Graco - Modes Pramette Travel System

I learned a lot from my firstborn (now 11 years old) and utilized a lot of similar items for my second baby (now 2 months old). Didn’t use a crib for my first, just a pack n play that had a bassinet which worked great until she was about 2, then transitioned straight into a twin bed; didn’t bother with a toddler bed. I was living in a tiny apartment for the first year of my firstborn’s life, but am now in a two story house, so we have a [pack n play](https://a.co/d/5xxr3uA) in our room, a bassinet downstairs, and a second hand crib in my office for the days when I work from home (once I go back to work). I also love our [car seat/stroller combo](https://a.co/d/5Xwx8n2) that grows with the baby. The car seat fits into a collapsible stroller base, or it can be switched to a pram that can be converted into a regular stroller as the baby grows, and the car seat fits into any Graco car seat base, so purchasing an extra for our second car was easy. Good luck!

We have the pramette system, still going strong 15 months, 2 states, and 4 flights later!

I've seen a lot of comments about how it's a personal choice, but it's worth noting that baby wearing versus stroller isn't really YOUR choice. Some babies just don't tolerate one or the other. My LO LOVED being in the stroller (travel system, so atill in the infant seat but looking around), tolerates her carseat as its rear-facing, and was sort of meh about being worn. Her cousin MUST be worn or carried at all times or it gets messy. You won't know your baby's temperament until they're here, so I'd hesitate to buy a whole lot of expensive stuff now unless you're getting help (a la a baby shower). Strollers and carriers are often good second hand if desired/available, but carseats must be bought new for safety reasons! Also, for your consideration, my 16mo STILL hasn't outgrown the infant seat from the travel system we bought (Graco Modes). I bought a convertible carseat when she was a newborn, my postpartum brain thinking she'd need it before too long. She'll probably need it by 18mo, but there's no rush unless you have a high %tile baby!

We had the Graco Modes infant seat but my baby hated it. We switched to the Turn2Me at 3 months old and it was the best decision ever. She is 17 months now and still has plenty of room in the seat. I personally love the turning feature because it’s hard to “fold” her in a non turning one (we have a travel seat that I loathe).

Graco all the way. Just under 400 and came with car seat and bassinet which can fold into toddler seat. Easily remove and place bassinet or car seat onto the stroller and quick and easy collapsible system

I went with the graco modes and graco snugride. They are affordable! We used the bassinet only for walks in neighborhood until recently. She’s now 5 months and not quite ready to sit up in toddler upright stroller position, but likes to ‘see’ so we are using the car seat more for stroller walks. I think the guidance for maximum time in a car seat gets a bit longer after ~3 months (shifting from 30min to 2hrs). We honestly carried the car seat into most stores because she was awake and it wasn’t that heavy- but now that she’s heavier we have started clicking it into the stroller. I actually did my first sit down in a coffee shop and enjoy an ice cream while she sleeps in the car seat-stroller (transferred and didn’t wake up) ever two weekends ago- it was bliss!!

We have the 35 lite car seat and love it! Very easy to install and pretty lightweight which is nice both when you’re recovering and when baby grows. Can’t speak on the stroller but we’re really happy with the seat

We got a graco travel system with the infant car seat. I loved it. The infant carseat we were able to use it for awhile. I know a lot of people complain the infant carseat gets too heavy to take out all the time, but that's what we did. I loved the bassinet feature with the stroller. And then it converted to toddler stroller. We still use it and my daughter is 2. It is not the smallest when folded, but that's my only complaint. We mainly use it in the neighborhood so keep it open in the garage for easy use. I have an umbrella stroller to take on errands that I know I need it to keep her contained, like the DMV.

We bought a graco travel system on sale (Black Friday) for like $250. The infant seat was great, I loved that it locked into the stroller, and the basset function was great. We never used the toddler seat because we got a BOB stroller. We then got one of the Graco rotating seats after we were done with the infant car seat.

My advice would be to find a stroller you like and get the infant car seat that’s compatible with it! You can usually get a travel system for a decent price and it includes both the stroller and the infant car seat. I personally have the Graco and I love it but I’m sure others are great as well!

I had a January baby in New England!  I went back and forth depending on my preference, the surface, and how cold it was.  We used a graco stroller and car seat combo a lot, with the baby in a fleece jacket and tucked into a blanket.  We also got a fleecy bunting thing that could go in the stroller seat (not the car seat), and if it was frigid I would put her in the baby carrier and zip my coat around us both.  We had her in a hat all the time.  I loved our walks.  I would flip flop the car seat attachment for the stroller seat pretty easily, so I kept both in the car and would just use whatever I felt like at the time.  Takes up the whole trunk lol but otherwise this worked well for us.   I’m pregnant and due in January again lol and the only thing I might change is to get the bassinet for walks, as i think it would be nice for napping. I would do fleece plus bunting or blankets again with that.

I wanted Greico since they are super reliable and more budget friendly than premium brands. I found a car seat I really loved and it turns out it came in a seat/stroller combo. The strolled didn’t matter too much to me but it has been great for walks and is easy to fold. It’s a little tricky getting the seat to snap in but after a few tries, it’s no biggy. Definitely happy with my Greico!

I think you’re just having weird luck. Majority of parents are certainly not rich in many countries. We got a graco stroller + car seat combo for $350 from Walmart. Worked plenty fine. Got a second hand halo bassinet for $70 from a friend of a friend. I got a baby bjorn carrier for $20 on marketplace, a used wipeable changing pad for $10 on marketplace, and I gave a friend $100 for her medela breast pump she used once (she paid a lot more for it). I took hand me down clothes from friends and coworkers and have probably bought my son a handful of clothing items in 15 months. Graco pack and play - $100. As far as feeding stuff - ikea simple high chair $25, although I got a used graco high chair on marketplace that was ugly as crap but it worked great for $60, and I buy bowls, plates, utensils and cups from Amazon or Walmart. We warmed our bottles in hot water rather than buying a bottle warmer. I have a skip hop sound machine from indigo/chapters - it was $45. Crib was brand new for $200 (my choice), dresser was used from a family member and free, and we upgraded to a mattress on the floor when my son turned one which I bought for $75. The only thing I had to spend money on to buy brand new was sleep sacks and bottles. I have also had luck with used stuff at thrift stores. I got a snow suit for my son for $20 and used winter boots for $20. For baby number two, we’re keeping all the same stuff. I may buy new bottles or at least nipples. I probably will need a new breast pump or replace the parts. Baby is a girl and my first is a boy, but she will be in his swaddles and sleep sacks, she will be in majority of hand me down clothes from her brother or her cousins.

That’s nowhere near Bart either. Buy a $120 Graco snug ride and take an uber or a cab.

Yeah, we paired a Graco with a Mockingbird, and we have no issues.

Keep in mind you really might not use the infant seat for very long. My baby boy was 16 lbs at 4 months and it just got too heavy to carry inside. I ended up switching him to a convertible because he’s much more comfy in it and it’s easier to put him in/take him out. I personally hold not splurge on an infant car seat, my graco was absolutely perfect

Have an infant car seat (graco) and an evenflo giant car seat that I call the captains chair in my cx5. It’s tight but both my husband and I are under 6 feet tall so it works for us. You can’t recline well and you can’t put the front seats back too far. We had the car before the babies though so we make it work.

Stroller I have the Mockingbird Single to Double. It’s a single stroller that can be changed to a double stroller with an attachment. It also has a car seat adapter for tons of infant car seats. We’ve had ours for 4 years and we love it. It’s super durable, folds up easy, and is easy to pop out and open. It also has TONS of storage. For a car seat we did the Graco infant seat and when they grow out of that we change to a convertible seat that adjusts to fit all of their needs until they don’t need a car seat/booster anymore.

In my opinion, it’s absolutely not necessary. I had a graco infant seat and I borrowed the clock connect stroller piece that my sister wasn’t using anymore, but my baby outgrew that car seat by 5 months old. She has the evenflo revolve 360 extend car seat now, which I love because rotating the seat makes it super easy to get her in and out (especially when she’s asleep) and it’s safe for use all the way from newborn to booster seat with rear facing up to 50lbs. As far as strollers, once we were done with the Graco car seat I bought an umbrella stroller from Walmart for $30. That ended up getting moldy while were were living in a camper for a few months so I tossed it and I’ve realized I actually don’t really NEED a stroller anymore. She’s a year and a half old, almost, and I usually either carry her or hold her hand while she walks.

We're due in a couple weeks there's snow on the ground - so we got an infant car seat for about $200 CAD (Graco) when it was on sale. Just check if there's adapters for the stroller if you drive everywhere and don't plan on grocery delivery. Infant car seats still have a 2hr window for baby