Carrying a baby in your arms is one of the most precious feelings. But as the baby grows and gets heavier, it becomes harder to hold the child constantly. That’s why many parents buy strollers. This accessory helps to transport the child without having to carry the weight. But do you need strollers for a baby? Is it really useful?

If you want the convenience of not carrying your baby, strollers will be your best friend. It holds many advantages and reduces the pain of carrying the baby. But, it is large and expensive, which could be a deal-breaker for many people. 

Let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of strollers in depth so you can make an informed decision. 

The Advantages of a Stroller 

Takes The Weight Off You 

This is the biggest advantage that a stroller offers to parents. You don’t have to carry your child everywhere you go. Once an infant crosses four months, they tend to get heavier. They also start to move around more than during the newborn stage. So carrying them could be difficult for the parent. 

Strollers can help alleviate the pain. Many people believe strollers can be used only outdoors. But if your house is large enough, you can even seat your child in the stroller indoors. This will help ensure they’re in a safe spot while you’re doing chores. 

You also won’t have to contend with a squirming child that you’re trying to keep. A baby can move around in the stroller while also being strapped in. Further, there is enough space in strollers for toys. So your child can always have access to age-appropriate toys. 

It Helps Keep Your Child Safe

Sometimes, parents need to run errands with their infant in tow. This could be an arduous task if you have to carry your baby the whole time. However, if you have a stroller, you can roll your baby along as you check off your grocery list or complete other errands. Strollers are toddler-compatible as well. So you won’t need to keep track of a running child if you put them in a stroller. You won’t have to worry about them getting into trouble or mischief if they are allowed to walk. 

Strollers also have sun shades on them. So if you’re going for a walk outdoors, you won’t have to worry about UV rays affecting your child’s skin. Your infant can sleep peacefully in the stroller without being affected by harsh light. 

Every certified stroller brand will have to do a safety check on their product. So if you’ve bought your stroller from a reputed brand, you won’t need to worry about safety concerns for your child.  

It’s a Multi-Purpose Accessory

Yes, strollers will help you push your baby around. But that’s not all that they’re used for. Most strollers also have ample storage space at the bottom. You can use this space for carrying around the diaper bag or any of your other essentials. This way, you won’t have to carry any weight at all.

Baby stroller designers also realise parents’ needs. So most strollers these days come with a cup and phone holder. Some even have slots that make it easy to attach earphones.

Further, you can get 2-in-1 strollers. So you can attach your car seat to the stroller. This is a good way to save money while ensuring your child’s safety. You can also get convertible strollers. So it grows as your child grows; it accommodates their needs. Convertible strollers are excellent if you’re on a strict budget. 

Can Help Your Child Sleep

Many parents find it very hard to put their infant to sleep. Even if they sleep, it’s often restless, and the child wakes up often. Well, strollers can save parents who have children that fight sleep. This does depend on the preference of the individual. But most newborns love to lay and be pushed around in a stroller. 

The motion of the stroller can soothe the child and put them to sleep. And it can also help ease the child back to sleep if they wake up abruptly. Strollers are safe, so you won’t have to worry about the safety of your child sleeping in a stroller. You can also get strollers with bassinet-like seats. So your child can fully lay down. This is especially useful in the newborn stage. 

Helps Your Child Observe and Explore 

If you’re carrying a newborn in your arms, their extent of vision is limited. They can usually only see your face and maybe the sky. But if you use a stroller, the child will have a large range of vision. They can observe more of the world surrounding them. This extended observation helps with the cognitive development of the child. 

You can also build curiosity in the infant by allowing them to observe more. Most strollers can be positioned so that the child is either facing you or away from you. If you have a newborn, it’s safest to have them facing you. But once they grow past 6-9 months in age, place the stroller seat facing away from you. 

As they grow, the child will also want some form of engagement. The sights a child gets to see during a walk are the best type of engagement they can get. 

The Downsides of a Stroller 

It’s Heavy and Clunky 

Parents state this to be the biggest disadvantage of strollers. Though it is portable, carrying it from home to another place could be difficult, especially in a car. Yes, some strollers are compact and foldable. Despite that, it’s difficult for a single person to unfold and set up a stroller while also taking care of their child. 

Some brands make lightweight strollers. But, you may have to compromise on some advanced features. But lightweight strollers serve the purpose well. If the weight is the only issue for you, you can opt for a lightweight variety. 

You can also easily set up strollers that a single person can operate comfortably. These fold in and out very easily and are especially useful if you have a toddler. 

Age Limit

Most strollers work only until a certain age limit. Once your newborn crosses the one-year age range, you will need to invest in a new stroller. So you’ll constantly have to upgrade the strollers, which can be an expensive ordeal for many people. 

But if you don’t want to deal with this, you can have your child in a stroller till they’re one or two. And then transition them into walking as they age. Or, you can get strollers that grow with the child. So you can change out the seating alone to accommodate a toddler.  

It’s Not An All-Terrain Vehicle

For Indian parents, this is one of the biggest considerations. Most Indian roads don’t have walk paths where you can safely push a stroller. Some roads aren’t laid properly. If the surface isn’t smooth, it will be very uncomfortable for your child to sit in the stroller. 

So try to decide where you’ll use the stroller. If you have access to neat, smooth roads, buying a stroller would be a useful investment. You can also get strollers with shock-proof tires. This is safer to use on bumpy roads.

Doesn’t Facilitate Bonding Time

It is recommended that when you have a newborn, you get as much skin-to-skin contact with them as possible. This will help calm your baby and create a strong sense of bonding for them. Infants who have a stronger bond with their parents are also known to show more confidence in their later life. 

More bonding time also helps release growth and happy hormones for both the child and the parent. So it can lead to an overall better cognitive, emotional, and social development. 

Since you won’t be carrying your child when they’re in a stroller, it takes away from the time you get to bond with them. An alternative to this is using a baby carrier. This allows you to carry your child and have full use of both your arms. 

Final Words 

If you ask 20 parents if they found a helpful baby stroller, half of them will tell you it was an indispensable accessory. The other half will tell you that they used it twice before it was forgotten in the corner of their house. The preference is subjective. Some babies love a baby stroller, while others will scream bloody murder if you take them near one. 

But if your child enjoys being in a stroller, it will add a lot of convenience and comfort to your life. And that’s an investment worth making.