Mumsnet Talk

First baby and I have no idea where to start! Ideally we would like something that is a pram and car seat, and where the baby faces the person pushing - but there are so many variations, some seem to do everything and can face front, back and go right up to age 4. It is unlikely we will have another baby so we would like to just get one pram to see us through until baby doesn't need it - is this possible?
We live in a first floor flat, so it needs to be lightweight enough to do stairs, and I'm really short whilst dh is well over 6foot, so do any prams come with adjustable handles?
Long list of requirements I know, but any advice would be welcome. Thanks

Bugaboo
Quinny

Both are adpatable with a Maxi Cosi car seat, although you really don't want your baby to be in the car seat for longer than necessarty...

bugaboo chameleon with the carry cot or the bee.

Oooh you will get so much advice. You really need to try different ones out. Do not go too light. Little babies will rattle around in a very lightweight pushchair. Do not get heavy because at 2 a toddler is a lump to push up hills. I do not approve of a baby in a car seat for long periods myself. IMO a baby should lay flat in a carrycot type thing.
I like prams with carrycots like an M&P. The trendy one is the Bugaboo Cameleon of course-expensive.
Or you could consider something like a Pramette from M&P or a Silver Cross equivalent.
Or a pushchair which rear faces for younger babies and then can face forward for toddlers.

i would say quinny buzz we have just bought a new one to use for dd2 looks great and handles well. we are planning on using maxi cosi car seat on the frame can have it facing towards you or away.
the frame work isnt 2 heavy and pushes really easily and well
the seats that you get for it look great 2

My advise would be to buy a second hand one cheaply for the first few months and then spalsh out on something like a Maclaren Quest when the baby is old enough. Spend your money on the one you will use for several years rather than the one you will use for just a few months...

I would say Bugaboo too. The best one is the Cameleon, but you can get a frog second hand for about £220 on ebay, which is the same but doesnt have the adjustable handle. If you keep an eye on ebay you can get bargain Cameleons sometimes, but if you are looking for new then its very expensive. The Bee is suitable from birth with the baby nest, and would cost about £400 for everything, again you can buy cheaper on ebay.

bugaboo cameleon but avoid quinny buzz heavy & hard to manoeuvre,loola heavy and clunky

Blimey they're expensive! Been a while since I went buggy shopping. I thought £150 was a lot to spend on one! I think I may be in for a shock when I finally get around to going to look at them in the shops this time around...

I would also think of what sort of ways will you use it?

shopping
in and out of car
lots of cross country walking
steps to go up and down into house
storage in house

that sort of thing, then decide.

IMO those bugaboo seem very big. I use my car a lot so I will be looking for something small, lightweight and also easy to put up and down with one hand. I think I will probably go for some sort of stroller this time. With my first I bought one of those travel systems... far to big and unweildy for putting in and out of car. Also filled my tiny living room when in the house!

Bugaboo Cameleon, or Bugaboo Bee if you need to fold often.

I think these expensive travel systems are a bit of a con to be honest. I bought a second hand quinny buzz plus a new car seat and easy base to go with it. Although we thought we would be slotting the car seat in the quinny frame to transport our son when he was tiny, we didn't do this much in practice because once we had him we decided we wanted him to lie flat whenever possible.

Once my son was 5 months old, I sold the quinny and bought a new maclaren techno xt, which I love. My husband and I are tall and it works well, the handle height adjusts. The XT is suitable from birth as it reclines flat, and I think in hindsight it would have been fine from birth with a sheepskin buggy liner to make it more comfortable.

i think maclaren are bone rattling shopping trolleys no way id put newborn in one.they look slumped

I loved my Silver Cross 3D when dd was tiny, is much cheaper than a quinny or a buzz, but after 4 months would have liked to have had her sat up rear facing, but by 6mo you will want a mclaren, much lighter and easier. That said now the weather has got cold we have gone back to the SC as it is more snuggly. DO check that your chosen buggy fits in the boot, we were going to go with the mothercare system, but it didn't fit in our car. Travel systems are bulky and heavy

I think you will find that despite there being hundreds on the market the perfect pram doesn't exist

take a stroll to any pramaholic hun i just bought my 86th pram phlegm yellow fuckaboo.those huns just keep looking and swopping

thanks for the advice, I will check out the ones you have suggested.
I will be in and out of the car, but also hope to be able to walk quite a bit (although not cross country!)and stairs are the major issue - as well as price!
I don't intend to leave baby in a car seat for long, but think it would be handy when we're out and about in the car if it can just clip on to a frame for short walks.

bugaboo tbh. I know £££ but cheaper 2nds hand. They really last and i love the fact my LO faces me, is easy on rought ground, light.

I wouldnt recommend a quinny, as they have a habit of tipping when going off curb (could just be me though )

Frogs are cheaper and lighter, but dont have handle adjustment, which is a pita if you and dh are big difference in hight!
HTH

If you are prepared to spend lots (like bugaboo )take a look at Stokke Xplory too - good re height and direction adjustment but they also have a really clever stairs feature where wheels all go together...hard to describe, but strongly suggest looking/trying.

I like to have at least one big sturdy pram for walking and one lightweight pram for public transport and chucking in the back of the car for short trips out.

My favourites are

traxx ecuador, mutsy 4 rider or light rider as it is sometimes called, any of the teutonia pushchairs, mamas and papas skate, m&p joolz, gesslein f2, gesslein future, gesslein vision s, mothercare maiu, bebecar ip-op, bebecar vector, mia moda allegria, mia moda atmosferra, petite star whirl, petite star dot, luna, bugaboo bee, jane carrera, jane solo.

also the cosatto venture.

Xplory is good but the carry cot isn't very long, it is a good pram for walking and public transport

Like the Bugaboos it isn't small when folded and unlike the Bugaboos it has very little shopping space especially for heavy or bulky items.

Agree with WIAWSL, there's no perfect buggy.
Get to Mothercare or other big pram shop and try them all out.
Fold them, unfold them, try them in your car boot. Try lifting them yourself in and out of boot also and anything else you can think of.

Another bugaboo fan here, having had many many prams on the hunt for the perect one, bug cam is as close as I could get.

I really do think that most people also get a lightweight umbrella fold when the little one gets a bit bigger but there is no way I would EVER put a newborn in one, even though you will see tiny babies in those awful grey XT's everywhere.

It really does come down to what you need and the big 'proper pram' types will be bulky, hard upstairs and in and out of the car. I can't sing bugaboo praises enough, for me it has been the closest to what I want but I also have my maclaren (quest and volo) for slinging in the car and holidays.

Silver cross dazzle is fantastic but I would not use the carrycot as there is a LOT of plastic in it but the concept is excellent.

I live two floors up and would urge you to test any new pram you buy on stairs first - some of them put the brake on when you are bumping them up (and I know people say you shouldn't do that but sometimes it is necessary.)
If you are on a budget then a sling and a maclaren XT will get you everywhere (although not front facing.)
Otherwise bugaboo - have inherited one and am really impressed.