Parent facing pram/buggy - how important?

[Saffra]

For a newborn baby, how important is it to have a parent facing pram/buggy?

Thanks....

I liked a proper pram when they are very little (up to 5 months then they grew out of it) but it depends on your needs and budget. Was very lucky that my parents bought us a travel system which we used for two kids. I don't think the forward facing/rear facing is as important as them feeling safe and protected and being able to lie flat when v little.

Not important at all imo. Though as MrsH75 has said I think it's important for them to be laid flat when they're newborns. I hate it when I see babies bunched u in their car seats on prams.

That should say 'up' not 'u'

Lying flat is definitely more important. You have to look at your needs though and what you'll be using the pushchair for (aside from transporting baby obviously).

I used a travel system for DS where the carseat slotted into the pushchair. They're fine to use but because baby isn't flat you can't use them for longer than 2-3 hours. That was fine for me because I was just going short journeys and I liked being able to look at him but if you're going for longer then a pram or lay flat pushchair would be better.

This time round I need a double so I've ordered a Phil and Teds, baby won't be able to face me but s/he will be laid flat at least.

Best thing is to go somewhere like John Lewis or Mothercare and have a play about with the buggies to see what you like.

I had a proper carrycot bit when DS was tiny then the pushchair bit for when he was a bit bigger (which also went flat if needed) went either way on the base so I could have him facing me or forward. I found when he was a bit bigger he prefered to face forward so he could see what was going on more.

C bear 6 - which PT have you ordered - babies can lie flat towards you in a explorer if you use a cocoon or peanut with them slotted into lie flat position, not sure if you want that but just incase you werent aware!

oggybags Thank you so much for posting that :)
I have an explorer and TTC DC3 but never thought I could turn the cocoon to other way round when that happens.

personally, I'd much rather the baby was facing me. Recent research suggests this encourages language development too - and the footage of how close the baby got to traffic in an away-facing pushchair was scary. Each to their own though.
We've gone for the M&P Glide, so comes with a separate carrycot as well as parent/away facing pushchair bit. I wanted a carrycot as baby is due autumn time and wanted a more snuggly environment than the carseat on chassis option.

I don't think forward facing is that big of a deal. What's most important is how the buggy works for you as a whole i.e. fits in car, easy to use on bus, folds down quickly, budget. You may also find you use a sling a lot when they are newborn so buying a forward facing pram isn't always worth it. But then it completely depends on you.

I agree with Misty. We adopted a baby at eight months and the main criteria I had for choosing a buggy was that it had to face me. The main reasons were that it would (hopefully) help with attachment but mainly to do with language development. I am a primary school teacher and the 'facing towards the parent in the buggy' thing came up on more than one course that I attended in relation to language. I loved being able to see him and talk to him.

With dd1 it was very important to me and we had the iCandy Cherry carry cot then put the seat bit on when dd was 5 months. I loved dd being able to chat to me as we went out.

With the twins I'm expecting, this has had to go by the wayside. But that's a whole dubble buggy issue.

National Literacy Trust study on the advantages of parent-facing pushchairs here

Hi, IME it's great having the option to turn your lo to face you sometimes. Some days they are feeling ill, anxious or whatever and they find it comforting to be able to keep an eye on you as well as the world around. All the other benefits too.

I've got the babystyle s3d, you have the pram body for a baby then the pushchair bit for when they are older and both pram and pushchair can face either way. It's bulky to fold down though cos it's in 2 parts. Still manage to fit it in my small car though.

Forgot to add that DD is in the pushchair now and I find if she is facing away I can't see her or speak to her so I prefer her facing me, she seems to prefer it too.

Parent-facing is best for checking up on them and making sure they've gone to bloody sleep ...