AIBU to take a big pushchair to London?

[Jaxxon]

Posting for traffic- thinking about taking 15month DD to London on the train (2 1/2 hours ish) for the first time to see friends but we live rurally and so have an uppababy vista which is great but not small. Would it be completely impractical to take her in this? I'd prefer to take ours as I know how it works, she likes it, roomy basket and she's up high, but I'd be on my own to navigate tube/buses.
Would I be better to try and borrow an umbrella stroller? Or am I just worrying over nothing?

You will be fine. Better to walk shorter joyrneys anyway

At 15 months the little one is likely to weigh 25lbs plus! Wouldn't be possible for me to get my 13 month DS in a sling never mind physically manage to carry him strapped to me for all that time! Not a option

Of course it's an option! I still carry my almost 3 year okd on occasion. You just need a suitable sling.

Or indeed before you ask. Londoners are nicer than their reputation.

I have to say I think non-Londoners have a bit of a negative idea of what London is really like. I grew up there and visit frequently so days out to London are normal for us. When I moved to Kent (which is only just on the outskirts of London) a lot of the mum-friends I made used to say I was mad for taking newborn DS and toddler DD to London on my own. When they go for a day out in London, it's planned with military precision and there's lots of 'oh we can't go there, xxx is awful at xxx time of day' and 'oh we couldn't possibly get the tube with 2 DCs' 'there's too many people and everybody is so rude in London'. It's just not true! Of course it's busy and there are rude people, but no more so than anywhere else in the country! Just try to avoid rush hour and it'll be fine. How do people who live in London and have DCs cope?

Absolutely avoid rush hour.

I used to live in some 6 and would only plan buggy friendly routes using the wheelchair map after getting stuck too many times.

It was more often than not that no one helped to be honest.

I never did central London though, Always took a sling for that as they got bigger. Or slung and then carried a fold up pushchair.

Avoid the rushhours too!

A big pushchair is preferable to a bloody great back pack!

It depends what you'll be doing. People who live in London have big pushchairs because they aren't generally on and off the tube all day long - they just potter from their home to the shops/park and back again. If you want to sight see I'd take an umbrella stroller, but if you're talking about one train journey from home to destination and then back again you'll probably be fine.

The tube map marks which stations have lifts. Many have long flights of stairs, which would be difficult for you on your own with a DC and a big, heavy stroller. People usually help, however. I've never not been helped on stairs with a pushchair.

But yes - definitely avoid rush hour. Not only would it be very stressful for you, but you will get snide remarks and dirty looks for taking a big push chair on public transport at that time.

I live in London, have a similar-aged child and an Uppababy Cruz and you will be absolutely fine on public transport as long as you avoid the rush hour. I go all over on trains, Tubes and buses and someone always offers to help with stairs - people are lovely. It does help to try to plan your journey around stations with step-free access if possible and to accept that you may have to wait for another bus (because the pram space is full) especially if the weather is ropey. Have fun!

If you are taking the pushchair best to plan ahead and look for routes which are suitable for disabled access ie have lifts etc. Stairs are one thing but pushchairs on super high escalators are another thing all together!

I do help with pushchairs - IF I'm not loaded down myself or in a huge rush.

Big pushchairs & escalators sound like a really bad mix.

I live in London and use a big pram all the time. But I usually avoid tubes (unless step free) and use buses and overland with lifts. I would never use an escalator- far too dangerous.

You'll be fine, and it'll be nicer and safer for the baby to be high up and facing you when you're in crowds than they would be in a low umbrella stroller.

Oh and yes avoid rush hour. But just because it is a nightmare not because you will get snide remarks.

I go into London all the time with my M&P armadillo. In to kings cross and you don't even have to navigate a single escalator. I generally walk about but have taken the buggy on a bus and as long as you aren't talking Oxford street etc then it's just easier to walk.

Check the journey planner thing as it has settings for step free etc although I don't think you'll need step free - filtering out stations with stairs is enough. I do use the escalator (naughty)

mangomay I am totally with you on every point 😂

It'll be much easier out of rush hour. At the busiest times the tube stations are a solid mass of people all moving very fast, & with a big pushchair you could be waiting ages to manage to get on a tube.

And I have only ever had one person not help me up the stairs. At a station (can't remember which) and the TFL staff member said sorry it wasn't in his job description. Helped by a gorgeous burly young man instead

I've done tourist stuff with a huge buggy, it's an SEN umbrella fold so longer/wider/taller than a standard one. It's doable but like others have said you need to research and and work it if it's viable. Really avoid the rush if you can, the sheer number of people on the tube at that time is mind blowing, and it's much easier to get help if needed when it's quieter.

Sling or small pushchair, for sure. I hate navigating through crowds with a big buggy type thing, used slings from birth through to 4ish.

living in London with mine was why I ended up using an Ergo sling!!

Or a buggy sometimes if it was all preplanned and step free!