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Budgeting for Baby >
Planning for Your Baby |
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Gear for Transporting Your Baby
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| Preparing for your new baby’s arrival can be an exercise in
patience and perseverance. With so many choices and so much gear
available, it can be overwhelming. Some products might prove to be
unnecessary, while others will be invaluable for simplifying your
life with your new baby. Combining product knowledge with budgeting
is where they real challenge sets in. Keep in mind that budgeting
for baby gear is personal – there is no magic number. Your budget
will really reflect how much you are comfortable spending and your
lifestyle. |
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| Our guide to budgeting for baby gear will allow you to be
informed about what products are out there, what they are best
suited for, and their range of prices. Gear for transportation and
for home can be found to suit every budget. |
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Transportation
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| Your family’s new addition might be tiny, but that doesn’t
meaning moving around with your baby will be simple. Far from it –
just buying gear for travelling with your baby can be complicated!
Our guide to transportation gear should help you decide what you
need and what you might want to make travelling with your baby
comfortable and convenient for both you and your baby. |
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Stroller
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| When shopping for a stroller, you need to find something that
will fit your lifestyle with features that will make the stroller
functional for you. First, determine how you will be using the
stroller – walks on paved sidewalks, errands throughout the city,
long jogs or runs, or on icy and snowy streets? Think about which
activities you will be using your stroller for. Active parents might
want to focus on a durable, all-terrain stroller that can handle
rough trails, while urban parents that use public transportation
might value a lightweight, folding stroller. Wheels, handle type and
height, seat, harness system, and weight (both stroller weight and
the weight of a baby it can hold) are all important features to
consider. As you shop for a stroller, you will come across a
multitude of different styles and combinations of functions - keep
in mind that they all fit into three main categories; lightweight
folding, standard, and all-terrain. |
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| Lightweight folding strollers are a versatile option that can
easily go from the trunk of a compact car to the mall and throughout
crowded city streets. Lightweight strollers have come a long way
from the basic umbrella stroller, with features that can rival
standard strollers (such as storage baskets and reclining seats).
They range in price from $80-$350 (with some of the models at the
higher end able to support a heavier child, meaning the stroller
will still be useful after your child has outgrown other strollers). |
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| Standard strollers are larger than their lightweight
counterparts, meaning they can be trickier to manoeuvre in crowded
places. They also tend to be more expensive. The trade-off is their
added features; roomier seats that recline fully, more storage,
snack trays, rain and mosquito covers, and adjustable canopies, to
name a few. These strollers run from $100-$700 for many good quality
models, with luxury strollers starting at $850. |
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| Jogging or All-terrain strollers can be easily distinguished
from traditional strollers by their rugged three-wheeled frame. A
jogging stroller will allow you to stay active with your child in
tow –most experts recommend that your baby not come with you on jogs
until they reach 6 months, and you can plan on most strollers being
safe and comfortable for your child until 4 or 5 years of age.
Jogging strollers handle well on bumpy or sandy terrain, so you
might want to consider one if you do a lot of off-road walks.
Important components of jogging strollers are large wheels (16” or
20” in diameter, with a larger wheel resulting in less pushing for
the parent and a more comfortable ride for baby), a fixed front
wheel, shocks and a suspension system, and hand brakes mounted on
the handlebars. They can range in price from $200-$600. Some jogging
strollers can also convert to bike trailers. |
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Car Seat
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| The most important part of choosing a car seat is finding
something that is right for your baby’s age and weight and fits your
car. Your child will be in a car seat from birth to about 8 years,
so you should plan on buying more than one seat. Infants are
required by law to ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are 9
kilograms (20lbs), and it is recommended that they stay rear-facing
until they are a year of age, or have reached the maximum height or
weight limits of their seat. |
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| There are a few types of car seats for you to consider, with
different price ranges: |
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| Infant– only car seats are designed to be rear-facing only, with
weight limits of 20-30 lbs. Many have a base that stays secured in
the car, while the seat itself can be removed and used as a carrier.
Some can also be used with a stroller as part of a Travel system
(see below). Most fall in the price range of $80 - $180. |
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| Convertible car seats are seats that start out rear-facing and
can then be positioned forward-facing as your child grows. Most
convertible seats will take your child from infant to toddler, while
some 3-in-1 models can also eventually convert to a belt-positioning
booster seat for your child. These 3-in-1 models can prevent the
need for multiple car seats as your child grows, however keep in
mind they can’t be used as infant carriers, as infant only seats
can. They can cost from $100-$350 |
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| A Combination seat is a forward facing car seat which converts
into a high-back booster seat. Because it is forward facing only, it
cannot be used on infants under 20 lbs. These will take your child
from toddler to young child- likely until they can safely ride
without a child seat. A Combination seat works as a full-harness
baby seat for your child until 40 lbs, at which point it transforms
to a booster seat that is compatible with your vehicles seat belt.
Most booster seats have a weight limit of 80 to 100 lbs. $100-$300 |
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| ‘Travel Systems’ are another option to consider. These can be
convenient and budget friendly as they combine an infant car seat
carrier and base with a stroller. The advantage to a travel system
is that it allows parents to move their baby (especially useful when
the child is sleeping) from car to stroller while the baby is
secured in the same carrier. |
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| When choosing a travel system, you should investigate and
compare the car seat portion of the system first, as the car seat is
what will keep your child safe. Look for a car seat that fits in
your car snugly and securely, that is easy for you to install and
remove, and that has a 5-point harness. Next, decide on the travel
system stroller. These come in a variety of sizes and styles, from
folding umbrella strollers to joggers to full-sized, deluxe
strollers. Travel systems range in price from $200 - $800 –
including carrier, base, and stroller. |
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| Whichever car seat you buy, it must be labelled that it meets
the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS). Seats purchased
in Europe or the US might not meet this standard – check all labels
first. Also be aware of any used car seats that you might borrow
from a friend or family member or consider buying. If you can’t be
sure of the seats history (if it has been involved in a crash) it is
not safe to use. |
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Baby Sling or Backpack
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| Sometimes it will be more convenient to carry your baby with you
rather than holding it in a carrier or pushing a stroller. For
moments when you will need your hands free, or when navigating
crowded places or varying terrains and uneven surfaces, a baby sling
or more structured backpack will be invaluable. Baby Slings or wraps
are the low-tech end of the baby carrying spectrum. They utilize
different fabric types (stretchy or woven) in combination with
simple technology (sewn pouches for your baby to sit, o-rings or a
series of knots to adjust your baby’s position) in order to keep
your baby secured closely to your body. Prices for these can range
from about $5 for a simple piece of fabric that you will wrap around
you and your baby in a traditional style, to $150 for more
engineered sling or backpack. |
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| This guide to your basic travel baby gear should be a good start
to planning what your family will need and what your budget might
look like. Our at home guide covers the gear and associated costs of
turning your house into a baby-friendly home. |
