How long can baby use a pram?

[crabette]

I am currently expecting, and am in love with traditional style prams, example being this Churchill one.

I'm a FTM (so please be gentle!) and I know that you can get integrated travel systems which give you the frame, carry cot for first 6 months, and then change into stroller which can be used for a couple of years. (With optional car seat attachments, etc etc.)

Obviously if we got a more traditional pram like this one, we'd need a separate car seat, which is fine, and probably a separate buggy / stroller when we get to that stage.

My question is, is it unsafe to use a traditional pram beyond 6 months? I'd happily have baby still in pram as long as he/she still fits and it's still safe, beyond 6 months. Just not sure if this is a complete no no or people just switch to stroller at that age for ease? Everything I've read seems to talk about the travel systems where you can just switch the attachment from 6 months, nothing about why you shouldn't or couldn't still use pram / carrycot if desired?

Any advice welcome!

Hello fellow FTM here - we are nearly 5 months in. I think biggest concern would be ability to manage weight - you should check whether they are still able to bear load once baby reaches particular weight. Our DS is also very intrigued by the outside so we are looking forward to moving him into a seat and front facing sling soon.

It depends how big your baby is. Mine was struggling to fit in her carry cot at 4 months, so it never got that much use.

I'm pretty sure the one you have attached also has a seat which can be purchased and used once they outgrow the carrycot.

Biggest issue we had with the carrycot is once the got to about 4mo they wanted to see more than just the sky above them.

Also, the ones with the fixed wheels as in the picture are a bugger to navigate round the streets.

@crabette

I am currently expecting, and am in love with traditional style prams, example being this Churchill one.

I'm a FTM (so please be gentle!) and I know that you can get integrated travel systems which give you the frame, carry cot for first 6 months, and then change into stroller which can be used for a couple of years. (With optional car seat attachments, etc etc.)

Obviously if we got a more traditional pram like this one, we'd need a separate car seat, which is fine, and probably a separate buggy / stroller when we get to that stage.

My question is, is it unsafe to use a traditional pram beyond 6 months? I'd happily have baby still in pram as long as he/she still fits and it's still safe, beyond 6 months. Just not sure if this is a complete no no or people just switch to stroller at that age for ease? Everything I've read seems to talk about the travel systems where you can just switch the attachment from 6 months, nothing about why you shouldn't or couldn't still use pram / carrycot if desired?

Any advice welcome!

It really depends on how heavy the baby is. If you have a baby below the 60th centile in height or weight who enjoys being in a pram I don’t see why you couldn’t keep them in right up to the weight limit. We moved DS at 5 months to a pushchair for regular trips as he was so tall he was really wedged in and it wasn’t good for long walks - I still used the pram for his day time naps though until it just couldn’t fit into it any more (approx 9-12 mths I think).

They grow quickly! Like PP, mine would have been too big in that after about 4 months. She also liked sitting more upright and looking around at about that age.

At 6 months they might well be sitting up by themselves, So it would be unsafe to have them in something they weren't strapped to.

Pretty as it is, I really don't think that would be worth buying!

I would imagine that it would be pretty unsafe once baby was sitting as they could try to climb out and wouldn't be in it securely.

Both of mine wanted to sit up by 4 months and then we moved to the pushchair (reclined). In fact both of them hated lying flat (in the pram, Moses basket or cot). Used a sling so much for the first 6 months

@Pinktruffle

I would imagine that it would be pretty unsafe once baby was sitting as they could try to climb out and wouldn't be in it securely.

I agree. Even if they are on the small side like my DS was there comes a point when they're sitting up and trying to move that a pram like that with no straps to secure them would absolutely be unsafe.

So even though he technically would still have fit in it easily even after a year I wouldn't have put him in it after about 4 months when he started trying to move.

Usually the pram converts to a pushchair seat which can be used from sitting baby up to toddler.

By 4 months ish they want to look around and don't like being led down so much. You shouldn't use a pillow with a baby so you would be stuck. None of mine would of been happy till 6m let alone longer

@Pinktruffle

I would imagine that it would be pretty unsafe once baby was sitting as they could try to climb out and wouldn't be in it securely.

It really depends. DS was an early cruiser but was happy to sit up in his pram and look around, and never tried to make a run for it. He was heavily supervised though, and was always very light weight wise. I also never lowered the hood so I think it gave more stability

If you mean the carrycot part - they can't be used after 6 months or when the baby is capable of sitting up by itself or rolling And certainly not when they can pull themselves up

If you want a traditional style pram you'd be better with a vintage silver cross which are deeper so a child can sit up in them

Honestly I know the traditional style is nice and really looks and shouts "I'm a mum with a baby" but practicality will win out once the baby arrives trust me 🤣

Ive got a Babystyle Prestige (classic chassis) which is similar to the one you have shown. I had my big baby (9lb born) in the carrycot until 7 months then attached the reclining seat to the chassis and still looks as beautiful. It's a super comfortable, easy to push pram, easy to lift into the car book and the seat can face both ways. Might be worth a look x

Whilst the Pram is lovely you need to get something practical for the babies weight and for when they sit up.
Most other prams come with the toddler seat to clip on which is more cost effective to save buying another one.

I think you'd be lucky to get 6 months use out of it op, my two were starting to roll over and pull themselves to sitting by then so needed strapping in and wanted to look around!

I had that for one of my children and you do get a pushchair seat unit for it. I've also used a traditional silver Cross pram till about 18 months. For security you just use a harness and it clips in. The silver Cross is a much bigger carrycot so lasts a lot longer.

Also babies very quickly become interested in their surroundings and want to learn.....they can't do that if they are starting at the sky......

I had a big, old silvercross OP. It had a seat bit that sat the baby up with a safety harness. DD loved to be sat up, it was absolutely fine - the suspension meant she hardly moved no matter what the ground was like.

I mostly stopped using it at around a year (swapped to a foldable stroller) but kept it at home. DD could nap in it until she was almost 2. I'd look for one with a seat and harness too.

Those style of pram/pushchair were all the rage in the early 1990s when my DDs were born. They handle beautifully because of the big wheels, so work on any terrain and I had mine in the pram until they were 3 no problem. We walked everywhere and I had 2 with 13 months between them so the pram was vital for both having one under control and carrying the shopping.

I am assuming the carrycot becomes a seat?

I don't know about the pram in question but when mine were in the carrycot there were little rings attached so you could clip on a harness for a sitting baby. Mine were in prams for about 8-9 months, with a harness, once they could sit I'd prop them up with a pillow so they could see out and remove it when they were asleep.

I'm unsure but consider if you can afford the expense of needing a replacement if they get to big and if it will fit easily to get in and out the boot of your car or be easy to navigate if you are getting on and off public transport.

After 6 months of your baby can sit up they won't want to lay down like that in the pram and also may not fit lengthways n

Thanks all, I knew there was something obvious I'd be missing 😂🙈 I was thinking of babies sitting up in an old silver cross like you say @Herja - total pregnancy brain not thinking about how they'd be strapped in and also that an old silver cross is much deeper!

@Wtfdoipick Thanks for the info on the seat!! I was just looking online and there seems to be no mention or pics of this, I was genuinely like, what do folk do after 6 months?! I'll obviously go and have a look in store and chat it through, but it totally makes sense and is reassuring that there's a compatible stroller type seat for the same frame, even if it is purchased separately.

@CrotchetyQuaver That's really interesting your comments about the big wheels being easy! I love them, but you can get this frame with smaller more 'all terrain' wheels, which I thought would maybe be more practical - I'm delighted to know you thought the big wheels were a benefit!

Looking forward to trying them all out in store.

I think that carrycot might convert into some kind of seat for after 6 months. Google it - it looks like some of the second hand ones on Ebay are photographed with it as a pushchair.