a few questions about travel systems, Mama's and Papa's in particular

[SalBySea]

hi,

someone very kindly handed us down a mama's and papa's pliko travel system with primo viaggio car seat.

They barely used it so couldnt answer all our questions about it and the manuals dont answer all our questions so would be gratefull if anyone can clarify a few things for us:

1 - with a new born is it better to use the car seat attatched to the travel system or is it better to use the buggy in the flat postition?

2 - what is the max amount of time you can have a new born in the car seat?

3 - if a new born is in the buggy in flat mode, does it need to be strapped in? if so does it need full shoulder straps or just leg straps? Do you need a special lining to use it in this way or just put it flat and put the baby straight in?

Thanks x

[TheThoughtPolice]

SalBySea

1. It is always better for a newborn to lie flat rather than curled up in a car seat. However, an hour in the car seat/travel system every now and again won't hurt him/her.

1. AFAIK, there are no 'laws' about it. There are recommendations though. Not certain of the exact figures though. A few hours I think ?

1. Yes, you should strap your baby in using the 5 point harness if you have one. Yu can use a cosytoes thing if you feel lie the buggy isn't that well padded but it isn't essential., FWIW, I had a Pliko for DD and wouldn't have used it for a newborn without extra padding

[yousaidit]

think you shouldn't use a car seat for more than 2hrs. have you got the mypod? if not, look it up on mama and paps, we've got a pliko and the mypod is like a plastic moses basket / margarine tub as we lovingly referred to it where it clips onto the pram when seat is laid back in place of using the car seat so baby is lying down flat, we used this in pram and around house for dd's first three months, she lived in it! youget a thick paddd liner that clips and fastens in the tub! would def recommend!

[SalBySea]

thank you for your replies

TTP - re no 3, how do you fit extra padding and still use the 5 point harness? wouldn't it cover the harness?

YSI - no, from what I can tell from the mamas and papas catalogue there are a few versions of the Pliko and ours doesn't have a separate pram-type bit (maybe it did but we dont have it and they dont sell them separately for our model)

[yousaidit]

salbysea, i would def recommend seeing f anyone is ebaying a mypod, we're still using ours with ds so i'm afraid i can't part with it. also maybe call the mamas and paps factory shop at huddersfield to see if they still get any in....

[yousaidit]

salbysea, i would def recommend seeing f anyone is ebaying a mypod, we're still using ours with ds so i'm afraid i can't part with it. also maybe call the mamas and paps factory shop at huddersfield to see if they still get any in....

[yousaidit]

just checked ebay for you, go in pranms, type in mamas and papas mypod, there are some up for sale hope that helps. they are absoluely fab!

[missymoo2411]

they also do a pram liner which has a fastner strap it fits inside i had it for my dd its 40 pounds but worth it cheaper than the pod and u can fold the pram down with it .colour grey n white strip it has plastic pannels to make it stronger ..

[mamadiva]

1. Always better to have baby lying flat rather than in a car seat, they are handy if you are planning to travel on train/taxi though as you can fold pushchair and still carry baby without worrying but otherwise defo laying flat!

1. There is no maximum amount set in stone but guidelines say no more than 2 hours a day although I wouldn't worry too much bout it as people go for long car journey's etc as long as it's not happening alot and you take LO out every few hours then should be fine if you do need the car seat.

1. Deinately strap LO inas some nasty accidents can happen even just bumping up and downkerbs etc.

The Mypod is handy if you ant LO to face you but if your on a tight budget it' not essential but nice to have them facing you for those first few months.

[mamadiva]

Do you know which model it is? On the side or anything? As there is a linerwhich you can put into the actual pram .

[mamadiva]

Mypod, you do get different designs and there are a fe on Ebay.

Pliko liner, this just goes inside the seat and the hood flips over so it faces you.

[TheThoughtPolice]

cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mamas-and-Papas-M-P-carry-cot-raincover-and-car-kit_W0QQitemZ280305274313QQcmd ZViewItemQQptZUKBabyBabyTravelPushchairsGL?hash=item280305274313&trksid=p3286.c0.m14&trkparms= 72%3A1688%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 As far as I know, this was the pliko carrycot that preceeded the MyPod, so may be the right fit for your pliko ?

When I said padded I meant like a cosytoes/buggy liner thing. Most of them have slits already for you to feed the harness through

[TheThoughtPolice]

sorry, i totally cocked that link up !

carry cot that preceeded the MyPod

[CherryChoc]

2 hours? Guidelines I've seen say no longer than 30-40 mins for a baby under 6 weeks, though you can literally take them out for 30 seconds and put them back in again, it's to do with oxygen levels.

I got a non compatible car seat and pushchair because I wasn't interested in a travel system option, but have never had a carrycot either. My understanding is with a carrycot, you don't need to use a harness as it has sides, but when I use the pushchair seat in its flat position I do use the harness as it seems if the buggy got knocked or something he could possibly fall out IYSWIM. And now he can roll it stops him rolling out too.

If it was a choice between forward (ie away) facing laid-flat buggy, and newborn in carseat, I'd probably go for the carseat so you can see him. Best option though is a carrycot or laid-flat buggy which faces you.