15 Review of the Baby Trend Expedition LX: Great Budget Jogging Stroller

Jogging strollers are certainly not a necessity for most new parents. If you plan to do a lot of walking on varied terrain with your little one, or you plan to do any jogging or running while toting your baby along, they are a very nice luxury to have. The prices range from about $100 to over $500, so choosing the right one can be quite difficult. After some research and pondering, we decided on the Baby Trend Expedition LX and are quite happy with our decision.

The point of a jogging stroller is to add stability and support for the baby during a fast or bumpy ride. They are ideal for "off-road" trails and also jogging or light running. They run on larger, bicycle-like tires, and have shock absorption. They are generally pretty oversized, and can accommodate babies, toddlers, and even preschoolers.

The Baby Trend Expedition is on the lower end of the price spectrum for jogging strollers. At around $140, however, this model provides everything we were looking for, at a fairly affordable price. The stroller is black with light blue with orange accents, has speakers and a hook up for an MP3 player, includes cup holders for both mom or dad and baby, offers plenty of storage, and features a tray for baby to house snacks or toys. There is also an attached clock/pedometer which is great for tracking time or miles jogged.

As far as the ride goes, the shocks give your child a nice, smooth ride. One of the nicest features of this model is that the front wheel can be fixed, or you can allow it to pivot. A fixed front wheel is a must for jogging. A wheel that pivots simply does not supply enough stability to provide a smooth ride. When you are not jogging, however, a fixed front wheel makes steering much more difficult. Having the luxury of both options is an excellent feature in this model.

The Baby Trend Expedition will accommodate children up to 50 pounds and 42 inches. This makes it a stroller you will be able to use for many years. It is not recommended for infants less than 6 months

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Baby Trend Highchair Review

The Baby Trend HighChair is a knock off of the popular Fisher Price Healthy Care High Chair, however this a case where I think the copy actually offers more features than the original at a better price. I actually prefer my in laws Baby Trend to our own Healthy Choice High Chair for a variety of reasons. The first feature which I like better is the taller bar between the baby’s legs, which helps prevent your baby or toddler from jumping out in those brief few seconds between the time that you take off the cover and try to pick them up. It's almost as if they are programmed to lurch at exactly this moment and we have had a few close calls. The Baby Trend seat also has a sliding mechanism for attaching and removing the tray which is more sturdy than the Fisher Price snap-on mechanism. Most models come with two washable covers, which are typically only available on more expensive models.

Notable Features:

* 6-position height adjustment
* Reclining seat
* Removable, washable and reversible seat pad.
* Removable dishwasher safe tray (this is a must have)
* Wheels
* Five point harness
* Folds easily and compactly for travel or storage

For all of the above features and a price that is less than $100, this highchair is a great value.

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Baby Strollers Safety Tips

Basic Baby Stroller Safety:

1) Make sure the correct size stroller to use for your child. Most of a car seat, children have different sizes varying size stroller.

2) properly harness your child at any time.

3) When a combo box device (car seat and stroller use together) to always check to make sure that the car seat correctly in bars.

4) Do not place heavy objects on your child while they are on baby strollers. Most recent strollers come with many storage areas. It is very easy for an overloaded stroller tipping backwards, and throw the baby out!

5) Never leave hot drinks on your child buggies.

6) stroller wheels lock when you are changing, and so can not roll away from you.

7) Never leave your child alone with a baby stroller.

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Baby Stroller Features To Consider Before Buying

The most important features to consider when buying a stroller are the safety features. Buying a new stroller makes it easier to check for various safety features required in baby strollers. First off check that the stroller has an adequate breaking system. Also be sure that the proper safety harness is in place (usually a 5 point safety harness) and check that there is a crotch strap as well. A crotch strap will prevent your baby from sliding out of the stroller.

Other features which are not critical but help are things like adjustable handles. You are more than likely not the only person who will be pushing the stroller so adjustable handles are very helpful. You may also want to consider a stroller made from washable material or has Scotchguard protection to limit staining. Newer model strollers are usually built with stain guard fabrics.

Storage space is also a plus in a good stroller. You will need to have space for things such as a diaper bag, baby formula, as well as having room to carry any extra bags. After storage space consideration, your next feature check is how well will your stroller store? You will want one that will fold easily and open easily because you will be moving that stroller in and out of the car or storing it in a closet, etc. The last thing you want to be doing is fighting with a stroller every time you need to use it or put it away.

If you are an active parent, you may consider the jogging stroller. Jogging strollers are great for the mom or dad who wants to get in their exercise with their baby. The only downside to these strollers are that they are usually not made for carrying extra bags and are generally not lightweight. Another issue is they are not recommended for newborns. If you are into exercising, you are probably better off purchasing two separate strollers, one for daily use and one for jogging or running.

What it boils down to is the features that you will need on a regular basis. Safety features go without saying but some parents need more storage in there strollers where as some parents rather have a lighter weight stroller that is easy to store. It may help to write down the features you are looking for in a stroller and then researching particular brands to see which one fits your needs best.

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Tips For Getting Your Baby to Sleep

Bedtime! If you ask new parents about which is the time that is the toughest for them, most will definitely heave a sigh and say bedtime!

One of your hardest jobs with your new baby is getting her to sleep. After all, the world is a very interesting place, and having boundless energy to expend, who has time for sleep, anyway?

Your new baby can not tell the difference between night and day, nor can she understand logic or time. This can become a trying experience for you. What can be done? You can't shout or scold her, this will only escalate your situation. So the best thing you can do to get your baby to sleep is to make the environment itself conducive to sleep.

In order to get baby to sleep at night, teach your baby that daytime is for eating, stimulation, and exploration. Nighttime is for sleeping. Set the standards, from the time you arrive home from the hospital, be consistent with your routine.

Routine tips on how to get baby to sleep:

Always placing baby in her crib on her back to sleep. This will slowly become a conditioned reflex and your baby will associate the crib with sleep time!

Naps, too, should be scheduled at a regular time each day. Regular daytime naps can help to get baby to sleep longer periods of time at night.

Set the atmosphere, after laying your baby down to sleep make sure you don't make it a 'social' or 'fun' time. Be quiet and soothing while feeding or changing diapers. This quiet and soothing time will help your baby establish nighttime is for sleeping.

Most parents like following a simple bedtime ritual of bathing their babies then reading to them. This helps them to relax. Babies are creatures of habit. These rituals help them to make this association with sleep. Consistent bedtimes and going to sleep rituals get your baby to sleep easier and they stay asleep longer.

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How To Keep A Baby Happy In The Stroller

Keeping a baby happy in the stroller sometimes requires much more than simply putting your baby into the stroller and taking a walk around. Babies are curious individuals eager to learn and often require new, interesting and exciting materials to keep them occupied. Here are some tips for what to look for when shopping for stroller accessories to keep your baby busy and happy in the stroller.

1. Attachable

At some stage, all babies enjoy the drop-and-wait-for-Mummy-or-Daddy-to-react game. The last thing you want is for your baby to constantly drop their toy on the floor while you are trying to shop for the groceries. Having stroller accessories that attach to the stroller or baby in some way will help to prevent baby from losing it deliberately.

2. Lights and Sounds

Obviously stroller accessories that emit lights and sounds will be more engaging and interesting to a baby. These generally tend to hold a baby's attention for longer.

3. Action-Reaction

Stroller accessories that require a baby to do something to them will be more engaging than those that do nothing. Babies will easily get bored of a toy if there is nothing interactive about it. Ideally, stroller accessories that have some sort of activity component will provide longer lasting entertainment to a baby. For instance, toys with lots of buttons to press, cloth books or board books with pages to turn.

4. Variety

Depending on how long you think you will be shopping for, it is a good idea to keep a stash of accessories hidden in the baby bag. That way, as soon as baby gets bored with the current toy, you can swap it with a new one. The longer you intend to shop for, the more toys you need to hide in the baby bag.

The following are some engaging stroller accessories and toys that will help to keep baby suitably occupied.


* Stroller steering wheel that attaches onto the pram. These are toys that are usually attachable to the stroller, emit lights and sounds, and offer a variety of activities for baby - for instance, buttons to press and a steering wheel to spin.

* Learning activity toys like the range from Lamaze. Again, these toys are usually attachable to the stroller and they offer a range of textures, sounds, and possibly lights for baby to explore.

* For very young babies, sometimes a musical mobile hanging from the hood of the stroller might be sufficient to entertain them until they fall asleep.

* Toy keys and mobile phones are also pretty attractive to the older babies that are learning the significance of these items in the real world.

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choosing a pushchair for your new baby

When choosing a pushchair for your new baby there are several important factors to consider.
Firstly, you should buy a pushchair or pram that lies flat. This is important to prevent damage to your baby's back. If your baby suffers from colic you might find s/he is more comfortable at a slight angle, so look out for a pushchair that will allow you to adjust the position to different settings.


After considering baby's comfort you should decided how you plan to use the pushchair in your day to day life. Will it need to be folded and stored in your car, will you be walking long distances, will you be shopping with baby?
Consider buying a pushchair you can easily lift, fold and unfold with one hand whilst carrying your baby in the other. Practise in the store before you buy.

If you are planning on doing a lot of walking then sturdy wheels with thick rubber "tyres" are essential. I've had several wheels wear out and give up on me. Bear in mind that cheap lightweight strollers with small wheels wear out much faster than big pushchairs with big wheels, if you are on a tight budget it is probably cheaper in the longrun to splash out on a sturdy one to begin with.
If you plan on walking over rough terrain eg cobbles, grass, etc, consider a pushchair with suspension and lockable wheels. Swivel wheels are great on flat ground but almost impossible on grass.

If you plan do to lots of shopping with baby then look for a big shopping basket, and a storage tray on the handles is very useful for holding your keys and change.
If you plan to travel by car and then walk, a travel system is a brilliant choice as you can transfer the car seat to the pushchair without disturbing your sleeping baby. Even if you don't have a car you could find the seat useful, although car seats don't lie flat and its not recommended to use them for prolonged periods for newborns.
Finally, if you still can't decide, remember that you have to push this pushchair around with you for a long time, maybe two or three years. Pick one that you like the look of, that won't go out of style to quickly. It might be sensible to choose a neutral colour because although baby girl might look gorgeous in a pink pushchair, you may want to reuse it for your next child and a little boy might not be so well suited.

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