How do you get on the train from Naperville to Chicago with a pram? (Evanston: how much, houses)

[corvette12]

I wish I could but i need a changing bag, bottle bag and a bag for her change of clothes as my daughter is sick quite often after a feed and obviously I need my handbag.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by corvette12

I have recently relocated from the UK to Naperville. I want to go and visit my husband in Chicago where he works with my 7 month old baby. I called up the train company who were most unhelpful and asked them how I get my pram on the train? My pram is not as small as a stroller but it does collapse but again not as a stroller does. The lady on the customer service just told me that prams were dated and that everyone has strollers now. Does anyone helpful advice on how I can get on the train with my pram?

Get a decent back pack. At 7 months, if your child can sit up, he will love that anyway and it makes it very easy to get around walking or on the train or bus. With one infant, you do NOT need 4 bags. Your purse and a diaper bag with a couple of diapers and a bottle should be sufficient. You can even use the diaper bag to put your wallet and keys in.

[myrc60]

Originally Posted by corvette12

Also how do you shop in Naperville? Most the shops have steps so I am also limited into what shops I can go in. It's fine at the weekend when my husband is around but he works during the week so he can't always help me with the pram.

That problem is common everywhere, not just Naperville. You do the best you can; hope strangers take pity on you and help you lift the pram up, but you can't count on that. After going through it myself, I will help someone in that predicament. My son was good at tipping an umbrella stroller over and falling on his face...I had to have a heavier stroller for our outings, which were very limited.

[corvette12]

Thanks for letting me know. I think I might have to review getting an umbrella stroller... I hope your son was ok. I know people are quite helpful in opening doors etc in Naperville, I will just have to get the hang of things that's all. I will try my luck at the station with my pram and let you know how I get on.

[trailerguy]

The trains are very crowded during peak commute hours. Travelers with big suitcases or business people with big presentation cases are sternly admonished to keep their things out of the aisle and not to block other seats. Bicycles are banned during commute hours. The only exception is for wheelchairs for which they make special accomodation. Also, there are four very narrow, very steep steps to get in or out of the train car. Your pram probably will not fit. I strongly encourage you to get a foldable "umbrella stroller" for your trips downtown and try to avoid peak rush hour.

[chicagojlo]

Even if you get the pram on the train (and no Metra conductor ever offered the wheelchair lift to me), you won't get it down the aisle. You'll have to stand in the loud vestibule the whole hour, each way.

My son is 4 months and I don't take 4 bags. I take diapers, bottles and clothes in one bag, my wallet etc are in there too. You could probably figure out a way to downsize.

You really are going to have to learn to drive before it gets too cold. Once it gets nasty you honestly won't want to be walking around with the baby. There are days when they tell you on the news not to take kids outside as it's too cold. It can go below zero F here, so imagine what that is in C. Plus once it gets icy out you won't want to be starting off on the road, which means waiting until April at the earliest. Let me know if you want the name and number of the driving school I used. They were excellent, and very used to European drivers. The sooner you get out on the road, the better.

Here's my yelp review, along with a few other peoples. This was really a great school.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/auto-metro-d...school-chicago

[chicagojlo]

As for the loss of independence - moving to America was a lifelong dream for me and I was ready to get back on the plane after 3 weeks of being completely stranded in the middle of nowhere. I think it has been the single hardest thing for me to overcome, although it did force me to learn to drive finally at 30 years old! We lived downtown for the first year as it was the only way I could survive mentally but my husband had a tough commute.

[chitown85]

My guess about the METRA Conductors not helping is not that they don't want to, they are likely told not to. There are liability issues if they voluntarily provide help for mothers, babies, prams, etc. They are required to help handicapped riders by law (ADA), but if its icy and they slip and the pram or mother hits the ground, METRA faces a huge lawsuit.

Welcome to America, the land of the lawsuit. Plus we are too dependent on personal transportation.

[Hatchetman]

Did you buy a house or are you renting? Naperville sounds like a poor fit for your lifestyle.

[almost3am]

Originally Posted by corvette12

I wish I could but i need a changing bag, bottle bag and a bag for her change of clothes as my daughter is sick quite often after a feed and obviously I need my handbag.

When our daughter was a baby we carried everything in one backpack. My wife used a bag like the one attached, which fit bottles, clothes, diapers, her wallet, and had a rollout changing pad. She just needed to travel lighter. I had a similar bag for when I was on my own, but it looked more like a hiking daypack, as my wife's was to feminine for me. Anyway, that worked for us.

We also had two strollers, a bigger one (that also fit a car seat) and a really lightweight one for different occassions.

Petunia Pickle Bottom