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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want a rear-facing pushchair?

35 replies

Leedsmumof1 · 12/08/2009 11:25

I have the m&p pliko pramette, which I've loved in pram mode while dd has been small, but she's now 7mo and getting a bit big for the pram. However, it's only forward-facing in buggy mode, and I find myself unexpectedly sad at the thought that I won't be able to see her when we're out and about, and if she starts crying (which is not unusual ) I won't be able to talk directly to her and comfort her.

Please talk me out of it, I really can't afford another pushchair...

OP posts:
FAQtothefuture · 12/08/2009 11:27

ok well - I've had 3 DC and only one of those had a pushchair with a rear-facing option (which I hardly used).

All 3 have had no problems talking to me while facing forwards - and really as they grow older they're more interested in what's out there than looking at whoever is pushing them

Firawla · 12/08/2009 11:30

you can still see them over the top as long as you don't have the cover thing open
i have the same pushchair, and i dont think this is a major issue with it, they do like to look around at their surrounding by this age, rather than only looking at mum...
the downside of it i think is more that its soo big and heavy compared to other pushchairs that most people have. its very good in pram mode though!
but my ds is 13.5 mo and i have stuck with it cos waiting to get a phil & teds for him & dc2, and not got round to buying a different one, so it is definitely useable til this age if you can't afford another one
dont worry your LO will be fine facing forwards

Aranea · 12/08/2009 11:31

I'm sure you'd be fine with a forward-facing pushchair. I do love having a rear-facing one though.... could you sell yours & pick up a second-hand rear-facer?

CarGirl · 12/08/2009 11:34

someone on the pushchair for sale is selling their silvercross wayfarer which is all black, I had one of those and it was fab. Can't imagine it would be too pricey?

My youngest ended up rear facing until she stopped using a pushchair at 2.5 has she had moderate speech delay and I really couldn't understand anything unless she was looking at me whilst speeking.

Reallytired · 12/08/2009 11:34

I have a m&p pliko pramette and I love it for the same reasons. They do seem to fetch a good price on ebay or in the paper.

I want a rear facing push chair as I love seeing my little girl and she is really filling up the pram now she is 4 months old.

MamaG · 12/08/2009 11:35

Leedsmum I was in exactly your position recently. BabyG got to 7mo, too big for carrycot bit of the Pliko and was forward facing.

I hated it!

Sold the Pliko for £135.00 and bought a rear-facing Infinity for £35

Go for it! I'm so happy now I cna see him

CarGirl · 12/08/2009 11:38

hmmmm someone is selling a mutsy too the newer models of which are rear facing......

Original poster
Leedsmumof1 · 12/08/2009 11:41

Hmmm, views on both sides... (thanks so much for responding, it's nice to know I'm not alone!). I'm sure it's right that I'm less fascinating to dd than I'd like to think and she'll be more interested in the outside world. Will keep thinking...

OP posts:
EachPeachPearMum · 12/08/2009 11:46

mamag/faq- what do you use for a sunshade on the infinity?
ds is about to outgrow the carrycot... have tried him in the seat, and he loves it, but the hood isn't v big, and he hates the sun on him (though it may not be an issue judging by today's weather!)

In fact, the hood is v small full stop... what about short showers too?

Roomfor2 · 12/08/2009 11:46

I remember feeling like this at the same time (when the pram part was grown out of). But I soon go past it when I saw how much DD loved being able to see 'out' and watch where we were going, instead of just looking up at boring ole me.

She also used to love seeing other children coming torwards her in their pushchairs, and used to wave at them. And she used to use the cup tray bar thing to pull herself up and lean forwards to see everything better. I think it was good for her development. We briefly tried a pushchair with no cup tray bar thing and she was so passive in it, just lying back and not able to sit forwards, so we went back to the bar and she loved it.

I often think it is a bit sad to see older babies facing backwards and just seeing their mother (who they see all day anyway) instead of getting the excitement of seeing all the sights they are going past when they are out and about.

You can always just stop and go round the front for a minute if they get upset.

Scotia · 12/08/2009 11:47

I've got a m&p pram/pushchair which can face both ways. DS(6 months) prefers to face where he is going! If I have him rear facing, he stretches his neck to see round the side to the front

CarGirl · 12/08/2009 11:49

the rayshade and penny protect a bub are great on rear facing pushchairs to extend the hood for better sun (& showers) protection.

MamaG · 12/08/2009 11:51

Yes, kiddipotamus rayshade

MadameOvary · 12/08/2009 11:51

YANBU
DD's Bugaboo Bee was the only bit of kit I bought new. It was rear facing up until recently, and she's quite happy.

sazm · 12/08/2009 11:58

hey,i had the same problem (as did a few friends of mine) i hate my lo (8m) forward facing,
i also happen to be selling a bebecar rversus cheaply £50 + courier (about £10) its very similar to the pilko switch, all fabrics are as new,few scratches on the frame due to putting it in and out of the car,

FlyMeToDunoon · 12/08/2009 12:00

I have had a couple of rear facers in the last few months. A britax vigour and an Infinity.
My DD is nearly three. I really enjoyed being able to interact with her easily. We sang songs and chatted. I find that on a pavement with traffic going by I can't hear her at all well and she can't hear me in forward facing pushchairs.

Go for it.

LeonieSoSleepy · 12/08/2009 12:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Silver1 · 12/08/2009 12:11

I have the Silvercross Sleepover. It's fab-goes from pram to pushchair that faces forwards or backwards, LO sill at 14 months can lie flat in the buggy mode when he falls asleep.
The basket on the classic chassis is brill for shopping, but I gather the freeway chassis is better to navigate public transport.

Go for it-why feel you are missing something?

MamaLazarou · 12/08/2009 12:13

I was having this conversation with my mum last night. I had never realised that the world of child transportation was so complex! My mum insists that we need a 'proper' pram for the first 6 months, followed by a mum-facing pushchair until the age of 3, then a 'buggy for folding up and taking on and off buses'

She was rather alarmed to be told that we have already bought a 'from birth' pushchair which faces forwards (don't kids like to look at cows and buses when they're out and about?) and also lies flat for the first few months - and is foldable for buses.

Her eventual response was: 'Oh! Well! I will have to buy you your Moses basket, then!'. I dread to imagine the many potential pitfalls of Moses-basket choosing

tryingtobemarypoppins · 12/08/2009 12:14

I have a bugaboo. There are some on ebay going cheep.

annas1 · 12/08/2009 12:33

I was in exactly the same position as you- had a pliko pramette and personally I really missed the interaction with DS once it converted to a pushchair from a pram.

I felt gulity about buying another pushchair but eventually went for it & got a secondhand Quinny and was so pleased with it.

All mums and DCs are different but I personally was delighted to have DS facing me- spent a lot of time out walking when he was small and loved the interaction.

DS is now 2 and I use the Quinny forward facing quite a lot but I personally really loved having it facing rearwards when he was younger and so did he.

kitkatqueen · 12/08/2009 12:47

I bought a rear facer with my 3rd - I had no idea how much I had missed out on by having the others forwards facing

To the extent that I have just gone way out of my way to buy a rear facing double for when bubs is born.

DS is 20 months and LOVES his rear facing buggy, does not want to face forward and loves it when I am pushing with one of his sisters on each side - centre of attention!

Buy a new rear facer - you won't regret it.

I have a traxx rear facing 3 wheeler and I love it!

BertieBotts · 12/08/2009 15:36

I would sell it and buy the Bebeconfort Loola Up. It goes from birth, lies flat (or you can get the compatible carrycot if you want!) and then is rearfacing and forwardfacing and very easy to change round. It has a bumper bar if they want to lean forwards, though you have to attach reins as a harness or only put their legs through as it doesn't have the freedom harness like the M&P - I use reins as a harness and it's fine, they attach onto the D-rings and through the crotch strap. Then I just use the normal harness which pins him to the seat if he wants to sleep.

They are on offer in Mothercare at the moment for £175 (and other places cheaper probably - they are being rebranded to Maxi Cosi) and you can try them out in most big stores. They are also very good with a buggy board so you are thinking ahead I found it fab at about 4 months when he was just starting to want to sit up but couldn't sit by himself as it has a recline about the angle of most travel system carseats, and the seat is supportive and cosy.

Oh and the best thing about it (sorry will stop sounding like a sales rep now!!) is the seat cover - it's reversible, so you get 2 colours in one, and no need to worry that the cream one is impractical because you can wash it on a normal 40 cycle and it dries really quickly, even on an airer indoors. DS has spilt tomato pasta sauce on his and once washed the actual seat fabric had no trace, the cotton edging did but this came right out after I hung it up in the sun.

Silver1 · 12/08/2009 15:40

If it helps to sway you- a lot research suggests that rear facing helps with speach and language development.
www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/pushchairs.html

and

www.li teracytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/campaigningforconversation.pdf

FAQtothefuture · 12/08/2009 15:52

lol Silver - I've seen those links before and always think "thank fark I didn't have a rear facing for any of my 3 - I have enough trouble shutting them up now as it is"

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