To have LOST MY MIND trying to choose a buggy

[ElleMcElle]

I've spent hours in John Lewis. I've accosted pram-pushing Mums on public transport. I've read reviews online until my eyes bleed. I've even been to the testing track at the sodding baby show. Yet I still can't decide. Now at the point where I despise them all and despise myself. (OK - slightly dramatic. I blame the pregnancy hormones)

Was on the verge of buying Uppababy Cruz (relatively narrow which I need living in London, but still sturdy with bassinet you can use as occasional travel cot and a large and accessible basket underneath). I thought I was sorted... But then I read reviews saying that the wheels on the 2015 model are crap - reports of them getting stuck, making it impossible to turn the buggy etc.

Can anyone reassure me so that I can buy the sodding thing and get on with my life? Does anyone have the 2017 model - and can you tell me if these wheel / steering issues have been resolved in the newer version? Or would I be letting myself in for years of cursing the cruz?

Please help - I have become a buggy bore!

I'm not the best person to comment on this, but can't you just look on ebay or gumtree, find a second hand one locally, see it, check it fits in the car, and that you can take it up and down easily, and then buy it?

Just buy it. Second hand if possible. They are stupid money and do not hold value.

Buy a sling instead?

You will never have the buggy with all raving reviews. There will be advantage and disadvantages with each and every one so you may aswell buy it!

Definitely second hand - ours was £125 and we only used it for 6 months and then bought a MINI easywalker pushchair. You really won’t use it for that long - promise!

You need to calm down. The buggy is the least of your problems. Just buy one, they all work just fine. If you're anything like me you'll be sacking it off for a lightweight stroller ASAP anyway.

Dont get bogged down in reviews mine had some negative ones but I bought it anyway and its been fab and served me for 3 babies for over a year each (wel my cirrent baby isnt a year yet but i will be using it for that long) so definitely worth it. Agree with other posters that they dont hold their value so worth looking at second hand but understandable you want to splash out on a new one for baby no. 1

Stokke all the way! Love love loved mine for all 4 of my kiddies and will use for the next. We too live in central London, I don’t drive and use the tube a lot and wouldn’t consider a buggy other than stokke. I’m 5ft tall but generally wear heels and if I don’t then I just have it on the lowest height setting. I luffs my stokkes!

Just don’t spend £1000’s as you will lose lots when you try and sell it after about 6 months ......

Go secondhand - you'll save a fortune.

At my kid's nursery (in north London) it's literally all Bees, Yoyos, BJCMs and umbrella strollers with the odd Joie cheapie or other tiny travel stroller, fwiw.

Going to confuse you even more Why don’t you get a Silvercross reflex? You can get the newborn accessory pack to Lie flat, facing you, and then when your DC is old enough, turns into a pushchair, best of both worlds.
I too was like you, I had the quinny Moodd ; great for first few months, then just got annoyed with how big and heavy it is to lug in and out of the boot; took up so much room.
Then settled on perfect buggy (Mamas & papas voyage) worst wheels in the world, couldn’t push it on a shiny---- tiled floor. But after a lot of complaining, swapped for Silvercross and it’s best thing ever! Light and small enough for the car, big hood, lie flat.
Sorry none of that probably helped you, but think in a few months down the line you won’t want the big pram, and you’ll prob end up selling it for more than half the price you paid like I just did!

Don’t know why it crossed half of that out!

Yes to Uppababy Cruz. The wheels are fine. I read the reviews and was concerned about that too but I love mine and have had no issues.

I spent three hours reading reviews, two hours testing them and in the end threw my hands in the air and said "screw it", figured out my top three priorities (big basket, easy to fold, easy access to baby (i.e. baby is high up)) and bought the one that ticked off those criteria (Uppababy Vista). I was going to get it second-hand but my lovely Dad insisted he was buying it (family tradition, apparently) and wanted to buy new so it would "do the next one too" (HA HA HA, we'll see).

I am now doing the same with slings and carseats.

I have the Cruz, take it on london buses and the tube regularly and it’s great - I haven’t regretted it at all.

You're other thinking it. It's just a pram. If you don't like it you can sell it any another one.

I've just ordered a Silver cross pioneer. Looks nice, pushes and folds easily, big basket, comfy for baby.

Get a maclaren - the best model they have, and a sling

I went and tried some out as my priority was having something light and that I could put up and down easily, I chose the Silver Cross Wayfarer. Some reviews of it were awful but I loved it. Ignore the reviews and go for what you like in the shop. I sold mine for £150 when my son was 12 months and we now have a Baby Jogger City Lite which is great for may almost 3 year old.

I have the uppababy Cruz and love it! Wheels did break (the rubber split) but got a replacement whilst it was getting fixed - and they replaced everything but the frame - new wheels, new breaks, new seat and new basket!

Just buy one secondhand. Odds are high you'll only really figure out what you want and need after a bit of experience and will end up selling your first buggy, so you may as well minimise your loss.

I bought the much-loved and raved-over Baby Jogger City Mini. Didn't take to it at all and ended up trading it in for a Yoyo but also nearly exclusively using a sling for the first 4 months anyway (a v practical solution for central London transport and much easier on the tube and bus than a buggy).

They are so much less important than people like to pretend.

Don't get anything by Stokke. Fucking horrible things.

Have a look to see what's on Gumtree or on sale in John Lewis / Mother Care.

They're all safe, will all outlast your child.

Get one with a good cup holder.

It's a nightmare isn't it. I remember getting so stressed about it. I got a huge silver cross thing without considering if it would fit in my hall way (it took up so much room and knocked the wall constantly) so I got a baby jogger City mini got when baby was about 6 months (I mostly used the sling rather than the big pram before that). I remember getting so stressed about it - I had a spreadsheet with the dimensions, Which ratings and pros and cons of about 20 buggies 😂. I love my baby jogger - but now I'm having another baby so need a double buggy and am starting the whole process over again 😑. Just go with the one you like - I think I read on Which that the uppababy wheel issue is better now, but check! I had a friend with an old one and she nearly abandoned it while out one day as she got so annoyed with it - but hers was from freecycle and had probably served a lot of babies previously!

Easywalker mosey.
Not quite perfect but close enough.

Assume you’ve looked at bestbuggy.co.uk? Good reviews on there.