apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I just want to say thank you for this thread. I am due in November and while we have a whole 650sq feet I think we will wind up using some of your great ideas.

I might forgo a stroller for the first few months, and just use a Baby Bjorn. Strollers that can be used with newborns have seat backs that recline to horizontal, and are heavier than ones that don't have this feature. When you're carrying strollers up and down subway stairs and other stairs, your back will be thanking you for getting a light stroller, like the Maclaren Volo.

In the first few weeks, we definitely used a Snugli more than a stroller or even a carriage (which we also had).

And then after a couple of months we used a backpack a lot--much easier on public transportation.

I agree about the bouncy seat vs. the swing.

You don't really need a baby bath. You only need to bathe a baby once a week or so after the umbilical cord falls off. They don't get really dirty until they start crawling so you can sponge bath on the changing table or use the kitchen sink until they can sit in a regular tub (around 5-6 months) and then just get the ring thing that keeps them from falling over. We lived in a 400 sq. ft, 4th floor walk-up apt. with a baby for 2 years. It got tight towards the end but it is doable. As long as you keep a handle on the gear and all the gifts. Also think about borrowing stuff. Bouncy seats, swings etc. You never know what your baby will like and then they only like it for a few months anyway. You'll be happy that you didn't spend the money and don't need to figure out where to store it after the kid is done. Having the grandparents around for frequent babysitting so you can go out is definitely a plus. Good luck!

As a mother, may I suggest: A special bathing tub isn't necessary, a sink is fine if you add a rubber mat at the bottom. Considering the square footage, a stoller is larger than a backpack, which serves the same purpose. Even better, I love the way the Indonesians do it with a fabric wrap -- a Sarong made into a baby sling keeping baby close to mom, helps w/bonding -- they are very popular -- check online what mothers are saying about them and many are available online. As the baby grows, you can then get one of those small folding umbrella-type strollers, for getting around.

The reason you need a bouncy seat (and later, a walker that you can brake) is that you have to have a place you can put your kid for 5 minutes and turn your back. You can bring the bouncy seat into the bathroom to take a shower if you have to. Just remember you can't use the bouncy seat once they can roll over by themselves or sit up on their own. Then that's when you need the walker or something like that.

I would suggest skipping the baby bjorn and the snuggli, and getting an Ergo Baby Carrier. You can wear your baby on the front, back or on your hip, and its SO comfortable i almost prefer wearing it than not. Also, its only ONE thing (as opposed to a bjorn and a backpack which you'll want later). Is good until your kid is 40 lbs, and its really collapsible (whereas some backpacks take up mad space). Did i mention how comfortable it is? Most importantly, the baby loves it.

Thanks a bunch for this 9 month cure thing. What a great idea. Congrats and good luck!
:)

As someone who has survived infancy and toddlerhood of two kids in a one bedroom (we have moved now that the kids are older to a two bedroom):

---I would not have felt comfortable with a sit and stroll for an infant. Newborns are just too tiny and need a lot of neck support. I would also hold off on a stroller purchase until the baby is older and you know your needs better. The best bet for us was an infant carseat (like a snugride) with a frame for the carseat that can be used as a stroller for the first months. The
frame collapses and stores very easily and the infant carseat can be used as a great place to put down the child inside the home...some kids even like to sleep there. We did not need a "real" sroller until 6-7 months and then we were able to shop with a better idea of what we needed.

--- We did not use a crib right away. We had a pram/bassinet that we used for 4 months. Very portable & does not take up much space....and just the right size for a newborn. We have friends who used a moses basket...even more of a space saver. Our first never actually needed a crib because she became a cosleeper. We didn't get a crib until we had #2. That saved a lot of space even though it was not our original intention! We also had a pack n' play for when we traveled that stored easly under the bed and could have been used as a crib.

--- Our carriers and slings were the biggest godsend. The most used were the bjorn and Ergo carrier. I hate using a stroller on the subway.

--- If you are really pressed for space you don't really need a baby bath. Our first was always bathed in the sink with towels and large body sponge she could lay on (you find it at baby stores)

--- I think a bouncey seat is great for some babies (as the swing)...others hate it. So many products are like this though they are so hit or miss. You just really can't know until you see the baby's personality! I held off on most major "equipment" purchases until my babies were a few months old. Then you know them a little better.

And let people know you don't have so much space!! I received so many impractical gifts and then had the dilemma about what should I do with all this stuff!

From personal experience, you do not need a crib until they can turn over. A moses basket or bassinet - much smaller - does fine. There is also a collapsible sleeping pad (with a padded ring) that you can use. There is a wonderful inflatable baby bath --Blow it up and it fits in your bathtub. Deflate until next use. You can use this until they can sit in the ring. I second the bathing in the sink, if you have a good sized kitchen sink you can do this until they are a year or so old. I recommend that you get a stroller that reclines all the way. Strolling a reclined baby can have an amazing soothing effect. See if you can find one used on craigslist or the UB marketplace list. Peg Perego made a very lightweight one that reclined fully, switched handles and had a boot cover to keep them cozy in winter. You can make a nice new cover out of a sheet -- you will end up doing that anyway because the kids like the cool feeling of the sheet against their skin, even if they are dressed. My first child loved the bouncy seat, second one hated it. Borrow first, but if you are going to use a bouncy seat, put them in from the get go. Our kids both slept in the bassinet (the badger, $50 but bulky) until they were around 6 months old. When you get the crib, make sure you consider the storage capacity underneath - when you start, you will have the base of the crib raised high, so you can stash diapers, wipes and formula (out of boxes) under there, as well as the stroller/bouncy seat when not in use. I recommend investing in a heavy canvas to make a nice covering for that area.
Remember that with a backpack carrier, you do not see what your infant is doing. You will probably want a front carrier at first. I preferred BB. See if you can borrow the different carriers and try them before you buy.

Non-baby person here, but I do have a question that occurred to me after reading the above. Do people in NYC actually use a car-seat and hook it up properly if they are taking a taxi? And Maxwell I don't think there is anything designed to carry the baby on your motorbike.;-)

We just had or third baby and even though we live in a house (not an apartment) we're pretty minimalist about the "baby gear." The list above is really good, but I'll throw in a few extra thoughts:

1. You might not need a stroller. It depends on where you live and how you travel, but if dad is willing to carry, then a Baby Bjorn can take you a long way. After several months you can move up to a Kelty carrier.

2. I agree you might not need a tub either. If you keep a really clean kitchen yo should try bathing in the kitchen sink. We do have a baby tub, but hardly use it, and never use it when we travel to visit friends and family. I have given a LOT of kitchen sink baths and they work just fine. By the time our kids were about 5 months I just showered them with me in the normal bathroom.

3. Don't bother with a bassinet, just go straight for the crib.

4. You don't need a changing table. We put a changing pad on a dresser, but we mostly just change our kids' diapers on the floor.

5. Try the Pronto changing pad from Skip Hop for diaper changes out and about. It's wonderful!

My mom washed me (and my brother and sisters) in the kitchen sink til we were big enough for the bath and we turned out fine. No baby bath needed!

I'm not that keen on walkers, they don't allow the leg muscles to develop correctly, also even with a brake they can topple AND (this is the designie part)- they have a really large footprint, especially if you're in a small space - we used a swing chair, our daughter didn't care for the bouncy chairs because it meant she was almost horizontal all the time.

Also take a pass on the diaper pails, they are not really worth it - a plastic bag in the waste basket and you're good to go. As for feeding (oh - we're a 2 dad household), we used similac in poweder form and kept 2 flasks filled with warm water on hand at all times.

Our stroller of choice is the Techno XT and we still used it (she's now 2 1/2) when we venture out on long walks or trolling into the city. First few months we used a Bjorn and then got the backpack thingy. One thing about the backpacks, is if you're traveling alone it's good to have a compact mirror in your pocket to flip open like a rear view to check on the bubbler. Also master the art of taking it off or putting it on by yourself - i alwys got these funny/bewildered looks and reactions when is squated down on the ground to put on or remove saying "...oh i've got it.." to the helping hands.

More thoughts to come...

Hey Neal, I love our techno also. It rocks! I was never comfortable using a bjorn or a backpack or hip hugger. I'm a stroller gal myself, from day one. I hated the car seat/stroller frame thing. Just to clarify, the sit and stroll comes with an infant headrest. We had a pretty compact walker and we live in a place with no stairs so we didn't have a problem.

no jimk you don't ride in the taxi with a car seat. i'm sure i will get arrested soon but it is far too difficult. just get in and pray ;)

New to the group= Thought I'd chime in: having had one child in Morocco and one in the States,

I have to say that parents' preferences and needs are probably as personal as how you design your home, but keeping in mind that the rest of the world raises babies without Toys R Us' 300 essential items, I would echo the original list with a few of my own modifications: pack-n-play (for traveling and sleeping at home) with built in bassinet/changing table option, EITHER stroller/sling/Bjorn, no baby bath- bathe with the baby- it's really good bonding, pjs, a few cotton blankets (skip receiving blankets- too small after the first few weeks), carseat, a small backpack or cute bag that will hold a diaper, wipes, an extra onsie, and maybe a baby gym. That should do it for the first three months or so (or like us, the first year- with the exception of a few more toys and lots of books).

As for stroller-- we have a Maclaren, but I find I use a cheap Chico umbrella stroller much more often. It weighs like 5 pounds, costs 20 bucks, folds up and can hang on our coat rack.

My main problem is not the baby "gear"-- it's the toddler toys. How does one make them accessible for the kiddos w/o our home looking like a daycare center?

We never used a baby bath tub, either. Kitchen sink or the real tub with mom or dad. And I found that I used (and LOVED) a sling much more than the Baby Bjorn. Not only was it cozy but it meant always having an extra couple yards of fabric handy to cover the car seat in the heat, throw down for an impromtu picnic, mop up baby puke.... Also used the umbrella stroller much more than the big one as the kid got older. Keep an eye out for one with a canopy above and cargo area beneath.

My advice to any urban dweller who is having a baby is to wait until after the baby comes to buy baby gear. I think it is makes more sense to test drive baby gear at a friend's house before you buy. Everyone I know loves the baby bjorn but my usually easy going infant son HATES his. Anytime I attempt to strap him in he screams like I am trying to kill him. I had a neighbor tell me her daughter liked the bjorn when she was old enough to face out. My son didn't like it either way. As for strollers, we bought a Peg Perego P3. I like strolling with it as it handles nicely on city sidewalks. The problem is that I am not able to open it with one hand. When I was six months pregnant and stroller shopping it never occured to me I would be standing on the sidewalk, holding a baby and trying to open a stroller at the same time. Like the other posters, we love our bouncy seat. We bought an inexpensive one but oeufnyc.com has some nice bouncy seats and a crib with a changing table for those still trying to keep the living room from looking like a day care center.

I have twice thought to buy the pronto skip hop at buy buy baby but have put it back. With the endorsement above I think I will buy it this weekend. I love my skip hop diaper bag but would like the option to use some of my larger handbags. Thanks, Adam!

Good luck to all!

and I thought this was a bugaboo crowd?!

You do need a stroller. A backpack is fine (sling was better for me), but at some point you'll want to sit down and have lunch while the baby sleeps and you won't want a baby on your back.

I'm afraid I do like a changing table (a pad on top of a dresser). Many people do it on the floor or on the bed, but I need to be standing up. Pregnancy did a number on my back.

I think you need a real infant car seat, but that's just me. Sit n Stroll really is for cabs or planes. It's not the real thing. Get a Britax or Graco.

All babies are different and different diapers work better for different babies. Pampers were what worked for my very chubby babies. You need to experiment. Costco wipes, I agree.

I used a crib from day one. Never had a bouncy seat but people love em! I used a plastic tub in the sink.

I think the main thing you see from this thread is that every parent and every baby is different! Even within the same family I had one baby who was an independent sleeper who needed a crib & his own space...and one who coslept for two and half years (funny enough although they are both good sleepers my cosleeper, now aged 5, has the best sleep habits and sleeps more soundly than anyone else in the family! go figure)

I agree with what many are saying to wait on a lot of baby purchases until you know your needs better and you know your baby better. You ask 100 parents you get 100 different opinions has been my experience...it can get confusing sometimes!

GOOD LUCK

Wow, I feel a lot more minimalist reading this than I do if I look around our crowded tiny house! Kidlets really do take up space when they are 3, 5 or 7 & 10 like mine, but we live in a tiny townhouse of way less than a 1000 square feet!

In the beginning, you need an infant car seat and diapers and a few blankets. SERIOUSLY. Buy a sling and a Baby Bjorn or a Baby Trekker. You will use the sling longer than any other baby gear, and for more things.

Wait on the stroller until you are comfy in your new, after baby life style.

The car seat is where you can put sleeping baby when you shower, etc. If you are strongly opposed to sleeping with baby, a basket or a cradle/bassinet/dresser drawer/laundry basket would be nice, too.

With the ease that new infant car seats rock [and can be toted around for cabs and lunch dates) I don't think a bouncer seat is a necessity, merely parent entertainment. Besides, you have to watch a baby in a bouncer seat; I wouldn't feel as safe showering with a baby in a bouncer seat as with a baby laying on the bathmat or in it's car seat.


Most babies I know prefer being bathed in the sink or in the tub with Mum or Dad over those space stealing baby bathtubs.

Whether you want a bureau or a set of bins or baskets, a change table or a towel on the bed, is totally YMMV.

I'm into being lazy, so I'm a breastfeeding, cloth diaper, cloth washcloth gal, so I won't step into the diaper/wipe/formula debate.

Irt Leslie:
Our apartment did look pretty daycare like when the kidlets were smaller! Shelves with cloth covers work well, though. They don't play with toys they can't see/find, so shelves rock. Put the toys on the shelves, put the books in baskets on the shelves and then hang attractive fabric and/or blinds on the shelves. [at least when company arrives!]

Our son hated the bouncer! We did not buy a baby bath- a really cool avant-garde doctor suggested we use the regular tub, make water a bit cooler than body temperature and move baby around a lot. Because the water is cool, the baby moves his arms and legs a lot, gets exercise, eats like crazy and sleeps really well after the bath. Worked great for us!
A few more things I loved to use: a bottle sterilizer that you put in the microwave-takes 1 minute to sterilize a whole bunch of bottles, a breast pump and a case of small Arrowhead bottles- they shrink after sterilizing and are perfect for freezing milk.

Hah! This all just goes to support what I kept saying yesterday - depends on the baby, depends on the parents.

Do you know others with kids? We borrowed a lot of stuff first and then bought it only if it seemed that we would get a lot of use out of it and had the space to keep it.

Many retailers will let you borrow things to try - maybe not the fancy retailers, but you'd be surprised how many infant gear retailers are mothers working out of the home - google search stuff. For example, my infant son loved the sling, but I hated having the weight on only one shoulder. Which is how we ended up with a BabyTrekker (half the price of the Bjorn, and way more practical, IMHO). Fortunately, the woman we bought them from was such a believer in carriers that she lent them out on a deposit.

So what did I have to start out with?

car seat (wasn't allowed home from the hospital without that)
as miniature a stroller as we could find (too much plastic - it didn't wear well, despite being a Consumer Reports top pick and $300).
cradle
changing pads (3)
diaper service

Borrowed for brief periods:
swing
crib
exersaucer (none of these worth the real estate they take up, for my family)

And what do I have now? Lots of toddler toys! Our coffee table is a trunk that used to hold linens. Now our son tells us to take our feet off his toybox.

Another item to consider borrowing is a rocking chair. My sister and her sisters-in-law shared one chair, depending on whom needed it at the time. It doesn't need to be one of those big glider things, just comfy enough for the bleary-eyed parent and babe during late-night feedings.

As for toys, kids only like to play with the cardboard boxes,imho.
(I speak as an observant aunt)

whoops - and add soft carrier (BabyTrekker) to the list of the things I did have and got a lot of use out of.

In the first six months, here were our essentials:

Baby Bjorn -- traded in for an Ergo once she was bigger, but in the first year, I just don't think anything comes close to Bjorn's design

Zooper Waltz stroller (big, somewhat collapsable, potentially difficult in a small space) but if your going to have any stroller at all, I agree with the previous poster that you need a reclined back until his or her neck is stong enough -- after that the damn-fine and worth every penny MacLaren Volo umbrella stoller is a thing of beauty: tiny footprint, lighter than any other I've found, carrying strap for slinging over shoulder available in a lovely shade of saffron, and can be unfurled and collapsed with one hand without putting the baby down.

Amby Baby Hammock -- mentioned this in a previous thread. Covers bassinet and crib needs until the baby is at least a year old -- can be adapted to spaces that wouldn't hold pieces of furniture.

Dark, nearly blackout, curtains -- they are utter magic, particularly for daytime napping and summer bedtimes when it's still bright out.

As others said, no need for a baby tub, but if you want one, Safety 1st makes one that folds up when not in use and takes up far less room than others. There are also inflatable ones that...deflate.

Baby Bjorn bouncer -- allowed me 20 minute showers within two weeks of her delivery. She would bob gently on the counter or on a spot on the floor, and later would watch her reflection in the mirror or play with the wooden bears on the detatchable toy bar. If I could bronze it I would. Also worked well as a feeding station since we didn't get a high chair until she was 10 months old. Can be flattened and slid under a bed, in a closet, etc.

Wooden rattles -- this goes to making sure that anything purchased that makes noise can stand up to the million-shakes-without-being-institutionalized test. Wood sounds great, no matter how ofted it's heard.

Loads and loads of long sleeved cotton onesies. Gerber was our brand. The sidesnap blue ones will make even the most traditional baby look like a sci-fi hero(ine). For most babies, don't bother with newborn sizes -- they grow, literally, overnight and are busting out of them within a couple of weeks.

A too long post. I'm sorry. But the cherry on top, the purchased item that genuinely uplifted our quality of life on an almost daily basis...

The beloved book, Baby Bargains... Oh, of course there were other books, and if there is a thread for, sleep, humor, health, etc I (and I imagine many others here) would be happy to suggest them. But regarding the home, the stuff, what you need and what you don't, there has been no greater gift to parents.

We have two kids in a not very large loft. Lack of walls == noise == wakeup babies, but we got use to it.

If you use formula -- a
Zojirushi hot water dispenser is a wonderful tool. We use it for tea/coffee obviously, but you learn to mix just the right amount of hot water + cold to get the perfect temperature formula.

Bottles -- It's amazing, but we lived with just four playtex classic bottles. Just wash the nipples often, and use (gasp) disposible bottle liners.

High Chair -- stuff it with receiving blankets and any size child will fit, strap them down if necessary, and you can take the child into the bathroom etc. First child we bought one much too late, second child she sit/sleeps in it when she was very young (the reclining type).

Receiving blankets -- the univeral padding/cover/cleanup utility cloths. Use it to cover high chair so you only have to wash the blankets.

For the parents-to-be, any of them, see if you can hook up with new parents, and experienced parents. Some kind of group thing. It sounds like Maxwell and SK haven't done a lot of babysitting.

Take a new parenting class. If you can't find time to take the parenting class, mom and dad (or dad and dad or mom and mom or add your preferences here) together, you sure as heck aren't ready to have baby around.

Wow! Look at all the resources available in New York City:
http://www.gocitykids.com/browse/subcat.jsp?area=197&category=790

Ahhh, Mommy Margarita Night at Hudson River Park Mother's Group.

I am wondering, most of these say "Mommy" like there aren't dads? Or gay couples with kids.

Oooh, Little Hearts CPR. That would be a good one.

Two Rooms. What a great idea. Has office space for self-employed with DAY CARE on premises. Man, would that be a convenience or what?

I don't know neighborhoods, but that could be another solution for the GRs in the future, if you get a bigger place elsewhere, but still wanted to remain connected in a certain neighborhood.

I kind of object to using in-laws as "built-in babysitting". It's not their job to raise their children's children. They already did that once. They might be retired and really enjoy not having to deal with the child raising issues.

On the other hand, there are some grandparents that will practically take over the raising of the grandchildren, whether the parents want that or not. You know you're in trouble when the child screams at the thought of having to spend any time with their parents.

One of the best groups I'd seen in detail (okay, the only one, but it sounds good to me) was on Oprah, called "Mocha Moms". It was for SAHM (stay at home moms) of African American heritage. Just all the cool stuff they did.

Total support group network. Organized play groups at parks. Your kids had "built-in friends" via the group, and you knew who they were playing with and the other moms. Because you were WITH the other moms. You had plenty of time to talk and plenty of time to spend with lots of kids.

They had a Secret Santa kind of thing where they would sneak up to someone else's home (another Mocha Mom) and leave a little present. Like if someone adores long bathes, it would be a basket of bath salts and other bath goodies.

They helped each other remain sane. LOL! Providing a week's worth of food (prepared, just heat and serve) for new parents. So new parents could get into a schedule with their newborn baby just home. Without having to think about cooking.

Having a group that you KNOW, and can depend on, having other kids you KNOW and your kids can play with, that's great. And you'd have little problem taking the day off to be with each other, knowing your child was with another Mocha Mom and knew the child would be comfortable with that mom and her child(ren).

In a group like that, you may find you can swap out a lot of stuff. Making the expense minimal. Babies grow FAST. So do kids. Those clothing items are expensive, costing as much as adult clothing. But they wear them so briefly before going to the next size, they don't have a chance to wear them out. Last month's clothes won't fit this month's baby size.

So, you get a bunch of clothes from one family whose child just outgrew them, and pass on the ones your child just outgrew to the next group. Ditto for most of the carrying items or car seats. Providing they haven't been recalled due to safety issues, that itty bitty stroller could be passed on and work for MANY families.

Why aren't there more dad things? Hmmm.

The only real necessities in the beginning are 5 and 6 in my opinion. You can do fine with a newborn with diapers, transport device (stroller, sling, ergo, bjorn), and car seat. Everything else I would test out before you buy, particularly with the child, honestly.

I thought I would second someone's suggestion of the bjorn bouncy seat if you want a bouncy seat at all. It folds totally flat, is very stylish, and my two year old and friend's two year old squabble over who gets to sit in it. It's great for tiny babies when you need somewhere to put them down, and converts to a chair toddlers can get in and out of themselves easily.

Are actual "walkers" still around? I haven't seen them since my brother was a baby. I thought they were discredited by pediatricians as dangerous and bad for developing leg muscles. The stationary "exersaucers" where babies bounce up and downaround are ubiquitous, however.

I second Neal's walker comments--kids in walkers actually score lower on gross motor assessments, and some 14-15,000 of them end up in the ER every year (I have a reference for this somewhere--the Academy of Pediatrics, maybe?).

Regardless, If you have one, childproof like crazy!

First, congrats!!

Second, good for you for bringing up "the stuff." It's a challenge and it's easy to be over-run with it, no matter your square footage!

What you use to carry your baby will be highly personal. I chose to breastfeed my children on demand--and to my surprise, I went into a kind of sensory overload. Suffice it to say, when my child didn't want to nurse, and needed to be transported in a way more covenient than just on my hip, I really didn't want junior attached to my body. I also had and still have back problems. We also co-slept, out of necessity--colic and early teething mean no sleep for about the first year of each child's life! So, though we had a crib, we never actually used it.

Someone suggested using a car seat instead of a bouncy seat. This must be test-driven by your child, lol! One child didn't mind the car seat, the other cried in it constantly. For me, the bouncy seat meant we could have dinner when my dh got home. A motorized swing--though it has an enourmous footprint (our was 36x36 inches at least, if not more) was a life save for the second.

Good luck to you. If I may add a bit of advice: don't plan any major projects for the first six months of Junior's life. Sleep may become the most precious thing you'll ever wish you could hoard!

Here is my list, which differs from the others:

-I would get a Bugaboo stroller. It comes with a bassinet, and so you can use it from the get-go. You can also clip the car seat on the frame. It goes everywhere, over every terrain -- strollers with little wheels don't (think dug-up sidewalks as well as the park). It is also fairly narrow, and fits in stores and places that other strollers won't. Plus, it is the only suitable stroller for a design guru. We definately feel we got our money out of it -- it may be pricey, but worth every penny. Frankly, we found it neither comfortable nor convenient to lug our baby in a carrier -- if we bought anything, we were lugging them both around. And if we slipped, we went down with the baby.

-Our daughter was in a bassinet (handed down from her grandfather) for her first 6 months. Took up a lot less space, and we were able to move her from room to room. Without one, I would recommend an Amby hammock.

-We cloth diapered, and used cloth wipes, as have all my European cousins who raised 2 children in tiny two-room apartments. Disposable diapers, besides being bad for the environment, are bad for baby: they contain a known a carcinogen and other toxic chemicals (dixon - a powerful carcinogen banned almost everwhere except North America, Tributyl-tin (TBT), and sodium polyacrylate). Euro front-loading washers make this a breeze (you will be doing lots of laundry, especially after 6 months, when the baby gets onto solids), but diaper services are readily available, and come to the same cost or cheaper than disposables. We made our own wipe liquid.

-Our daughter screamed every time we put her in a Bjorn carrier; we found that pouch slings worked best. They fold flat and are easy to store, and were invaluable in comforting her and getting her to go to sleep (ours was hemp, from momandmecreations.com)

-You will need a rocking chair. We borrowed one because we couldn't find one we liked, but have since found Yrjo Kukkapuro's Moderno rocker, which we are getting for babe #2 (due this fall). In a small space, it is especially important to have a piece that works not just for the baby's needs, but also integrates well into the overall design.

-I remember Celia Barbour, the former editor of Martha Stewart Baby, did a piece on how she and her husband (an architect) made a nursery out of a small closet. It was very practical, and quite attractive. My parents, who had a tiny 2 room apartment for my first 4 years, stuck my crib in the living room, behind the sofa.

-Walkers are illegal in Canada and no longer on the market; given the rates of injury, I am shocked to hear they are still available in the States. We had an exersaucer, which our daughter really loved, but it did take up the whole living room. If you do get one, get one from a consignment store. In order to safely stash her for a few minutes, we got ourselves a set of baby gates http://www.babyproofingplus.com/item290.htm . They are flexible and can fold, and work for a wider range of ages than those travel play yards/beds.

-As for bouncy chairs, we had a Baby Bjorn one. It worked well, and folds flat for storage.

-As for baby bottles, try to get glass ones. There was an article this week in the paper about how thousands of chemicals in regular use have not been tested properly; one of those chemicals is in clear rigid plastic carbonates, such as water cooler bottles and baby bottles. Recent experiments on animals using doses 60% lower than the current government-prescribed maximums resulted in high rates of cancer, especially prostate cancer. Apparently, the chemical (Bisphenol A ) is shaped like the hormone estrogen (yet another artificial estrogen...).

- We had a baby playmat/gym for the first 10 months (folds flat in a carrier) which worked really well.

-You will kill your back if you try to change the baby on the floor or bed. A changing pad strapped to a dresser!

-The key to not being overrun with toys in our case was Montessori -- our daughter had lots of stimulating toys there, and so need only a smaller stash at home.

oops! that carcinogen is DIOXIN, not dixon.

The customer in front me in line at the Janovic had to schlep some paint cans home and she had this thing that looked like a briefcase, which she folded out into this thing that was amazing and was, basically, like a milk-crate at the bottom of a hand-truck. She said she found it at the Container Store. I found it online and if you click on my name, you'll see it.

I can almost imagine a person figuring out how to carry a baby in it, I swear. If so, what an amazing piece of thing that would be!

I'm kind of betting on the idea that the GR's are well enough connected with the design world that if there is any such thing as a totally fold-up baby stroller, it will surface by the time the baby is born.

If there isn't such like this for baby's then send this to your engineering design friends and goad them into designing one -- fast!

We have a 4 year-old and a 2 1/2 year-old. Looking back, after trying much baby gear and reading a lot of child development stuff, here's what I would get if we were going to do it over again in a small apartment:
1) Maya Wrap sling - a bit granola-looking, but car be worn in so many ways as the baby grows. And ours had a pocket for keys, burp cloth, etc. Baby starts small, so you build up to carrying 20+ lbs, and don't notice the back/shoulder strain. IMO, the most important baby item to own because you can easily put it off and on by yourself. I often wore fussy babies in it at home.
2) car seat (required to leave the hospital in NY? can double as a place to put baby while you shower)
3) inflatable bath tub (for tub) or spong mat thing (for sink), if you aren't going to bathe with the baby in the tub
4) the usual clothes, burp clothes, blankets, etc.
5) cloth diaper service
6) wait on the stroller to see when you really need it, depending on how independent your child is. Ours often became a shopping car while we carried baby in the sling.
This said, we had a crib for our first, but out of necessity -- we were losing our minds after the first three weeks of interrupted sleep -- we brought our baby to our bed. We read up on co-sleeping and haven't looked back. And the obvious -- breastfeed.
After much reading about child development, I can't help but think about two aspects of all the baby gear in this country -- 1) marketing and 2) the elimination of human contact, which is the key to a child's development.

Curtis - thanks for posting that. I'm going to check that out. I have a big grocery cart - too big - and this item might be more universally useful for shlepping on the subway for trips to places like Container Store itself.

Coming out of lurking this thread. As a non-parent, I'm finding all the baby chat fascinating because of the focus on attractive, small-space, urban living and on what does one really need for life. I went to a relative's baby shower last summer. They had the typical baby registries and the gift giving was a circus. My favorite item was the wipe warmer. OK, I'm sure someone could make a case for them, but I never heard of one and my table of skeptics had a good chuckle.

They needed a couple of vehicles to haul it all home. It would take up every square inch of the GRs place.

schlepping

One thing I could never understand- how a parent manages to get off the rocking chair, while holding a baby in his arms? I could never do it!

Pixie -

Here is the case for a wipe warmer.

We have one, and it has been great. First off, we use cloth wipes (we have 3 dozen of 'em; velour on one side, and sherpa on the other). We stack them up in the warmer, and soak them them with our home made wipe liquid (Dr. Bronner's liquid castille soap, tea tree and lavender oil, pure aloe vera, grapeseed oil and distilled water). Come change time, you only need one wipe to clean even the messiest of messes, and the baby quite enjoys the warmth.

I do agree they are pretty useless for disposable wipes (the wipes can get so hot you can burn the baby).

"Italian Bike Trip" Maxwell.

Promoting eco-sound on the website means practicing what you preach at home.
http://www.ecobaby.com/cloth.htm

Exerpt:
"Your baby will spend about 25,000 hours in diapers and need about 6,000 diaper changes during the first years of life."

======

http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/diapers/politics.html

Exerpt:
2000 German study links use of plastic diapers to male infertility.

======

One of the best shows on Oprah, Nine Common Myths of Motherhood Exposed: http://tinyurl.com/p4qv8

Exerpt:
"On average, a woman loses 700 hours of sleep during the first year of her baby's life. No wonder women are too tired to have sex!"

Be sure to check out the After the Show link and the Dads link on that page of links too. The main page for the show "What Your Mother Never Told You About Motherhood" is this: http://tinyurl.com/clkrm

======

And while Maxwell won't need them, Sara Kate will need pads for the bra...breasts don't have an "off" switch.
http://tinyurl.com/gz7vm

And something for the nipple soreness. Here's something to read:
http://www.mothermates.com/mmclinical.asp

Those last two aren't the best references, but just something to get started on.

My mum couldn't afford disposible diapers, we all had cloth. My mum couldn't afford jar baby food for me. She put fruits, veggies, whatever into a blender or mashed it up by hand and fed me. Whatever leftovers you might have, just smush it up and feed the baby.

It's probably why I love fruits and veggies to this day. That gunk in the baby food jars doesn't even taste like what it says on the label, go ahead, try some. YUCK.

When I'd have sick cats (not kids, cats), the vet said to encourage their eating with meat baby food, like chicken or turkey. So I tasted some. One of the two major brands is grainy and has a repulsive texture. It's sort of like "soft sand" in it's graininess.

You could make all sorts of yummy healthful concoctions at home, using a food processor, blender, as-seen-on-tv gadget or simple chopping/mashing. No honey for babies though.

Read about the World's Healthiest Foods at
http://www.whfoods.org Great site, and may help you make better choices in foods for yourselves and for baby.

OH!!! One more thing. Sara Kate and Maxwell, you guys, work out! Yes, I know Sara Kate will be the size of a truck and won't exactly be doing sit-ups. I'm talking about ARMS and SHOULDERS for working out.

You don't need to join a gym and don't need specialized weight training gadgets. You have a home weight scale? You have a couple empty plastic jugs and empty plastic water bottles?

Fill them with water and start doing serious arm exercises NOW. This very minute. As soon as you read this, run, do not walk, to the kitchen and grab a can of something and start doing bicep curls while you read the rest of the messages.

The next five years of your life will be spent lifting that child. Carrying that child. Pushing that child. Bathing and changing diapers and cuddling and playing and it's so arm-intensive. You don't think 10 pounds is very much. Sure, easy to lift. Except you have to lift it all day and all night and all day and all night, and the baby gets bigger and bigger and you're still lifting the baby all day and all night.

Any front or back carry system will have to be LIFTED on to you and then your shoulders will be carrying that weight...all day. Start now, fling on a backpack (well, Maxwell can) and start carrying around an extra 20 pounds.

If you think you'd take baby for a walk in the carrying thing for 10 blocks, start walking 10 blocks now with at LEAST 20 pounds extra. I'd be more than happy to arrange to donate 20 pounds of excess fat from my various body parts that you can carry around until it gets smelly or you attract too many flies. You pay for the lipo.

Uh, anyway, those are kind of dumb things, in a way, but they will make sense later on, after you folks have the baby. Your arms will be STRONG so you can lift baby up in the air. Or carry baby around the city. Or lift that stroller.

If there was one LUXURY item I'd recommend, it would be to have professional massages as often as you can afford. Each of you. Seriously. A place that you can go, without baby, to fully relax, and have those muscles worked on. You'll probably fall asleep. You'd have to go individually, because SOMEONE has to watch the baby.

And, yeah, it would be nice to massage each other, but you'll both be tired and cranky and would have the baby right there. A weekly (if possible) massage and whirlpool therapy thing would be the highlight of the week for your aching, tired body.

I've tried to restrain myself but I just couldn't. I think it is ridiculous to spend $700 for a stroller. You can use many strollers from birth, you don't need a bugaboo to wheel an infant around. Also, if you use a cloth diaper service, the gas for delivery/pick up, the soap and sterlizing agents etc. are worse for the environment than disposable diapers. Some women cannot breastfeed and glass bottles can be dangerous with a small child around. That's all I'm gonna say (at least in this post).

Don't do the Baby Bjorn. My sister has one but came to visit me without it, so I got her something called, I think, the Nest. It is two bands of Lycra/Cotton that you can configure into 6 or 8 different positions depending on how you want to hold the kid (facing you on stomach, cradled on her back like for nursing, facing out, on either hip etc.). Like the Bjorn, its hands free babying, but the baby has much more freedom of movement in some positions, and in one of the positions you can nurse and walk in public at the same time. The baby LOVED it, my sister said she was MUCH happier in it than she ever is in the bjorn, she wears it around the house etc, and it will serve to carry the kid until well past the age of 2. Because its all fabric (getting into it can be a bit like playing cats in the cradle with your entire body) it folds up small for packing -- no clutter -- there are no uncomfortable metal bits and adjusting it is an absolute snap. It's a little more secure than a sling, but is the same concept. She wears this while cooking, housework, watching TV, shopping etc.I'll get the name of the thing and post it here, but I know you can get it from a store in DC called Dawn Price Baby.
My sister also has a really sturdy car seat/stroller combo that she uses all the time, and one fancier overland version I got her for nature trails and her neighborhood, which has no sidewalks.
Resist the urge to buy a lot of stuff; you really don't need a changing table, my sister says. any flat surface (usually the floor) will do, along with a basket of wipes, powder etc.
But my sister says the disk with all the noise makers etc on it that the baby sort of stands up in -- she can spin 360 degrees to access different parts of it -- is invaluable for keeping her entertained when she is busy.
Also there is a great line of vegan friendly totally scent and allergen-free baby skin care products called Arbonne she swears by.
One more thing: I had a friend in manhatten that rented a studio down the hall from his tiny one bedroom when he and his wife had a baby. they used the 1 bedroom as a 2 bedroom suite, and the studio as living, dining and play space, and ran the phone cord down the hall under the runner to connect the two apartments. You might consider.

Uhh, why didn't your friend just use a cordless phone?

Matilda! Add more on! How are people going to know what is or isn't a good idea without hearing pros AND cons of each kind of choice!!!

I probably wouldn't do a diaper SERVICE, just cloth diapers. That would require a machine in-home though, or at least an in-home washer would be the ideal situation.

Another drawback to glass bottles is that they are much heavier, so the little one will need to be buff in order to lift the thing, even with a small amount of liquid. And glass hurts a lot more when it's dropped on your foot.

Plastics. Modern-day miracle? Environmental disaster? I dunno. I just like that it doesn't break so easily. I break things that are breakable. Without trying.

And, no, there's no way I'd pay $700.00 for a stroller either. At this point, I don't even think my car is worth $700.00 (even though it needs more than that to be properly repaired).

Why should it be risky to mention babies/children issues on a design site. Isn´t interior and design about people and aren´t our children changing our way of living in many ways? My experiences are that the attempt of combining the wishes and needs of all family members are risky. Dealing with this matter can be more challenging then regulary interior design questions. After all our children are learning from the way we are integrating design in our daily life.
Finally children need less things than we think, but what we purchase should be of the best quality we can get.

Monika-I see your point. Sounds VERY nice and eco-friendly.

About the bugaboo -- friends who purchased cheaper strollers (e.g pegs, maclarens, etc. ) are on their second child and 4th stroller. The ones with 3 kids went through 5+ strollers. We are now about to have our 2nd, and our bugaboo is in perfect order, and will likely be in the same state if we ever have a #3. It may have a high up-front cost, but is a bargain in the long run. (And grandparents frequently like to gift strollers).

As for glass bottles, our mothers' and grandmothers' toes seemed to have survived, and so have the babies who used them (by the time the baby is able to hold and maneouvre the bottle by him- or herself, they will be more than capable of "hefting" such a great weight).

If you don't feel like trekking to the laundromat to wash diapers (I have friends who have and didn't find it a chore), then a diaper service is still en ecologically superior option to disposables (and healthier for the baby). With disposables, there is the logging; transportation of logs; processing; paper processing; shipping to factories to make into diapers; the actual making of the dipaers; shipping to distribution centers; and finally shipping to stores where they are purchased (and of course, the constant, never-ending 2 year treks to the store to drag home those packages of diapers). Far more environmental costs (including energy usage) than those of a dipaer service, which consists of short local treks (like the one to the store). As well, an increasing number of diaper services are going green (to satisfy their green clientele), and are using non-chlorine bleaches and biodegradeable detergents.

Flushable diaper - http://www.gdiapers.com/

I do not have kids and have not used them. I do not know anyone who has used them. Just putting it out there.

Monika! Cloth diapers don't grow on a cloth diaper tree. All the shipping and distribution applies to cotton products, synthetic products and every other kind of product.
http://www.cottonsjourney.com/Storyofcotton/default.asp

Strollers are a convenience for the adults. And are often used improperly, as in a stroller AND a grocery cart. Sometimes you'll see mothers carrying baby, and pushing the stroller full of grocery bags. Which weigh far more than baby. Various strollers can have limits from 30 to 100 pounds. Depending on what it's for, like the big jogging strollers, well, I could take my mom for a jog in one of those.

Kids would rather see their parents, not the road ahead. It'd be like a roller coaster when you didn't know what a roller coaster was.

You don't need a canopy, the child can use a hat or lightweight fabric. You don't need a bouncer if you have a knee or a pair of legs. You don't need a rocker if you have arms and a back.

Mum told me the story of walking to the store in the snow. Taking me along. Tied a rope to a cardboard box and dragged it with me in it along behind her. Got the store stuff. Loaded up the box. Trudged back through the snow and noticed at one point the load seemed a little "light". Looked back to find the groceries intact and me missing.

Trudged back through the snow to find me somewhere along the way, lying in the snow, just smiling. Put me back in the box and went home.

Ya know, what they need to do is make a heavy-duty Roomba. One that will take a car seat. Plop the baby in the seat, on the Roomba, and watch baby GOOOOOO.

Thump
Thump
Thud

Oops, forget the lack of head clearance under the dining chairs.

How about the fold flat grocery/all-purpose carts. Matilda has one. I wonder if there are any set up that would take a car seat? On the top.

You can get those carts no only with four wheels, but the front wheels are steerable. Not just fixed. Sooooo, if you found a sturdy one that would take the seat, you'd have an item than can be used, with or without baby.

Put the baby car seat on the top of the opened cart to get to the store. Put the car seat in the shopping cart at the store and hang the multi-use cart on the front. Put bagged groceries in the multi-use cart and then car seat on top.

A few SMALLER baby supplies could easily be carried in a lightweight backpack. An extra diaper. A water bottle for baby, etc.

The big cart won't fold up nicely like the briefcase one, but it will handle a lot. Anyone know if such a thing already exists? The multi-use cart that will take a car seat?

OK, I am another lurker surfacing for this topic. My daughters, now 15 & 7, used cloth diapers from day one. They do not grow on trees but remain my strong preference for what is best next to my child’s bottom.

If a baby has sensitive skin, they can make a tremendous difference. Using a diaper service for the infant size is wise though. Ours (DC area) also had diaper covers and diapers to buy. After the first 8 weeks, we washed at home. (We still have old diapers in the rag bag available to wipe up spills and other messes.)

Using hand-me-downs and thrift stores when possible (not for car seats) is just smart environmentally & tactically. Kid #1 hated the bouncy seat, #2 loved it. But I found a folding one at the thrift so could even pack it in a suitcase--such a treat when traveling w/o my husband. I also vote for the folding umbrella strollers over the big ones. We used those much more than the expensive ones (+ a sling or carrier).

But please do not begin without books to read to baby. This is one time when owning is preferable to the library. Go for high contrast, photos of other babies, bright colors and your childhood faves.

This site goes over some of the pros and cons of cloth vs. disposable diapers. http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/diapers.htm
There are alot of different views on the topic. One highlight that some may find interesting..."It is estimated that roughly 5 million tons of untreated waste and a total of 2 billion tons of urine, feces, plastic and paper are added to landfills annually. It takes around 80,000 pounds of plastic and over 200,000 trees a year to manufacture the disposable diapers for American babies alone. Although some disposables are said to be biodegradable; in order for these diapers to decompose, they must be exposed to air (oxygen) and sun. Since this is highly unlikely, it can take several hundred years for the decomposition of disposables to take place, with some of the plastic material never decomposing."
Check out the site.

My feeling is that we are dealing with the many different ways that different parents handle babies. I stayed home for my son's first year. We inherited a well used Techo that is still goin strong and my son is 2. Even though I was staying home, I did not have the time or the inclination to use cloth diapers or glass bottles. I also was unable to breastfeed so used formula. So I can't claim to be a politically correct mom. I also sleep trained my child at a very young age, never let him nap in the stroller or car seat (because of sleep training instructions) and am a John Rosemond devotee. Bring the criticism on!!

However, my husband and I still had a life and a relationship soon after our baby was born (our son slept through the night at 3-4 months, we left him with a sitter at one month) and I couldn't be happier. I talk to friends who have kids my son's age and they still spend all night getting their kids to go down, deal with bedtime and pacifier struggles). Call me old fashioned, but it works for us. All of our single friends are delighted to spend time with my son. If you want to raise a high maintenance kid, have fun - but you don't have to.

Matilda-
No offense intended. I just wanted to share some information I found. I realize that parents will raise their children different ways. The main thing a child needs is attention and love. No matter what diaper they wear.

I do think if people have the time and the resources, taking a minute to see the footprint we are making on the planet is important. I understand that there are more important things to worry about than diapers. But every little bit we can do helps.

Andrée - with cloth diapers, the transportation and processing only happens ONCE, whereas with disposables it happens over and over and over for 2 1/2 years.

"Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste and use twenty times more raw materials, like crude oil and wood pulp.
The manufacture and use of disposable diapers amounts to 2.3 times more water wasted than cloth."

(Soucre: Armstrong, Liz and Adrienne Scott Whitewash: Exposing the Health and Environmental Dangers of Women's Sanitary Products and Disposable Diapers, What You Can Do About It. 1993. HarperCollins.)

"Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR." (Source: Lehrburger, C., J. Mullen and C.V. Jones. 1991. Diapers: Environmental Impacts and Lifecycle Analysis. )

Given that children in disposables generally toilet train around 2 1/2 years (children in cloth toilet train earlier on average), that means that each child in disposables goes through 750 pounds of wood, 125 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 50 pounds of chlorine until they are toilet trained.

Although the ecological argument for cloth diapers is very important, the clincher is what is best for the health of the baby. The fact that disposables contain dioxin and other dangerous chemicals is not widely known; parents need this information in order to make an informed decision about diapering their child.

As for your ideas on child transportation, I'll stick with our bugaboo, thanks all the same. I can't imagine using a grocery cart for our daily walk in the park, for window shopping in our neighborhood, or for popping over to a friend's place for a playdate. (And with bugaboos, you can have the child face you, or face out -- child's choice.)

If you are truly working with little space, then you can forgo the stroller and crib. They are really unnecessary and both bulky. I never used them. You can use the sink and you in bath with baby rather than a bulky baby bath.

Baby can sleep in bed with the parents. And you can use a baby carrier which takes up virtually no space (like a Didymos, a hotsling or a Kozy Carrier mei tai).

We used a bouncy seat sometimes. But after finding out you can use a woven wrap like a Didymos or an EllaRoo as a hammock with little effort, I wold stick to that to save even more space in an already tine apartment.

In NYC, strollers are a nightmare. You have to fold them on the bus, carry them up and down subway stairs, use them on uneven narrow sidewalks. I found it easier to skip the headache and use a carrier. As for people who insist they need one for their stuff, you might be carrying too much stuff then. You really do not need everything Babies'r'Us offer. I carry a medium sized bag with holds everything I need and does not require a stroller.

I used cloth diapers. The nastiness that is in disposables is not something I would subject my babe's bottom to. Cloth is so much easier than people think, and it required so much less work (instead of heading to the store and dragging home a huge box of diapers on the train, I simply tossed them in the wash). You can also get reuseable velour wipes.
www.realdiapers.org

My list would read:
breast
sling/baby carrier
2 dozen prefolds and some covers
2 dozen reuseable wipes
car seat for travel only (And in that case I would spring for the Britax)
That about sums it up.

if the Maya is too "granola," the kelty carrier is bulky and the BB is a pain, there are so many other options.

For baby carriers you want to wear and are small enough to stash in a bag:
http://soulbabynyc.blogspot.com/
www.goo-ga.com
http://store.peppermint.com/
http://www.oopababy.com/
http://rockinbabysling.com/

back and front carriers:
http://www.babyhawk.com/
http://www.kozycarrier.homestead.com/
http://www.didymos.de/english/index_e.htm

HTH

I have a grade-schooler and toddler twins and this is some of what I have learned to live comfortably in a one-bedroom.

Stroller- I would use a snap ‘n go for the first three-six months and then get a Maclaren. I would get a used base from craigslist.com of urbanbaby.com.

Bouncy seat- I prefer a swing. Personally, I don’t get bouncy seats. For my twins, I used car seats for feeding and for sleeping (Dr’s orders due to reflux, the babies needed to sleep with their heads up.) If your child likes to vibrate, put the seat on a running dishwasher, washing machine or dryer.

Crib- If you are going to get a crib, just get one. Don’t waste money on a bassinet. Albee, http://www.specialtybaby.com, offers next day service and has cribs in stock. Remember that once you get to the knee-drop railing, hidden hardware range, most cribs are the same. Compressed wood parts are compressed wood parts, whether they are $300 or $800 cribs. If you are really pressed for space or will travel often get a playard or pack ‘n play instead.

Baby bath- Don’t get it! But two bath mats. Place one on the tub floor and the other one saddled over the side. Keep the water level low and bathe. Keep the bath toys small. Try little squirt toys, from orientaltrading.com.

Diapers- In the beginning, I go for quality. Explosions are common at this stage and always seem to happen at the worst time. You’ll want a diaper to contain them. Feel free to pilfer as much as possible from the hospital. BTW, cloth diapers, to me, make as much sense as reusable tampons.

Wipes- Kirkland, Costco brand are the best.

Baby Bjorn, Slings, etc.- My lumbar was really hurt after delivery and I was not able to use any. Try borrowing from someone else before purchasing, to see if your back can handle.

Bottles- Very subjective. Dr. Brown’s while more expensive and has too many parts, very good for gassy, colicky, refluxy babies. To save space, put the bottles back together while storing, instead of separate containers for bottles, nipples, covers, etc.

Diaper bag- Cannot rave enough about the LeSportsac diaper bag at http://www.lesportsac.com/store/7528_5205.html. It’s light, durable, expands, compresses, washable, holds my water bottle, the baby’s bottle, etc. Definitely worth the splurge.

Laundry detergent- Just get dye-free, fragrance free detergent. There is no need for Dreft or other special baby-detergent products.

Cloth diapers- Great for everything other than diapering. Burping, wiping up spills, etc.

Macys.com- signup for email coupons. Get an extra 15%-20% off already discounted one-day sale stuff. Great for Carter’s stuff.

Onesies- Carter’s are buy far the best. Softest and heavier material. Others tend to be grainier and skimpier.

Changing table- Just place a rumble tuff changing pad on any tabletop. Don’t forget the terry covers.

Diaper pails- use a garbage pail and throw the diapers out often. I don’t care what these diaper pail companies promise; they always give off a diaper smell.

For mom- Make an appt to get fitted at Upper Breastside, ASAP. A proper fitting nursing-bra makes all the difference. Those flimsy things at Motherhood will do you no justice, when you are a 38F!

Freecycle.org, craigslist.com, ebay.com and urbanbaby.com- use these sites to save on things, but also to get rid of things the moment they are no longer needed.

Important documents, warranties etc.- scan or download into your computer. It saves valuable space, resolves the clutter headache and makes suddenly needed documents easily accessible.

This is really a good topic! No matter WHAT anyone has gotten, one child somewhere loved that item, and another child elsewhere hated it (or couldn't use it). Same for things around the house or things for moms and dads.

Many things are VERY SPECIFIC in use, like when I watch the bicyclists go by with the attached child "bubble". The things that have big bike wheels and can be completely covered over. There's only ONE use for that, and that's to hook onto a bicycle. It's VALUABLE if you are a bicycle person. Same with the big jogging strollers. They're HUGE, but they ride smooth and are easy for joggers to push along.

Maybe it would be good for everyone to reiterate what each of the items DOES, how it WORKS, what it's GREAT for, and what it totally sucks at.

If I knew computer programming, I'd make something that would allow new parents to check off what they do and don't do. An "if-then" program. If you have to get on and off buses of walk up stairs. If you jog or bike. If you shop with baby and what kind of shopping. Physical needs for baby and parents. Finances.

We have no idea of many of the variable factors. We don't know if we'll have a fussy baby or a baby that must be upright or a baby that can doze hanging upside like a bat. We don't know if breast feeding will be possible. Or if there will be back injuries or other injuries, not just from carrying or bearing a child, but all I did to become disabled was simply bend and twist on my balcony...SIX YEARS AGO. Um, yeah, I did say "we'll". I have the feeling that we'll be hearing a lot about The Baby GRrrrrr. Lots of updates and pictures and a Quicktime Weekend movie with Clark Ov Saturn fainting while filming the birth. And then weeks will go by with no AT-NY updates while the parents sleep.

So, since we don't know any of that stuff, what say folks pitch their favorites in what it does best. Especially multiple parents...who may have tried five bottles, six kinds of diapers, and have four completely different kids. What was easy to maintain? What was a real pain in the butt? Did you need a degree in engineering to assemble something? Did something fall apart?

It still won't answer all the questions, but knowing that the Rolls Choice Stroller weighs in at 150 pounds and passes vehicle safety regulations might be a good thing to know. I can't lift 150 pounds up and down any stairs, but if I get to the park with the Rolls, I know I can bash other strollers out of the way. ;)

Any discussion of strollers involving New Yorkers is ultimately going to lead to a nasty exchange involving subtexts of class, money and privilege - because of the BUGABOO. It is a $900 stroller that took Manhattan by storm a couple of years ago. On the richest blocks in New York, you see Bugaboos. On other blocks, you don't. When bugaboos started appearing in Park Slope, the Brooklyn message boards went nuts with loathing.

For some reason, this stroller incites derision and anger in everyone.

Not nearly as much as John Rosemond incites derision and anger in everyone. We really shouldn't go there... :)

Right on, Me.

Not nearly as much as John Rosemond incites derision and anger in everyone. We really shouldn't go there... :)

Right on, Me. (I've forgotten how to do the e with the accent)

Oops. Sorry about that double post.

wow, if we're not careful around here, this is going to turn into an urbanbaby thread.

Different babies, different parents - not everything works for everybody. There's more than one good way to raise a child. Maybe I'll just tune in to these threads periodically to repeat that ;)

I don't know who most of the people mentioned ARE on these boards, so I don't know this John Rosemond either.

How well does the Bugaboo perform? How is it designed? Is it "good design" or does it do the job much better than the generic stroller.

Does it have a built-in bar and bottle warmer? Is it motorized so it's like a ride-on mower with baby thing in the front? Does it have heat and massage for baby? Or for the parent pushing it?

Is it made of vastly superior materials, like teflon coated seats and titanium alloy? Does it have surround sound to lull baby into submission or sleep?

Does it have a changing table incorporated or convert to a gazebo? What's the deal? I tried to view their home page yesterday and all I got was a blank page, like something javascript or shockwave wanted to load but didn't.

Something like that has to DO significantly more to justify it's cost. What is it that it does? Kids aren't in strollers that long.

There will always be people who have a bunch of money and look for things that appeal to their income level in order to show that income level to other people. To appear to be well-to-do. A lot of people do that and they aren't well-to-do.

Like the people in the very expensive sports cars that can't legally romp at the speeds at which their cars were designed for. Why would I want to spend an extra $99,000 when I can already drive the speed limit in my rust bucket?

Then I get lectured on "good design" again. Alas, I lash back with "good design is of no benefit in my situation." The design alone doesn't justify the cost, for ME. It's got to be MUCH BETTER in a way that is better for ME. Like if that fab chair hurts my back more than other chairs, it doesn't matter what it looks like or how much it costs or who designed it. It's simply not a good chair for me and my painful back.

What problems does the Bugaboo solve that other strollers can't begin to accomplish? It's not just some trendy thing, is it? I hate it when people buy into trends. I did that. I didn't like being fooled. I'm old enough now to know that my colors are not brighter, my whites are not whiter, and "New and Improved" is neither "new" or "improved." ;)

Original Blues, you didn't see that coming? Even I, the Village Idiot, saw it coming as soon as there was the pregnancy announcement, the possibility of a 9-Month-Cure (which would really be a tube tie or vas plug or that new goo), and the starting of the baby parade, featuring all-things-baby.

It would inevitably veer away from actual design and into the realm of parenting. Which is kind of a turn off to me. I'm not a parent and never intended to be one. Oh, I love the little ones. The older ones. I'd probably be a good mom. Or so I've been told. Hah! I'm a good part time mom/babysitter.

Anyway...there aren't always a lot of active threads here. These have been fairly active. As have the Good Questions (which I just love). There's nothing else participatory here. For ME. And when one of the most active areas is something I'm not THAT interested in, well. dang.

I've been around "New Parents Syndrome" before. With the technological advances since then, it will be now possible to drive lots more people nuts with "Here's a picture of my baby from this morning, vomiting" and "Here's a picture of my child sleeping just sent via email at lunch" and so on.

It was SOOO much better when it took a week to process photos. The burden on non-parents was much lighter.

And I big on being a helper. But my pain has frustrated a lot of that. Even without the pain, there's not a dang thing I could do to help out this specific couple. I couldn't give them an afternoon off and take the baby for a walk in whatever contraption they provided (I used whatever the parents had to walk the kids when I did my babysitting).

I can't stop off and pick up groceries for them. I can't offer to take in their laundry this week. I can't vacuum or anything.

Those LITTLE THINGS are soooo appreciated. I was in charge of tending the plants of a friend when they were away on their honeymoon. And I totally surprised them, by cleaning their home top to bottom, including windows and laundry, and putting out flowers and fresh fruit. So when they came home, they had a sparkling new home to come home too.

So if you want to know what to "give" to new parents...give them a break. LOL! Do their laundry. Just one time helps. Everything helps. A casserole or nice tossed salad. Take the baby for a walk so they can take a nap.

Mé, are you a guy or gal? Because now you have a male version of "Mée"...like André and Andrée, René and Renée. Generally one "e" is male. Unless you're Andrée in Germany, then you can be male. And you aren't MEEEE anymore, you're May.

Jonathan, do you have Bugaboos for every day of the week, embroidered with each day's name?

You can find used Bugaboos on ebay for alot less. and I am sure in other places as well. Yes they are expensive, but like a former post said, are worth the money if you have multiple children and they do not fall apart. Some people I am sure use strollers more than others. Bugaboos are good quality. They are designed well (design means quality fabric and materials, and engineered well, and safe, not just looking cute and fashionable). They are narrow like a previous post said, which may come in handy in some situations. They fold up fairly compactly which is a plus for people who travel by air often. The Bugaboo has an attachment for a carseat, like others. It can face forward or back, like others. It has a bassinet option. And it gets around easily. It is unfortunate that there is such a discrimination about products that cost more. It is too bad that people have to be worried what everyone will think of them as they walk around the street in NYC or anywhere else. There are more important things to worry about than who has the cheapest stroller. It would be nice if the people who own Bugaboos could be included in this discusion without them being labeled as snobs.

So what are you doing Andree, posting in this thread ad nauseum? Just because this is an active thread you don't have to post to it, especially if it is a subject you are not THAT interested in.

Give us a break please. Again.

jp-I completely agree. Andree, this is a thread of much interest to many, including this site's proprietor. If you don't want to read stuff on a site, don't read it. Why run on and on about something that has no interest for you?

Oh, just a wee joke in case we ended up at odds over sleeping arrangements or well made but very expensive strollers or any of the other things that tend to lead to tears and recrimination if you're not careful.

One thing this all shows is that one person's maximalism is another person's minimalism.

I've gone pretty minimal myself (as evidenced by my baby's list posted above), but this just isn't going to work for everyone.

so I'm just going to stick with the one bit of advice I do have: borrow as much as you can to try it out, and then see if you want to buy it and give it housespace.

btw, Andree, for every new parent that sends out photos of every moment including the ultrasound, there's someone like me, who doesn't take a lot of photos, and who gets flak for not sending enough around. And kids can easily be in strollers for three years - and if you have two kids, that's a fair bit of mileage on the buggy.

Just returned from a christening party for friend's second child. He told the story of visiting a playground with me, my daughter and another friend years ago. My daughter vanished for a moment, both guys freaked out while I remained "bizarrely calm." He thought it very odd at the time. Today he understands completely (he’s a stay at home dad). My point is our children survive and thrive despite the agonizing we do over such details.

I want my kids to inherit a planet with a few resources, so I used cloth diapers and wish more folks would give it a try. This is not an indictment of others’ choices.

I moved to NY to get away from the suburbs and all the middle class nonsense including tripping over strollers and listening to breeders whine about their daily parenting trevails. New York City is the new Greenwich Connecticut. Time to move!!!

Hey John, I hear ya.
But you might want to avoid this site for at least the next 9 months (and probably longer).

Lookie there! What a surprise! JP and Pixie, critics again, without having posted one iota of any info in the form of links that might be helpful to someeone in this thread. No JP comments at all, other than the usual picky-picky-snitty-snot. Pixie, one point, that wipe warmer idea is good, but that's all you posted.

I posted 9 links, that MIGHT be useful.

I've taken care of umpteen infants, young kids, and the elderly. I had a booked schedule, the kids loved me, and I worked with whatever the parents had. And whatever they had, worked.

They were ALL well-to-do people. Every single stroller strolled. All diapers became full. Kids will eat most anything if it's made fun. I've been vomited on, peed on, and pooped on. Little boys and their fire hoses. Always keep your mouth shut when exposing any baby bottom. Both sexes can have explosions, and you'd best be out of the way when that occurs, or carry your own change of clothes, because it will shoot off the table, onto the walls and floor.

The design-related aspects are what I'm interested in. Are there changing table contraptions like a cat's high-back litter box that will keep that explosion in check? Is the only possible solution to fire hose a light fabric drape even at changing time?

The narrow track of the stroller mentioned is a GOOD design aspect.

And this is a subject I am less interested in, yes. However, even "less interested" on MY part seems to be considerably more interested than you two who claim to be interested.

I took an aptitude test a long time ago. One of the things was for various professions. The lowest score was for accounting. The first thing I did was take an accounting course. Because even the things I am least likely to like, I like. And the things I am least interested in are extremely interesting.

Do you really think I'd look up a bunch of links on frigging diapers if I wasn't interested at all? I have no plans of diapering my cats, my plants, my books, my shoes, or the computer. But I still looked it up, because it was something interesting and something I wanted to learn more about.

Contribute, or shut up. Don't bark at me when I'm contributing.

Just a quickie on bugaboo (and the like) vs the McClaren types. It's a quickie for me at least because I wrote this back in Oct 04 during the stroller competition:

"I agree that we need a different poll for twins vs. singles.

We've got both a McClaren Twin and the Urban Buggy Double. We are getting rid of the urban buggy.

UB pros:
* Very easy to push - low rolling resistance.
* Very easy to maneuver - the way the pivoting front wheels work enable you to turn this thing around within the space that it takes up when still.
* Absorbs sharp bumps.
* Full width bar enables one handed pushing - also helped by low rolling resistance and excellent tracking - the front wheels have a castor that works much better than the MC

UB cons:
* Heavy - do not even try taking this on the subway, my wife and I did and nearly broke our backs.
* About 2 inches too wide - it does look wider than it really is but those couple of inches over the McClaren twin do make a difference in some NYC stores.
* Folding is not a single handed operation - you cannot do this with a child on your arm.
* Folding does not make it much smaller - it will take up nearly all the trunk space of a compact to mid-size car

Summary:
Unsurpassed for NYC streets if you plan to walk everywhere. We do walk a lot and it really is the best for this.

MC pros:
* Can be folded easily with one child on your arm - use a combination of hand and foot release then fold straight down with one hand.
* Folds to a fairly small size - never a problem on the subway in terms of the space it takes up when folded.
* Just light enough to be carried by two people up and down subway stairs

MC cons:
* Ride is awful - bumps that the UB rolled easily over send a jarring shock through the whole frame that obviously is not good for your children.
* Despite its light weight it is not as maneuverable as the UB by a long shot.
* separate handles that allow for compact folding do not allow for one handed pushing.

Summary:
If you need to travel on the subway with your two kids this beats the UB hands down. This is the main reason to buy this."

We actually kept the UB and got rid of the McClaren. We now use the UB for walking around downtown and are fortunate that we don't live in or need to walk to areas that are packed with ppl - so we don't get in the way too much!

For subway rides we bought two umbrella strollers from toys r us and they are light enough to carry up and down stairs with a 30lb toddler on board (for when they are asleep). The McClaren got a broken rear wheel after a few months and we ended up preferring the UB in the end.

I have met mothers in the park who never go anywhere on a subway and just stay in their hood. For that, a bugaboo is great for similar reasons I noted for th UB above. However, you do need a light weight umbrella stroller such as the Volo that others have mentioned.

I loved our slings - nothig beats your child falling asleep nuzzled up to your chest - but my back is done in now. For those that have met me you know that I at least look fit and able bodied (and I do lift with my legs) so having a bad back now is something I never thought would happen to me. I would consider very carefully getting a sling and it may even be worth going to a back doctor to check out your spine, posture etc. before you buy a sling or back pack.

I rarely comment Andree when you do because you have this uncanny ability to suck all enthusiasm out of me once you get into a thread. Sad but true.

Oh and I know that is my problem.

From an item in lifehack.org at
http://tinyurl.com/jwj7h

"...people think more is better. It’s not. Better is better. Less can be far better than more. Putting less fluff, clutter, and repetition in your communication, whether in print or verbal, allows people to better isolate and consume the main point you’d like to make."

jamie pup: i loved the snug feeling of the infant in the sling, too. and i agree, it was hell on the back. frankly i think 50% of sling users are making some sort of hippie political statement. i spit on them.

Regarding lightweight umbrella strollers (not the Techno) such as the Volo - your child has to be 6months old before they can use such a stroller. The volo in particular does not recline so that should be kept in mind. One great thing about Maclaren's is that they really work for tall people. I always feel uncomfortable when I see someone crouched over a little umbrella stroller! You can get stroller handle extenders too. For some reason we are always finding abandoned Maclarens here in the Heights. Sometimes they just need a wheel replaced or something simple like that. I still say a Maclaren Techno is the way to go. Try www.albeebaby.com for "last year's model" - about $75 cheaper.

Jamie, usually your enthusiam is sucked out because you fire on me and I fire back. Duh.

You've always a snarky comment followed by a "but don't leave" gesture that is supposed to smooth over a rough spot, but what it really does is tries irradicate responsibility for the snarky comment. It doesn't.

You either hate me and like me at the same time, or just plain dislike me and try to remain appealing to the more general public, so as not to have your former reputation harmed. Alas, your reputation is only as good as your last helpful post.

Pixie, I have a crappy vocab, and find it VERY difficult to assemble sentences from the things in my mind. I know what I want to say, but I don't know how to get it down.

GREAT link you posted, I fav placed it. Notice also one response in part says "Brevity can be seen as rude or discourteous."

The worst kind of reply? "Me too" replies. They say nothing. Shut up. Or say what you're agreeing with.

The last few posts from you two have expressly asked me to shut up, and another person to leave the site for the next 9 months. I'm sure having people leave the site is exactly Maxwell's overall plan.

JP, thank you for contributing after it was suggested.

Just say less. Please.

Also, you do not have a crappy vocabulary. Au contraire.

This will be last post about you Andree.
I contributed while you were typing your post. I was not responding to your suggestion.

You suck the enthusiam out of me before I post a thing.

I actually like you, find some of your posts very helpful (hence my don't leave comment), but find a lot of your posts distracting and unhelpful due to the all the reasons stated previously. So you do some good posts and you do a lot of "bad" ones IMO, hence my seemingly contradictory reponses to your posts.

And the 9 month comment was in the context of what the person posted. He doesn't like breeders or babies so he is going to find all the baby topics either infuriating or useless. Hence he may be better served on another site.

Go through some of the early pre-announcement posts to see how "interested" you were. Some people are consistent. Some people suck up now that weren't interested before.

http://tinyurl.com/qvung

http://tinyurl.com/q2p63

http://tinyurl.com/osl7e

And then the crowd goes wild with enthusiasm:

http://tinyurl.com/ncdc2

Jonathan, you crack me up. I used the sling because it was *easy,* very adjustable and the tots felt secure in it next to me or my husband. I wore them in it all the time, so I never had the back problems. My husband, however, would complain about his back if he wore them in it for extended periods while walking.

Andree--Trying to smooth it over here...I think their point is just that your posts are long and numerous. I don't think it's a personal thing. I don't personally mind, and I certainly wouldn't get angry over that, but I will say that I often start to skip over your postings or quickly skim. Much like I don't read a whole newspaper cover to cover. On the other hand, you often come up with some great things. That's all...trying to make peace :)

Sara Kate here ready to chime in on the diaper issue...

We are still trying to figure out what we'll do but are leaning, heavily, in the direction of cloth diapers. We've also checked out the disposable Gdiaper (http://www.gdiapers.com), which seems like a good option for travel, which we do (and hope to continue doing!) a lot. The argument over soaps and bleaches and dioxins and cost of transport aside, we feel that having something real and soft next to our child's bottom is preferable to something synthetic.

You have all had great suggestions, and we take them all to heart. And those who have read the book know and can tell you, we will practice what we preach, having as little as possible, having things of quality, and staying as committed as possible to keeping our world green and clean.

Sara Kate those G diapers are cute and if you get your little one to witness you flushing them down the toilet, you will be a step ahead when it comes time to toilet train (they will know where everything "goes.") I'll also tell you that even though I am a disposables fan for pure convenience reasons, disposable diapers are almost too "good" these days. They keep kids so dry that they almost don't realize sometimes that they have soiled themselves, which is one of the first steps to toilet training. Of course, I happen to be obsessed with this issue as we are moving rapidly towards the time when we will need to TT our son.

Im surprised nobody's mentioned boppies. They are great pillows, comfy for breastfeeding and to seat the baby in as well--and take up practically no space. It travels well and no rocking chair necessary.

Hi Maxwell!

Here's my 2 cents on the baby stuff:

You do not need a real stroller right away.
Carseat: Graco SafeSeat (new version of SnugRide that lasts longer, so you can keep taking cabs more easily for a few more months--huge advantage)

Car seat stroller: Combi Flash (You can borrow mine!!!) It folds up super tiny and has a shoulder strap, so if you are in a walk-up, put the baby in the carseat, sling the Flash over your shoulder, and you're good to go. Do not get a Sit-n Stroll. I have one and it is neither a good carseat nor a good stroller and I have cuts and bruises from using it.

Crib: If you want to borrow my Arm's Reach mini co-sleeper Bassinett (small and sweet), you're welcome to! Then you can put off the crib for a while. It also folds for travel--nice to bring baby's bed with you.

Bouncy seat: Check out the Baby Bjorn bouncy. It looks good, and it lasts for a while AND you can recline it very far (lots of babies are too small for bouncy seats and just slump in them.)

Carrier: I totally second the Ergo instead of the Baby Bjorn. My tiny is almost a year now and loves riding on my back while I walk the dog (no need for huge hard-framed backpack.) The Ergo will not kill your back. It is truly the best!

Other must have--pacifiers in all shapes and sizes so you can figure out which one baby likes. The pacifier was the single most important "thing" to save our sanity! Also some kind of simple mobile--ours loved staring at one from Flensted for hours.

Also--check out daddytypes.com for all sorts of info about all the things people mention here (including gdiapers) Great NYC parent/design blog

To all you Bugaboo haters--do you also yell at people who buy a BMW instead of a Honda?

Huh? There are more bugaboo lovers than haters in this thread. In fact only one person had anything negative to say about them.

Sorry--defensive reflex.

Christine, I am in DC too, or rather Arlington, can you point me to some good stores/groups/classes in the area to check out. We are leaning towards cloth diapers, and are first time parens with no friends with babies near-by. Any advice would be great!

Hi GM -- Don't know if you are still looking for an answer but I jut stopped back by to read the posts and saw your plea for help. First -- a problem with cloth diapers that I haven't seen addressed is that in DC some child care centers will not use them. Ours doesn't....so if you are going the day care route this is something to keep in mind. If you are staying home or hiring a nanny, not a problem.

www.dcurbanmom.com is a great resource for lots of things -- child care, events, advice. In Arlington, you might check out the library for children's events. I've heard the Alexandria Public Library has great story time. If you want to splurge on baby things, Cosmos Tots on either Clarendon or Wilson Blvd (can't recall) has great stuff...but pricey. For just everyday play stuff I usually buy things at Old Navy. There is a nice consignment store in Del Ray -- I think named Purple Goose. The shop is on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Alexandria. They have a limited stock of gear but you might be able to luck into a sling or bjorn there. One thing I have found with consignment stores is there tends to be more girl clothes than boys. We've had good luck buying gear at Buy Buy Baby. The staff is very helpful and the store is nice and clean. There are two in the area and the closest to you is in Springfield Plaza in Springfield. As for classes, check your delivery hospital or with your ob. Best of luck!

You don't need a baby bath or a changing table/railrider. Bathe the baby in the sink and change her on your bed or on the floor using washable changing pads. Target sells packs of 3 that we love, they have a plastic lining that prevents seepage onto the bed or floor.

to whomever sent this email that doesn't like their sit'n'stroll... are you willing to sell it???
please email me asap!
thanks!
Janet - janet.woulfe@state.mn.us


Hi Maxwell!

Here's my 2 cents on the baby stuff:

You do not need a real stroller right away.
Carseat: Graco SafeSeat (new version of SnugRide that lasts longer, so you can keep taking cabs more easily for a few more months--huge advantage)

Car seat stroller: Combi Flash (You can borrow mine!!!) It folds up super tiny and has a shoulder strap, so if you are in a walk-up, put the baby in the carseat, sling the Flash over your shoulder, and you're good to go. Do not get a Sit-n Stroll. I have one and it is neither a good carseat nor a good stroller and I have cuts and bruises from using it.

Crib: If you want to borrow my Arm's Reach mini co-sleeper Bassinett (small and sweet), you're welcome to! Then you can put off the crib for a while. It also folds for travel--nice to bring baby's bed with you.

Bouncy seat: Check out the Baby Bjorn bouncy. It looks good, and it lasts for a while AND you can recline it very far (lots of babies are too small for bouncy seats and just slump in them.)

Carrier: I totally second the Ergo instead of the Baby Bjorn. My tiny is almost a year now and loves riding on my back while I walk the dog (no need for huge hard-framed backpack.) The Ergo will not kill your back. It is truly the best!

Other must have--pacifiers in all shapes and sizes so you can figure out which one baby likes. The pacifier was the single most important "thing" to save our sanity! Also some kind of simple mobile--ours loved staring at one from Flensted for hours.

Also--check out daddytypes.com for all sorts of info about all the things people mention here (including gdiapers) Great NYC parent/design blog

To all you Bugaboo haters--do you also yell at people who buy a BMW instead of a Honda?


Posted by NB at 06/13/06 11:33 AM

Strictly cloth diapers on my children when they were babies. No diaper service, just plain old home laundered diapers with safety pins and rubber pants.

I'm still strong on the cloth diaper issue now that I'm a grandmother, and fortunate for me both of my daughters have chosen to go the route of cloth diapers for their children.

So many people make such an issue over cloth diapering but the truth of the matter is this, it's simple, economical, and the best for baby in every way.

To those that will not ride in cabs with a car seat - SHAME ON YOU! I KNOW it's a pain in the ass, but seriously? WHO trusts cab drivers? The sit and stroll isn't the most beautiful or convienent of strollers out there, but in lieu of carrying a car seat on your arm while pushing a stroller around, it's far better. You can use a backpack diaper bag, and you're all set.

here's a link to the CPS site - http://www.cpsafety.com/ I urge you to take a look, and to re-think NOT using a car seat for your child - ALL children should be in a carf seat until WAY past 40 pounds, and should be REAR facing, as well.

I can't even begin to think of the horriffic guilt and pain you might feel if G-d forbid something happened to your child that you could have prevented...