Graco - Modes Adventure Stroller Wagon

Stroller can be amazing, especially if you wind up with a baby like mine who HATES babywearing. We've put ours through its paces. But you also don't need the super fancy brands. We have a Graco Modes, it's like, $250 brand new for the stroller (and has all the accessories some other brands charge as extras!). Almost 2 years of daily use and going strong. Convertible car seat, yes, you'll need that eventually. You could get one with a low weight limit and skip the infant bucket seat, but you'll need a seat that can do rear facing, front facing harness, high back booster, and regular booster (or multiple seats that cover that span collectively. Those are just the phases you need covered). Our convertible can do the first 3, and we'll get a basic booster when needed. Some seats do all 4 phases. Again, you don't need a super expensive brand. We have a Graco that was $160 and it's been great. High chair: highly kid dependent. Our 20 month old recently decided all configurations of her high chair are awful, she wants a big chair. My friend's kid the exact same age loves her high chair still. Crib: we have a convertible one. But I fully intend to modify it to fit a full size bed frame, so it's gonna be super convertible 😅 some come with that ability, but we just got the 4-in-1 and figured I've got power tools for the big bed. But really, all you *need* for a baby to sleep can be safely and completely met by a pack and play. We used one for several months around our kid's first birthday because we moved and all our shit was in storage. It's perfectly acceptable to do that and just get them a twin size bed when they outgrow the pack and play as a toddler.

We have a Graco Modes (ours doesn't have adjustable handle, but I've seen one that does and otherwise looks the same) and it's been great. Kiddo is about to turn 2, the stroller gets daily use (multiple long walks a day), has survived a cross country move, multiple planes (with gate checking), in and out of car.... It's put in more work and survived more than most of my friends' much more expensive strollers 🤷🏻‍♀️

I ended up with 2, with one child. A bob jogging stroller and a graco modes. Both marketplace finds. I used the bob for the first 1years then got the modes for $25 on marketplace to use on a trip/airplane. Its actually turned into the one I prefer because the basket is pretty big and the shade has good coverage but my kid is almost 3 and we rarely stroller these days. I have another one on the way and trying to decide what to do. Maybe just the carseat that can go in the modes and a universal board so my older one can ride along? I did see a new graco at walmart yesterday thats basically the same setup and its clean and nice but also configured for the board stander to not be *in your way while walking so maybe I might consider looking that up on marketplace as well. Strollers are so expensive. Whatever you do, dont be afraid to buy used, they clean up so easy and well, especially in my case with my $35 steam shot lol. Then just buy the carseat new.

I had a 10 year old uppa baby and a summer 3d lite for my first. The uppa was a solid build, but too clunky. The summer infant was very agile. I ended up selling the uppa Baby 2 has a graco modes stroller and that thing is like driving around a grocery cart. Holds stuff, won’t break, but nothing smooth or performative about it. I was shocked to learn how much it cost brand new - I would never pay that. For the cost I’d get something nicer used, or something new that’s cheaper.

The Graco snug fit DLX with the Graco modes stroller! I didn't get a swing. We have aN infantino bouncer. We got our Graco play pen 50% off on a Target clearance deal, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten the "fancy one". We might be one and done and I couldn't justify spending a fortune on things that will only be used once. I just made sure what I bought was rated well for safety. Don't forget cheap on the breast pump though! You definitely get what you pay for when it comes to electric breast pumps.

My advice is to place more budget/focus on your everyday stroller/stroller system. Later once you realize the less common situations your everyday stroller is not able to meet (like a running stroller, bassinet-compatible system, a bulky stroller that has good storage, etc) then buy that stroller second-hand. If you don’t love it just sell it again. I have a UB Minu V2 with Mesa car seat as my everyday stroller. Second hand, I have a Bob, a Graco Modes system that was nice for the few times I used rhe bassinet or wanted a lot of storage, and soembody gave me a Chicco Bravo. I mainly use the Minu and Bob, but the other ones have been useful occasionally too. Don’t get caught up thinking every stroller has to be a premier brand. It’s more so about how you plan to use them.

We have a graco modes adventure wagon ($209-400) with the carseat adapter ($60) and carseat. We got it for our now 3 month old and almost 3 year old. Pros: light enough, spacious enough, compatible with the newborn carseat and our toddler to still sit in it, great for big outings like the zoo or walks to the park, collapses well and fits in our car and hall closet, suspension springs make it a breeze to "drive" even in weird terrain. Cons: collapse can be a little tricky to keep standing, could be bigger, adjustable handle has weird mechanism for locking/unlocking to pull mode (or to collapse), needs a few additional components for storage, may prefer bigger unit for more spacious travel. Ultimately the biggest con is that our toddler just prefers to walk/run like 90% of the time, so we just use it to push a newborn. Having said that, it's a godsend WHEN he decides hes done walking and we're out at a big thing that we'd like to stay at for a while longer. Another pro is during the times hes walking we can still chuck the baby bags, cooler bags, purse, etc. on his side.

See what carseat you want. I really wanted a clek Liing so I had to look on their site at what adapters they sell as they only make ones to fit certain brands/stroller models. I got a second hand peg Perego Ypsi off marketplace that had the bassinet piece which was good for newborn stage.  The only thing I regret is I got a Graco modes stroller on clearance at Costco and you can put a carseat In it (which would be awesome for shopping at Costco 😆 as the carseat has to go in the bottom part of the cart) but Graco only fits Graco, they don't make adapters so that other carseats could fit in it.  If I could do it all again I would probably get a yoyo second hand, they look neat when I see people out with them and would fold down smaller for the car.

We have 2 strollers. Graco modes (I think) which is my favorite, and a smaller basic one for my husband.

I’m just saying I got a Graco modes for free from a friend and it’s cheap and gets the job done. I like that I didn’t have to buy a separate bassinet. I almost got sucked into buying a Nuna and I’m glad I didn’t.

We got the Mockingbird and got the adapter for a Graco carrier seat. I love it, it allows for a second seat attachment. THAT BEING SAID… eventually I said “eff it” and got the Graco jet set light weight stroller because the normal strollers are HEAVY. I regret getting rid of my Graco Modes because it was not only cheaper, but way more light weight than the bougie brands.