Pram for clueless London first-time parents?

[piglet81]

Can anyone recommend us a pram/buggy? I'm a big boggled by the sheer number of options! My thoughts/wishlist so far:

• small/light/easy to fold (will be using buses and trains a lot; tubes probably less so. Also walking lots, I hope.)
• something suitable from birth, and ideally with a parent-facing option for as long as poss
• will hopefully (!) want a second child in a couple of years but appreciate that buggies which convert to doubles are probably too large
• keep seeing Bugaboo Bees (I think) out and about, but never pictured myself as a Bugaboo sort of mum (I know I'm stereotyping!)
• would prefer not to spend the earth. Bit horrified to see people spending £700 or so!

We're in SE London, zone 3, on a Southeastern rail line, and don't drive. Our house is a small terrace with a fairly narrow hall so I'd love to be able to fold the buggy and stash it in the cupboard under the stairs, but not sure how realistic this will be on a daily basis!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions


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Hello,

We've noticed this thread is quite old now, and some of the product recommendations are a little out of date. We've spent weeks speaking to parents and testing buggies and travel systems. Here's our round up of the best pushchairs newborns, including lightweight pushchairs and double buggies.

Hope that helps!

MNHQ

[TheBookofRuth]

There's a reason you keep seeing Bugaboo Bees about - they're the ideal London pram! I didn't see myself as a Bugaboo mum either, but had similar requirements to you and that's what fit the bill.

Used it for DD till she was about 2, and now DS is in it.

[mausmaus]

bee or icandy
they are all narrow enough o buses/lifts.
or umbrella type buggies, some you can use with a carrycot/car seat at the beginning which makes them kind of rear facing.

[Nolim]

If you take thetube/bus a lot i would suggest that rather than something light/easy to fold you need something robust.

[piglet81]

Thanks folks. Good to hear that the Bee might be worth the money. I suppose if you think about cost per use over a couple of years it probably works out fairly reasonable! Also a good point re needing something robust. Really need to have a proper session in John Lewis or Mothercare - I keep freaking out and losing the will to live whenever I go in!

[LovelyWeatherForDucks]

I've just been recommended the Armadillo Flip (Mamas and Papas) which seems similar to the Bee, easy fold, light, etc.

[piglet81]

Thanks folks. Good to hear that the Bee might be worth the money. I suppose if you think about cost per use over a couple of years it probably works out fairly reasonable! Also a good point re needing something robust. Really need to have a proper session in John Lewis or Mothercare - I keep freaking out and losing the will to live whenever I go in!

[TheEnduringMoment]

Don't look for a single pram that wll solve all your problems. Look for a big Bugaboo-type thing (possibly second hand) for the first 6 months and any time after that when comfort is more important than foldability, but plan after 6 months to also get a cheap but robust McLaren which you can fold one handed in seconds and sling over your back.

[Vijac]

I've got the bee and found it great for around the town (not so good on grass). You can pick them up 2nd hand on e bay, gumtree etc. Loads going around, maybe looks for one with less use (some mums seem to have any number of pushchairs). You should look into slings too. I recommend the kari me.

[SoMuchForSubtlety]

I bought a secondhand Quinny Zapp off eBay for £70 (including foot muff and rain cover) and it's been amazing - we used it with our maxi cosi car seat until DD was about 11 months and now we use it with the pram seat.

To give you an idea of it's versatility... I've carried DD up the stairs in the tube in it. I've taken her in London taxis in it. I've pushed her through deep sludgy mud in it when we went on a walk that turned out to be a bit more off road than planned. It folds up very very small and it's light as well. Very glad I bought it.

[WhatKatyDidnt]

Agree with those who say the Bee. I've known several people resist but then cave in the end!

[Ihateparties]

I haven't been a Londoner for years now but if I was I would get a Babyzen yoyo 0+. There would basically be nowhere I couldn't go with that. I would probably freak out a bit when the baby outgrew the rear facing set up but for the size and portability I don't think you can beat it.

[PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom]

You are me! Right down to being SE and on the train often.

A bee. It is very strong (now on DC3). Fits a buggy board well. If you keep it parent facing you can lie down the baby for a nap and still have toddler on buggy board.

It fits well on buses. It folds easily. If you carry a sling you can bung baby in it if toddler wants a nap in buggy or has a melt down (because no bassinet).

Very easy to steer. Narrow (I once saw a donkey in single get stuck in a DLR lift).

It was definitely our best purchase.

[CakeMakesMeHappy]

I have a Graco Evo, not too pricey. Not too big but quite robust. As a previous poster said that will be needed in London! We live just outside London but have come in a few times since DD was born and no probs on the underground/trains.

Also, nice big basket! If you're going to be walking a lot then that helps. It has the option for carrycot or forward facing/backward facing seat. Not too pricey either.

[piglet81]

Thanks v much, everyone! Really appreciate all the advice

[Zahrah5]

I was doing similar decision couple of weeks ago, also in London.

I hate the look of the bee and the baby is so low in it and my husband is very tall.

We were not looking for just a city stroller, but something more in the middle what can handle some grass and outdoors. We went with Sola City.

Just wanted to point out that I read that for busses it is recommended to not have wheels wider than 60cm. Sola city has 58cm, Armadillo Flip 56 cm.
Also should fold in 1 piece. Some bugaboos fold in 2 pieces, chassis and seat.

[Annbag]

Babyzen yoyo is amazing! Folds up really small (well for a pram anyway) and is very light. My friend has a bugaboo bee and it is much heavier and harder to fold, and more expensive. I love my yoyo so easy on public transport

[PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom]

Just for accuracy, the Bee (which is the Bugaboo people are talking about here) is a one piece fold Zahra.

[PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom]

Sorry, excuse the autocorrect

[MaccaPaccaismyNemesis]

My secondhand bee cost £150 is about 6 years old and is in pretty perfect condition. You'd have to wrench it out of my cold dead hands!

[Artandco]

Babyzen yoyo 0+. It's so small you can pop baby in a sling on tube or bus and carry pram folded on should like a bag, or place by feet out of the way. Then when off the underground the whole pram flips open in one hand. Can even take as hand luggage on a plane

[minipie]

I resisted bugaboos too and ended up with... a Bee! It's very good for london buses, hallways and small spaces generally.

NB i gather the old Bee Plus (ie the second version) may be better in several ways than the new Bee 3 (the third and most recent version) so I'd go for a second hand bee Plus rather than a new bee 3. They last very well.

These days I'd also look at the babyzen yoyo, icandy raspberry and the easywalker mosey. Mosey looks really good on paper, never seen one in the flesh.

If you get something as small as these you should be able to avoid the need to switch to a maclaren style stroller later.

[EdithWeston]

If you're going yo be on the buses a lot, don't get the bigger bugaboos.

Have a look now at which pushchairs fir down the aisle easily, and which need careful manoevring (wide wheel base won't fit all bus layouts) and which are just a plain nuisance.

You need to see them in use, with typical amount of crud hanging from them, and see which models bash passengers and which fit along nicely.

[Theveryhungrycaterpillar123]

The Bee is great for London living, and you don't have to do what most people do when their baby grows which is to buy a Maclaren later on, as it turns into a really good pushchair. I still use my Bee for my two year old. It also folds in one without having to take bits off it like so many prams.

[NishyM]

I wanted much the same myself but I saw so many Bees in town that I wanted something different! Went with ICandy Raspberry in the end as it does everything a Bee does but is newer (and that little bit cheaper).

[ocelot41]

Oyster a good cheaper option