Overwhelmed

I might be in very real trouble.  I am out of my element here, and I am terrified.  I sat down today to start doing research on baby stuff.  First on the list was strollers and car seats.  O...M...G...  There are so many things to consider! 

For strollers, it starts with what kind of terrain are you going to be using it on.  Seriously?!  Yes, seriously.  The terrain dictates wheel material for durability and wear-and-tear, shock absorbers for smoothness of ride, storage and carrying capacity for duration of trip, handle-bar length and mobility for comfortable movement distance from the stroller, seat-facing direction for watching the baby or the baby watching the world, fixed or swivel front wheels for maneuverability through tight spaces, etc., etc.  Not to mention deciding if you want it to have a fixed seat or be a part of a travel system, where the car seat snaps directly onto the stroller base.  And then you have to consider whether you're going to have a growing family with children close together in age.  Because you need to think about whether it's a single-seater stroller or has the capability to expand for multiple children.  Not to mention safety ratings, brands, construction materials, colors, cleanability...what the carp!

Exploring the travel system, led me to start looking at car seats.  It's even worse!  Are you going to get a car seat that snaps directly into the stroller base or do you need an adapter to make it work?  Does it have enough padding to support the baby's head?  Is it made from harmful flame retardant material?  Is it comfortable?  Does the baby like it?  Are the straps too tight to expand with the baby's growth?  Are the straps removable, so they can be cleaned?  Does it rock?  How heavy is it?  Is it safe?

I'm overwhelmed.  These are important decisions, so how can I possibly make the right one?!  What if I screw up?  What if the baby doesn't like it?  More importantly, if I can't even decide on the first thing on my list, then what hope do I have for the other fifty items?!  I'm starting to hyperventilate.  I'm over here trying to do Lamaze breathing, but I'm not sure if I'm doing that right either!