Transporting little ones is often made easier with baby carrying devices, such as strollers. Many strollers, however, are bulky and expensive, making them a bit more difficult to afford to travel with. Many parents, for this reason, turn to a more compact and light-weight design of a stroller, called an “Umbrella Stroller.” Since the design is light-weight and easily compactable—like an umbrella-it has different weight and age requirements for consideration than more expensive, sturdier stroller models. so parents should go through different umbrella stroller reviews before deciding what suits them the best.
These are some of our top picks to aid your research.
Maclaren Quest
Inglesina Zippy Light Stroller
Baby Jogger
Chicco Liteway
The First Years Ignite
Summer Infant 3Dtote Convenience Stroller
Age Considerations for using an Umbrella Stroller
The age which a child could safely use the Umbrella Stroller is going to vary slightly due to the variability of individual characteristics and the idiosyncrasies of each child’s developmental stages.
Developmental markers for using an Umbrella Stroller: A child should have the ability to sit upright, unassisted, as well as have good muscular control of the neck and head to use an umbrella stroller, as most umbrella strollers offer no additional support for a child’s head and neck than the simple cloth backing of the seating area: thus, a child should be able to maintain the head in midline, and should not wobble excessively in order to maintain a safe, upright position during stroller transit.
Some children reach this developmental marker by the age of 6 months old, while others might take longer. Many children around the age of two years old are comfortable and safely transported in Umbrella Strollers.
Size: A child’s size must be proportionately appropriate to use an Umbrella Stroller. A child who is too small for the Umbrella Stroller may slip out of the safety belt, and a child who is too large for an umbrella stroller may have to squeeze in order to fit into the frame of the Umbrella Stroller. If this is the case, a different size and style of stroller may be appropriate.
Weight Considerations for using an Umbrella Stroller
So how much should a child weigh to sit in the Umbrella Stroller? The average Umbrella Stroller has a carrying capacity of 50 pounds. The Umbrellas Stroller seating area is generally composed of a light-weight fabric, making the weight carrying capacity lower than that of sturdier designs.
This means that the total weight of all items in addition to the child being placed in or on the stroller should not exceed 50 pounds.
Other Weight Considerations: An Umbrella Stroller can easily be tipped over by unequal weight distribution. When placing extra items onto the stroller, such as hanging purses or diaper bags on the handles of the Umbrella Stroller could result in the stroller being tipped over. For this reason, it is best to place items into the storage are beneath the seat, and to minimize the number of items placed onto the stroller in general.
Umbrella strollers may be useful alternatives to bulkier, more expensive models of strollers; however, it is important to the safety of the child to consider the age and weight guidelines when utilizing the Umbrella Stroller to transport little ones.