Connected-Stroller-Attachment-Silver/dp/B001FWYGSE?ie=UTF8&keywords=jujube%20stroller%20clips&qid=1464715746&ref_=sr_1_2_a_it&sr=8-2
Everyone is different though. I'm always amazed when people say they don't like strollers, because I LOVE having a pack mule, even if the baby doesn't spend much time in it, lol.
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@T.H.O.U.: great to know you did that!! I was honestly thinking of foregoing the second base, too. I've registered for it, but we might be left with a couple of pricey-ish things that we need to buy for baby, so I was thinking of skipping the extra base for the time being. Husband will have baby exclusively during the daytime of two days each week. But the Mesa base has a rigid latch system. I honestly think (and am hoping) that we can super easily just click it right in! I suppose we will know soon enough! Someone purchased the car seat off our registry and had it sent to my mom's already. I wish I could just open it now and try it out in my car!!!
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@Pirouette: You are right. I think that the "universal" bassinet is a new thing that came out in very recent years. And I get you on trying to be hassle free. I'm the exact same and I really want to be clutter free!! So I've heard that snap n' go is so easy. But I'm not taking that route because then I'd have two strollers. It is why I am getting the Cruz over the Vista, though. So tough to know what's the best thing to do!!!
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@ShootingStar: I just loved hearing everything you had to say! And thanks for sharing the link for something you thought was useful. And on no about lifting the stroller in and out of a sedan backseat. I am still looking for a new car and its really becoming a tough decision for me. I'm in a sedan that I LOVE LOVE LOVE. Its big and I think it will be fine. I'm looking at SUVs, but can't really reasonably afford the one that I would want. So its tough!
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@ShootingStar: that makes sense. I'll have to look into whether my vista needs an adaptor for the carseat or not, because if i remember correctly, the mesa came out shortly after my stroller. I could be wrong though. that might affect my decision. For something like the mall, we'd bring the stroller regardless, and transfer baby to the stroller, because there's no way wearing him would make sense (because of all that stuff you mentioned). My first was so flexible and didn't care about being woken up to be transferred, but i can't assume the second will be like that. but yea, i am totally a stroller person, LO LIVED in her stroller as a baby. which is sort of why i don't understand all this carseat stuff
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@agold: Yay, glad it was helpful
.@Pirouette: Yeah, I think maybe it depends on what you're doing and where you might go with baby. We live a pretty suburban lifestyle - drive the car everywhere, lots of shopping plazas, Target is attached to our mall, not much city walking. I know it was tough for us when we had to switch to the convertible, because suddenly DS wouldn't tolerate going 10 different places in the car. He hated getting in and out of the carseat, so we suddenly had to limit ourselves to one or two stops.
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@ShootingStar: we're pretty suburban too - we walk to the park but all the stores are a short drive away. I may just have to research the mesa and then leave the decision in my MIL's hands, since she's the one who will be toting the two kids around all week. it will also be nearing winter when i'm heading back to work, so more mall trips than park trips!
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@stratosphere: @Pirouette: thank you, ladies, for the thoughtful stroller replies--we are on the 3rd floor of a brownstone walk-up, so much as I'd like, I'm definitely not getting an UB stroller. I actually started this thread about it last night and the women who commented were SO SO helpful and specific. The consensus is that UB is awesome (and the bassinet looks great), but that it's too much stroller for lots of stairs.
http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-seatstroller-recommendations-for-urban-living#post-2559752I'm 100% set on the Cybex Aton 2 for a car seat (phew!) and have narrowed down to either the Nano umbrella stroller or the City Mini GT/Britax B-Agile (they seem basically the same)--we're going to test drive them and see how compatible the Nano is with our tallness, and I think seeing them in real life will make for an easy decision. @stratosphere: definitely want to avoid the duck walk if possible since we're only getting one stroller!
@pirouette: and everyone else, sorry I can't comment on the suburban situation, but always jealous of people who can just like, drive to a grocery store and park
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@Pirouette: fwiw we have the vista and also got the Mesa car seat with LO and loved it (will be reusing for this baby too). We are urban and only drive anywhere on weekends typically but it was still a lifesaver to just be able to click out and carry sleeping (or not) LO into a friend's house or restaurant for dinner, for example. We used it for a full year before we switched LO to her convertible (Clek Foonf) and she's 90th percentile for height, so she didn't outgrow it before the 1 yr mark. We also have a Combi Coccoro (for travel since the Foonf is a BEAST) and while it is a pretty easy install, no comparison to the ease of the Mesa w base, and how awesome it is to click into the Vista too.
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@agold: we don't often use our second car (it is parked on the street and often a few blocks away--mostly it is a pain to remember to move it to avoid street cleaning tickets) but there were times one of us had to use a vehicle for work (offsite meeting at a resort an hour outside town, something like that) and the other had to get the baby to the doctor across town and then we were SO GLAD to have a second base already installed in the other vehicle. LATCH install isn't terrible but not super easy either with a baby in your arms/carrier and I always stressed about whether I had it level and ratcheted down enough...we only had one base for the first few months (they were on backorder from UB at that time!!) and it was a pain--was so awesome when we got the second one. If it helps ease the pain, you can prob sell the base pretty easily when you're done with it (might want to look for a used one come to think of it!).
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@LCTBQE: totally makes sense! I would NOT want to haul the Vista up three flights of stairs for love or money! And that is without a baby - add a baby in a carrier and fogeddaboutit!
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@stratosphere: Thanks. Okay. You sold me on the extra base! We use both of our cars all of the time and equally the same amount, so I suppose extra base it is. Probably need an extra base for my mom's car, too!! I plan to get the Foonf next, too!
@LCTBQE: Funny you are jealous of the drivers. I'm jealous of the walkers!! I have a shopping center that is one mile down hill from me and I walk to it every chance I can get to get breakfast, donut or starbucks. But wouldn't grocery shop that way since I get like bags and bags of groceries when I go.
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@stratosphere: thanks! that is super helpful, especially the comparison between the mesa and combi. Do you know which vista you have? i think i have the 2014 (bought it in 2013), and have to see if it is for sure compatible with the mesa.
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@Pirouette: I have the model just prior to the current one (I bought ours in summer 2014) so I am pretty sure ours is the 2014. The Mesa at that time came with two little plastic pieces that click into 2014 Vista seat/bassinet attachment points very quickly/easily for when you use the Mesa with the stroller - I read on an Amazon review that Uppababy will send you some of those 2014 Vista/Mesa adapter thingies for free if you contact them.
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@stratosphere: oh that's awesome! i'll contact them and see. that would make it an easy decision for at least my MIL's car. then we could see what we want to do with my husband's car.
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ladies! what is everyone doing for a crib mattress? does organic really matter, and is the double-sided thing a gimmick, or nice?
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@LCTBQE: Uh....reusing the one we bought 4 years ago. It got good reviews on Amazon. Seemed to work fine. No idea what the current double-sided stuff is all about.
http://www.amazon.com/Sealy-Soybean-Foam-Core-Crib-Mattress/dp/B001N4LE5M
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@LCTBQE: we have a cheap one that came with the crib.
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@LCTBQE: We had a double-sided mattress for LO, and we plan on getting a second for the baby. The mattress has a firmer side for an infant/baby, and a softer side for a toddler. To be honest, I really don't know whether it made a difference in her sleep. But, I do know it's a decision we felt good about when we made it, and I didn't want to have to re-think everything this time around!
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We're reusing our crib mattress too. Between starting out in the PnP and transitioning out of the crib early, it only got a year of use. It is double sided, but idk if it really affected his sleep. But then my kid always did great on the hard PnP mattress. I had intended to get a better mattress for, and he never needed it.
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@pregnantbee: @T.H.O.U.: @ShootingStar: @pwnstar: yep, I think I'm going to get a nice double-sided one from Nordstrom, hopefully re-use it for #2, and stop overthinking this. I'm overthinking everrrything, but at least I hear it's a common first-timer waste of energy
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@LCTBQE: Awww . . . I was obsessed the first time with finding the *right* answer for everything. Well, I realized much later (and after spending way too much time analyzing product reviews and mom blogs) that the right answer is whatever is right for YOU . . . which (1) you won't always know until you have tried things that you thought would work but don't work for you; and (2) that there is no one right answer/solution. Which, yanno, was a difficult concept for me to embrace!
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@pwnstar: yep, this "right answer" research is exactly what I've been up to. I 1000% believe you--but I don't want to, because arriving at the right answer before I even HAVE a baby would be so much easier than trial and error
one thing that I truly do think is going to help is that I'm borrowing a ton of gear (swaddles, my breast friend, rock n play, etc etc) from my girlfriend.also your #2 is basically impossible for me to wrap my head around. maybe motherhood will make me less of a control freak!
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hi dudes, not urgent, but just curious about nursing bras: when is a good time to buy? I'd like to have a couple when the baby comes, but also have heard that your boobs grow exponentially once you *start* nursing. should I wait until I'm like 36 weeks? also, have heard great things about the bravado bra, does anyone have other suggestions?
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@LCTBQE: I got this one to start while I was still pregnant - https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Lady-Womens-Wireless-Nursing/dp/B00EJE0X6Y
It's a soft cup and is adjustable so the fit is variable if you're engorged or not. The downside is that it doesn't have molded cups, and it's not super duper supportive. (But I have really big boobs and normally wear very supportive bras). So I usually wore it with something else, like a nursing tank. If you don't have ginormous boobs like I do, you might be able to get away with just a nursing in the beginning.
After a few weeks when my milk had fully come in I got this one - https://www.amazon.com/Elomi-Womens-Smoothing-Underwire-Nursing/dp/B003E00TC2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466868559&sr=8-1&keywords=elomi+nursing+bra. And as it turned out, once I regulated my boobs were still what I was before birth (though they'd gotten bigger mid-pregnancy.)
This time I'm not really sure if I'll do the same thing. The one thing I didn't like is due to my large chest size, the nursing tanks didn't fit me great. They showed off a ton of cleavage
. And I used to kinda cover up with a sweatshirt or flyaway sweater. But that was in November. Now it'll be august and I'm not going to be wanting to wearing so many layers. But I will definitely wait a bit to get more specific sized nursing bras. My band size changed this time, and I'm expecting/hoping it'll go back to what it was, but who knows.
and yea, i was thinking of looking into the mesa, because it would work with the vista, but then i was thinking if i'm trying to go hassle free with the infant seat, wouldn't a snap and go be smaller/lighter/easier to throw in the car than the vista?
.
. And I used to kinda cover up with a sweatshirt or flyaway sweater. But that was in November. Now it'll be august and I'm not going to be wanting to wearing so many layers. But I will definitely wait a bit to get more specific sized nursing bras. My band size changed this time, and I'm expecting/hoping it'll go back to what it was, but who knows.
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