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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find it a bit odd when people go through several prams in the space of a few months?

272 replies

chequersandroastedchestnuts · 02/12/2008 09:42

I sometimes read posts on here from 'pram addicts' who despite having only one or two childrem have had several different prams and pushchairs.

I just read a pushchair review on another site that said: 'So far since my 9 month old son's birth I've had a Micralite fastfold, 2 quinny zapps, a fisher price safe voyager, a loola and this quest sport.'

Does that sound like overkill to anyone else?

Sorry if I offend anyone and I'm sure I'll be told if that's the case but I just don't get why you would need to keep changing prams?

OP posts:
goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 02/12/2008 10:58

no - the 2 my SIL gave me weren't Bjorn style ones at all. One was a sort of side one, the other a back one (as she's only ever carried her children - evne has newborns - on her back - as does the rest of her culture ).

Just hated them all (as did the DC), I couldn't cook, iron, hoover, got backache/neckache (from trying to peer over the top of the baby to see what the hell I was doing) and genenerally found all of them horribly uncomfortable - and and with all of them - what a frigging pallaver getting them in and out!

Couldn't imagine having a toddler in a sling tbh - I'm about to pop to the shop, I shall get DS3's shoes on - and he'll run and jump in the pushchair and off we'll go

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 02/12/2008 10:59

oh and my Hauck gets used a minimum of 2 times a day (and I do get "hands free" too - as DS1 if he's out with us likes to push him for me

Oblomov · 02/12/2008 11:01

6 in 9 months is ridiculous.
Didn't the woman investigate, check reviews on the internet ?
I had a m&p travel system. changed to a maclaren stroller after a few months. ( and sold the system, for more than i paid for it )
my friend says, everone has a maclaren at some point
i am one of hundreds. travel then stroller.
that is enough.
or to have a couple of strollers, fine. but 6 ?
in 9 months ?
come on. that is just silly.

mrsgboring · 02/12/2008 11:17

Ah well the right sling would have sorted you out I didn't get the hang of back carries for a while and then I could do more practical stuff round the home. I could get DS in and out of sling in 20 seconds approx. No palaver, but you do need to find something you get on with and get used to it.

If your DS can jump into the pram himself, this suggests you've got a big enough hall to keep the dirty great thing unfolded in the hall (or somewhere) all the time.

Also, when it is cold you have to put a coat and blankets on baby. I put hat on baby and my coat over and we were good to go. You are also supposed to take coats and things OFF baby when you get into the warm, even if it means waking them to achieve this (though I do not know many people who do this). I had none of that worry.

I really didn't really mean for this to become a sling v. buggy discussion. I think I might have used the buggy more if I'd ignored all the advice (repeated on here) to get a lightweight, practical, easy fold, minimalistic buggy that would fit in my car and tiny hall and gone for a swanky pram and travel system that would never fold up and would take up the entire car boot. Because I might have used it more.

Who knows what the next baby will bring. But even if I spend out shedloads of money for another buggy (which still won't be perfect), I definitely won't be able to breastfeed on the go with it.

Right, sorry. I shall shut up about slings. My "all buggies are shite" remark was a bit of a joke you know (but I still think that the reason people change their buggeis so often is because nothing is perfect)

lizandlulu · 02/12/2008 11:22

i had one maclaren which i used so much it broke, then i had a xlr which i found too big, then tried several other makes and models. they wernt all maclarens

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 02/12/2008 11:22

Hmm, I've used my 1 buggy every single day for 2 years. I can't drive and walk between 1 and 5 miles a day.

I've found so far that there's nothing I can't do with my £60 from birth McClaren. Bin up mountains, on london underground, across beaches, on holiday n everything.

wotulookinat · 02/12/2008 11:22

My best friend is a pramaholic. I don't understand it myself (I'm currently using a pushchair that I paid 50p for at a jumble sale ) but it makes her happy.

Original poster
chequersandroastedchestnuts · 02/12/2008 11:23

Nooo, I was asking about this comment lizandlu:
(but i may get several versions of maclaren)

OP posts:
Original poster
chequersandroastedchestnuts · 02/12/2008 11:24

I have to say, I know they're unpopular but I like travel systems.

If you're just popping into a shop and not planning to leave the baby in the car seat for long then I find it really simple to unclip the car seat from the isofix base and stick it on the wheels.

OP posts:
StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 02/12/2008 11:27

I don't drive so never saw any point in travel systems. Plus I didn't want to be tempted to have lo in the carseat any longer than necessary!

Original poster
chequersandroastedchestnuts · 02/12/2008 11:30

Yeah, no point in a travel system without a car.

OP posts:
KatieScarlettontopofthetree · 02/12/2008 11:34

I bought a Mothercare Trenton for ds1 when he was born. (he's now 4). My cousin borrowed it for her baby and now i'm using it for ds2. Never had any other buggy. Now hoping dh will reward my frugality with a Silvercross POP!!!

Upwind · 02/12/2008 11:34

Two different friends in real life have explained that they need a new buggy because their tiny babies had "outgrown" the one they had.

One baby was 8 weeks old when his mother made this claim.

jingleMAMADIVAsbells · 02/12/2008 11:35

I never had a travel system as never seen th point as I dont have a car either BUT if I was to have another I would buy a travel system purely for the fact that it is handy if going on buses or trains but wouldn't use to go shopping etc.

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 02/12/2008 11:38

no I have a tiny narrow hallway - if you're over a size 16 you can't come into my house without prior warning as I'll have ot move the pram to let you past

I don't understand how the keeping baby warm/cool (depending on the weather outside) is any easier with a sling than with a pushchair? Surely you also have to make sure that they're not too hot/cold whether in a sling or a pushchair (and I did sometimes venture out with the sling on the rare occasions I used it).

I think even if I had another chlid I would still just avoid the sling 3 totally different types and styles (plus my SIL tying him onto my back with a towel in traditional style ) just didn't work for me - for me it was baby at the front/side of me - ironing/cooking out of the question wasn't going to risk it - especially as they got older (if they're stuck with the sling) with arms sticking out). On my back - well personally I prefer to put stuff down when I'm busy working - including children .

And I know your buggies are shite remark was a joke - and I also appreciate that for some people a sling is the only way to go. However, I'm not a multiple bugger buyer (although have had several for my DC it was because tey were given to me 2nd hand and I killed 'em, or because I gave them away - thinking I was having no more children ) - I've had my current one for 18 months and it's not going anyhwere

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 02/12/2008 11:39

Upwind - I had to move my DS3 from his carrycot into the proper pushchair at 2 months old - as he was genuinely too big for the carrycot - so it does happen

OrmIrian · 02/12/2008 11:42

YANBU.

I had the same pram for the entire time. And then a little lightweight buggy when they were walking a little.

But some people like shoes and handbags. I suppose it's just a different obsession.

Gateau · 02/12/2008 11:43

Haven't read all the posts as too busy. It may be a bit odd, but I don't understand why anyone gets so wound up by it.
Each to their own: it's their money.

Upwind · 02/12/2008 11:44

goldFAQ - you did not need a whole new pushchair though

Though in fairness, I am trying to remember if they were using travel systems and it is possible that the pushchair part was not suitable from 2 months.

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 02/12/2008 11:46

no but that's because I'd bought the whole system in one go........if DS2 had grown that rapidly I would have had to buy a totally new one -as I was given a proper pram for him - with no option to convert to pushchair so would have been stuck

fwiw - my Hauck said it wasn't suitable for pushchair use for that age - but I did anyway (well I thought he'd use the carrycot for just a little longer than he did lol)

Original poster
chequersandroastedchestnuts · 02/12/2008 11:55

Dunno Gateau, maybe for the same reason people get irked by baby swimming lessons/baby massage classes etc?

OP posts:
WotsThatSkippy · 02/12/2008 11:57

I don't get 'wound up', but I do think it's weirdy behaviour and I will point and laugh if I want to!

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 02/12/2008 11:59

How is a travel system handy for trains and buses? What about steps, limited space etc.?

Tis why I bought the smallest, lightest McClaren that was suitable from birth. Can even fit on those diddly hopper country buses!

With a sling you just unzip your coat when you get inside and pop hat off. In a pram you have to fiddle with getting arms out and such, plus the head is leaning on the hat!

SparklyGothKat · 02/12/2008 12:01

some people like expensive handbags, some like pram, so what!

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 02/12/2008 12:02

much easier to pull a travel system/one with bulky wheels up steps than it is one with flimsy little wheels - they surive the experience much better too.

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