One thing that can be really aggravating as a busy mom with a stroller, more importantly, a double stroller, is when it doesn’t fit into your car. Imagine you had a great time at the park but now your child is fussy and you are trying to hurry home for her nap. The last thing you want to mess around with is a stroller that just doesn’t want to cooperate.
There are so many different kinds of strollers sold on the market. Each brand itself has several different models, and they all vary in shapes and sizes. The same goes for cars.
With all of the variations, how do you know which stroller will be a good fit? Without telling you which stroller to buy or what car to drive, I have given you 4 simple tips to help you fit that beautiful stroller into your car.
Use Your Trunk
One of the most important tips I can tell you is to put the stroller in the trunk. This may be obvious, but it is worth the mention. Lightweight objects can become deadly in the event of a crash if they hit your child! Picture, then, how deadly an entire stroller could be (even a small one) if it is in the backseat during a crash! Therefore, it is imperative to use your trunk to hold the stroller.
On a side note, make sure you carefully read the car seat manual to understand what is considered safe by the manufacturer. Many car items made for babies were not actually crash tested and not recommended for use, including baby mirrors, car seat pillows, and toys that hook onto the car seat.
Try Before You Buy
Most retailers selling strollers will let you use the floor model first to see if it will fit inside your trunk. I recommend doing this, with their permission of course. It may seem tempting just to make the purchase and go, but I am personally reminded that I should have checked each time I have difficulty maneuvering it into my trunk. If you are interested in buying online or the store does not carry the specific model you would like, I would ask customer service if you could arrange a way to try it out. It may save you from buying a stroller that is just too much of a hassle for your car. Or you could find out the dimensions of the folded stroller and measure your trunk.
Rearrange
One of the strollers I have is in the bassinet style. I like it because it allows my child to lay down instead of having to stay in her carseat, which is recommended for newborn development. When I first used this specific stroller, I could never figure out how to put the two pieces in the trunk at the same time. Since I was a new mom and overwhelmed with lots of decisions, I would just put the top piece in the backseat of the car (which is not recommended nor safe). Then one day my husband put both pieces in the trunk like it was no problem at all. He stacked them on top of each other. I was awestruck and realized that I hadn’t exhausted all of the possibilities of arranging it inside my trunk. Therefore, my advice to you would be to try all possible ways for the stroller to fit into the trunk before assuming that it doesn’t.
Keep that Trunk Empty
Well, keep it as empty as you can. Your trunk should have your purse, diaper bag, or anything else that shouldn’t be in the car with your child. However, we know that cars can quickly fill up with trash, old items no longer needed, clothes, etc. If you make it a habit to keep the trunk (and car) as empty as possible, it will help you fit the stroller in more efficiently.
Finding the perfect stroller can be so exciting! Strollers are great to have for multiple reasons, and your child will most likely enjoy the stroller rides. But you can’t go anywhere in the car with that stroller if it won’t fit inside. These 4 tips will help you find that good fit and save you a lot of stress down the road.
For more information, check out our Top Double Stroller Reviews of 2018.
