In defense of strollers

Ann Althouse is discussing this NYT article about strollers: "Supersize Strollers Ignite Sidewalk Drama."

The article and Ann both rant about today's strollers and how annoying and rude they are. They and several commenters complain about the needlessness and selfishness of using anything larger or more feature-filled than a basic cheap umbrella stroller. They conjecture about whether having a big stroller is a way to feel powerful and be pushy or gloat about having children. Some question the need for strollers at all.

I'm an admitted stroller junkie. (Yes, all the strollers above are or have been mine, and I can't find a photo of my beloved KidCo at the moment.) I've done a lot of research about strollers and have owned quite a few. DH laughs at me identifying the make and model of strollers I see at the mall or zoo. I like strollers. So this hit a nerve with me.

I posted a comment that turned into a soapbox rant, so I thought I'd better just make it into a post on my own blog.

First of all, let me say that I've been rammed by many more grocery store shopping carts than I ever have by strollers. I've seen more people be rude with shopping carts than with strollers, and a fully-loaded metal shopping cart is a dangerous weapon indeed.

I'm a parent of three children, ages 4, 3, and 7 weeks. When my second child was born, my first was a year old and had just barely started toddling.

Have you ever tried carrying an infant, a one-year-old, a diaper bag and several shopping bags in your arms? You should.

A double stroller was a necessity for me--especially since I had severe back and shoulder problems which precluded the use of a sling or front-pack carrier for any length of time.

I did a lot of research (the stroller message board on iVillage/parentsplace was an invaluable resource) and decided on a side-by-side. It was much lighter and more maneuverable than a front-and-back stroller, and it had the important safety features I wanted.

My double stroller, a KidCo Double Maverick Plus (similar to a MacLaren Twin) was 28" wide (the same width as a wheelchair and the smallest possible width for a double SBS) and turned on a dime.

Even so, there were a lot of places it wouldn't fit. I can't believe how narrow some stores make their aisles. It made me realize how handicapped-inaccessible many places are.

There were times when someone needed to get by and it was impossible to get out of their way or turn around. In a case where one person is able to easily move out of the way and the other isn't, it is necessary for the person who can get out of the way to do so. I always apologized, of course, but it's not reasonable to expect the one with the stroller to walk backwards the entire length of the store when the other person could simply step into a side aisle for a few seconds to let the stroller pass.

Our culture today is very different than it was in the past, when people grew most of their own food and rarely left home, or had relatives and neighbors to help with the shopping and/or care for the children. And may I point out that the old prams were much bulkier than today's strollers, for the most part?

The fact is that for many parents, it's either use a stroller or stay home unless they can limit themselves to 10-minute trips which don't require carrying anything of substance.

About the size issue:

I really don't think many people, if any at all, pick a stroller because it's big. In my experience, most parents want to get the smallest possible stroller that has all the features they consider necessary.

That article was totally wrong when it said that there's no difference (or no way for a parent to tell the difference) in safety between various stroller models. There are plenty of resources like consumer reports, customer reviews, and discussion boards where parents can research and compare various strollers. Of course, they'll want to try out and compare several in the store as well.

Some companies and types of strollers have many more recalls than others. Some styles are obviously safer than others--for example, a stroller with a bar or a 5-point harness is much safer and harder for the child to get out of than an umbrella stroller that lets them lean forward and catch their fingers in the wheels or slide out of the belt onto the ground.

A lightweight umbrella stroller will tip over backwards very easily if you put a moderate amount of weight on the handles. Also, as someone else mentioned, an umbrella stroller with no recline cannot be used at all for infants too young to sit up. And a stroller with tiny wheels that gets stuck at every crack in the sidewalk and is almost impossible to roll on rough surfaces isn't very useful to most suburbanites.

There are all kinds of features parents look for and consider when purchasing a stroller.

The harness type and level of recline is important, as is whether the straps can be made long or short enough to fit a given child. A narrow or short stroller may not fit a large baby, while another stroller may be too roomy to comfortably and safely accommodate a small infant. There are huge variations in weight, wheel size and type, maneuverability and ease of folding and unfolding of various strollers.

Something seeminly simple like the amount and type of padding, width and height of a stroller, toy bar/tray or lack of one, and level of recline may make the difference between a child enjoying the ride or wiggling and screaming every time they're put in the stroller.

Extras like snack trays, pretty fabrics and cupholders are important to some; durable construction and good safety records/consumer reviews are more important to others.

Most people nowadays want a basket big enough to hold a diaper bag and some shopping, since hanging a lot of weight on the handle makes a stroller unstable.

Different strollers are rated for different weights and heights of children. Tall and short parents will want different strollers so that they can reach the handles or aren't kicking the wheels.

Having a stroller that fits into the trunk of your car is important, as is having one that you can lift and push without difficulty.

It's really nice if the stroller doesn't fall apart after a few dozen uses, and if it has a large enough canopy to protect your child from the elements. Some parents like to have a stroller that's compatible with their infant car seat/carrier. Others just want one that will fit through the door of their apartment complex.

The considerations in making a stroller decision are nearly endless. Since it's an item most parents use a lot for several months or years, it is an important decision.

Sure, everyone used to use simple umbrella strollers or prams. But they also used to let their kids sit on the floor of the car or hold them in their laps instead of using a child safety seat. Just because people used to make do with poor tools doesn't mean we shouldn't take advantage of better ones now that they're available.

Your thoughts?