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 have a silver cross pioneer and I love it! A lot of my friends prefer mine to their buggies

Best buggy I had was £2 at a car boot sale. Think it was an old Mothercare thing. Really robust, was fully lie back suitable for newborns and folded flat in seconds for the bus.

We had a Silver Cross and I adored it.

I have already picked my next pram (another SC) even though we aren't planning on another baby for a while.

Agree buy second hand. Then it really doesn't matter too much as you can always sell it on and get a different one. I bought a new icandy, never really loved it and barely used it for the first few months as used a sling instead. Felt like I should love it given the amount I spent on it but eventually sold it on and bought a cheap stroller. I think a travel system is definitely worth it for the first 6-12 months but none of my friends have used one much past that, everyone moved on to a stroller, so don't waste your money!

Can't comment on Uppababy Cruz, but love my Uppababy Vista. Mine is 2014 model - on baby 2 and still going strong. Never used another travel system/stroller. It served DD1 from birth to 3 and will do DD2 till walking everywhere.

Go on eBay and buy a secondhand one!

I’m in danger of doing this with everything single item of baby related gear I need to purchase. I cannot even tell you the number of times I’ve settled on one thing and then read a review somewhere else who hated it and therefore given up. This applies to prams, car seats, cribs, cots, cot beds, slings, breast pumps. It even applies to sodding breast pads for fucks sake. I just can’t make a decision for the life of me- something about not wanting to get it wrong.

I’m the most boring person on the planet. And I haven’t even considered stuff that the baby actually NEEDS yet. Like clothes.

Oh and I shit you not- I spent four hours researching reuseable nappies yesterday. I STILL don’t know if I even want to use them or how many I would need, or which I want to buy. Someone once said I was a control freak, but I can’t tell you if that’s true since I’m so bloody indecisive.

pattern Go on thenappylady.co.uk and fill out her questionnaire. She will tell you what nappies you need and how many, if you choose cloth. We use cloth - did her questionnaire then had a trial kit. We use what she recommended in the first place.

I have a 2015 Cruz and have been very happy with it - not had any wheel problems that I remember (it’s been in the loft but will hopefully return to service next year).
Also if you buy it at JL you do get a guarantee so any problems they’re obliged to fix it. I’ve recently had to send off my Uppababy stroller for repairs and although it was a bit of a PITA to sort out, it sounds like it’s been completely serviced far beyond the actual problem we had with it (broken foot strap) and it’s coming back with new wheels and all sorts. We had a replacement in the interim so weren’t left without.

I hated doing the pram decision. I had my heart set on a bugaboo buffalo, and on the way to order it popped into a local shop and for the jane matrix 2 lite car seat (it's lie flat) fell in love with it and then went for the jane trider pushchair which I've loved. In addition we also have a babyzen yoyo+ which is just amazing. To be honest had I have known about it from the beginning I'd have bought that with the baby nest - it's super lightweight, folds up tiny and is narrow.

Sling - we initially bought a connecta, but we also have an ergobaby adapt which is brilliant for my poor back. Go talk to a sling library and try them out - limited commitment (generally 2 weeks) and you can pick the one that's best for you!

Seriously, second hand if you can. Also weight is a huge factor - you'll have to put in in and take it out of the car.

I have a 2012 uppababy vista and on dc3. Can't complain about uppababy. Lived in zone3 and loved it. Only now wish they had a Cruz in 2012 when I bought as vista a wee bit too wide.

Good customer service and reasonable cost of replacement parts (dc1&2) climbed on together and snapped foot rest!

Oh and also have lightweight uppababy which is vvvv lightweight.

Good luck!

The more kids I had the smaller, lighter and cheaper the prams got. As soon as I could get them in a stroller they were in. Only DC1 got the expensive pram that I used for all of 6 months, complete waste of money

Maclaren techno xt. Cheap, goes flat, relatively small. Got us through two kids as our only buggy. Bugaboos are overpriced crap.

I also have the uppababy vista and think it's an amazing pram! If the Cruz is anything like it you'll love it.

My list of needs would be:

Light enough to pick up and sling in the car boot
Folds flat
Folds easily (pref one handed)
Easy to steer
TOTAL lie flat (nonbucket seat)
Reversible seat
Wheels that can deal with snow (not an issue where you are)
Narrow wheelbase to get up bus aisles (they vary massively)
Decent basket

If you’re using public transport a lot, the ability to fold and carry one handed whilst holding a baby in the other arm is quite nice.

If you live in London you want a Bugaboo Bee. Small, easy to steer one handed, quite big basket, suitable from birth. Not great off road as small wheels but that's genuinely the only bad thing I've found. I even jog with mine. Absolutely hands down best purchase.

We’ve got the upper baby Cruz and love it. Our second choice was the bugaboo bee. The Cruz handles easily, folds up easily and has a really big basket underneath- important to me as I walk to do the food shopping!

London, Bee.

I love the uppababy vista but the wheels are probably too big at the back for you. I think anything by uppababy beats the likes of icandy/bugaboo in my opinion just because of all the practical things. It might not be the most fashionable but it's certainly the most practical

Another vote for Maclaren. Top choice xlr which will lie to flat but also last well into toddlerhood or if not the smaller xt.
Practical, easy, perfect for London.
plus as others have said, a sling I f you fancy it.

I love the Cruz! Everyone I know has a different pushchair and everyone seems happy with their own, just go for it and it'll be done

Uppababy vista for us.bloody brilliant. I was like you , over researching etc and almost lost the will to live in John Lewis children’s dept but glad I got it. Good luck x

My Bugaboo Chameleon (limited edition all black) is gearing up for baby number 3.

Yes it as bloody expensive but it's been used almost daily for 5 years....

Love it.