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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that Prams and Travel Systems are a total con?

121 replies

morningpaper · 15/01/2009 11:52

I get angry looking at all the prams and travel systems on the market. They are a total CON and so unecessary.

You need:

a sling for a few weeks
a buggy

If you REALLY want a proper pram, you can buy a second-hand lie-flat face-mummy pram or borrow one from a friend for the first few weeks.

Anything more than that is an OPTIONAL EXTRAVAGANCE and should be seen as so.

AIBU?

OP posts:

claireybrations · 16/01/2009 17:35

Hedgewitch I am a BIG fan of my wrap slings

Pixel · 16/01/2009 19:46

For some reason every time I put ds in a sling I got mastitis so that didn't last long.

I had a Monbebe convertible pram/pushchair and I loved it. My mum bought it for me second-hand and I used it for dd and ds, in total it got 7 years use and was still sturdy and in full working order, just the fabric faded and got tatty. I walked miles with it and carried tons of shopping on the tray underneath. I have a fond memory of a long walk home after a day at the paddling pool with both dcs in the pram (dd's legs hanging over the side) happily eating lollies and all the buckets/spades/towels etc stowed underneath. Happy days .

I'm not keen on seeing little babies in travel systems during the summer as I think they must get very hot. Mine used to sometimes be quite sweaty when I got them out of the carseat and it was nice to be able to lay them flat on a proper mattress and sheet with a sunshade over as they looked lovely and cool. Dd used to get hot in the sling too. One of my pet hates is seeing travel systems with both hoods up together to keep the sun off, I think it must get like an oven in there.

samja · 16/01/2009 19:54

I agree in theory, but it is dependant on having a friend to borrow from if you want a lie flat option. We had to buy ev everything as no family support. I got a M&P pramette. It was more than we could afford at the time.

A friend said we were mad, slagged us off for having it etc. Said the same thing, as she had borrowed a pram with her dc1. She then had second child, borrowed our pram and used it for longer than we did. Gave it back in shoddy condition.

samja · 16/01/2009 19:55

I had dd2 with 16 month age gap so got a P&T instead.

frasersmummy · 16/01/2009 20:12

I live within walking distance of my parents, my brother & his familly, my inlaws, and a huge shopping centre

so I walked for miles, first with the lie flat pram and then the buggy part. We bought a buggy when we went on holiday but ds didnt like being as close to the ground. So we used the buggy part of our big pram till he was well over 2

Also you cant get the car into my parents street so being able to put car seat on the wheels and push 6 months old along was a god send

so yes my travel system was expensive and was bought with first born blinkers on but it was well used and well loved and I dont regret it for a minut

my young cousin now has it ... where it will be more used and loved

mynewnickname · 16/01/2009 21:22

Pah a mere £500 on a travel system....that's nothing compared to the one in this

www.telegraph.co.uk/family/4227376/The-boom-in-expensive-baby-gear.html

naturalbornmum · 16/01/2009 22:23

YABU - each to their own. It is not really fair to tell other people what they should or should not spend their money on.

I had a travel system for my 1st 2 but I have bought a carrycot (2nd hand) and a pram this time whic actually was far more expensive than the travel systems.

naturalbornmum · 16/01/2009 22:28

And a pram is not just functional - it is fashion.

Puddlet · 16/01/2009 22:56

I bought a sling before DD was born. It turned out that she was very much a detachment baby if you can have such a thing. Every time I tried using the sling she look horrified and howled in outrage. She just didn't like being so confined. We also had a secondhand carry cot on the loola chassis which was brilliant for the first three months. She was totally comfortable and happy in it and we used it for day time naps as well True to form she then self weaned at 7 months - some babies have just not read the books....

thumbwitch · 16/01/2009 23:02

yes YABU I think - I have my friend's M&P travel system and it is great. I love that the car seat clicks straight into the pram so I don't have to wake DS if he has dropped off in the car, even though the pram isn't the most convenient or lightweight option available.

OHBollox · 16/01/2009 23:59

I could cope on bread and water to keep me alive but I like variety and a bit of luxury, is that really so awful ?
I choose the best car seat on the market, Maxi Cosy and it happened to be compatible with a Bugaboo which is light weight, has great suspension, rear facing seat and a carrycot they can sleep overnight in.
Ticked all my boxes and looked fantastic at a time when I looked shite.
All good IMO

Northernlurker · 17/01/2009 00:07

Well I opted for extravagance with dd3 and had a bugaboo. I love it and enjoy it and as she slept in the carry cot for her first five months I think I got my moneys worth out of it. Can't comment about travel systems as we never used a car seat with it - just had the Britax to go in the car.

Part of the reason I wanted the Bug for my third and last baby was that beause with my first (which is when you're supposed to do all this stuff) we were very, very badly off and I had the perfectly fine second-hand pram of distant relatives. It was very practical but it never really felt like mine and I didn't choose it. With dd2 I had a new double buggy but again we didn't have a lot of cash and practicality won the day. For dd3 - I was working very hard beforehand, I earnt every penny my Bug cost me and I wanted to buy it to have because it was and is a nice thing for my baby and for me. That's more than enough of a good reason for me - if it isn't a good enough reason for everybody else then sorry you'll just have to get over it. I'm not going to wear sackcloth and ashes because I wanted to spend some money on myself and my baby!

thumbwitch · 17/01/2009 00:11

Nl, its ok, no one on here minds you spending money on your DD!

Northernlurker · 17/01/2009 00:16

Ok, ok I might be a tiny bit sensitive about that point.

thumbwitch · 17/01/2009 00:28

Froginmythroat · 17/01/2009 00:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TinkerBellesMumandFiFi2 · 17/01/2009 21:31

Hedge, my back problems are all lumbar. I?ve been told in the last couple of weeks that I probably have a fracture to at least one of my vertebrae. The wrap was the only way I could get both of us around when Tink was a baby. I highly recommend it for people with back problems who find other ways difficult. I?m beyond even wraps now

SpongeBrainedHalfWit · 17/01/2009 21:33

There is a mum at DD's school who has a baby pink leatherette pram on big bouncy wheels. It is the ulgliest creation on 4 wheels.

ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 17/01/2009 21:39

we have a travel system - I have loved it.
it has dealt with 2 boys been in constant use for the last 4.10 years. If we were to have another baby (I would like to) we would use it again. it was £400 for a chassis, carry cot, car seat and pushchair and through kiddicare it came with a free £120 cot. So to be honest I don't think it was bad value for money.

The thing is I would never start slagging off those who choose to use a sling or a buggy - horses for courses.

Lazycow · 17/01/2009 22:07

Well I had a sling and a citilite pushchair from day 1 for ds, Reasons for me were

1 I'm tight

2 The whole pram/buggy thing made my eyes glaze over and I never got to grips with what the differences were and how they aall worked.

3 We live up 2 flights of stairs and on the other side of the station to the high street necessitating a walk up a steep set of stairs and over a bridge and down to get to the shops. hence I needed a LIGHT (VERY LIGHT) buggy - it weighs 4kg

4 I drove a nissan micra and it was the only one that fitted in the boot.'

I bought the citilits because it had an over the shoulder handle to carry it when folded and it weighed 4kg

If I had another baby (not possible bit let's say I did) I would buy domething expensive that faced me aand that went from carry cot to car seat etc. I bought the practical option for ds but tbh I wish I'd bought something a bit more 'special;

mynewnickname · 18/01/2009 10:08

"I bought the citilits because it had an over the shoulder handle to carry it when folded and it weighed 4kg"

Read that as you bought something entirely different to do with a lady's anatomy....

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