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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that prams have got out of hand?

198 replies

Pandora2016 · 31/03/2016 18:06

I'm current up duffed with my first, so will need to buy a pram.

I naively thought it wasn't much more than a small bed/chair on wheels business.

No. They are now called 'travel systems' and can cost almost as much as our car.

What fresh hell is this and how the bloody hell do you choose one??? Babies don't vary that much surely??

Thinking that a lot of this is sales spin......

OP posts:
Pollaidh · 31/03/2016 19:13

I agree up to a point, but we thought that too, and bought 1 cheap Jane buggy (secondhand) that folds flat, it broke. Then we bought another and that soon broke too. Couldn't steer it properly, it was like a bad shopping trolley.

Then we spent about £700 on an UppaBaby. The relief was immense.

We're on holiday at the moment so got the retired Jane buggy out of the garage as it's smaller (flying). Now struggling round the streets and cursing every few minutes.

somersetsinger · 31/03/2016 19:14

Dh and I have bought one of the insanely expensive brand new travel systems and took delivery this week. It is blimin' massive. I feel pretty weird about spending so much money on the thing. It is worth more than my car.

All I can say in my defence is that I hope it will be robust and practical enough for more than one baby, that I can sell it on afterwards and that buying just about everything else second hand for bargain prices somehow evens out this madness.

Babies are small. Why is their stuff so big?

honeylulu · 31/03/2016 19:14

I had my children almost a decade apart and I was totally bewildered by the pram options this time. We'd kept our old travel system which was great (very sturdy, loads of storage space, good for "off roading" at festivals, beach etc) so I didn't give it much thought until I saw all the modern travel systems which were just pop up frames with a single element clipped on at any one time. (The old system has all of it wodged together at once).
Unfortunately we also had a smaller car by then which the old system didn't fit into. So we got a lightweight maclaren stroller that could lie back for newborns (though I was approached once and told that she "shouldn't be in that so young Confused")
I admit I have got a third stroller which I bought for one pound at a jumble sale which I keep in the car boot for emergencies/holidays.
I thought I was extravagant with three so I was gobsmacked to see people buying/selling/swapping pushchairs on buy and sell sites sometimes every month "because I fancy a change/ don't like the colour pack any more". Fair enough, but it's a whole new baffling world to me!

Skiptonlass · 31/03/2016 19:23

I confess to having an suv sized pram that cost several hundred quid.

In my defence... Ds was born into a Scandinavian winter in an area with few pavements and a hell of a lot of snow. A little rickety pushchair would have been a very bad idea. As it was, I could go out in the snow at -25 and have a good long walk.

I also have a cheap rickety one for chucking in the car and a mid sized one for everyday life, but I don't regret getting the fabulous Megapram,

Consider what you'll use it for and how you live - if you're out in the country and have a huge house to keep it in unfolded vs in the city and needing to haul it upstairs, for example.

lostlalaloopsy · 31/03/2016 19:25

When I was having Dc1 I bought an Emmaljunga. I thought I would like a nice "traditional" pram - little did I know that it was actually a tank on wheels. The front wheels didn't swivel so it was a bugger to get round the supermarket and took up the whole boot of the car. It lasted for 2 dcs, but once they both hit 18 months they were in the Maclaren.

With our little surprise dc 3 I demanded a new one. Luckily for me as dh is such a tightarse the Graco Evo in our local Mothercare was massively reduced, I loved it!! I just sold it last week as dc 3 can just use the buggy. I completely recommend getting a travel system so that you can just clip car seat onto wheels - it makes life so much easier!!

MyLocal · 31/03/2016 19:25

Yes, my advice would be, stroller all the way. Best you can afford, and one suitable for the widest range of ages, good with cars, good with public transport, easy to navigate, lightweight - yeh shit with three bags of shopping in which case have it delivered at an unpopular time with time Asda for a quid X

Original poster
Pandora2016 · 31/03/2016 19:26

DH has a car, which he needs for work so during the day I'll be on buses/foot.

However, child will obviously go in car fairly frequently.

hmmmm.......

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 31/03/2016 19:31

Get a sling and be done

NeedACleverNN · 31/03/2016 19:47

The best pram I have ever had and will continue to buy if I ever need another one is the out n about 360

It's lightweight, easy to push and perfect for me.

It's a pity it is only works facing though

YoJesse · 31/03/2016 19:47

YANBU I was Shock at the prices and got a good make on a second hand site. Still going strong. I'd advise that over buying a New cheap one.

RhombusRiley · 31/03/2016 19:48

All you ever need, IME is a Maclaren Techno XT (if they still make them, or something similar). Light, folds up, lies flat so you can have a pretty small baby in it (or sleeping toddler), space for lots of shopping, comfortable adjustable handles, easy to steer.

I actually really miss it now mine are older, it was great just slinging all my shopping into the basket and hanging my bag on the handles. I look at people with their fancy uncomfortable looking bugaboos and xplory whatnots and I just think they look so inconvenient compared to a good stroller.

Obviously for a car you also need a car seat, but having the car seat as part of the buggy is just a faff and also not very good for the baby, or so I've heard.

We also had a littlelife back carrier for mountain walks and it was also useful in heavy snow, when it's hard to push a buggy. You can pick these up on ebay or ask friends if anyone can pass one on to you.

dontcallmelen · 31/03/2016 19:50

We bought Dd a Bebecar which comes with bassinet & pushchair the bassinet is really roomy & well padded, comes off the base easily & folds with one hand, we bought a separate car seat, as Dd doesn't drive so she wanted a robust Pram that was comfortable to push & easy to use on public transport, so far she seems to be really happy with it, was quite pricey though.

Flinstones · 31/03/2016 19:50

I loved choosing a pram, you get so much use out of it. It was one of the most enjoyable new baby item to buy. I think the choices & colours are lovely, can't believe people moaning about the choice how miserable.

WhoKnowsWhereTheT1meGoes · 31/03/2016 19:58

We had a travel system 12 years ago, it was a bit clunky and awkward and we never really used the car seat on the chassis. Switched to a Maclaren stroller at about six months which was fantastically easy to use, and a Phil and Teds when DC2 came along. Didn't get on slings at all, but must have walked hundreds of miles with my prams. Wouldn't have bothered with the travel system with hindsight though.

InternalMonologue · 31/03/2016 20:05

If you use public transport a lot get a sling and be done with it. You'll never have to worry about not getting a space to park a pram, or worry about steps/stairs. I use one with DD and don't know how I ever managed with DS in the pram.

I used a stretchy wrap, then got a bit into the woven wrap rabbit hole. Currently alternating between a wrap and a Connecta, depending on my mood.

PansOnFire · 31/03/2016 20:16

Well you don't have to buy into the big brands, but a lot of them are recommended for a reason and not just the name. People don't always just use them as a status symbol.

Travel systems aren't prams, hence the differing name. If you need to buy a car seat, a pram and a pushchair it's often cheaper to buy it as a travel system and they're not all bulky. If you don't need the car seat bit then buy a bundle that doesn't include the car seat.

There are loads to choose from because yes, babies and needs are all very different. You might even find the baby hates the one you choose, and slings are all well and good but then where do you put your shopping and all the stuff the baby needs for a whole day? Not to mention that some babies hate being carried around or restricted.

I wouldn't be judging others' pram choices just yet...

becksblue · 31/03/2016 20:16

flinstones I agree but we are obviously in the minority.

Don't you know you are not allowed to have any joy when buying for your baby, much cooler to inherit things 4th hand while sneering at those who don't do the same.

I can't stand snobbery of any kind including reverse.

Sparklingbrook · 31/03/2016 20:19

Loads of joy to be had when buying for a baby but not in the pram department TBH. Boring.

I preferred decorating the nursery. Smile

becksblue · 31/03/2016 20:22

I'm feeling a bit grumpy sparklingbrook so much judgement flying in all directions when you become a mum. Log on tonight and I see I'm (everyone) is also judged by their pram choice. Why can't we build each other up, yadda yadda.

I think I need Wine

NerrSnerr · 31/03/2016 20:23

We got a Gracco travel system it was half price at Toys R us (about £300 I think). Our daughter is 18 months and we're still using the pushchair bit. I do a mixture of driving and walking. I have a buggy in the car and use the travel system when walking.

Junosmum · 31/03/2016 20:25

YANBU. DS is 12 weeks old and I was astonished at the price of even a basic pram. So we bought a second hand bugaboo- priced it up at over a £1000 New, we got it for £160.

Junosmum · 31/03/2016 20:27

And DS hates the pram. So it sits in the hall gathering dust whilst I use my £15 stretchy sling. I'd be well pissed off if I'd paid full price!

MrsRyanGosling15 · 31/03/2016 20:27

On a local buy n sell page. People are raving over it. I can't quite believe what I'm looking at. I suppose this isn't really what your looking for op?

to think that prams have got out of hand?
MiniCooperLover · 31/03/2016 20:28

We also had a Mamas & Papas Sola Travel System (bar the bassinet, didn't feel we needed that as the main pram lay flat). I loved it !!! Still do and wish I had a reason to use it again Smile Car seat in Isofox made the seat secure, very easy to Transfer to the pram base, and clearly very comfortable as my DS slept in it easily and happily until he was about 3. Brilliant.

Brummiegirl15 · 31/03/2016 20:29

I fully confess I have a new Icandy peach travel system with maxi cosi car seat. The whole thing cost me a feckin fortune. I suspect travel system, carrycot, car seat and isofix base haven't left me much change from £1200 in total.

But I love it, and I don't regret it for a second. It's so light and easy to push with one hand, decent carrycot, is really sturdy, and I love the fact the Icandy chassis completely folds in half with a strap that I can then put in my boot.

I also like the 3 green lights of the isofix base so I'm not second guessing whether the car seat is installed correctly

But it's a crazy amount of money in total, but am hoping what I've heard about ICandy's holding their value is true and I can sell it on later