A Hill Parent’s Survival Guide: Baby Gear for Traveling around Town

Anabel Gebhard in her Moby Wrap

When I learned that I was pregnant I spent the better part of nine months reading books about pregnancy and child rearing and stocking up on baby gear. Now, when my friends announce they are expecting, I eagerly share what I learned about the gear one needs to survive parenthood on the Hill. This is my Capitol Hill new parent survival guide, traveling edition.

Baby Wearing
It sounds funny to say, but in those first weeks and months, wearing one’s baby is an ideal way to soothe and comfort a baby who isn’t yet used to the world or the parents who love her. There are many options for wearing a baby, from the simple, but secure, Moby wrap, which allows parents to hold little ones close while encouraging bonding, to the buckle and strap intense baby carrier, which can come in many forms including the Lillebaby Everywhere carrier and the Ergo.

If you’d like to be able to keep baby close and out of sight—which is ideal when nursing on the go—a best bet is the Moby wrap, which is one long piece of fabric that, when wrapped correctly, will hold a child from newborn up to a toddler. But the awkward wrapping that needs to take place in order to hold baby can often lead to a few funny looks when you begin wrapping your little one at Port City Java on a busy Saturday afternoon.

If you’d like to wear without the work, a sling is a good bet. When my daughter was a few months old, I loved the ease with which I could toss my Peanut Shell brand sling over my shoulder, tuck her in and go, but it can be hard to use with newborns so use caution.

Finally, you probably should move off the Hill if you don’t have an Ergo or similar carrier. While my short stature often leaves me feeling overwhelmed by the Ergo, I love knowing that my little one is secure in an Ergo at any age. My favorite carrier is the Lillebaby, which features thinner straps that can transform the carrier from a front and back carrier to a hip carrier with a few strategic buckle shifts.

Strollers: From the SUV to the Smart Car
Ask a non-breeder what they hate most about cohabitating on the Hill with breeders and they’d surely list big strollers as the gear they despise most.

I am an outspoken fan of strollers. When out for a long walk to Eastern Market, carrying home baby and the ingredients for dinner can be daunting.  That’s why even babywearing parents need to get a stroller, but don’t settle for the stroller that matches your carseat or high chair. Try out some of these Hill-friendly options!

It’s all about the air-filled tires. If you want to push a stroller with ease on the Hill’s uneven and unpredictable Hill sidewalks, consider a jogging stroller with air-filled tires.  Best bets include the Bob; which is great for joggers; the Phil and Ted, which second-time parents of toddlers and newborns covet; and the City Elite, a more sophisticated jogger that isn’t quite meant for jogging.

If you’d like something with four wheels and a bit of seating versatility—think forward- or rear-facing seats, car seat adapters and bassinets, the new City Select offers parents up to 16 different seating options for up to two children. In this writer’s opinion, it’s the Range Rover of the stroller world and my latest stroller purchase. Other popular options include the Bugaboo and the Uppa Baby Vista.

Finally, there are the compact strollers that may not take to the city streets as well as the strollers above, but their compact folds and lightweight frames make them ideal for city life. Two best bets include almost any of the Maclaren series of umbrella strollers and the Bumbleride Flyer, which mixes umbrella stroller ease with European flair and lots of great accessories, some of which come with the stroller!

Car Seats
There are two schools of thought when it comes to car seats—you either invest in a rear-facing infant seat for the first year and then graduate to a forward facing car seat when your little one is ready to face forward, or you buy one convertible seat–that can face forward and back–and hope it takes you to the day your preschooler is ready to graduate to a booster seat. While the latter is the less expensive option, utilizing an infant car seat has one major advantage:  easy transitions from home to car or stroller. With the help a frame stroller, car seat adapter or car seat base, you can easily make your little one comfortable in her car seat before you head out for a ride or a walk around town. Great rear-facing infant car seats include Graco SnugRides or SafeSeats, the Maxi-Cosi infant seats or the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio.

Before it’s time to bring your little one home from the hospital, be sure to stop by the DMV, where you can be sure your car seat is installed correctly.

Recycled Gear
When it comes time to purchase the gear your Hill baby will need, it’s wise to think in terms of use. There are some things that you’ll get plenty of use out of, like strollers and wraps, while other things like stroller frames and extra bases for carseats, bouncy seats and bassinets are nice to have items that your little one will grow out of quickly, so check out sites like Craigslist and Ebay and join groups such as MoTH and DC Urban Moms and Dads where you can search for gently used, second hand items for half price or even free. And when you are done, pay it forward by putting your gently used gear back out into the world for others to use.