The Best and Worst Foods During Pregnancy

Eating healthily is always good for your health, but when you’re expecting a baby, what you eat becomes even more important. Your doctor will have sound advice for you on what to eat and what to avoid, so make sure you get clarification about your diet during your prenatal appointments. In the meantime, here are some guidelines regarding the best and worst foods to eat during pregnancy.

Certain vitamins and minerals are at the top of the list. Folic acid, also known as the B vitamin folate, calcium, iodine, iron, vitamin D and DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid are all important for a healthy pregnancy. You should absolutely be taking a prenatal vitamin- again, get recommendations from your doctor- but most of your nutrition should come from your food. Especially if you’re feeling nauseous, nutrient-dense foods are the best way to effectively get the nutrition you need. Here are some foods to incorporate in your pregnancy diet:

• Lean protein: Lean cuts of meat are full of protein and iron. The amino acids in protein are the building blocks of cells, and high-protein foods can help keep you from feeling hungry by stabilizing your blood sugar. Iron helps build your baby’s red blood cells while supporting yours. Not a meat eater? Lentils are an excellent vegetarian protein source, with 17 grams of protein and 7 milligrams of iron. They’re also rich in the folate, which is crucial for your baby’s developing brain and nervous system. Edamame is also excellent, with 18 grams of protein, 100 milligrams of calcium, 3.5 milligrams of iron, and 482 micrograms of folate. Eggs are a good source of protein, and they also provide a hefty serving of vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium and may reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and low birth weight.
• Dairy: Dairy provides calcium, vital for your baby’s bones. Low-fat milk is good, but yogurt is even better. It’s got as much calcium as milk, along with protein, folate, and active cultures, which can help prevent both stomach upset and yeast infections. Choose plain yogurt with a drizzle of honey or fresh fruit, put yogurt in your smoothies, or layer it with granola and fruit for a parfait.
• Healthy fats: Cold water fish, avocado, and nuts all contain fats that support a healthy pregnancy. Fish like wild salmon have DHA omega-3s, essential for the development of your baby’s eyes and brain. Avocado has healthy monounsaturated fats, which help your body absorb vitamins, along with folate and B6, which is good for your baby’s brain and may help ease morning sickness. Nuts are packed with nutrients, including magnesium, zinc, potassium, vitamin E, protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Reach for walnuts to get omega-3 fatty acids, go with almonds for calcium, and peanuts for folate.
• Colorful fruits and vegetables: The beta-carotene in carrots is converted in the body to vitamin A. Red bell peppers provide both vitamin A and vitamin C, along with healthy fiber. Sweet potato is another powerhouse, with 400 percent of the vitamin A you need daily, and kale is a superfood with vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as folate, iron, calcium, and fiber. Can’t tolerate vegetables? You can get your vitamins A and C from mangoes, and your potassium from bananas. Bananas are a source of quick energy that’s easy to digest even if you’re queasy.
• Dried fruit: For a quick snack, you can’t beat dried figs, dates, prunes, and apricots. Not only will they satisfy your sweet tooth and provide an energy boost, but they’re full of nutrients like fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, and antioxidants.
• Whole grains: Oats and quinoa are particularly good for pregnancy, providing fiber and magnesium to help both mother and baby. Quinoa also contains 8 grams of protein and nearly 3 grams of iron, along with calcium, potassium, and zinc.

There are also some foods you should avoid when pregnant. Steer clear of high-mercury seafood, especially swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish. Don’t drink unpasteurized milk or juices or eat unpasteurized soft cheeses, because they can contain harmful bacteria. Refrigerated deli meats and deli salads can also contain bacteria, so don’t eat these unless they’re heated. Avoid raw or undercooked meat, fish, poultry, shellfish, or eggs, even in sauces or raw cookie dough, and don’t eat raw sprouts or unwashed produce. Don’t eat unripe papaya: it can trigger contractions. Avoid excess salt and sugar, processed foods, and trans fats, and limit your caffeine consumption to just one cup of drip coffee per day or less. Eating nutrient-dense whole foods is the best plan for your pregnancy diet.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Why You Should Choose Dr. Green to Perform Your Vasectomy Reversal

A vasectomy is a fairly simple outpatient procedure, completed in 10 to 30 minutes. A vasectomy reversal, on the other hand, is more complicated. Not all vasectomy reversals are the same, and it’s important to find a surgeon who knows how to choose the right surgery for you and is skilled in this kind of delicate microsurgical procedure. That’s why we encourage you to choose Dr. Joshua Green, an expert in microsurgery and male infertility.

Dr. Green is from Philadelphia, but he has lived in Florida for over 25 years. Since moving to Sarasota in 2000, he’s been in private practice, in partnership with five other urologists. Their practice performs not only vasectomies and vasectomy reversals, but also many other procedures, covering nearly all aspects of adult urology. Dr. Green has two offices for patient convenience, one in Sarasota and another near Lakewood Ranch. He has hospital privileges at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, and Doctors’ Hospital of Sarasota.

If you’re looking for a surgeon with impeccable credentials, look no further. Dr. Green is a Board-Certified member of the American Urologic Association and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, as well as maintaining membership in the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology. He’s also served as Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Having graduated with Honors from the prestigious Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Dr. Green completed further, rigorous training in General Surgery and Urology at the University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital. After his urology training, he underwent further training in microsurgery and vasectomy reversal through the American Urologic Association in Houston.

Since completing his training, Dr. Green has performed hundreds of microscopic infertility procedures, with an impressive success rate. These surgeries require meticulous surgical techniques and high-powered operating microscopes. In a vasectomy reversal, the sutures used are also microscopic- about 1/3^rd the diameter of human hair- and are used to create a multilayered reconnection of the vas deferens. Dr Green performs vasectomy reversals in an accredited surgery center in Sarasota, with a Board-Certified anesthesiologist involved in every case to ensure total comfort during the surgery.

His vast experience has allowed Dr. Green to finely tune his skills, but this is not the only thing that sets him apart in the field of infertility microsurgery. The level of patient care offered by the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is outstanding. Each patient receives Dr. Green’s personal cell phone number, and he and his staff are available to patients seven days a week.

How to Put a Crying Baby to Sleep

It’s perfectly normal for babies to cry. After all, it’s the way they communicate! Babies cry because they’re hungry, thirsty, uncomfortable, overtired, excited, frightened, bored, or in need of comfort. For parents, a crying baby can feel stressful. However, with a little bit of patience you can learn to calm your crying baby and get him or her off to sleep.

• First, try to determine why the baby is crying. Make sure your baby is not hungry and doesn’t have a dirty diaper. If you think boredom may be the issue, try singing, humming, or going for a walk.
• Sometimes, the problem is colic. Colic typically starts around two weeks, hits its height at six weeks, and goes away by 16 weeks. It’s probably colic if there is unexplained crying for more than three hours a day, three or more days a week, for three weeks or longer.
• Know the Five S’s of Soothing. The world outside the womb can be overwhelming, but these five tactics can help soothe your baby.
  • Swaddling: Swaddling keeps babies’ limbs from twitching and gives them the snug sensation they had in the womb.
  • Side lying: Before babies are born, they spend much of their time lying on their sides. Try carrying your baby in a side lying position and using the football hold when nursing.
  • Shushing: “Shhh” sounds like the whooshing heard in the womb. You can make this noise yourself or try a white noise machine or app.
  • Swinging: Rocking, jiggling, swinging, and swaying can help a baby calm down.
  • Sucking: For a baby, sucking on a finger or pacifier can be very relaxing.
• Consider dietary modification. A change in formula may help. If you’re breastfeeding, consider eliminating some things from your diet, like dairy or spicy foods. It may be helpful to keep a journal, noting what your diet and your baby’s habits, in order to sleuth out any problems you may be able to easily fix.
• Implement a good sleep routine. Establish calming bedtime habits now, perhaps with a warm bath and soothing music before bed. During nighttime feedings, keep the room quiet and dark and don’t interact with your baby beyond feeding and changing. This will help your little one to learn that night is different from day.
• Give yourself a break. A baby who won’t stop crying can be overwhelming, so if you’re upset, put the baby in the crib and walk out for a few minutes to calm down. A walk outside with your baby can also sometimes help both of you to feel better. Don’t feel bad if you need to ask for help.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Things You Should Consider Adding to Your Baby Shower Registry

When you’re expecting your first child, creating a baby shower registry can be complicated. Of course, there are items that you obviously need, like a car seat and a stroller, and fun things you’ll want, like nursery décor and cute toys. However, it can be hard to determine which baby registry items are necessary and which you’ll never use. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of useful items you should consider adding to your registry.

• For the nursery, you’ll need things to help baby sleep and help you keep the room tidy. Soft, fitted crib sheets and a waterproof mattress protector are essential, lightweight receiving blankets serve a wide variety of purposes, and sleep sacks will help keep your baby warm and swaddled. A baby monitor gives you peace of mind, and a white noise machine helps your little one stay asleep. You’ll also want baskets in the nursery, to hold laundry and toys, making cleanup easier.
• Be smart about baby clothes. Your tiny baby will quickly outgrow newborn clothes, so register for a variety of sizes and a range of seasons, along with baby-sized hangers. When possible, choose clothing with zippers instead of snaps. Trying to connect snaps on a squirming baby is like working on a puzzle that’s trying to get away.
• Register for mealtime. Put plenty of bottles, a bottle brush, and a drying rack on the list, and if you’re nursing, include a nursing pillow, nursing pads, and possibly a breast pump. You’ll also need plenty of burp cloths and bibs. It’s also worth registering for a highchair, baby utensils, and baby food storage containers, even though you won’t need them immediately.
• Bath items are important. A newborn to toddler tub is a great way to safely adapt to baby’s various stages. Baby soap, shampoo, and lotion will protect your little one’s delicate skin, as will lightweight washcloths and soft baby bath towels.
• Remember to include health and safety items. Diaper balm, an infant thermometer, gas relief drops, and a cool-mist humidifier are all items you’ll need at some point.
• Diapering is a big part of baby care. Register for diapers in various sizes, and request plenty of wipes. Don’t forget to include on your registry changing pads, a diaper pail, a diaper bag, and a wet bag to go in the diaper bag.

Of course, registries vary because each family operates a little differently. At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Everything You Need to Know About Erectile Dysfunction

It’s the subject of many late night commercials and it’s often used as a punchline, but erectile dysfunction (ED) is no laughing matter to the men who suffer from it. In fact, many of them don’t even want to talk about it, even with their doctor. Having the right information about ED is important, though, so we’d like to help expand your understanding of this common condition.

• How common is ED? It’s estimated that about 30 million men in the United States struggle with erectile dysfunction, and the prevalence of the condition increases with age. It can occur among younger men too, though, and about 25 percent of men seeking their first treatment for ED are under 40 years old. Lifestyle choices are a significant risk factor for ED among younger men. It’s estimates that the percentage of men with ED rises by 10 percent for each decade of life. In other words, about 60 percent of men in their sixties experience mild to moderate erectile dysfunction. It’s not inevitable, though. The healthier a man is, the lower his risk of sexual dysfunction.
• What, exactly, is erectile dysfunction? It’s the inability to achieve or maintain an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. It used to be called impotence, but that term is not widely used today. Many men experience ED occasionally, but frequent erectile function can be a sign of health trouble. It can also be the result of emotional or relationship difficulties that may require professional assistance.
• What causes ED? Erectile dysfunction happens when there’s a problem with the erection process. An erection occurs because of increased blood flow into the penis, as excitement grows and the muscles in relax, allowing blood to flow through the penile arteries and into two chambers in the penis. As blood fills the chambers, the penis becomes rigid. Emotional and physical conditions can interfere with this process, including heart disease, diabetes, hormone imbalances, stress, and depression, among others. Alcohol, tobacco, and drug use can factor into ED, as can the use of certain medications.
• How is ED treated? There are many different ways to treat erectile dysfunction, from vacuum pumps, talk therapy, yoga, and acupuncture, to medications and even surgery. Improving diet, getting regular exercise, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and other lifestyle changes can help prevent ED. There are also different supplements that many men find helpful in managing erectile dysfunction. The most important thing to do if you’re experiencing ED is to speak to your doctor and find the treatment that’s right for you.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we provide treatment for many different sexual health issues, including erectile dysfunction. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility and sex lives through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

How to Prepare for When Your Partner Goes into Labor

Did you know that supporting a woman during childbirth is an important job? Research indicates that women who have support during labor are more likely to have a positive outcome. If your partner is pregnant, you should be prepared to take on a supportive role when the big day arrives, providing her with comfort, strength and encouragement. In return, you’ll get to share in one of the most meaningful and powerful moments of your life together. Here are some tips to make sure you’re ready for what’s in store.

• Learn as much as you can before the baby arrives. Attend a childbirth class: in-person classes are preferable, but if that’s not possible, take an online course and watch videos so that you’ll be prepared. Read as much as you can, so you’ll feel confident when your child makes an appearance. Make a birth plan and discuss labor strategies with your partner.
• Expect to hurry up and wait. During the last trimester, many women experience Braxton Hicks contractions. This is a belly-tightening sensation that can feel like labor, but it’s just the body’s way of preparing for childbirth. Even when labor does begin, there will probably be several hours before it’s time to go to the hospital. It’s important to understand the stages of labor.
  • The first stage consists of three phases.
    • Early labor: During this time, the woman’s water may break, triggering labor. Contractions may feel like persistent low back pain, and will become longer, stronger, and closer together as labor progresses. It’s often more comfortable to spend the earliest part of labor at home, timing contractions so you’ll know when to head to the hospital. Generally, that time comes when the contractions are about five minutes apart.
    • Active phase: By this time, you’ll be at the hospital, and the contractions will be more intense, spaced three to five minutes apart, lasting 40-60 seconds. Your partner will need your help with breathing exercises and relaxation techniques you learned in the childbirth class, and she may want to opt for pain relief. It can also be helpful for you to massage her temples or apply counterpressure to her back. On the other hand, she may not want to be touched. Every woman is different and it’s important to listen to your partner and find out what she needs.
    • Transition phase: This is an intense phase, during which contractions will last 60-90 seconds and be about two to three minutes apart.
  • Birth happens during the second stage. This stage can last minutes to hours and includes pushing and delivery.
  • The third stage begins after the baby is born. The placenta is delivered five to ten minutes later, and it’s common for the mom to feel shaky or get chills. Now is a good time for you as the partner to offer a warm blanket. It’s also a great opportunity to hold your newborn child and let your partner rest.
• Be prepared to be flexible. The strategies you have planned for labor may not pan out. The birth plan may have to change. You may feel faint or queasy, and labor may not go the way you expect. The important thing is that you’re bringing new life into the world and your partner has you as an advocate and a source of support.

If you’re ready to start a family, call the Center for Vasectomy Reversal. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Understanding Pregnancy Cravings

Pregnancy changes every part of your body, from your scalp to your feet. It’s not surprising, then, that it changes your appetite and taste in food. When you’re pregnant, you’ll loathe some of the foods you usually love and crave things that will surprise you. Pickles and ice cream is the most cliched combination when it comes to pregnancy cravings, but it’s far from far-fetched.

What causes pregnancy cravings? No one really knows for sure, but it’s not a myth. Research indicates that somewhere between 50 and 90 percent of pregnant women in the United States experience cravings. Pregnancy cravings typically begin by the end of the first trimester, are at their strongest in the second trimester, and decline as the birth approaches. A woman who is breastfeeding may also experience cravings, though, and will continue to have an increased appetite because caloric needs are higher in both pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Even though experts haven’t determined the precise reason for cravings, there are some theories about why they happen.

• Hormonal fluctuations can affect the way you experience food. The hormonal shifts in pregnancy can affect the sense of smell, sensory experience of food, mood, and the types of food a person craves.
• A heightened sense of smell often accompanies pregnancy. This can have an impact on which food a woman wants to eat. Foods that smell strong or pungent may be overwhelming, while things that smell good can increase appetite.
• Nutritional needs change during pregnancy. Sometimes, a craving is just the body’s way of expressing what it needs. A craving for ice cream, for instance, can indicate a need for more calcium. If you’re pregnant and craving ice cream, go ahead and eat it! But be mindful of the need for calcium and make sure you’re getting enough from healthy sources like dark leafy greens and fish.
• Sometimes cravings are all about comfort. Pregnancy is uncomfortable and can increase cravings for comfort foods that bring back childhood memories of being loved and cared-for. The nausea of pregnancy can lead to a craving for foods that typically bring relief during illness.
• A woman’s culture impacts her cravings. Women in the United States often crave chocolate, for instance, while women in Japan may crave rice.

The most common pregnancy cravings in the United States include sweets, high-calorie, savory carbohydrates, animal protein, and fruit. Fast food, pickles, ice cream, fruit juices, chocolate, dairy, and vegetables also make the list. While it’s ok to give into these cravings from time to time, limit the unhealthy ones and make sure you’re loading your diet with the right nutrients. These include calcium, folic acid, iron, and protein.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people start families with healthy pregnancies. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Why it’s Important to Teach your Children about other Holiday Celebrations from other Cultures

During the holiday season, it’s exciting to share special traditions and celebrations with our families. It’s important for children to have that sense of ritual, creating memories each year that deepen family bonds and strengthen your shared beliefs. Have you ever considered incorporating the holidays of other cultures into your season? December is packed full of holidays and can be a great jumping off point for teaching your children about other cultures and religions.

Why should you be purposeful about introducing the traditions of other cultures to your children? When children learn about other cultures, they learn that even though people may look different, speak different languages, and have different traditions, we’re all the same at heart, with customs they hold dear, and an innate capacity to love. Instilling this concept in children when they’re young can nurture a deeper appreciation for other cultures.

The reason the holidays are such a great place to start is that it’s easy to find information on other cultures and interesting things to do to celebrate them. Educate yourself on major holidays beyond the ones your family observes and share that information with your kids. Check your local library for children’s books about holidays, take the time to learn a fun game or a song, or prepare foods traditionally used to celebrate an unfamiliar holiday. You may even end up incorporating some aspects of another culture’s holiday into your own family’s celebration each year. If your family celebrates Christmas, consider exploring these holidays:

• Hanukkah: This eight-day “festival of lights” is the Jewish celebration of the Maccabee’s fight for freedom. There’s a nightly menorah lighting, as well as special prayers and food.
• Nicholas Day: Mostly celebrated in Europe, this holiday falls on December 6^th and honors St. Nicholas. One way to connect with the holiday is to read the legends of St. Nicholas. On St. Nicholas Day, children put shoes outside of their doors so St. Nicholas can leave gifts or treats.
• Lucia Day: In Sweden, on December 13^th, young girls dress in white gowns with red sashes, a wreath of burning candles on their heads. They wake their families by singing songs and bringing them coffee and saffron buns. This festival of lights honors an early Christian martyr.
• Las Posadas: From December 16^th through Christmas Eve, Las Posadas is celebrated in Mexico, Central America, and parts of the United States. The nine days represent the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy, and the holiday commemorates the journey Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem. One important symbol of the holiday is the poinsettia.
• Kwanzaa: A holiday that honors African American heritage, Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26^th to January 1^st. Kwanzaa means “first fruits” and it’s an opportunity to celebrate family life and unity while honoring ancient African traditions. It’s based on harvest festivals and ends with a large feast.

No matter what traditions you choose to raise your children with, the first step is to start a family. If you’re having trouble doing that, call the Center for Vasectomy Reversal. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

How to Pick the Perfect Christmas Gifts for your Kids

The holiday season is upon us, and a big part of the joy of Christmas is choosing the perfect gift for everyone on your list. When you’re shopping for your kids, though, this can be a difficult task. How do you find the right gifts for your children without just adding to the clutter in their rooms? We’ve got some tips to help you with your holiday shopping this year.

• First, consider the children as individuals. Think about their ages and stages of development, as well as their interests. What do they enjoy doing? What topics really spark their interests? Taking some time to really think about what lights up each child’s face can help you find the perfect gifts.
• Set some limits for yourself. Kids don’t need every toy that hits the market, and they don’t even need every single item in a line of toys they love. In fact, too many toys on Christmas morning can be overwhelming for a child and decrease the enjoyment of the holiday. There’s a rhyme that’s sometimes used to help children make their wish lists, and it goes, “Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read.” This isn’t a bad guideline for parents to use while they’re choosing toys. Simplicity should be the goal and setting a budget and other constraints will help you achieve it.
• Think about a toy’s educational value. This doesn’t mean that every toy has to teach numbers or the alphabet. Toys that spark the imagination are wonderful for helping kids learn. Consider the fact that kids learn the most through playing and you’ll see why it’s so important to keep the learning potential of the toy in mind. Some types of toys that can be educational include:
  • Building toys
  • Play kitchens
  • Art supplies
  • Dolls
  • Cars and trucks
  • Puzzles
  • Musical toys
  • Board games
  • Books
• Choose toys with staying power. The trendiest toys are often the ones that get the least play once the initial excitement has passed. On the other hand, classic toys like blocks, board games, and puzzles can get years of use and encourage cooperative play. While you’re thinking about toys with long lifespans, consider the quality of the toys you’re seeing. Choose sturdy, well-made, high-quality toys, checking for safety issues like pieces that can come off and cause a choking hazard. Stop before you buy something cheap and plastic to consider that, while you can buy several inexpensive items that are cheaply made, spending that money on fewer things of lasting quality is a better use of funds and will provide more enjoyment for the children.

If you previously had a vasectomy but now, you’re ready to start a family, call the Center for Vasectomy Reversal. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

How to Pick the Right Stroller

If you’re an active parent, you’ll push your child’s stroller around for miles. You might fold and store it hundreds of times. And it’s your child’s special little place for all that time, so you want to get the right kind. While strollers have gotten better over the years, they’ve also become more complicated and diverse, giving parents a lot of options to consider. Here’s some useful information to help you pick the perfect stroller (or two) for you and your child.

HOW MANY ARE IN YOUR PARTY?

An important factor of course is how many small children you have. Many double strollers are available, in side-by-side or tandem configurations. Clearly these are bulkier than single strollers but a lot more manageable than two single strollers! Side-by-side is wider, and harder to get through doors or along busy sidewalks, but they tend to give you better access to your children. Some tandem strollers have a customizable feature that allows you to add or remove the second seat, so you might not need another stroller, ever. And some models allow the rear seat to face you, giving you better access to whichever child needs your attention the most.

JOGGER STROLLER

Jogger strollers are durable and maneuverable, with suspension to absorb shocks, and three large wheels. For extra safety, it’s important that they have a hand brake, a five-point harness and a wrist strap. The large wheels and sturdy frame make these strollers bulkier and harder to fit into smaller cars.

UMBRELLA STROLLER

These strollers are named for their low weight and how well they fold for storage. This convenience comes at a cost, as they aren’t as durable or sturdy as other kinds of strollers. Since they tend to be inexpensive, it’s good to keep one around as a backup.

CAR SEAT CARRIER

These are designed especially to carry your car seat, and can come with it. They often are missing some of the extra features of other strollers.

FEATURES

Here are a few important features your new stroller should have::

• Rain cover
• Cup holders
• Large underbasket for storage
• Easy folding capability
• Adjustable seat angle – to help your child sleep or stay awake

And a few nice extras you may want to pay extra for:

• Adjustable handlebars – in case you and your partner are of different heights
• Handlebar braking. Some brakes have to be manually engaged at each wheel.
• Travel bag
• Bunting for cold weather
• Compatibility with your car seat
• One-handed folding
• Easily removable and washable fabric – accidents will happen

BEFORE YOU BUY

• Test drive if possible. See how easy you find it to operate the stroller. Try some tight turns and stops.
• Ask friends and family for recommendations. Many reviews on Amazon are fake.
• Check the weight capacity. How long will this stroller work for your child?

Dr. Joshua Green of the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is a leader in helping men become parents. For more information about the vasectomy reversal procedure, please contact our Sarasota, FL clinic at 941-210-6649 or schedule a free consultation online.