Chorevia

Day 225 of 280 · 32 weeks + 1 day

The stroller

Last reviewed · 3 min read · 6 sources · Plain-text version

Thirty-two weeks and one day. If you're getting a stroller, now is a good time to choose it. Today you test one properly: brakes, height, fold, and the trunk.

Size this week
about the length of a bunch of celery
Length this week
around 42.4 cm from head to heel
A Black couple in a quiet shop aisle, her with a full bump in a loose sweater, him kneeling to press a stroller's foot brake while she grips the handle, soft overhead light.

Thirty-two weeks and one day. A stroller is one of the few big purchases where trying it beats reading about it. Today is the test-drive.

Your baby

A single bunch of celery with its leaves on a plain pale wooden table, soft window light.

Around now your baby is around 42.4cm long from head to heel, about the length of a bunch of celery (NHS). They're putting on weight now, with around 1kg of extra fat, which will help them stay at the right temperature after birth (NHS). It's preparation you can't see, laid down from the inside while you sort out the outside.

Your body

Choosing a pushchair is on the NHS's list for this week, with one specific instruction: if it's second-hand, check the brakes and the height (NHS). Height matters more than it sounds. A handle that's too low means pushing it hunched over, and your back is already doing a lot.

Lifting matters too. For pregnant women at work, MedlinePlus says most are advised to lift only objects under 20 pounds (9 kilograms) (MedlinePlus). There's no reason the trunk of your car should be the exception. If the stroller only works when you can heave it in alone, it doesn't work yet.

Try today

  1. The stroller test

    Time: 20 minutes

    1. Brakes: put the brake on and push firmly. It shouldn't roll. On a second-hand one, this is the first check (NHS).

    2. Height: push it a few steps standing straight. The handle should meet your hands without a stoop, and your partner's too (NHS).

    3. Fold: fold and unfold it twice, once with one hand, the way you will with a baby in your other arm.

    4. Fit: measure your trunk, or take the stroller to the car, and check it goes in with room left for shopping. Let someone else do the lifting (MedlinePlus).

    Make it work:

    For anything second-hand, the CPSC suggests checking SaferProducts.gov for recalls (CPSC). Look up the model name before you hand over the money.

Watch for

  • Normal

    puffy ankles by evening.

    Call your provider

    for sudden swelling in your hands or feet, or rapid weight gain, which may signal preeclampsia (OWH).

  • Normal

    feeling warmer than everyone else in the shop.

    Call your provider

    right away for a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, which is on the CDC's list of urgent warning signs (CDC).

  • Normal

    needing the bathroom more often, especially when you're out.

    Call your provider

    for pain when you pee, or a change in the smell or colour of your urine, which may signal a bladder infection (MedlinePlus).

For you

Some strollers are lovely, and it's allowed to choose the one you like the look of, once it passes the test. You'll be pushing it for a long time.

If you're the partner, this job can be yours from start to finish: the research, the test-drive, the trunk, and every lift after the birth. The NHS's list for this week also asks employers to avoid heavy lifting for pregnant workers (NHS). Home can follow the same rule.

Sources

This guide is general education that summarizes published research and guidance from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the WHO. It isn’t medical advice, and every child develops on their own timeline. Your pediatrician knows your child; if something feels wrong, call them. In an emergency, call 911.

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