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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be stressing over a pram?

113 replies

Geraldeen · 03/08/2018 09:37

Looking for a travel system to fit in the tiny boot of my car. I'm not able to sell it as it belongs to a family member, I just use it and cannot afford a car of my own.

Because the boot is so small, there are only a handful of prams that fit in there. I'm looking at the mothercare orb all-terrain... was thinking about the babyzen yoyo but it's much too flimsy... it's so frustrating being so limited.

How important is it to have the perfect pram? Would I be mad just getting one that doesn't fit in my car? I know many parents don't drive. DP has a car but it is a company car so I don't have the option to drive it, however it is a big car so we can go out when he is here.

I'm just so lost. Too many prams. Don't want to buy something rubbish. Help!

OP posts:
Sandstormbrewing · 03/08/2018 10:26

Don't bother with a travel system. If you have to drivev everywhere then baby will be in the car seat too long for you to then be able to attach it to the pram. So just buy a compact all terrain buggy and separate carseat. Being able to click a carseat on a pram is useless when live a fair drive from anywhere - it isn't safe and you end up not using that function.

WinnieFosterTether · 03/08/2018 10:28

I had a tiny boot when DS was small. I used a travel system and took the wheels off to fit the frame in the boot. I used to keep a box of medical gloves in the boot in case the wheels were dirty cue very odd looks when I mentioned to someone I had medical gloves in the boot. I think they thought I was a serial killer!

sickmumma · 03/08/2018 10:30

We had a mini - if you take the wheels off quite a few buggies fit in there - we had a whinny buzz for example, clipped the car seat on then had the seat in the back seat. Not ideal but better than a rubbish Pram that was of no use to us!

ems137 · 03/08/2018 10:35

I've had a Quinny Zapp Xtra2 and bought the car seat adapters to use with a maxi cosi.

I've also had a McLaren and silver cross stroller style pram which is suitable from birth. I'd say the mclaren was better for those first 2 months when they're tiny as it came with plenty of extra padding. You could have also used a car seat on it.

beakyboo10 · 03/08/2018 10:36

I managed to get the icandy peach jogger in the back of a Fiat Panda (tiny boot) but I did take the parcel shelf off and put the carry cot on the passenger seat. I wish I had gone for something much smaller such as the bugaboo bee with a one piece fold as nothing worse than trying to build a pushchair in the rain.

Original poster
Geraldeen · 03/08/2018 10:36

Thanks everyone! @WinnieFosterTether that's a great idea! My dad is a doctor and has medical gloves laying around for his visits. I may steal a box!

OP posts:
Fuckedoffat48b · 03/08/2018 10:37

It's not your car that is too small, it is the prams that are too big.

Who the fuck designs a pram that won't fit in a normal sized car for God's sake? Capitalism, that's what! I had a thread on here a while back about getting a pram for our first born in London, including the fact that though we use public transport, if we got a car it wouldn't be a big one.

The consensus was to use a sling for as long as possible (in an attempt to avoid the 'lie flat' stage) and then get something that suits our needs when we decide a sling isn't cutting it any longer. Probably a Yoyo.

sar302 · 03/08/2018 10:38

Bugaboo bee! Tiny, light, doesn't have to be taken apart to go to into a boot.

bohemia85 · 03/08/2018 10:44

I have the mothercare orb all terrain and I love it. I couldn't justify the cost of some of the branded more expensive ones and love that it's so easy to switch direction and that the carry it converts to the pushchair bit so feel like it's good value. I got the car seat adaptors so I can clip the car seat on if needed but haven't needed to use it much. It fits it the boot of my Yaris really easily with room to spare. Hope that helps!

Mynotsoperfectlittlefamily · 03/08/2018 10:44

Another one for the city mini gt. Amazing on most terrain and folds up really well and easily. Can also get the adapter for the car seat to go on

BlueUggs · 03/08/2018 10:46

I had a fiat 500 and bought a travel system. I sold it 6 months later and bought a cosatto umbrella stroller. I think travel systems are a complete waste of money unless you're prepared to buy second hand.

Original poster
Geraldeen · 03/08/2018 10:47

@BlueUggs hi, do you mind explaining why they are a waste of money?

OP posts:
gnushoes · 03/08/2018 10:47

None of ours would go in our pram. They all hated it. So we had a sling and buggies - the MacLaren XL probably isn't fashionable among the Bugaboo set but it was brilliant, let them lie flat, easy to put up and down one handed and folds tiny. Slings are great too.

namechangedagainII · 03/08/2018 10:49

I had a bugaboo chameleon which is absolutely huge. Changed to an umbrella stroller at 8 months due to its versatility, lightweight ease of use. Have had the bugaboo in storage for 2 years now thinking I'd use it again but haven't so selling on

louise987 · 03/08/2018 10:51

Baby jogger do a great range of small fold prams, the city tour lux is a travel system, does parent/forward facing and folds small enough to fit into your boot

I've just bought one for DC2 as I found my Icandy travel system far to bulky first time around

babyjogger.co.uk/product/city-tour-lux/

Sandstormbrewing · 03/08/2018 10:54

How about an armadillo flip xt?

Namechange128 · 03/08/2018 11:04

Travel systems do so well because they look handy and first time parents are easy targets (we certainly were!!). They are useful but only if you easily have the space in your house to store, in your car to carry and rarely have to carry up and down stairs... Which is ultimately not that many of us!

Failydail5 · 03/08/2018 11:06

I loved my mother are orb. Great little pram. If your baby is older, get a mountain buggy nano. Folds up tiny, more stroller than pram so suitable from 6months upwards. Nicer than a cheap umbrella stroller imo.

LouiseEH · 03/08/2018 11:06

@Geraldeen I thought having a travel system type was a really good idea but I only used the base of it with some adapters so I could put the car seat on it, the carrycot never got used until DS was older and it turned into a proper seat but it was only a couple months until he outgrew it completely

Looking back it really wasn’t worth spending all that money something that only got used a few times. Have a think about if it suits your lifestyle, if you think it’ll get lots of use then it’s a good pram :)

Failydail5 · 03/08/2018 11:07

Also, if you need to utilise your back seat, put shower caps on the wheels so your seats don't get dirty.

Racecardriver · 03/08/2018 11:12

Why not just get a baby carrier for when you go out in the car?

Original poster
Geraldeen · 03/08/2018 11:14

@Racecardriver as in a sling? We've already done this, but if I'm out all day I don't know that with my dodgy back I'll want to have a baby attached to me for hours! Pram for me is always a good option to have if I need it. Love the idea of a sling though Smile

OP posts:
Racecardriver · 03/08/2018 11:15

Yes like a sling, one of the study backpack type ones. I have a Stoke one which is fantastic for toddlers.

SpaceDinosaur · 03/08/2018 11:31

If you're going to take the recommendations here to forego a proper lay flat pram in favour of a car seat then please remember the advice for new borns and babies in car seats. Newborns (up to 4 weeks, or adjusted age of 4 weeks for a preemie) is just 30 minutes NHS link and additional link
Babies over 4 weeks should still not be left on their car seats for hours on end. 2 hours being the maximum recommendation from car seat manufacturers. Link here
Car seats are for the Car.

I get how insanely stressful pram shopping is. I didn't have the restrictions you have and I still got really stressed over it.

Highpeak · 03/08/2018 11:31

I had the oyster too which fitted in the boot of both Mazda 3 and seat leon, it did take up mostbof the space. I think i once managed to get it in my friend's mitsubishi colt too. I bought it 2nd hand and swapped it for an umbrella fold stroller atbabout 6 months

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