Do people really manage to fold their prams in busy buses?

[Newname42]

Technically I have a pram which can be folded with one hand and in a couple of seconds (according to the advert), but practically I also have a baby strapped in, a pram bag attached, a thousand loose items in the bottom and a hundred toys attached. I just was asked to fold my pram because the bus got a bit busy, but after giving this a quick thought I realised that this would be somewhere between a circus number, comedy and horror show, so I just got off the bus. Are there some Supermamas who just say ‘sure’, clack and done, and if yes, where can I learn this skill, please? 😂

So it happens sometimes. But I only fold if there is already 2 buggies or if the wheelchair space is needed. I bring a carrier bag that everything gets shoved into. Then I put baby on my hip and close the buggy. Then I put the buggy in the luggage space and go sit on a chair.
A Yo-Yo buggy is amazing for this.

a thousand loose items in the bottom and a hundred toys attached

You need to sort this out ahead of the bus arriving to be considerate to those onboard or to prevent the driver refusing to accept you. Put your bag on your shoulder, hold your baby, collapse the pram and get on when the bus arrives.

This is my fear and luckily it hasn’t happened - I’d just get off as we have regular buses.

i would really struggle to have the baby in one arm, nappy back pack on and then fold the pram up single handedly while under the time pressure of a bus waiting for me to finish.

I’d also not do it preemptively at a bus stop and have only once seen someone do it which was a couple travelling together and an older toddler who could walk happily.

I was at Stansted in a ridiculous mass of people waiting for the shuttle to the terminal. There was no way I could find the space needed to take things off the buggy to fold it… plus then the space would have been full of the bags, toddler & folded buggy. Which then would take up more room than the buggy itself!
I felt that toddler was safer in buggy, people were squashed all around but respectful, many other travellers were in the same boat. Shuttles arrived every 5 mins or so, no dramas to wait for the next one if no room! Understand this is different for buses though!

TBF, I did have a pram you could genuinely fold one-handed with a newborn. It's Cossato. Honestly, they are amazing.

I mostly got off if needed - at least till first child could stand/sit then it was easier to fold.

I have dyspraxia so was never going to be easy - but have managed with multipe kids and a good folding pushchair to get one folded - second pushchair after talking to other parents who took buses- as kids could hold things or sit togther - sometime people will be very helpful othertimes the exact opposite.

I did see other side when had DH in wheelchair for a bit- baby strapped on my back and a toddler and reception aged child had to get bus into town. I remember one occaion two mothers with pushchairs in wheel chair space were arses about moving or collapsing pushchairs - but bus driver waited them out and our older two were well behaved and sat down with no fuss. They seem to think if they flapped round but did nothing problem of them being in way would magically disappear.

I've never understood people who say - I use my car instead because the buggy is full of junk - but then evidently have to fold the buggy to get it in the car?? If you sort things out to take it in the car, why not the same sorting to take it on the bus?!

Yes. only bring what you need (not your complete household). Just because there is space doesn’t mean you have to load it!
put things in the basket in a bag that you can take out.
All you need in your nappy bag is 3-4 nappies, a mat, a muslin and some nappy bags. potentially a small thermos, a bottle and milk powder.

3 children - folded buggy before getting on bus.

Generally had a least on a sling, or a hip seat.

The muttering and complaining would have been enormous had I held everyone up folding it on the bus.

I never had a problem folding, but my buggy lived folded in the boot of my car (even if I was going out on foot, there wasn't room in the house). So was regularly folded and unfolded, and only ever contained baby and one bag on the bottom. I can see if it's your norm to walk and use bus, you could very rarely need to fold, so maybe accumulate more stuff in the buggy.

I used to fold, because 15 years ago half the buses had steps. Baby in sling, bag on shoulder, toddler holding one hand, fold pram and carry with other. I would do this as the bus approached rather than on the bus. I wouldn’t have been able to travel if I’d not been able to fold the pram. I did move to a maclaren as soon as I could because that was much easier to carry than the pram.

Yes but the bis was every three hours so it was fold or not get on at all and have to somehow walk along a rural A road with no pavement for 5 miles to get home. Everyone helped each other as the bus service was rubbish (including old ladies having babies on their laps).
The child is now 14, so relatively recent.
I was relieved to pass my driving test!

See, I think this is actually normal! Or should be.

Most people really do not mind if you ask them to hold your baby for a minute or two. Some of them are actively delighted! It's a nice thing.

Yes, but only if there’s a seat. I can’t hold my child and hold onto the bus.

I appreciate I've not ridden every bus route in the UK but I've never seen anyone actually collapse a buggy mid journey. I've only ever seen people push buggies on to a bus or less commonly take one on that's been folded ready for boarding.

Um no. Mot everyone has the same lifestyle. Some people live in cities, don’t have a car and need to use the bus for shopping, the school run, kid’s activities etc. so all you need is a few nappies and a bit of formula is absolute nonsense really.

I’ve been on the bus with school bags, my work bag, shopping for that night’s dinner, a kid’s tennis racket, foldable scooter all hanging off or underneath the pram. But I don’t think people fold in London. Never seen anyone do it. I’ve never done it in 8 years of little kids in prams because honestly I couldn’t have managed juggling all that plus the kids. I’d get off for a wheelchair user obviously but otherwise people need to work around my pram or wait for the next bus. It’ll be along in ~5 minutes anyway so no major hardship. I get it’s different in rural areas though where buses are less frequent.

I could but only because I had a Yoyo BabyZen which is designed to be collapsed quickly/ easily and for city environments

Nappy bag off and slung on your shoulder- baby in one arm then press the button to fold down. As soon as there was room- click the button snap the buggy down and back in he went.
had the cosatto woosh so was pretty easy. I had a little buggy buddy bag for toys and little nicknacks that could stay on the handles.

We got buses all the time though so I became a dab hand.

Your workbag goes on your back. Your shopping in a big bag underneath the buggy (so you can take it out easily). Baby goes in sling.
Fold the buggy once you are on the bus.
Foldable scooter and tennis racket - means your second child is at least 4 or 5. they can carry the tennis racket. Our scooter attached to the buggy and could be folded with it.
Of course, most of the time its find, but the odd occasion (wheelchair, other prams/buggies), its not an issue to fold.
If there is space, why bother?
Londoner with 2 kids….

I'm a Londoner with a Yoyo and no car, and I manage to fold mine easily. Everything goes into a large rucksack, and I don't put loose items in the basket or pockets unless I know I'll be walking or using tube or Overground. If we have a long trip out when we have a lot of different bags with us (swimming with park visit, packed lunch and sand toys and dance kit) then I plan my journey avoiding buses - this works as we live in a well-connected part of zone 2. My toddler is old enough to just stand on her own so I don't need to hold her while folding. When she was too young to stand I'd usually have the carrier as well so I could carry her hands-free (or I'd just use the carrier and no buggy at all).

When I was young I would fold mine with a baby in one arm and bags of shopping in the other.. I was doing it most days then.. tbf if I had to do something like that these days I would have a mental breakdown

I've only ever folded my buggy once on a London bus and that was when a wheelchair user got on but I was late for a hospital appointment and really couldn't wait for the next one. Usually, I just get off and wait for the next bus - my buggy has practically my whole life in the basket and so I don't want to be sorting all that out before folding. In London i guess we are lucky enough that the buses are so frequent that it is a luxury we can afford. In my hometown, the bus is once an hour so I suppose I would have been a lot more adept at folding (and probably use a much smaller buggy than I have now!).

I have two prams.

The big one - first with bassinet, no, it doesn't fold in one then. Then with the seat facing me, no, it doesn't fold in one part then either. Only have it facing me til the babes turn 1. If I had this pram I'd have to get off the bus if that was the only option.

However after the age of about 9months for shorter journeys and age 1 for longer ones, would only ever take the small buggy on the bus. This can be folded small and opened again one handed. I have changing bag that is a satchel type either squeezed in the basket at the bottom or hanging over the pram handles. Very easy to wear it or put it on the bus floor whilst I fold pram with one hand. If little one was not asleep and I was asked to fold I would ask someone to hold baby though as not sure I'd be able to hold them at the same time, never tried. If baby could stand I'd stand them up next to me probably instead whilst I did it.

I have 3 kids aged 7 and under, I don't drive so get the bus fairly often. And all the above being said, have never once been asked to fold a pram or had to get off a bus. There have been a handful of occasions going home from the city centre I can think of where I couldn't get on one and had to wait for the next, but that's it.

Where I lived when dd was pram age, folding before entry was required. Baby into sling. Bag onto shoulder or back. Fold pram before bus or train arrives.

I didn’t have to do it often because I used public transit sparingly and it was definitely heavy, but it was possible with forethought and planning.

I never could
Unknown to me though I had an undiagnosed neurological condition. I always felt embarrassed how little I could carry, once I was diagnosed (many years later) so much made sense. Many women with Myasthenia aren't diagnosed for years after onset of symptoms so my story is a common one.