Is there somewhere I can try out prams in the east midlands?

[licoriceGreen]

I've been to mother care but they were all on little stands or wall mounted. I want to go and push them and see how easy they are to fold and try lots of different ones. Is there anywhere that you can do that near nottingham?

John Lewis let you push their prams round and collapse them, etc. And even though Mothercare's are on stands or up on those shelves if you ask a member of staff they'll get them down for you to have a play with.

Best thing is to make a list of what you need from your pushchair/pram. So for example are you using mainly public transport or car, will you be shopping with it, walking a lot, jogging (that one always puzzles me, who wants to jog with a buggy!?), etc. If you can think of a few "must-haves" and tell the staff they'll be able to make some recommendations for you.

Little bit of a trek but there is Kiddicare in Peterborough or Precious Little One at Grantham.

Thanks both, this is my first dc so I'm completely clueless with all thus stuff. I certainly have no plans to jog with it though! I think it might be worth a road trip. I can't believe more places don't exist.

I would love to open a pram shop and do all the things other shops don't. I'd have weighted dolls so customers could put them in the prams to see what they're like with the weight if a baby/toddler in them and how easy the straps are to fasten around a little body and how easy it is to collapse/put up with one hand while holding a child in the other. I'd have a test track too for pushing the prams on with all different surfaces like sand, gravel, grass, tarmac, stairs, etc. It would be the best pram shop ever.

licorice, prams are confusing because there are so many. I had a BebeConfort Streety for my first then got a Graco. The Streety felt flimsy and the Graco was more solid but heavy. I've got a Maclaren right now and I love it. When Peanut arrives in September I'm getting a Phil and Ted's Explorer because I can use it as a double and then when DS outgrows it I can't convert it back to a single.

Mothercare have a Baby Plan scheme where you can order your pushchair and pay so much off each week/month, once it's fully paid they'll deliver it on a date of your choice. Makes it easier to budget without going into debt, if you change your mind you can get a full refund, and if the price reduces during the plan you pay the lower price (nothing more annoying then shelling out a few hundred quid and then seeing your shiny new buggy in the sale a month later!)

ohhhh didnt know kiddicare was in peterborough.

Cbear that's I love your shop idea, I stupidly thought places like that existed. Granted this came from reading shopaholic and baby, think I need reasses my reference points .

There is kiddisave in Walsall if thats any good.

Kiddiecare definitely worth a visit. Salespeople are really helpful, but go early in the morning, by 11 on a Saturday it's a bear pit.

If you fancy a day trip, go to Precious Little One, have lunch at the Olive Branch in Clipsham and then go to Kiddicare. Enjoy kid free fantastic lunches while you can!

Where abouts in Nottingham are you? If you go to an NCT Bumps and Babes group you can speak to Mums who have a variety of prams (I have 3!)

Just remember, at 6 months you'll probably dump your expensive pram for a cheap stroller.