Stroller as National Symbol

I'm getting carried away with this stroller theme; but one more time, and I'm done.

Miracle of miracles--my husband found the stroller I loved in France, i.e. he found out that it is sold here in the U.S. It's sold by a different company, but it appears to be very nearly the same stroller--seat that reclines as a unit, magnificently comfortable for a baby, well-built, handles well. Everything I loved about the stroller in France. It's expensive, but worth it I think, if I use it every day and the baby enjoys sitting in it for at least a year. They just started selling it in the United States in June of this year.

As I was searching for the best place to buy this French-designed poussette, I stumbled upon video reviews of several different strollers. It was interesting, the emphasis the American reviewers placed on things like portability and cupholders. "And this stroller finally comes with the cupholders we Americans love," one reviewer mentioned while talking about another European-made stroller. In the baby supply store I visited last week, the young woman steered me towards a stroller with a big tray and cupholders--"I just have to have cupholders," she said. Not stopping to consider if I ever said I needed them. Why are cupholders so important for so many mothers in this country? And the review of my preferred stroller didn't even mention the critical feature that makes it so radically different from nearly all the other strollers sold in the U.S.--the fact that the seat reclines as a unit.

The strollers made in the U.S. are not designed with a baby's comfort in mind; they're designed to keep the mother hydrated.