Which Pram

[typhoonsmum]

I am 13 weeks pregnant and have started looking into the pram issue. When I had DD I was a student and got what I was given.(an 8 year old mama and papa's pram that did what it needed to) This time around tho I want to buy a new pram. Am looking now to figure out how much I need to save. Wouldn't buy till about 7-8 months preg.

I can't decide. When I am on Mat Leave DP will be using the car to go to work in Manchester so I'll be on foot or the bus to get about, but of a weekend we will use the car and MIL will take me places in her car during the week.

So my dilemma is.....
Do I get a travel system pram with a car seat attached ( but the baby may be in the car seat a while while I walk) so I have a car seat for the car or get a Two in One pram where the baby can lie flat for long walks but I'd need to buy a separate car seat for the car. Each has its pro's and con's and I can't decide. I like the look of the 2in1's but how well do they collapse to fit in the boot of a car. The travel system will incorperate the pushchair when baby is about six months. The 2in1 will involve buying a pushchair at a later date( as well as the car seat)

[trixymalixy]

Have you seen the Micralite newborn plus?

It's light and folds up small so would be good for both bus and car. You also wouldn't need to buy another pushchair later.

You can attach a maxi-cosi car seat to it as well (think you can also attach a britax car seat as well but not sure).

I got mine for £275 from babyworld, plus the car seat was £82 from baby days direct.

If you save up about £300-400 you can probably afford most travel systems.

[typhoonsmum]

Just had a look. Not fussed on the little wheels at the front but will look into that one. Thanks. Was thinking about that budget. Will that include the changing bag, parasol ( baby due late July) and foot muff.

[shonaspurtle]

I've got a Mamas & Papas Ultimo MPX (at least I think that's what it's called...)

Advantages are:

I can use the carrycot for ds's naps in the house during the day and we used it as a travel cot when we were away at Christmas

It converts to a pushchair later on

You can fit a maxicosi car seat to it

It's sturdy and easy to put together/collapse and I have found it easy to get on and off buses

Disadvantages are:

Bloody expensive (wouldn't have got it if parents hadn't bought us it)

Bulky so you'd need a fairly big boot. We don't have a car but it fits into my mum's Clio with the parcel shelf off. Won't be such a problem when we're using it as a pushchair though.

Not the lightest, although I can carry the carrycot with ds in it and the collapsed chasis over the other arm up our 3 flights of stairs (at the moment - won't be so easy when he's bigger...)

You can get just as good but much cheaper though and we'd probably have been better off with a smaller one tbh. We'll be buying a light pushchair for definite later on.

[Chattyhan]

i had a travel system with ds2 but found the pushchair very heavy and it took up the entire car boot! But it was very comfy for ds! It cost me about £220.

For public transport i would say an umbrella style folding stroller would be best maclaren do some that are suitable from birth (lie flat) and they are easy to collapse and store - not taking up much room. You would then need to buy a separate car seat and would not have the benefit of moving baby from car to pushchair without disturbing.

the last solution although i think it is slightly more expensive than the other options is to buy a maxi cosi car seat that is compatable with maxi cosi and quinny push chair bases to make a sort of travel system. The quinny zapp is the small lightweight one but is only suitable from 6 months as it doesn't recline. Maybe this is an option you could look in to?

Hope this helps!

[misdee]

i detest travel systems. IMHO you would be better off getting a good walking pram and a seperate car seat for the car.

[shonaspurtle]

Sorry, not maxicosi car seat - M&P's one. We didn't get the car seat as we were borrowing one from db.

Can't say I've missed not having the option to fasten the car seat to the pram but then we don' use it much obv.

[misdee]

what is your budget btw?

[trixymalixy]

Typhoonsmum, the £275 included the footmuff, but not a changing bag and parasol.

My SIL has a mamas and papas pliko pramette which looks quite good.

[suzycreamcheese]

maclaren xt techno..did us from birth still going strong
lihtweight, folds neat, slim gets through tight spaces, shops etc..
with footmuff, cover etc..
great pram still going strong nearly three years later..

[typhoonsmum]

I was looking at saving up about £300-£400. (Am with Medicash and get £450 back after the baby is born which will repay myself) The majority of buses in my area are pram and wheelchair friendly so am not concerned about folding it down to get the bus.

Was all for the travel system but the more I think about it I'll probably get 2 in 1 with a separate car seat. It seems the more costly tho. I like the pushchair from the travel systems but don't like the idea of leaving a new born in a car seat position for what may be hours.

[misdee]

pliko p3 pramette IMO is brilliant as a young baby can face you and it folds up like an umbrealla buggy. is heavier than some but does lie flat. you also have the toption of the car seat as well, even though i dont like them. personal opinion though.

[typhoonsmum]

I like the Pliko one. That seems to be ideal. It fits the car seat on and has a lie back flat option.

[peachygirl]

my advice would be look into the car seats first. we have gone for a silver cross 3D which is a lie flat/buggy type pram. but the matching car seat (a ventura) won't fit into our car.
So we have gone for a cheaper infant carrier (britax rock a tot) and will upgrade to a more expensive car seat when the baby is bigger. The 3D folds down very small and is quite light in comparson to simliar prams.
I looked at the micralite but in the buggy only has two recline positions neither of which are very flat. It took me ages to decide on the right pram. I've only just ordered mine with 4 weeks to go.
Keep an eye open for Misdee. She is a buggy expert and gives great advice.
As for online companies, Kiddiecare has some great prices and a good reputaion on Mumsnet.. but steer clear of two left feet They seem to give terrible service.

[misdee]

already here peachygirl dh having an afternoon nap so am online

[peachygirl]

Hi, You can breathe a sigh of relief now I have finally made my purchase.

[misdee]

ah you went for the 3d?

thats agood one, not seen one in the flesh myself, but looks good.



typhoon if you are going for an all-in-one package car seat etc, then please make sure it is fitted correctly in your car. we have a tino and so many car seats were unsuitable due to the length of buckle webbing. surprisginly my sisters 2year old maxi cosi citi (pre-cabrio) fitted very well. do you have an independentdant car safety palce up that way? i know ther is one in milton keynes, who will find a car seat that fits correctly in your car.

you can also check britax.co.uk to check the fit of britax car seat in your car.

[typhoonsmum]

WE have a M reg Ford Escort and MIL have a fairly new Ford Fiesta. Never even thought that the car seat may not fit.
Was just looking on Ebay and there is a Pliko going for £300 Buy it Now. (wouldn't buy now as I have 6 months to go.) but I could get one for that price.

Is there a place you can find out which car seats fit your car or do you need the car seat to findout

[BabyMadwithBump]

We've gone for a Silver Cross sleepover on the big and bouncy classic chassis it really is fab, but also going to buy a silver cross 3D pram system I saw it last year and that was it had to put it on me list even though I had already brought my big pram 12 month before even getting PG , pushchair mad me but still all good fun!
I was going to buy a M&P (as I've always had M&P with both my children) pliko pram system but it can't be folded in the pram position but the Silver Cross one can be folded in the pram position which is useful when baby is tiny and you've only got one pair of hands, and M&P customer services it crap to say the least, you have to ring them up 3 times just to get the "right answer odds" if you get me!

[misdee]

you could try mothercare, halfords and john lewis for checking car seat fit, but in my experience they are hot and miss. i had a young girl in mothercare trying to tell me that a car seat suffering buckle crunch is fine but another lady took about 8 car seats out to our car till we found one that fitted correctly. (i have 3 children, and after a car crash and new car we had to do this all over again)

[typhoonsmum]

So would you not recommend buying online then for car seat fitting. What is I spend £400 ish pounds on a pram when the car seat doesn't fit.

Does Mothercare etc have a large selection of prams instore. What If I don't like what they have in

[misdee]

oh no, dont buy online til lyou have found a car seat that fits, as they often wont accept them back.

do you have a mamas and papas shop up that way? they can check.

i used to get the car seats checked for fit, once i knew what one fitted i would then source out something cheaper online. kiddicare often have cheaper car seats than mothercare etc as they have the previous seasons fabrics.

[peachygirl]

The mothercares near me had a good selection. We have a mothercare world where they do the car seat fitting and a shop in town where they don't due to lack of parking. I found them to be good.
Toys R us (babies R us) could be another option.

baby mad I'll let you now how I get on with my 3d. It was the one I looked at first and after a couple of 'oh no which pram' panics went back to it. I've gone for the marina.

[typhoonsmum]

just found a Chicco "trio enjoy"

looks similiar to the MP one. anyone seen it

[Skyler]

And don't trust the handbooks that tell you the seat fits. We bought a Graco without testing it because it said it was fine in the handbook and when we fitted it it was far too upright. Luckily the lady in Toys r us agreed and we got a Britax rock a tot which was one of the safest then and more to the point the ONLY one that fitted our Mondeo. Wish I had MN in those days.
FWIW I also hated my travel system. If you are just dashing in a shop you can carry the seat and if you are out for any longer it is better for the baby to be able to stretch out and lie flat imo. Good Luck. I have had six different combinations for two dd's. Luckily most were second hand.
Do push them around too. And bigger wheels are def easier to push. My silver cross pram was the easiest, then the Urban detour 3 wheeler with BIG wheels. Britax travel system was just awful though.
I also loved having my dd2 face me in the pram. I didn't have it for dd1 and I missed her. Good Luck.

[typhoonsmum]

Right I have decided to get one like the MP Pliko or maybe the Chicco Trio. Just not sure which one or where from. As I said it won't be for a while yet.