not buying a pram?

[minimalistmum]

I just don't think it's necessarily going to be that useful...Anyone else out there considering NOT spending a fortune on something that's just going to clutter up the hallway?

well, as long as you're planning not to give birth to a large baby via c section, that your baby won't ever grow to heavy for you to carry, that you never have a bad back, that you never want to do a lot of shopping whilst out with your baby - knock yourself out.

I couldn't get on with DD in a sling, whereas she was happily (generally!) in her buggy from birth to aged 3, and bloody useful it was too. I spent whole days out and about with her which I could never have done if I was carrying her, a change bag and probably shopping.

I think something that you use almost daily for around 3 years can hardly be described as a waste of money. They don't have to be expensive, and you can get them second hand as well.

(we have a very narrow hallway too)

I couldn't use a sling; my back and pelvis refused point blank, as did my offspring (refluxers both, and invariably puked when slung).

There's not a chance in hell I'd do without a pram if we had another.

My DS is 2.2 and out of the buggy, and we really do miss the convenience.

OP...

you need to watch this

They're more useful to put stuff on/in. Slings are great for transporting a baby; but it's trickier to carry a baby (front carry), a changing bag with purse, keys etc (backpack); and any shopping, even a litre of milk.

Then you have a second baby and all bets are off

Each to their own but I don't think it's possible to manage without one, but do you mean any sort of pram/pushchair st all or just the lie flat pram?

I'd have been quite happy without a pram/pushchair to be honest - ds was prem, but over 10lb by his due date, and I carried him till he was 3.5 on a regular basis - and he was huge then!

I used a cross body bag, and just never took very much with me. I could easily carry a big shopping bag. On days out, one of us would carry a backpack with stuff in, the other ds.

But make your decision when you know what sort of baby you have and how you feel. But buy a good sling!

For me a pram was a necessity as I hate slings and did a fair bit of walking, I had a big Silver Cross Pram and it was my pride and joy (after DD1 of course!) I loved it and it was one piece of baby equipment I couldn't have lived without, and I got ridiculously excited choosing and buying it, it was on hold in the store for about 5 months!

YANBU of course if you don't want to use one and you can always change your mind once your baby is here.

I had a pram because it was given to me. It was a proper pram and I could let DD sleep in it during the day and keep her with me wherever I was in the house. At night time OH lifted the carrycot part of it out of the frame and carried it upstairs to put into her cot bed, and so she slept in it at night as well.

This was only for when she was tiny, and it meant that we didn't bother with a moses basket.

2 DDs. Never had a pram. Never missed it.

We used a stroller that our infant car seat slotted into (is that a travel system? can't remember). Baby facing you, just like pram. And we could pop baby out of car and into buggy without unstrapping her. Worked as regular stroller once DDs outgrew the infant car seat. This stroller did us until DDs grew out of it.

We had travel cot setup for naps.

Well you don't have to now.. you might change your mind after your baby arrives. They don't have to be one of those stupid shopping trolley looking things where you have to spend 800 quid and blow the wheels up. you can get wheels quite cheap.

Another one here who went for the Maclaren XLR amd it is uterly amazing!

Go for a sling first and see how you get on, but check your OH is ok with a sling too, as he may prefer a buggy when pootling around with the dc.

We got one for DD1 because we thought we should but used it a grand total of twice. She's now 22 months and I've only stopped using the sling because I'm pregnant - DH still puts her in if we're out and she's tired but she tends to walk everywhere. We sold the pram and got a buggy just in case but she won't go anywhere near it! Each child is different though, I agree that hanging on til your LO is born and having slings (I recommend a Close baby carrier for when they're wee, or a wrap, and an Ergo for when they're bigger) at the ready is a good plan, you can always buy a pram if you feel it's necessary.

my pram goes from having the carseat attached to pramette to buggy. it will last DS until he starts walking.

you dont have to sprnd a fortune, charity shops, gumtree etc often have very cheap prams in exc condition.

i would perhaps keep some funds aside just in case you feel you do need one once baby is here.

I thought newborn babies were supposed to lie flat for the majority of time.. Ie: pram, Moses basket. Car seats & slings for short periods of time only ??

Had a sling for dd but it killed my back after just 5 minutes & she wasn't a huge baby.

Rainbow, I have a Maclaren suitable from birth onwards, it reclines flat

I thought that too rainbowfeet. I'm surprised by how many people leave their babies in car seats for extended periods of time.

Mothercare have got the carrycot for the XLR in red for only £20 atm. Bit of a bright colour but for that price!

I agree....babys in those little rocker seats most of the day is not good!

I never had one of the newborn ones but they're a must for a toddler.. I used a baby Bjorn until 6 months, then bought a cheapie fold away buggy.
With the baby carrier, I carried a back pack on my back with nappies and stuff but also a blanket so if I was going out for lunch or whatever I laid baby on blanket on floor in corner. It worked really well and I was always surprised by how few other people did it.

A sling stash is a lovely thing AND can be used until baby is a toddler/preschooler if you wish (I have a very strong back now!). Great not having to faff with public transport as they don't need their own space or folding.

That said when you have a lot to carry as well as a small child a pushchair can be a life saver. I'd say start off pushchair free and get one later if you change your mind.

I had the Maclaren xlr too for DC1 from birth, it lies flat. It was great and was used for 4.5 years continuously (2 DDs).

DD1 hated being in the sling so it was a godsend. DD2 loved the sling, so she was in that whilst DD1 was in the buggy.

We don't have the storage space, or the room to manoeuvre a pram so an umbrella fold was ideal for us.

I didn't buy a big bulky travel system. We used a sling (stretchy wrap type) all the time until DD was about 6 months, then just bought a lighter, fold-up buggy. I now use a mei tei and back carry for most things though, but a reclining pushchair is handy for long naps while out and about. That said, it is possible to transfer a sleeping baby from back or front to a mattress on the floor with a bit of practice (although it wasn't possible to put DD down at all for naps until she was about 6 months anyway - I read a lot of books lying on the sofa with her napping on me!)

BTW, newborns are not supposed to lie flat most of the time, they're supposed to be held most of the time... Slings that encourage a spread-squat position are the best for hip and skull development. Definitely get some advice from a sling library or similar if you intend to carry all the time - you want something that suits your body type and won't cause back problems.

I am a great believer in babies lying flat. As a result mine have all had proper prams which were deliberated on at great length.

I'm sure there are a few people who get away with not using a pram. or a few that chose not to.
tiny minority. most if us use one. some are lovely. my mclaren stroller was fab. and I liked using a sling.
but to get away with not using one?
I think you / most people would laugh. you will come back to this thread and laugh at how incredibly naieve you were. I suspect.