[Closed] Pram for newborn - which and why?

Sling at first, then figure out what you actually need after it arrives.

Buy the minimum up front, then on demand.

Go somewhere scary like a kiddicare and try out a load.
We ended up getting an Uppababy vista as it was the most robust one in the shop.
As it turns out we love it.
Things like having the release for the bassinet on the top of the handle so you can remove one handed, the basket underneath is massive (very useful for shopping and kid stuff), it comes with adaptors for car seats too.
The other bit is that it has reasonably big wheels so the ride isn't too bumpy.

These are the things we looked at as important, another one being an adjustable height handle if you and the OH are different sized

Sling at first, then figure out what you actually need after it arrives.

Buy the minimum up front, then on demand.

That would be my sort of thinking, but my wife is outraged and the very thought of carrying a baby home from the hospital in a sling! I think we'll be making a trip to Mothercare very soon.

We've only ever had a Maclaren - one that can lie flat. We bought ours in 2009 when our first was born and it's literally the best value thing we've had.

Lots of our friends bought various different "travel systems" or massive buggies, only to find them obsolete for the next step of childhood - or too big to transport around.

Any of the Britax range, they're great. You get a set of wheels and you start with the carry cot, which is like a pram bit and you also get the car seat which fits onto the wheels and then you get the pushchair bit which fits onto the wheels too. The pushchair bit sees them through until they're walking. My advice is ebay, there are hundreds up for sale at great prices. Worth investing in a steam cleaner, with the money you save not buying newm to properly disinfect it and get the stains out.

Having something where you can transfer the car seat to a buggy is handy for the first 6 months or so when they're asleep a lot.

Most important thing to remember is that we all want the moon on a stick with buggies...light, portable, go-anywhere, fold-up, blah blah blah. AFAIK, that buggy doesnt exist, so decide what's important, then go to kiddicare or John Lewis and try a load.

Then buy second hand on eBay.

For the first sprog, get something you can plug a car seat straight into. Trouble is these things are expensive generally and are made of cheese. They do make your life easier though! We still use our 5 year old maxi cosi seat on an isofix base in the car and a mothercare my4 which as a combo has seen 3 little people.

Trouble is, as they grow you realise how inflexible it is, so we now shove them into a City Mini stroller when they can support themselves or a Phil n ted double (E5?) when 2-up. This was 80 quid off the 'bay and will be resold for about the same I'm sure.

The mothercare was 550 quid iirc and is worth a tenner. Get someone else to pay for it if you can!

Phil & Teds
Not the cheapest, but we put two through it and sold it on (having replaced the tyres cos Mrswithchips put so many miles in). We had the Sport (Navigator looks like the closest equivalent if you are buying new), which let them lay flat when they were tiny, and sit up later. There's all sorts of add ons you can get too, if you are that way inclined.

A second hand sport would be my choice if I were doing it again.

Sling at first, then figure out what you actually need after it arrives.

Buy the minimum up front, then on demand.

This. Parents can end up wasting so much money on prams and such. Especially seeing as we tend to overestimate what will be needed for our little ones.

Upababy vista for us.

Went to the baby show and tried all of them

Main benefit for us was we hope to have a second soon and it can be converted to use with 2 little ones. The large cargo bit is great and wifey uses it most days.

it's great. Buy from John Lewis for their guarantee.

We had a problem with a front wheel locking, got a loaner whilst it was sorted in a week.

Prepare to be shocked at how much buggies cost....I was expecting a few hundred.

Uppababy vista. Adequately overpriced while so having the best bicycle like welding and decent wheels. Net: go with what you like.handybto have a pram that has adaptors for your category 0 car seat so your partner can lift baby while still being in said car seat onto pram/car

We love our Mamas and Papas Urbo. Very maneuverable and compact yet large shopping space underneath. Well built and all alloy frame. Folds down nice and small to go in the boot. Car seat, carry cot and buggy seat all clip in with the bracket system.

Worth a look, but advise looking around at as many as you can... just don't go for something that looks whizzy and like a spaceship but is impractical in everyday use.

Mini bazhall is due in May and we have put a deposit down on a Mamas & Papas Sola2 MTX. We had a look at other prams/buggies and decided on this one as for the money it was alright value. It has pnumatic tyres with no bad tread which means we can take it off road such as round Walton Nature park and Pugneys. We went for the quad package which comes with isofix base, car seat, carry cot and buggie. It also comes with adaptors so we can clip the car seat in to the frame of the buggy for when we need to go for messages or visit friends and family. Can't wait to meet mini bazhall when she arrives in May

We went with a Babystyle Oyster - compact enough, good fold, fairly durable, excellent customer support, great buggy board option for when no. 2 arrived. We use slings too but they are have plenty of downsides which their proponents ignore (especially in winter or bad weather when you're in and out of buildings and either freezing or boiling half the time). Great for country walks though. And a McLaren once the child is bigger and you're not using the carrycot or transferring a baby car seat onto the chassis.

We looked at a frightening amount of buggies at the Kiddicare HQ - the Oyster was usefully narrower and better at folding than most comparably large wheeled alternatives.

Sir will find a bugaboo chameleon goes nicely with his Five, A6 and wood burning stove.

my wife is outraged and the very thought of carrying a baby home from the hospital in a sling!

I feel pretty sure the baby would much prefer it.

I did too. Snuggling your kid is lovely, farting about with an awkward contraption is not.

As for the weather issue, my jackets were big enough at first to go over them, then we'd use a blanket. Still liked it. Never had any worry about wakibg them up getting out of the car either cos they would always gaze into my eyes for a while then go back to sleep.

This was only for three or four months mind. After that we mostly used a quinny zap, being small and manoeuvrable and not requiring the purchase of a huge car to carry around like my sister in law did.

theres been some differences of opinions in this household over prams in the last 6 months. I clearly new nothing. I must admit though....our little girl does seem very happy in her 'Mega pram' as its been christened. How can a pram cost soooo much?! Jeeeze, I could buy a bike for that. I got to have final say on the car seat though.

If you get a big push chair/pram like the icandy peach (aka Mega pram), you'll also want a stroller like a maclaren to sling in the car boot. I was lucky to get a used one for free....i count my blessings.

[b]BIG WHEELS. GET BIG WHEELS[/b]

There's nothing more irritating when you're desperate for what little fix of the outdoors you can get as a pissy wheeled pram stalling and buckling at so much as a twig.

Oh, and lie flat. Removes all sorts of "we've got to get him across to the cot" nonsense. Don't worry about car to house stuff. That convenience is just for the lazy - and sitting in the car waiting for a child to wake up is perfect STW browsing time.

Although SWMBO sort of favoured a travel system, we decided it made little benefit to us. when sainsbury shopping DD (see how easy i slip into mumsnet lingo) stays in the car seat and the seat goes in a second trolley which SWMBO pushes, we don't do many other short journeys with DD in th car, and the recommendation is not to leave them in the car seat for more than a few hours (as its not entirely flat, so back development can be hindered). So whether you wake them to shift them from the car, or to shift them from the car seat once inside, you've woken them.

we liked the peach as it is solid, glides very easily on decent size wheels, and is well thought out making stuff easy to use....most are though.

Look, I know I'm a bit on the short side....but neil, you're just taking the piss now. 🙂

GET BIG WHEELS

See, big wheels come on big prams, and they are a major faff. Sling or backpack for outdoors.

Uppababy Vista was our choice too, based on similar to above.
Big basket, easy fold, good wheels, single hand recline, carry cot also works for travel and nights away and was in use as a buggy up to 2 1/2 years old. The only wheeled transport we used for him - as well as slings and carriers, but it's nice to be able to put him to sleep in it and step away. It was great.

2 friends also had the Vista, one stop going strong with kid no. 2.

As it happens, got an all black Vista we're going to sell, (carrycot and buggy) with red 'footmuff' and maxi cosi car seat adaptors. Email in profile if of any interest.

Definitely a sling - far, far less hassle than having to cart around a big contraption. I always feel very sorry for sprogs who are stuck in prams with no-one for company - and those modular systems which let you transfer the child from car to pram to childseat without ever touching them? Horrible.

Uppababy Vista and Babystyle Oyster were the top rated when we had our first child; Vista is still the best. Pricey but worth it. Good value if you have further children - strong resale value too

See, big wheels come on big prams, and they are a major faff.

oh we're sling coverts. Awesome things. But there are times only a pram will do. And then you need big wheels.

without ever [s]touching[/s]waking them

We've had it all. slings / back packs / umbrella buggys and 'systems'.

The Baby Bjorn (sp?) was great. It's handy when you can't be arsed with a buggy.

We had a Chicco Cortina. The Car seat has a base which stays in the car and the baby can be lifted in and out of the car clipping into either the car seat base or the buggy part. The buggy part goes completely flat. Very waterproff should you be caught in the rain and plenty of stowage space underneath. Quite heavy but sturdy for it. Ours is on its third child and still going well.

We have a Maclaren buggy for when they're bigger and you want an umbrella buggy as they take up so much space.

Key things to look out for when buying a system, well, one really, get a car seat and cot thingy in one. When you're pushing them around, being able to lift the whole thing into the car instead of waking them and getting them strapped into another harness is a pain.

The timing of this thread couldn't be better: went looking at buggies yesterday (early recon) and am left completely baffled. Thanks for all your insights..... I'm freaking out slightly less now

maclaren xlr stroller - very popular for a reason. Before this we strapped the nipper to our chests for warmth and smell. Keep it simple and cheap IMO. The real expenses are yet to come. Did not go full Focker with a false nipple, but close.

As mentioned above the other selling point of the vista was it is the cot bit is rated for little one to sleep in at night or when away. We used this a lot. Every night I would stay downstairs and settle them in the cot, to allow the missus to get some sleep, then when we handed over the "shift" I'd carry it upstairs and it was next to mum on a stand. Then I'd go sleep on the sofa....

Congrats for those expecting btw. My boy is 8.5 months now, got to say the first 7months weren't that much fun for me...but he is a great laugh now and glad we made it without me throwing him out of a window....

We bought a Quinny modd and a maxi-cosi pebble car seat that clips into the frame. It's been superb, the frame has a hydraulic mechanism that raises and collapses itself. My friend has a baby of the same age and bought a silver cross that seems a faff and not as well made.

Use a baby-born sling too which is fantastic on country walks were the buggy can't go.

Instead of brands ask, yourself how will it be used? City folk (who may use public transport) have very different demands than rural folk etc using a pram that converts to a car seat...also size of car is major factor (will it collapse in boot?)..

Personally, I think you need to accept that you'll just have to take a guess and either you'll work around its plus and minuses regardless or, you'll sell it and get one that's more suitable when your buying one bases on empirical evidence...

This is why second hand is perfect...if it's not right you wont be annoyed you've shelled out a lot of money of something you end up disliking....second hand all the way for babies IMO...

We've used a bit of a mixture of a baby bjorn & a bugaboo chameleon 3, then a maxi cosi pebble car seat. They've all been great for us. We've got a couple of labs that need to go out 3/4 times a day too, so for us we've got a good mixture for getting around muddy & rough surfaced things too. The bugaboo is pretty bulky, but it all fits in the boot no bother even with the dogs in.

I'd definitely just seriously consider the sling initially though.

Our is 10 months old now & started nursery, so we've just bought a mamas & papas armadillo xt to keep at the grandparents house, so they can get him about and packs down a bit smaller. To be honest, it's brilliant & it can take a car seat too with the attachment clips, so I'd consider that option too. It was on offer when we had it, so it was around £150, which is pretty cheap.

We looked second hand, but the bugaboo's are just about as much second hand as buying a new one if you can get it on offer, so we just bought new with warranty. I definitely wouldn't be looking to buy a car seat second hand though.

There is plenty of good used kit out there though & go to the NCT Nearly New sales too, we'd done really well there buying things like a jumperoo & that kind of stuff cheap. Our local Oxfam is brilliant for kids stuff that's never been used too.

Sling, then cheapo folder.

Be honest, all the posh prams are the equivalent of bling alloys on a car.

A cheaper mclaren folder does 95% of a huuuuuuge expensive carry system, and is lighter, smaller and packs down much smaller, does fit into doors and down shop aisles, doesn't fall over like three wheelers do etc etc.

We used ours so much we sold the expensive big thing within a year.

Within a few months, a baby backpack is also more useful, especially if you walk places or off-road as we did.

Sling at first, then figure out what you actually need after it arrives.

Buy the minimum up front, then on demand.

Edit: Plus you get to pull the trick of walking into the house with the baby sleep in the sling and say I can't take it off as she is asleep so I'll just lie down here on the sofa for a bit :)....

Everyone has different requirements. No way we could cope with just a sling (we do have one and it's great for short walks in the forest). change bag with spare clothes and bottles/food equals a reasonable sized bag. Shopping goes in the cargo bit. Waterproofs as well. We live in town and walk to most things and often out for most of the day. It was a lot of £ but worth it for us.

I do wonder how much solo parenting has been done by the Dads who are so convinced that slings are the best solution almost all the time. Try playing with a toddler outdoors whilst you have a big 6 month old attached to you, and carry everything that's required, when you live in town. Or have lunch in a cafe when they're far too small to sit in a high chair - do you want to try and do that with a baby attached? Forget hot drinks if you do! There's a reason prams and suchlike exist.

But slings are bloody marvellous at the right time - we've had about half a dozen, with the Mei Tei proving most useful and the Baby Bjorn the most disappointing.

Another Uppababy Vista here, great buggy. Still fits my 2.5 year old and now also being used by our newborn, so should have had 5 solid years service by the end of its life, which is pretty good going.
We also use and love the sling for the wee one, but less good for longer walks as they get heavier, or for chasing a toddler while carrying a newborn.
Also got a second hand cheaper McLaren which folds up small for holidays. Great for that but couldn't use it regularly, handles don't adjust high enough so gives me a sore back after an hour or so, and small wheels are terrible if the ground isn't smooth- so not great on cobbled streets in Edinburgh.

Guess whatever you need will be dictated by where you live and what you intend to use it for. For shorter use a cheap McLaren and a sling would be fine but my wife especially regularly walks hours on end round the city with a toddler and newborn so the bigger buggy is ideal.

Really don't understand the level of hate they seem to get here though. Is it a reverse snobbery thing??

Quinny zap type design can pivot about itself. Very useful for manoeuvrability.

Re nappy bags - be minimalist. Be like thebbikepackers. The baby gear companies really are milking you for cash.

Minimalist? Carry 2 sets of spare clothes? And yes we've had to use them with poo explosions. I suppose you could go minimalist and just put the brown stained trousers back on after you've scraped it out. Other than that biggest thing in the bag is a flask of warm water.

If you can afford it why not? It's all about making life just that little bit easier.

Bit like people having very expensive bikes when a cheap hardtail will still be able to get you up and down the trails.

Re nappy bags - be minimalist. Be like thebbikepackers. The baby gear companies really are milking you for cash.

I agree Doug! I know some of the more designer brand buggies can be very expensive but there's a reason the cheaper buggies are cheaper than the mid-priced ones. They're pretty complicated things with a lot of bushings and hinges, made to be reasonably light and strong and affordable. Some friends of ours suffered an el cheapo for years and it was a bloody nightmare to use. Considering the hours you spend using the thing a buggy that works well is worth paying for.

Since no. 2 arrived it's been so nice being able to take them both out on my own, carry everything we require, still chase the almost 3 year old around a playground and push them back home with her on a buggy board when her legs are too tired for the hills where we live. There's no way I could do that with a sling or mclaren.

Minimalism works great for adults. With children there's a balancing point between being overequipped for everything and hopeful minimalism. I'd rather be prepared and thus have an easier time most of the time. A nappy bag or similar means you don't have to think when you're leaving the house because everything is already in there - rather like a Camelbak when going biking.

Another vote for the Uppababy here. No faffing with silly pneumatic tyres, huge basket underneath. Takes car seat, so straight from car to walk, etc. Also, the cottage is great as an early days bed away from home. Great when dragging the sprog around to see everyone.

Be honest, all the posh prams are the equivalent of bling alloys on a car.
A cheaper mclaren folder does 95% of a huuuuuuge expensive carry system, and is lighter, smaller and packs down much smaller, does fit into doors and down shop aisles, doesn't fall over like three wheelers do etc etc.

Another uppababy vista. Great bit of kit.
Bag was a patagonia messenger bag bought in the sales. 100% of the functionality of a proper baby bag for 30% of the cost and reusable after.

Baby born is pretty good but a long stretchy fabric sling was the best for the early weeks. Papoose is great for hilly or rough terrain but we don't use it that often.
Phil and teds sport is the best of the buggies we've had (it's the one I wanted to start with but was over ruled). It suits what we do as a family really well. Yes it takes up half the boot but so do most of them. It's tough, rolls well, multiple seat positions, spares and accessories. Seats two (in tandem) with the extra seat, which can be a godsend with tired older siblings. Ours was 2nd hand from friends and is now on its 5th child and still going strong.

We got a Babystyle Oyster 2 with the carry cot thing to stick on it as well.

It folds really compact and is simple to do, is manouevreable, reasonably light weight.

We use the carry cot bit mainly for walks when the temperature is a bit low; I think it's easier to keep a baby warm and toasty in the cot, than the pram seat.

We did also look at a Joie something or other, which I slightly preferred, but it didn't fold as small and my Wife was adamant she didn't want to upgrade to a bigger car (which we ended up doing) 🙄

Comments above about buggies that go completely flat and ones that can be used with the car seat as well as the pram seat etc....99% of them can do these things.

We were lucky in that Kiddicare is just down the road so we made a couple of trips there, trying them out, sticking them in the car etc. and quickly narrowed it down.

I'd have been happy with a second hand one, but my Wife said it was one of the only bits of baby kit that she'd like to get new.

Car seat wise, we got a Maxi Cosi Pebble with an isofix base...mainly because they were doing an offer on it where you also got the next size car seat thrown in for about £30.

Regarding slings....we just bought a BabyBjorn one of those yesterday for the little one, but I can't see it ever replacing the buggy....it's an alternative.

Phil and ted sport with the cot bed in it. Genius thing, by far the best we've had. Major major plus point is that the wheels pull of with a button so you can clean them when you inevitably run over something unsavoury.

Whatever you choose, for heavens sake get it 2nd hand, the savings are way too big to be ignored, choice is huge and you're not compromising in any way like you are with a car.

Whatever you choose, for heavens sake get it 2nd hand, the savings are way too big to be ignored, choice is huge and you're not compromising in any way like you are with a car.

There's a huge amount of wear and tear on a well used buggy. They're not designed to be maintainable, bushes get loose, hinges creaky, parts fatigue, etc etc etc. My MIL got a Cameleon secondhand which gets used very occasionally when we visit because half the time yet another part on it has broken. There are just as many cons as pros to secondhand buggies, especially if you're likely to have more than one child - you might get a little used one at a good price and you might not.

It's a good point but, especially in nice middle class areas like round 'ere we had an huge selection of barely used kit.

and down shop aisles, doesn't fall over like three wheelers do etc etc.

My 3 wheeler hasn't fallen over yet... Is this a common issue? Surely you can't sell baby buggies likely to tip over?

Couldn't use just a sling, it's ok on country walks but a buggy has worked better for us around city centres.

We got a Mamas & Papas Solo. Works well offroad and around town. Plenty of luggage space. We walk to Tesco every other day so nice not to have to carry the shopping. Goes in a MK1 Focus no problem. We paid about £325 new with car seat adapters. Not too bad if it does both our kids.

After 9 months we got an umbrella type buggy. Takes up less space in the hallway.

Regarding the slings from birth comments, our baby was only 6lb2oz at birth, and most slings have a min weight of 7.5lbs or so.
She didn't put enough weight on until about 5 weeks or so to have been a suitable weight to use them....

Maclaren techno tx. Light, easy to fold, compact & highly durable. No doubt the best buggy/ pram on the market hands down. Suitable for newborns up to 5/6 yr olds.

Second hand pram, yes, second hand buggy no.

Pointless spending loads on a pram as they're not really in it that long, hence why I'd buy used. We got the wee one into a buggy as soon as we could as its so much more convenient in shops etc, and doesn't fill the boot. But because we used it from maybe 6 months until she was 2, it was pretty gubbed.

Thanks for all the pointers, certainly given me an idea of where to start looking. We live in the middle of nowhere, so car trips are a necessary evil, plus my wife will be on her own a lot during the day. My wife wants to buy new, and given the high resale value I don't see any reason not to - doesn't cost that much more, you have a guarantee, no wear and tear, no cleaning required on purchase, and can sell it for a decent amount once we're done with it.

Mammas & Pappas Sola here, not particularly pricey but definitely would have gone cheaper/second hand if the mother in law hadn't insisted that she wanted to buy as a pram.

When I see someone who thinks it's a sensible decision to buy a Bugaboo I can't help thinking it's pity that they've managed to pass their genes on.

Yesterday in Town I saw a mum get a classic pram out her car and pop the baby into it ( eventually after the assembly process) and when she came back I popped over say how nice it was to see an old school pram. She totally floored me by saying she had totally restored it with a full strip back and repaint plus a full re chrome. Brilliant jobby.

qtip - Member
My wife wants to buy new, and given the high resale value I don't see any reason not to

Fair enough if you want to buy new, but don't rely on a high resale value to justify it.
The buggy we bought is £400 without the carry cot option. There were plenty of 12-18 month ones on eBay going for £80-120, which is a pretty steep drop in my eyes.

They're not prams they're 'travel systems'.

After lots of research we took out a mortgage & bought an UppaBaby Vista which was on sale (still smarting that it cost more than a car we sold at the same time. How can a fully functioning car cost less than a [s]pram [/s]travel system??!?? )

Its been great in the 16 months we've had it - bombproof, no need for a trolley in the shops & littleBit seems happy.

Looking at 2nd hand sales of them we're hoping to recoup a fair bit of the cost when we decide to sell but with thoughts on littleBit2 it won't be for a while yet

Go new for wear and warranty for sure, w did and new nice, but not resale. Watching Vistas on eBay at the moment and I'm a bit disappointed. Will watch a few more then be sticking it on hear at realistic value.

Maclaren techno tx. Light, easy to fold, compact & highly durable. No doubt the best buggy/ pram on the market hands down.

Buy used - sell used.

We have a Danish pram as Mrs CD is Danish, and she insisted on it as all Danish use them. It's an modern version of the old Silvercross stryle and is really well built but it's huge and heavy, it hardly fits in the boot of my Octavia estate, and is too wide for some narrow pavements and shops around here. In Denmark many babies get left outside shops and houses in prams, that's hardly going to happen in the UK!
There was a deal on Maclaren Technos a couple of months back and I got one in preparation for future holidays and trips where we wont have the space for the pram. Mrs CD didn't like it at first but Mini CD loves in as she is facing forwards, it's also much better for taking to the shops or doctors. Now the Danish pram only gets used for sending Mini CD to sleep and she then gets left outside in it until she wakes.
We also have a Baby Bjorn which was great for the firs few weeks but Mini CD likes to look outward so got whingey, she now big enough to face out so we'll start using it again.
We do not have infant carrier for the car, which isn't a big issue as she would have outgrown it after 4 months and the Baby Bjorn or Maclaren does the job.
Every baby and situation is different and above all if your wife has wants a particular type go with that for an easy life.

Got a three year old boy and one year old girl so this is fresh.

We bought an I candy apple system and it was a life saver, little things life adjustable height handle to stop the other half stooping over after having stomach muscles ripped apart, on board pump in case of flat, very easy folding mechanism etc. Very comfy for the little one to the point my son would only nap in it. When they are teething or have a cold and have trouble breathing it was tillable so many nights the only way to get him to sleep was in the pram (Including 1 New Year's Eve) the boy was always very big so we put him in a mclaren xt when he was older and the weather was better. The buggies don't seem to have as much weather protection as the bigger prams.

If a second comes along then getting a board on one of the lighter buggies causes it to tilt over whereas the candy was solid. so if the wife walked somewhere with the two of them and the eldest had a meltdown and refused to walk home she could push him on it.

I used them both but tbh this is likely to be a decision you just give up to the primary care giver ( mother without being sexist)

Got a baby born when they were little and have now got a cross country backpack which have both been great

Not noticed a recommendation for Mountain Buggy yet, which is surprising being a predominantly off-road forum. We bought the 'Terrain' which comes with small and large wheels and a folding system which in my opinion makes it worth the entry price alone.

[url= https://mountainbuggy.com/uk/Products/buggies/terrain#.VsrH3kXfWnM ]Mountain Buggy Terrain[/url]

When MissSB #1 arrived we got a buggy/car seat combo what was pretty good (but the wheels got all wobbly after a while).
First time we went out for a walk with the little dude and our two dogs I chucked the buggy into the boot of our Audi 80 estate aligning it front to back so leaving room for the dogs on the other side of the boot. Boot didn't close because the buggy was too long - ended up going and buying a Volvo V70 a few weeks later!

The moral of this story is: whatever the buggy, make sure it fits in the car the way you want it to.

Another happy Uppababy Vista user here. Still going great 3 years and two kids later.

Any of the Britax range, they're great

We have a Britax B-Agile. One handed fold + unfold (actually quite useful if the other hand is full of baby). Folds down fairly flat. Has a travel cot that plugs in for newborns. Then their car seats plug in. Generally well built and not horribly expensive. Definitely recommend it. Would buy again, etc. A set of plug-in big wheels is available.

Before that we had a mamas and papas travel system thing. It was rubbish. Plasticky. Not very solid. And several bits broke (the handle, the folding mechanism). Highly unimpressed. Expensive for what it was. Didn't fold down small. Managed to be the worst of all worlds. Fortunately it was a second hander so we didn't pay the earth but it was just guff.

Also still have a big wheel buggy. Gets used once in a blue moon for "off road walks". Complete waste of money. Folding is a joke. Weighs a ton. Can't actually go that much more "off road" than a normal buggy.

Baby Bjarne harness. Used all the time. Excellent for "off road walks".

Have a rucksack with a seat in it. Somewhat useful when the harness gets outgrown (12 months ish).

Slings are ok but I never got on with them that well and nor did mrsmonkfinger.

BTW, a mountain bike + child seat is the best off road answer.

this is likely to be a decision you just give up to the primary care giver

truth

We used this

[img] [/img]

Partners parents kept it in the loft for years and gave it to us. Proper old school.

MiL bought us a quinny travel system 3 bit thingy. It was massive - the cot part barely fit in our hatchback, but did look comfy and was well made. The maxi-cosi brand car seat worked well and fitted the pram base. The pram base needed constant fettling with the wheels - mucky bushings would jam up etc.

I tended to use the baby bjorn chest carrier instead as it was light, comfy, you had free hands and you could get the whole thing with baby under your coat on cold days. Then later a rear rucksack carrier by macpac (excellent bit of kit) and a cheap folding stroller that did the job, but was nothing special.

If choosing again, I would get the baby bjorn, a decent carseat, a cheap folding stroller and the macpac rucksac carrier. I wouldn't bother with the full travel system.

has to be a travel system...baby car seat and pushchair. by the time the car seat becomes too small for them theyll be ready for the pushchair. saves you having to buy a separate carrier for the pushchair
our eldest had a mamas and papas one which served him well. when our daughter was born we bought a hauck one. this one got used for our third child too.
the mamas and papas one we passed onto my nephew for his newborn son as it was in perfect condition after having it for 7 years
both were good. what we looked at was how easy it was to fit the car seat into the car. the m&p one came with a base that was secured via isofix or the seat belt to the rear seat and the car seat just clipped into it. the hauck one was secured using the seat belt
we also looked at how easy it was to attach the seat to the pushchair and how easily manoeuvrable the pushchair was
lastly was how well the pushchair folded flat so it could fit i the boot of the car...some of the fancy ones take up a fair bit of space as they dont fold entirely flat...the ones we had did do
the m&p one was pretty lightweight so it was easy to lug it about when folded but the hauck one is very light in comparison

there are more expensive ones compared to what we spent...£200 for the m&p this included the car seat, pushchair, changing bag, foot muff and rain cover
£150 for the hauck which included the car seat, pushchair, carry cot (which fits onto the pushchair) and rain cover

personally i found a great travel system i liked made by Recaro that i wanted to get but the wife didnt like it so we opted for the Hauck...which turned out to be a good purchase...however we've had it for nearly 4 years now and its started to look a bit tired

I am sure you will be aware of this and any store worth its salt will point this out, but car seat pram adaptors are purely for short periods of use and not a replacement for a pram or buggy themselves. So great for going to the super market and not having to disturb the little ones too much if they have fallen asleep, but definitely not an all day option.

You will use the adapters for such a short period of time, that there are many on gumtree and ebay, and they seem to hold their value.

We had an Icandy Peach, which has been great, highly maneuverable, solid and the height adjustable arms were great not only for swapping between my wife and I, but also navigating tight shops. It took car seat adapters and was solid for attaching a buggy board to it. However, you have a separate pushchair and a frame to pack away, is quite heavy and I would say the pushchair comes up shorter than Icandy suggest.

My in-laws used to live overseas, and the Icandy was too much bulk and frankly too nice to expose to baggage handlers so we bought a Babyjogger City Mini from ebay. We still use it and prefer it to the Icandy and it has thus seen more use. It folds easily in one piece and great for napping children. We bought a carrying case for it, so easy for travelling too. I am sure you can get pram conversions for them too, and would have got one originally if we know what we know now.

Come on, 3 pages in and no one has mentioned the ultimate STW buggy? We've got a bugaboo donkey. It's huge, big wheels, goes anywhere, can be adapted to so many things, very expensive. The Santa Cruz Nomad of buggies if you will. The one upside to it is they seem to hold their value well.

In our defence we also have two babies to put in it.

Generally though, my wife uses it in one baby mode and the other one goes in a sling. Or we both use slings if we're both going out. If you're looking for slings I'd avoid the baby bjorn at all costs as they put all the weight through your shoulders rather than your hips and putting babies in them forward facing is really bad for their backs. We've got his and hers ergobabys.

gonzy - Member

has to be a travel system...baby car seat and pushchair. by the time the car seat becomes too small for them theyll be ready for the pushchair. saves you having to buy a separate carrier for the pushchair
our eldest had a mamas and papas one which served him well.

Not sure I understand this.....are you saying just use the baby car seat with the base until they outgrow it?
If so - that's not very healthy for the baby if you believe all the advice that is out there.

We were told that the baby should be in the car seat for no longer than 45 mins at a time (which to be honest isn't always possible to achieve) as the curvature of the seats are bad for their spines if left in for long periods & can cause breathing issues as they are hunched up.
That is why the push chairs that are suitable from birth allow the 'seat' to go completely flat so you lay newborns down, rather than sit them up.

gonzy - Member

there are more expensive ones compared to what we spent...£200 for the m&p this included the car seat, pushchair, changing bag, foot muff and rain cover

Was this new or second hand? If new, that is a great price! I think the car seat & base alone cost us over £200....most of the 'travel system' bases seem to be around £300.....

As somebody who will hopefully be popping out a sprog in four months time, I'm interested in knowing what the best pram/chairs are for rough surfaces like forest fireroads, etc, and also the best slings. Was considering a 2nd hand Mountain Buggy Terrain for off-roady stuff, not sure if there's anything else that's as good but cheaper?

And also the best maternity wear for cycling, as my bump is starting to roll my regular leggings down. -_-

There are 2 correct answers:

1) whatever SWMBO wants, it's just easier that way; or

2) a mountain buggy, just about indestructible, goes pretty much anywhere, light enough and easy to push.

Come on, 3 pages in and no one has mentioned the ultimate STW buggy? We've got a bugaboo donkey.

They did........

When I see someone who thinks it's a sensible decision to buy a Bugaboo I can't help thinking it's pity that they've managed to pass their genes on.

Not sure I understand this.....are you saying just use the baby car seat with the base until they outgrow it?
If so - that's not very healthy for the baby if you believe all the advice that is out there.

We were told that the baby should be in the car seat for no longer than 45 mins at a time (which to be honest isn't always possible to achieve) as the curvature of the seats are bad for their spines if left in for long periods & can cause breathing issues as they are hunched up.
That is why the push chairs that are suitable from birth allow the 'seat' to go completely flat so you lay newborns down, rather than sit them up.

all 3 of my kids used the stage 1 car seat up until about 12 months old...none of them had a problem.
we've had them strapped in for long 3 hour car journeys and they've been fine. as with having children a 3 hour drive isnt 3 hrs as you factor in feeding and nappy breaks...for which you would have to take them out of the seat
even when we've been out shopping they've been fine in the car seat attached to the pushchair...usual shopping trips to say the trafford centre can be as long as 4 hours....again there are times when the little one would come out of the seat such as for feeding and nappy changes
both the pushchairs do have the facility to allow the pushchair back to go completely flat
but from a convenience point of view its easy to simply strap them into the car seat, put the seat in the car and then at the other end take the seat out of the car and clip it into the pushchair so as not to disturb them

we were always told that once the childs head reaches the top of a car seat then its time to move them to the next stage car seat

Was this new or second hand? If new, that is a great price! I think the car seat & base alone cost us over £200....most of the 'travel system' bases seem to be around £300.....

also if you are planning to have more than one child and the pushchair is a long term investment yo may want to look at fitting compatibility for something like a buggy board