Complete and utter pram confusion!

[Nollie12]

Please help! We bought the uppababy vista for my now 18 month old when she was born. I love a lot about it, but it’s SO heavy getting in and out of the boot. We also have a second hand out n about which gets a lot of use as we live rurally.

I think I now want to get a compact light stroller, as from home we use the off road for walks, so the uppababy gets used for popping to shop etc but takes up all my boot and is so heavy.

Im looking in Black Friday at joolz aer, bugaboo butterfly and cheap ones like graco Myavo. However, we’re also currently very early days of trying for a second baby so I don’t want to buy another new pram now and then need a double in 9 months time. Any ideas?! I just think a compact would make life so much easier but is it a waste? My 18 month old walks well, will she stop using a pram anyway?!

Forgot to say - also aware number 2 could not arrive for years meaning I had worried about that element for no reason!

We always had Maclaren, absolute workhorses and never any faults. There’s a range from bigger and sturdier to light and easy (we’ll all are light but ultralight). I was a pramaholic for a while and had dozens for two kids but for a ‘stroller’ I’d always recommend maclaren!

I think everyone ends up with a light buggy in the end, those giant prams are so bulky and awkward especially once you start travelling further with your toddler. We had a Yoyo from birth as we wanted to avoid that, but they're quite expensive for a 3rd buggy (but worth it imo).

I would recommend comparing the width and weight of the buggies as having a narrow one makes it really nippy and easy to navigate. And low weight is useful as the dc get older and heavier (I can carry my dc strapped in the buggy down stairs on my own and she's a hefty 18mo). One that is lie flat and sold as "suitable from birth" will be useful as then you can carry dc2 in a sling and put toddler in the buggy, but also swap them if toddler wants to walk. Id also check the max weight it's suitable for, and go for the heaviest you can get, ideally up to 25kg. That way you can use it for the times when your dc is 5 and you're taking them on a Disney or other theme park holiday. I'd never assume your toddler will stop needing the buggy although if you're rural and just drive to places then it might not be needed for as long.

Maxi-cosi Lara is a great little pram for keeping in the car. The handling is not the best ever but it's light, small, and perfect for the shops. Not too expensive either.

Maclaren all the way. Easy to fold. Tiny tiny circle and stands up to dog's abuse.

We have the Uppababy vista and i have many of the same feelings as you! I'm also 20w pregnant and it's getting too heavy for me to lug about on the train now to visit family (we live in London and so don't have a car). We have just bought the Uppababy Minu v2 in the black friday sale. It's the same size ish as a bugaboo butterfly but the vista bassinet attaches to it with adapters, so we thought it would be more useful in the long run as we could attach our existing bits to it. It was reduced to £329 in John Lewis. I'd say its less roomy even though it says its ok for up to 22kg. The bar is quite tight, but that's removable so we might just take it off. Obviously the basket isn't as big but we can cope with that to live with the much lighter weight. When our next baby arrives, we are planning on getting a buggy board for DD1.

ETA that DD1 is 2.5y now so maybe a bit of a bigger gap than you might be anticipating? But without a car we do a lot of long walks and she only started walking at 19months, so she is still an avid buggy user.

The joolz aer is absolutely amazing and I recommend it to anyone that will listen. We were worried about spending that much money but was absolutely worth every penny.

Great thank you all - the consensus is to go for it! I had considered one from birth being useful so that’s a good point, and great point about uppababy accessories @CrispAppleStrudels

if I’m honest, I should never have got the vista and instead should have had an off road and a lightweight but you live and learn!

We got the Zummi Eden - £150 from Smyth's, on our 3rd month of use sine 17 months and really like it! Big canopy, folds small, comfy that my little one sleeps in it, good rain cover (actually better then my expensive but v.loved bugaboo!) Ideal shopping/car pram!

I got a second hand Maclaren for £25. It was clean and in great condition. Lasted for my 3rd as the stroller option. There are great second hand bargains about....especially for well made buggy that last.