Britax B-Ready (Doubles mode) Review

***UPDATE*** 

Britax apparently read my review because they have come out with foam-filled rubber replacement tires! They're $89.99 (currently) and you can only buy them from Britax. I'm looking forward to buying them soon!

*****

A lifetime...also known as six months of deployment and a baby ago, I posted a review on our new stroller, the Britax B-Ready as a single stroller. This review is over the same stroller in the doubles capacity.

First off, I have come to love this stroller more and more. As you may have read in the singles mode review, the convenience of being either a single or double stroller was the whole reason we bought it in the first place. It's perfect for a family in our situation...a 3 yr old boy, newborn girl and deployed Daddy. The ability to use it for my son with just the toddler seat, just my daughter with her infant carrier or both based on where we're at and what we're doing has been a life-saver.

(Sorry, I forgot to get a shot of just our son in the singles mode)

For the record, our 3 yr old really doesn't need a stroller but sometimes, especially with my husband 7,000 miles away, I like the idea of being able to strap him in. That's one of the things I like about the stroller in either single or doubles mode, our very determined son is not able to undo the straps. Also, if you're concerned about size, our son is 40" tall and very skinny. He fits length-wise with no problem...his feet do hang below where the foot rest is but the way the stroller is constructed, he's high enough that it's not an issue. Plus, another great feature on the toddler seat is that the foot rest comes up and he can just chill with a book or toy-which came in very handy when I was pregnant (I was high risk and had 3 Drs appointments weekly...he was contained but also had room to be entertained). He still has plenty of room above his head but I will say one downside is that if he wasn't a skinny little thing, I could see the straps getting too small very soon but the kid is three so I doubt we'll use it in doubles mode after our Disney World vacation and then my husband's deployment ends.

Before I go any further, I want to mention that a couple weeks after our daughter was born, my cousin came to visit with her then 4 month old son who also happened to have a Britax car seat. We went to dinner together with the babies and used the B-Ready to hold both. We faced the bottom baby backwards and the top baby out and then parked the stroller at the end of the table. My cousin and I sat across from each other and were at all times able to see both our babies all while taking up less room than two of the restaurant slings which hold car seats would have needed. Plus they were much safer in the stroller than those slings ever are...I've seen servers nearly knock them down more than once.

(I didn't get a shot at the restaurant with the two babies and since we only have one car seat, use your imagination to put the two images together and that's what we did at the restaurant)

A few things which I had mentioned in the singles mode review that I'd like to now re-address...

I was disappointed that the wheels weren't air-filled. Not-so-much now. I'm surprised honestly because I expected to grow to hate the stroller without the wonderful air-filled tires that I had come to love on our last couple jogger styled strollers. It really doesn't bother me at all because I don't jog and the stroller maneuvers so well...in fact, I think it handles better in the doubles mode even than the singles. Of course, between the two kids, their seats, the diaper bag and the stroller frame, it weighs close to 80 lbs so it's not for the faint of heart.

Speaking of the diaper bag...still loving that the basket has 3 zippers with which to have more access to everything underneath. I have a large-ish diaper bag that holds a surprising amount of stuff. It's approximately 16"x8"x10" and fits through either of the side pockets without a problem which is great in the doubles mode because the car seat blocks the normal access. Although, I will say I bought a couple large carabiners to clip things onto the stroller for our trip to Disney so we won't have to get in and out of the basket since we'll be living out of the stroller for two weeks but on an everyday normal use basis, it's easy as can be.

I thought the enclosed rain cover was great because it came free with the stroller and car seat and I still think that's great but unfortunately I've come to realize it only covers the top child either in the toddler seat or in the car seat so kid #2 is left out in the rain....I don't think it's going to be a problem for us because when we have both kids on the stroller our son is on top and our daughter is below in her car seat which has a fairly  large canopy. Coupled with the fact that the toddler seat will provide some protection, I think we'll be ok but my husband made a good point that with the infant seat connected, our daughter is kind of low to the ground so if we end up running through the Magic Kingdom in the rain and hit a puddle, she could get wet. I will update after our vacation since that's the most likely time it will happen if it does.

I was also excited about the snack cups (sold separately) because I loved the idea of not having to take off a tray to get the boy in and out. Sadly, I came to find out the snack cups are tiny. They're super shallow and would never hold a sippy cup very long. Since I'm not a fan of running after the sippy cup escapee, I nixed the idea of the cups and did some research. I read that the UppaBaby Vista is made in the same factory the B-Ready is made and has a snack tray which fits both strollers. So, painfully (they're about $30-for a stinkin' tray) I ordered one and I'm happy to report it's true. It fits perfectly and I'm pretty excited about it because the tray is dishwasher safe...yeah, you read that correctly...dishwasher safe. That was a brilliant idea-whoever came up with it should get a raise. You can find the tray at Amazon although I recommend shopping around a bit, you might find it for a couple bucks less elsewhere.

I was going to do another Pros/Cons list as I did with the Singles Mode Review but I honestly can't come up with any real cons. It's a great doubles stroller and I highly recommend it!

Britax is having a sale this month, September, if you buy the B-Ready they will include either a car seat/base, a 2nd toddler seat, or a bassinet for free...for more information click HERE

Britax B-Ready (singles mode) Review

***UPDATE***
Britax apparently read my review because they have come out with foam-filled rubber replacement tires! They're $89.99 (currently) and you can only buy them from Britax. I'm looking forward to buying them soon!
*****


The new Britax stroller/car seat arrived last night and I was excited to give it a whirl today so I took the boy to the park.

First off, I have to say that my son is more than old enough to walk the two blocks to the park (obviously not alone...thought I should mention that before some troll responds) but why walk when there's a cool new stroller. He loves the stroller-which is great because sometimes it's just nice to have the ability to strap the child down. We went with the Britax B-Ready because it's one of few strollers which can be both a single and a double. When we started really thinking about what we would need to buy and do when the time came that we would have a second child and since most of our "baby gear" is gender neutral, the stroller was the biggest concern. Initially I expected our children to only be about two years apart but we had a miscarriage and then the Army took some time away so now our kids will be almost (possibly) exactly three years apart. As a result, my assumption that we would NEED a double stroller has changed a bit. I still want to have the double option for the deployment and vacations but otherwise, I don't really want the trouble of a double. Here's my theory on doubles: tandems suck. I know so many women who get excited in the store because "it was so easy to maneuver" and then six months and 40 lbs of kids and bags later, it's just a pain...side by sides also kinda suck because unless you spend about $700 (aka Bumbleride Indie Twin) it's impossible to find one that  is both narrow enough to fit through a door but also enough of a stroller that a sleeping toddler can lay back. I was prepared to go the financially painful route and get the Bumbleride but then I saw the Britax in the store and fell in love. I waited for an awesome sale which included a new infant carrier and now that I've used it, I still love it, but there are some caveats.

Here's my thoughts on the pros and cons of the Britax B-Ready in singles mode...once the Princess arrives and I take both kids out, I'll post a doubles mode review too.

Pros

- SO EASY to push! I was on the phone with Joshua and pushed the stroller over grass with the other hand

- The handle adjusts for short parents like me-I'm 5'2" (and actually low enough for my 2 and a half year old to be able to push) but it also goes almost straight up so parents like my 6' 2" husband won't have to bend down to push

- The included rain cover, parent console and cup holder...it's not a big thing but it is nice to have that all included

- The main toddler seat is up way higher than most in order to accomodate either the 2nd toddler seat or the infant carrier below so in the single mode, you're not going to be bending way down to wipe a nose or buckle the kid (and if your kid is like mine, he loved being up high in his little "rocket ship")

- It looks great...I know it's not hugely important but it is nice pushing something around that doesn't look like every other stroller

- The brake is the best brake I've ever seen (this is officially stroller #4 for us and as a nanny I used at least a dozen others before the boy came along). It's a one touch brake but it's better than the ones you see on a lot of jogger style strollers that have a bar which goes across the bottom and locks both back wheels. It's just on one side and if you're in flip flops, have no fears, you lock it with one step down (a little indicator goes red) and then you unlock it by stepping down on the brake again (indicator goes green)

- The basket is HUGE. I have NO concerns about putting kid #2 down there and still having space and accessibility because there are zippers on the front and both sides to help with access

- The snack cups (sold seperately) are literally just two cups...one snaps into each side of where the bumper bar normally goes. Some parents don't like that there isn't a tray but I love it because it means that when we're at the zoo and the boy has a sippy in one cup and crackers in the other and he has to go to the bathroom or wants a closer look at something, I don't have to worry about the tray and the crackers and the juice all going flying

- Compared to the Baby Jogger City Select, it's not as long...almost an entire foot shorter while in doubles mode (which doesn't give you the maneuveribility troubles of most tandums but it does pose problems for shorter parent like myself when we come to a door that isn't automatic...with the B-Ready, it's short enough that I can still reach any door)

- So many options. There are 14 configurations including the doubles mode but just as a singe, it's great. I'll be able to use an infant car seat after removing the main toddler seat which is great for two reasons A-it's less weight with just the infant carrier (most times they snap into the toddler seat instead of removing it) and B-the toddler seat gets less wear and tear before it's necessary. Once you are using the main toddler seat, baby can face out or face you.

- The recline feature is super convenient. No more stupid rope to sinch up or down. It is a simple pull of a handle on the top of the seat. The feet also come up so if you have an itty bitty in the seat, they can sleep really comfortably.

Cons

- It's heavier than most singles so if you know you won't need a double at all, there's probably better options

- The wheels are my biggest complaint. They're hard plastic instead of the air-filled jogger style. I had sworn NEVER to use anything but the air-filled tires but the B-Ready really surprised me. It isn't as smooth as a jogger would be but because I've never used a jogger stroller for actually jogging, it works. I do wonder how long the tires will last and am kinda hoping Britax comes out with air-filled replacement tires because we have a cobblestone walkway in front of our house. Also, the rubber air-filled tires grip the road better so it feels like you have to do less work with them than with the hard wheels the B-Ready has for now.

- The center of gravity is much higher because the main toddler seat is so high. The good news is that it doesn't really affect the stability (my son got into the bottom and was hanging on the side and it never rocked or looked the slightest unstable). The downside is that tipping it up a curb or down a couple stairs in front of the house takes some work especially for shorter, not so big people like myself.

In conclusion:

If our kids were closer together and I'd use a double for longer, I'd go with the Bumbleride Indie Twin.

If our kids were further apart I'd stick to a dedicated single stroller and maybe just buy a buggy board for the boy to hop on from time to time when his legs got tired.

If I wasn't so small and was willing to spend another $200, I might have gone with the Baby Jogger City Select because of the air-filled tires.

If we had twins, I'd cry. And then probably buy a snap and go frame that holds two car seats for the first 4-6 months that the kiddos would be in infant carriers and then also get the Bumbleride Indie Twin.


UPDATE: I now have a Doubles Mode Review posted

My Favorite Things

Being a mom is the most comfortable, natural thing for me. I won't go so far as to call it easy, because it's not but it's often the only thing I feel truly good at...pretty much everything else I just sort of stumble through.

I've wanted to do a quick post about my favorite 'Mom' things for a while now because sooooo many new moms are clueless. If it weren't for the fact that childcare was my profession long before it was my passion (I nannied professionally for 5 years before having the boy), I would have wasted tons of time and no doubt money on stuff which was essentially useless. That being said, I don't plan to do tons of mom-reviews because every family is different and what works for one often doesn't for another. But, nonetheless, here's a list of my favorite things...

*Mylicon...if you have a kid, you understand. If you don't and your pregnant, buy two bottles. It's miraculous infant gas relief. I would've paid almost any amount for this stuff if/when our son needed it.

*Tummy Sleeve...also known by a few other brand names but basically these things helped me wear my normal every day pants all the way up through my last week of pregnancy which was great because often maternity pants are just ugly and the ones that aren't are easily $50-60 a piece. The only downside is that if you gain weight in your thighs easily or get super bloated in your legs, even a tummy sleeve may not be able to help

*AngelCare monitor...it's essentially like any other static monitor except that it has a second function. With the help of a motion sensor pad which easily goes under a crib or bassinet mattress, it has the ability to set off an alarm if the baby should stop breathing for 20 seconds. IT'S AWESOME!!! My biggest fear (and I know I'm not alone) was SIDS. This monitor is the ONLY thing which allowed me to sleep easy knowing that if something happened, I would know right away. The best part for us was that the static part (or traditional monitoring) was able to be turned off and we could use only the motion sensor while our son was in a bassinet in our room without the annoying static background and then as he got bigger we were able to turn off the motion sensor and use the monitor like any other (read: the little rug rat learned how to stand in the corner of his crib on his tip toes very still and purposely make the alarm go off in the middle of the night just to laugh at us as we ran in).

*Jogger strollers with a swivel wheel...they're awesome. They glide over almost any surface and are often so easy you can push with just one hand-which leaves the other hand open for talking on the phone or sipping some coffee. Swivel wheeled joggers generally still have the ability to lock forward for a more stable jogging experience but you also have the ability to just walk normally and not have to worry about tipping it up every time you want to turn. They are much heavier than an umbrella stroller and more expensive than other "normal" strollers but I will never go with another stroller that doesn't have jogger styled wheels (also sometimes called all-terrain wheels). Between nannying and our own son, I've used (on a consistent basis) SIX different strollers of all different kinds. This is the one we have now for our son. It's kept him occupied, been a comfortable place to nap, held all our baby necessities and easily maneuvered everything we've thrown at it from the beach to numerous trips to the zoo, science museum and mall to 10 days at Disney World last year.

(ours is slightly different in color)

*last but certainly not least, nipple guards...sorry if it's TMI but my child was a chomper from day 1 and it was highly unpleasant. Neither my husband nor I will forget my Day 6 meltdown. No one had told me such a wondrous invention as nipple guards even existed and so I sat in our bed crying from pain both physical and emotional as my husband offered to open the can of formula someone had given us and we had decided to keep as emergency back-up but instead (I'm extremely stubborn and was convinced SOMETHING would help) we went to Babies-R-Us and sat in the parking lot for an hour waiting for them to open. Once they did and I had the chance to talk to someone about our little problem, they knew just what to recommend and now I'm recommending it to everyone. They not only protect a very sensitive area for mom, they help teach baby how to suckle properly. I only had to use them a couple of weeks before both my son and I got the hang of things. I used them again when he began teething for a few weeks but in the end, I credit the guards with my being able to nurse our son until he was just over a year old (I quit on Independence Day weekend-it only seemed appropriate).

Book Review: I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

Well, the title pretty much tells the whole depressing story. I think the worst part is that it's not hard to imagine an uneducated, impoverished child being given to a 30 year old pedophile. The true life story took place in 2008 in Yemen and one of the main reasons I borrowed this book from the library was because it's a newer edition with an epilogue updating Nujood's story. She's still not even a teenager yet. To summarize, Nujood's family lived in abject poverty and like two of her sisters before her, she was sacrificed for the family's honor. At least that was one reason given. The truth lies probably closer to the fact that her father was a drug addict who couldn't afford to feed both his wives and his many children. It was easier to get rid of her and all it took was a pervert to "promise" not to touch her until "the year after her first period." How is even that age...13?, 14?, 15? acceptable??? In the two years since this amazing child and I say child, despite Hilary Clinton calling Nujood "one of the greatest women (she's) ever seen" or Glamour Magazine naming her as Woman of the Year, she's still a child. Please, don't misunderstand, I respect and am in AWE of what that little girl did. She knew what was happening to her was wrong and she broke taboos in a country where grown women are killed, legally, for less. She ran away. She took a bus and a taxi by herself and she found the courthouse. She refused to leave until someone heard her...until someone would help her. But in the end, if her husband had said "no" and refused to allow the divorce, she would have had essentially no recourse. She lives in a country where women are often barely more than property. I don't consider myself a feminist but maybe that's because I live in a country where I can vote, I can own property, I can get divorced or sleep with a man who isn't my husband (I won't but I could) without fear of a death sentence. The women who came before me and fought for those rights should be honored just as Nujood should. The epilogue that I was so excited to read (who doesn't love an update) was disappointing at best. Yemen doesn't have a foster care system...it doesn't have a child welfare program. As a result, after her divorce (btw, both her husband and father were released without so much as a slap on the wrists), she was forced to return to her father's home. She did so, in her own words, to "protect" her younger sisters but I wonder how successfully she'll be able to protect them when her older sisters weren't able to save her from their own fate. While several international donations came in and proceeds from her book were supposed to secure an education and a good future, it hasn't worked out that way. Her father became ill and Nujood can still do little more than write her own name. A painful reminder that not all Cinderella stories turn out the way they should.

Reading

I love to read. After having an unusually frustrating morning with the boy and complaining a bit on facebook, a friend recommended I read the book "Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks. So, I decided to take a trip to the library. I picked up "Dear John" as well as "I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced" written by Nujood Ali with Dlphine Minoui (the unbelievable title caught my eye) and Laura Bush's new book "Spoken from the Heart."

The boy's frustrating morning came in part from allergies wreaking havoc on him so I was thankful when he took an exceptionally long nap for two reasons, 1-he was back to his cantankerous, fun self when he woke up and 2-I was able to finish "Dear John" while he napped.

It's not a particularly long book and I also was told it has been made into a movie but as I've never heard of it, I can't tell you how true the movie was to the book or really if it's even out on DVD yet. I can tell you my impressions of the book (keep in mind, that's all it is, my impressions...)

SPOILER ALERT-I don't expect to go into great detail especially about the ending but if you plan to read it or see the movie, just be aware there may be a spoiler or two to follow...

The main character/narrator, John (that's a Captain Obvious) is wonderful but I also saw several similarities between him and my husband so I'm probably biased. The good news for me is that my husband was able to overcome his rebellious ways long before the Army entered our life. My biggest complaint about this book is the object of John's affection, Savannah. I don't like her. I think she's weak and selfish. She reminds me of co-dependant mil-spouse/girlfriends who can't live without their service member and use that pain to justify pouring their heart into someone else. It never makes sense to me...it's not healthy to cry about your boyfriend (or husband) to another guy. I don't understand why this book is considered romantic when in the end (ok, here's a spoiler for sure) the two people who truly love each other aren't together because one chose to stay in the military and the other didn't wait. Savannah's selfishness reminds me of Catherine from "Wuthering Heights." I really just don't like her but perhaps, if the book was from her perspective I could be more empathetic and since I know nothing of the movie, it may be totally different and I sort of hope it is.

The boy is asleep for the night and I'm now really looking forward to diving into the other two books I picked up. I plan to start with "I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced"...in addition to the title a quote from Hilary Clinton on the cover of the book caught my eye, "One of the greatest women I have ever seen...She set an example with her courage." The word "women" struck me. There is a 10 year old girl in my life whom I love dearly. She's smart and funny and strong but she is not a woman. I'm super curious to read Nujood's story and will be sure to tell you about it as soon as I can.