My favorite moments with the Sit
'n' Stroll
Election Day - We arrive by car, baby
snoozing in her car seat. I extend the stroller wheels to roll on in
to our polling place. In line, she snoozes peacefully in the
stroller-car seat. Finally, I roll on over to my voting booth, and
guess what? The Sit 'n' Stroll fits perfectly beneath my booth, with
handle pushed down. Fellow voters watch in awe, commenting, "I sure
wish I'd had something like that back when I had little ones!"
Favorite Mexican Restaurant - A short
wait for our table? No problem. Baby rests in her car seat-stroller
until it's our turn to be seated. We roll her through the restaurant
in between the tables until arriving at ours. Handle down, lift her
up, wheels retract, and the Sit 'n' Stroll is placed on a chair.
Voila. Dining booster.
Quick Trip to the Post Office -
Hurry, scurry, a trip to the Post Office, quick before they close.
No need to fuss with getting the stroller out of the trunk or the
front pack carrier, or un-strapping the child from the car seat and
struggling through protests of strapping her in to another
conveyance--only to repeat the procedure after mailing my package. I
just open the door, lift out the baby in her seat, extend wheels,
and roll on in!
The afternoon nap - The drive-induced
nap continues on after rolling the baby in and parking her in a
quiet corner next to the sofa where I, too, catch a few zzzzs.
But how does it really work?
In the rear-facing position, your
seatbelt goes through guides just as it would
when using an infant carrier car seat without its base. In the
forward-facing position, the seatbelt uses a different set of
guides, but the seatbelt still buckles around it rather than through
the back, facilitating simpler, quicker installation and removal.
When you get to your destination:
- Unbuckle the seatbelt and take
hold of the car seat's two handles with each hand--one just
under the front of the seat, the other on the seat's back.
- Lift the seat out of the car and
squeeze the handle on the back, then push it downward until it
clicks, indicating the wheels are out and locked.
- Set the seat down on its wheels
and squeeze the red levers together while pulling up the handle
to the desired height.
When you return to your car:
- Squeeze the small red levers
together to push the handle back down.
- Lift the seat by the same
handles, this time squeezing the handle on the back and pulling
up to retract the wheels.
- Set the Sit 'n' Stroll on your
car's seat and buckle the seat belt around it once more, pulling
the seatbelt to ensure it's snug.
Note: The wheels must be extended and
retracted while the seat is being held in the air--not while it is
sitting on a surface (the ground, etc.).
Still, it isn't perfect.
There is definitely a learning curve
one masters before using the Sit 'n' Stroll with grace, and you
would be wise to practice extending the wheels into locked
position--and testing it to be sure--a few times to familiarize
yourself with the process before doing so with your child strapped
in.
When using this car seats with
infants, which you can do from 5 lbs, you will most likely want to
use a Sit Rite Leveler (see our
recommended car seat accessories) or
a rolled-up towel to help achieve a sufficient recline. Once your baby
is old enough to support her head well, the seat's normal recline
should be adequate.
Also, to offer its functionality and
remain as lightweight as it is, the Sit 'n' Stroll is a somewhat
delicate piece of gear and requires some thoughtful handling and
care. For example, the manufacturer advises you pull it backwards up
and down curbs (as you might steer a moving dolly), to avoid bearing
down on the handle and steering mechanism. That can take some
getting used to, and if your child is only an infant or is napping
in the stroller, you may not be so keen on tipping him forward for
the sake of a curb, which is inevitably what happens. Admittedly, I
have pushed my luck on this point, and have found no problem up to
20 lbs, though some parents have damaged the handle mechanism when
trying this with heavier children. (Best not to risk it!)
Why you might
consider the Sit 'n'
Stroll:
If you run many errands and will need
to get your child in and out of your car--and a
stroller--frequently.
If you'd like to save money over
buying a "travel system" for your infant and, later, a larger car
seat.
If you'd like to free-up space in
your trunk by removing your usual stroller.
If you can stroller your sleeping
child from the car into your home.
If you use taxis on a regular basis.
If you would like to simplify getting
through the airport with your car seat.
If you are exhausted from wrestling
your resistant child each time you need to get him into
his car seat.
Why you might
think twice about the Sit 'n' Stroll:
If you encounter serious "curbage"
or stairs as a regular part of your routine.
If you have back
problems and don't want to lift more than your child's weight when
unloading him from the car.
If you have very
short arms, it may be difficult to reach down the back as you deploy
the wheels.
If you need a
stroller with a large capacity shopping basket underneath in order
to complete your errands (it does have an optional storage bag,
however).
If you're hoping to
get away with using this over cobblestones.
Tips for using
your Sit 'n' Stroll
On the airplane -
Easiest installation on non-bulkhead rows where arm rests are not
fixed and can be raised to ease installation. Be prepared to ask for
a seatbelt extender, as you'll likely need one.
In
the car - Use a Sit Rite leveler or rolled towel to help infants
recline. When using the seat rear-facing, slip a baby-safe travel
toy with link over the seatbelt where it crosses over her lap. If
your car has very slippery leather seats, you may want to use a
square of non-slip drawer liner beneath the car seat to help hold it
in place during installations.
In the taxi - Rear
seats with a combination lap / shoulder belt may provide the easiest
installation, as you can pull the shoulder strap portion to ensure a
snug fit.
In the restaurant -
Use a good vinyl or plastic bib that is long enough to cover the
buckle, with a pocket to catch crumbs.
Out and about - In
cold weather, use with a Bundle Me or snuggle sack designed to work
with car seat and stroller harnesses and your child won't get
chilled during the transfer between stroller and car.
Others to
consider:
The
GoGo Kidz Universal Travelmate adds wheels to most car seats
and can be used to wheel your child in his car seat through the
airport and to your gate, but it is not designed to be used as a
stroller.
The
Pac Back
is a backpack carrier for car seats that helps you get to the gate
with your hands free for pushing a stroller or rolling a suitcase.
The Radian Folding Car Seat
also works from 5 lbs, but goes up to 65 lbs, and has a
space-saving design, which can be helpful in cramped airplanes. No
wheels, but it folds to 6.5" thick and fits in its own carrying bag
with a shoulder strap.
Suggestions for improvement:
High visibility
colors to help others see it in all of those places they don't
expect to... parking lots, busy airports, restaurant aisles, etc.
Add another harness
slot between the first two, which seem too far apart to us.
Ventilation in
optional canopy to make the car seat more comfortable in hot weather and
climates. As it is, there is no vent in the optional canopy.
Improve the infant
neck cushion, which did not work well with this car seat for either
infant or toddler, as the center-back is too padded and props the
whole head forward. We didn't miss it at all, however.
Find it online at:
Amazon.com
Diapers.com Right
Start
Read other parents' comments in the
Sit N Stroll blog post.
