Complete beginner-help please!!

[NessBryant]

Hi! I'm looking down all these posts about the different buggies/prams and am completely over-whelmed!

Firstly, what is the difference between a pushchair/buggy/pram/stroller??

We will be on a fairly tight budget so won't want anything that people think is a waste of money,or unnecessary..any recommendations for a good safe one for a new born that might last the longest..??

Please help!! Feeling overwhelmed!

xx

[BlueBee]

Watching with interest. It blows my mind!

[myusernameisusername]

pushchair is a stroller ie babyjogger zip
buggy is an umbrella stroller ie joie nitro
a pram has a carrycot attached to it and is usually a 3 in 1 with a seat unit and car seat also included ie uppababy vista
hope that helps

[Ihateparties]

Ime start by working out what you need most out of your pushchair, being guided by your day to day life. It's very easy to be totally foxed by it all whilst in the shop if you don't keep in mind what you actually need from it.

So if you drive everywhere then easy to lift and fits simply in your car boot without removing bits is a high priority. If you walk everywhere and will keep the pram open in the house then better wheels and storage probably come higher up the list.

It tends to be the most difficult if you have a set of conflicting requirements ie you want something very small/light that's suitable for off road use. Or will need to carry it upstairs often, that sort of thing.

Fwiw if you genuinely want a single product that will last till you no longer need it then you basically need to prioritise small and light.

[lentilpot]

I would agree with what ihateparties says but would add that having one thing that lasts from newborn to toddlerhood isn't the only way to do it on a budget- you can buy a second hand travel system with carrycot for the first stage and then sell it and buy a cheap lightweight stroller once the baby is older.

[NessBryant]

thank you everyone..so my requirements would be that it's as easy/light to fold up and put in can as possible, whilst being able to use for nice walks..so am I right in thinking that I could look for a travel system-which is one that can be used as a car seat too? (is that what a travel system is??)xx

[gingerbreadmam]

just thought id post, there is a brand called venicci, they have their own website. their prams come with everything and are apparently quite good. in fact im sure when i visited their sit it had a mumsnet seal of approval on their home page.

could be worth a look. they have some currently on offer at £349.99 i think.

[Ihateparties]

The terminology is unecessarily confusing, a travel system could be anything that an infant carrier car seat will clip on to. There are umbrella strollers that have this feature (although not many) and all singing all dancing large reversible seat prams that also do it.

Being able to add a car seat is useful certainly but increasingly not recommended for using for long periods of time. Personally if I was starting again I would probably buy a fixed in the car 0+/1 rear facing seat as oppose to an infant carrier.

I think on balance I agree that the most cost effective option isn't always a single product that you don't change. It really depends on your approach, the single product will more likely involve compromise ie if you buy an umbrella stroller for a newborn you could forgo a parent facing option in order to have a small light simple product. I would definitely consider the second hand larger pram followed by a really good pushchair/buggy stroller later on.

In terms of actual products the easywalker mini is on offer at £199 at the moment at pramworld, that walks the line pretty well between compact and light enough for long term use but robust enough for terrain. If you want something more strollery then the baby jogger vue is fairly well received and the baby jogger zip is also suitable from birth iirc but no parent facing option on that one.

[NessBryant]

Brilliant, thank you so much, that advice will really help..I'm due in September and have been holding out to buy anything until we have another scan next week..but I think the first thing we should decide on should be a buggy/pram/stroller thing whatever they're called!!

thanks everyone xxxx