The Stroller

img_6603I decided to dedicate my blog post to the question, I have been facing for the last four months by numerous pregnant women and mommies with strollers. The question was usually the following: “Can I ask you something? Are you happy with your stroller?”

When you face your (first) pregnancy, you are also faced with choosing the right stroller. This goes something like this – first you take a step into the shop and then you turn pale from all of the alarms that go off in your head: run away before it’s not too late for you will never choose the right one in the abundant offer of the strollers (size, shape, style, colour). Your bewilderment is almost too much, but then you snap out of it, take a deep breath, as you were taught in parenting school and take the first step toward your potential target.

The main problem is, there is no perfect stroller, which would fit all moms, as we all have different tastes and needs. I cannot imagine choosing the wrong stroller, because perhaps you get accustomed to any stroller you use regularly. The final selection is the best unit of compromises and there is no perfect stroller. Just like with men. And that’s another reason to thoroughly research the selection before the purchase and consider what are your needs. Your stroller should fit into your lifestyle, your wishes and demands, and also your wallet. And which stroller did I choose?

img_5860

Peg Perego Book Cross. Although it was not my first choice in the beginning, once I only started browsing through the stroller offer. Actually, my wish list included a stroller from a Swedish manufacturer and I was determined to purchase it, but then an acquaintance recommended me the Peg-Perego strollers, which have quality and style. I decided to examine the offer in person and the saleswoman showed me the collection and a catalogue with the colour palette. I soon realised one of these strollers fits very well with my lifestyle, yet I left the shop emptyhanded. I was torn.

img_7084

 

I remember contemplating that day and night over and over on which stroller should I get. I visited the YouTube and browsed every possible video on the stroller and read several forums. It was between selecting a stroller for the casual strolls in the city or the one, which is also suitable for rollerblading, uphill walks, possibly off-road? And the scale strongly leaned in favour of the latter – the versatile 3-wheel stroller. I have been using it in all terrains and the sporty part is equipped with a 5-point safety harness; the backrest with adjustable height from the external side to the completely horizontal position; and there is a spacious basket for my shopping bags or beach equipment.

img_7138

As I mentioned before, the winning stroller is the best compromise, with some room for improvement. We added the cup holder, which is mostly used as my “mobile phone holder”. The changing bag, which is standard equipment when buying a stroller was replaced with a designer bag by Teja Jeglič, and the stroller was added a counter for tracking every kilometre I make. For better safety, we added a belt, which I use as a safety catch when running downhill. Sometimes, for example, when we go rollerblading on a bicycle lane, I set up a small rear-view mirror. And this is how we created the almost perfect stroller for an adventurous mom, who is always on the go.

My dearest moms, I hope, you received some useful advice on how to purchase and how to choose the right stroller for you.

Happy strolling!

________________________________________________________________

Oh, yeah! The stated opinion on the stroller is completely and solely my own. This blog is not sponsored and it does not include covert advertising, just my own empirical experience with the stroller.

Otroški voziček

img_6603Ta blog sem se odločila napisati, ker se mi je v zadnjih štirih mesecih ničkolikokrat zgodilo, da so me na ulici ustavile nosečnice ali pa že mamice z vozički… In vprašanje, ki je sledilo se je običajno glasilo nekako takole: »A vas lahko nekaj vprašam? Kako ste zadovoljni z vozičkom?«

Ko si (prvič) noseča in moraš med drugim izbrati voziček to zgleda nekako takole… Stopiš v trgovino  in najprej preblediš, saj se ti v hipu v glavi sprožijo vsi alarmi – zbeži ven iz trgovine dokler lahko, saj ni šans, da boš v poplavi vseh teh vozičkov (velikosti, oblike, stili in še barve) izbrala pravega. Zmedenost je na vrhuncu, vendar se po prvotnem šoku vzameš v roke, globoko vzdihneš, kot so te učili v šoli za starše in narediš korak proti prvi potencialni tarči.

Problem je, ker ni enega vozička, ki bi bil idealen za vse mame, saj ima vsaka svoj okus in tudi različne potrebe. Ne predstavljam si, da bi izbrala napačnega, čeprav se po drugi strani verjetno sčasoma navadiš vsakega vozička. Končni izbor namreč predstavlja najboljši skupek kompromisov, idealni žal ne obstaja. Nekako tako kot pri moških. In to je tudi razlog, zakaj je potrebno še pred nakupom raziskati in dobro premisliti, kakšen voziček si želiš. Najti moraš voziček, ki ustreza tvojemu načinu življenja, željam in zahtevam ter konec koncev tudi globini žepa. In kateri je moj zmagovalni voziček?

img_5860Peg Perego Book Cross. Vendar le-ta ni bil moja prva želja oziroma izbira, ko sem si začela ogledovati otroške vozičke. V bistvu je bil na moji ‘wish listi’ voziček švedskega proizvajalca in bila sem že čisto na tem, da ga kupim. Tik pred zdajci, pa sem dobila priporočilo znanke, da so tudi Peg-Perego kvalitetni in lepi vozički. Zato sem si jih ogledala tudi v živo, kjer mi je prodajalka predstavila vozičke in pokazala katalog z barvno paleto. Zelo hitro sem prišla do spoznanja, da eden voziček ustreza mojemu načinu življenja, vendar sem domov odšla praznih rok. Bila sem v precepu.

img_7084Spomnim se, da sem tisti dan in še celo noč tuhtala in tehtala, kateri voziček naj kupim. Na Youtubu sem pregledala vse možne videe o vozičku in prebrala kar nekaj forumov. Torej, ali izbrati takšnega za šminkiranje v mestu, ali takšnega s katerim bom šla lahko tudi rolati, na kakšen hrib, po možnosti ‘off-road’? In tehtnica se je nagnila krepko v prid slednjemu, vsestranskemu trikolesniku. Dejansko ga vozim po vseh možnih terenih, športni del je opremljen s 5-točkovnim varnostnim pasom, naslonjalo je nastavljivo po višini z zunanje strani do popolnoma ležečega položaja, spodaj ima še prostorno košaro, kamor lahko zložim nakupovalne vrečke ali stvari za na plažo.

img_7138Kot sem že omenila je zmagovalni voziček predstavljal najboljši kompromis, pri katerem pa je bilo še nekaj prostora za izboljšave. Tako smo voziček opremili še s ‘cupholder-jem’, ki služi bolj kot nosilec oziroma držalo za telefon. Previjalno torbo, ki sem jo dobila poleg vozička kot del standardne opreme, sem zamenjala za dizajnersko torbo Teje Jeglič, vozičku pa smo dodali še števec, ki beleži vsak prevožen kilometer. Z vidika večje varnosti smo mu dodali še pašček, ki ga uporabljam kot varovalo, ob teku po hribu navzdol, občasno, npr. kadar gremo rolat po kolesarski stezi, pa nanj namestim še majhno vzvratno ogledalo. In tako je nastal skoraj popoln voziček za avanturistično mamo, ki je ves čas na poti.

Torej drage moje, upam, da sem vam dala vsaj nekaj koristnih nasvetov, kako se lotiti nakupa in kako izbrati pravi voziček za vas.

Pa veselo vozičkanje.

________________________________________________________________

Aja, pa še to – mnenje o vozičku je popolnoma in zgolj samo moje, blog namreč ni sponzoriran oziroma ne gre za prikrito oglaševanje, pač pa izključno za mojo empirično izkušnjo z vozičkom.