Feeling bad about choosing a pushchair easiest for us but CAN'T SEE DS

[isitcrazyzzz]

We had Baby Jogger City Mini for DS1. We loved all the convenience its brilliant design has brought - big wheels, 3-wheels (not 4 , so easier to manoeuvre), one-hand folding and light weight (7.6kg).

So when we had DS2, we didn't even bother to look around and got the same model. But when DS2 is 8 months old, I really regret that I can't see him when we are out and about. When he's in the pushchair, he's either just being quiet or he fights falling asleep. When I want to talk to him, I can't see his reaction. I'd imagine, when I take him out alone, from his angle, he can't see any familiar face which must makes him anxious at times. Plus, DS1's speech was terribly delayed. I now read those "studies" about how little those babies in a front facing pushchair laugh/interact with parents. It's just sad to think DS2 would be like that.

Now the Baby Jogger we have appears to have some fault on the braking system. As it's been less than a year, we can return it and replace it. Initially, DH and I both thought just replace with the same model. But the more I think about it, the more I feel sad about it.

Looking around, I didn't see any other brand on the market which offers even close to all those smart designs from Baby Jogger City Mini. (I'd hate to deal with 4 smallish wheels. I would miss the smart lightweight design. And I don't want to spend a fortune and £500 is my limit I think.

Am I being unreasonable?

No you're not being unreasonable. I get it. I had the same pushchair. Absolute lifesaver. I loved it so much.

And I would get it again in a heartbeat. And my only thought would have been like you if I had another you can't see them. It's a tough one. But it is a brilliant pushchair

@purpleme12, I'm glad I'm not alone feeling so! I just spent another 30 minutes surfing around and still the same result! I even start thinking I'd homemake some kind of child-safe mirror attach it facing DS2 so that he could see me when I push him around!

@Lowprofilename, I've never thought of this before. it sounds like a good idea... I probably can look around to see who has one to borrow from.

Did this not occur to you with ds1? Why the sudden panic with DS2?

I had a bugaboo Cameleon and a bee..loved both!

By 8 months, I turned my daughter around to forward face anyway as she was soo nosey & interested in the world! And by 10 months, we’d moved to a light weight stroller. So in all honesty, I probably wouldn’t waste your money at this point! How often is he in the pram anyway? I’d imagine you get plenty of face to face time at home etc that a 20/30 min pram walk somewhere isn’t going to impact speech or development!

@Bol87, thank you. It does make me feel better. That's what DH said too: the short journeys in the pushchair would hardly matter. I saw a mum with a nice parent facing pram with big wheels today. It's just too big for me to manoeuvre.

I feel your pain. I have DS1 who is 12 months old and DS2 who is 5 days old. I want a pushchair they can both be parent facing in, that doesn't have one sat practically on the floor under the other or that doesn't have stupid small wheels. We got given an Out n About Nipper Double which is such a delight to push but is forward facing apart from newborn carrycot. I've realised the Mountain Buggy parent facing seats are the same dimensions as the Nipper carrycot frame so I've asked DH to fiddle with some welding and fix a Mountain buggy seat onto the Nipper adaptors for me. Probably would be easier to just buy the Mountain Buggy but I can't say no to a free pram. I think you can get the same carrycot plus for a single Mountain Buggy too

(i do have a Bugaboo Cameleon that was also given to me but the small front wheels render it completely useless where we live though - rurally on a farm. It's lovely to push around town though)

I've got the baby jogger city tour lux, and the only issue with it is the 4 small wheels, it's not made for off road. However, it's everything else your city mini is, with the added bonus of being able to parent face. It was a bargain, should be easy to take in holiday, and fits in a fiat 500!

Sorry, this is going to sound harsh, but here goes...I don’t understand why people put young babies in outward facing pushchairs (if they can afford an alternative). It’s not good for speech or interaction. And young babies don’t have object permanence yet, so if they can’t see you, they don’t know where you are, which makes them anxious.

You’re already worried about these things, so just get another pushchair. Most of parenting is about compromising your own preferences for what the baby needs!