Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Will I need a pram or can I just do with a sling?

30 replies

KittyChat · 12/06/2011 20:51

Has anyone ever not bothered without a pram/buggy for the first few weeks?

We have a very small flat and we're trying to play it by ear before getting some of the equipment. DP is off for eight weeks straight after baby's born so we thought we could share baby-carrying duties during this time. We have three different carriers/slings that we have been given.

My MIL has just called to ask what we're doing re: pram and I told her. There was a silence and then she said 'you know how hard THAT's going to be, don't you?'

We live in London so there are plenty of prams about if we change our minds. We are not planning on making any big trips and are going to hang out in our local area.

Any insights?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

cat64 · 12/06/2011 21:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

nannyl · 12/06/2011 21:07

there are many people who do what you do!

(although not me lol)

have you looked on the babywearers forum, google it, and you will find lots of people who manage.

You could then go straight into a light weight compact easy fold small maclaren type buggy, which wont take up much room, but the smaller ones of these (ie not top of the range techno) are not suitable until about 3 months.

If you are happy too, then give it a try and you can always get a buggy earlier if its harder than you imagine

Original poster

KittyChat · 13/06/2011 08:44

Thanks guys - didn't even think to google, how daft.

Think I'm going to give it a try ... to hell with the naysayers! Can always pop out and buy one at the last minute.

OP posts:

pinklovingfeminist · 13/06/2011 09:01

Hi, I think it can be done, but I had a close sling and did find that even with the smallest baby after a bit I got backache and preferred the pram. Pram's also good for going and picking up a bit of shopping and hanging the bags on it....but yes I think you could manage, good luck!

tiredandgrumpy · 13/06/2011 09:11

I'm sure it's possible to manage without a pram and I certainly use a sling a lot of the time. There may be occasions however, when you want to be able to sit down and have a meal or coffee when out and it is great to be able to do so without baby in the way. Also, on those (hopefully rare) occasions when you go out just to get the baby to go to sleep, you'll be unable to leave it in the pram when you get home and get on with something else.

I'd say leave it until you have your baby and have a better idea of what life is like, but you would probably find it easier to get something. I use a phil and teds completely reclined so no pram, but something which will be used over a far longer period of time.

msbuggywinkle · 13/06/2011 09:18

I have two children, don't drive and have never owned a pram. I'm awful at pushing prams (clumsy for medical reasons!) and just prefer to carry them.

You can definitely just use a sling for the first weeks, learning to breastfeed in a sling is fabulous too as you don't have to find somewhere to stop and sit down!

redvelvetmooncupcake · 13/06/2011 09:24

Do you know someone who could possibly LEND you a pram/pushchair for a few weeks if necessary? Otherwise maybe buy a cheap one off ebay/nearly new sale that lies flat. I had bought a pushchair as I knew I would use it a lot (don't drive) but I ended up having a C section and couldn't use a sling for a few weeks. Hopefully you will have no problems but it's always good to have a backup plan :)

RitaMorgan · 13/06/2011 09:30

I live in a small flat too on the 2nd floor, so have to leave the pram at the bottom of the stairs - so couldn't even leave the baby in the pram of he'd fallen asleep while out anyway!

To be honest, although we did have a pram I wish we hadn't bothered really. I had a Close carrier which I used all the time, in the house and out. Even now at 10 months I either use a ring sling or a beco for ds - only use the buggy once or twice a week.

The only things the pram is really useful for in my experience was:

putting shopping bags in
having somewhere to lie the sleeping baby if you meet someone for coffe/lunch etc

Probably the most useful thing was having a carseat that attached to it. We don't have a car but did use the carseat+pram once a month maybe if we got a train somewhere and got a taxi/lift at the other end for example. If you have a car that the carseat can live in then this isn't really an advantage though.

KirstyJC · 13/06/2011 09:32

I have a ten week old and no pram....it's fine!! You do need a good sling though - I use woven wraps mostly, and a ring sling for when I'm in a hurry.

I have had him in there for up to 3 hours at a time with no problems and I have a fussy back. It all depends on how good your sling is and how supportive you find it. It needs to be tighter than you think!

Check out natural mamas website - loads of people on there have no pushchairs (inc me!) and we manage just fine.

And even if you do end up with a C section, your DH can carry him/her, also depending on which slings you have there are ways to tie it that don't go around your waist so would be OK to use with a healing scar.

Good luck with your baby!

Cattleprod · 13/06/2011 09:36

It's not the baby carrying that's the issue really though - it's the fact that if you have no pram to hang stuff from, or put in the basket, then you will also have to carry a huge bag full of nappies, wipes, muslins, drinks, spare clothes etc etc. Very heavy and uncomfortable with a sore postnatal body if you need to walk more than 100 yards, or up a hill.

nagynolonger · 13/06/2011 09:37

I used a sling for my younger DC. At one point I had two in a twin pushchair and one strapped to me. I'm sure you could manage with a sling/carrier but you may have problems in cold or rainy weather. Also you can fit all your baby stuff and some shopping in a pram.

Ellenohara · 13/06/2011 09:41

Ds2 is 4 weeks old and we have not got the pram down from the loft yet! I'm using a moby wrap and love it, having completely failed to use a baby carrier first time round. I had a section but it ties higher than the scar so has not been a problem. I'm not sure if I'll manage with it if the weather gets really hot but we'll probably stay in more then anyway.

I wish I'd known about thus type of sling 4 years ago - we could have saved a lot if money. Try it first. As others have said, you can easily buy a pram if you fund you do need it

SenoritaViva · 13/06/2011 09:42

I was the one that started the exact same thread a month or so ago. General consensus was that I'm going to give it a try with no pram (have a pram but it's from 3 months) but if I find it too tough I'll go out and buy one.

buttonmoon78 · 13/06/2011 09:42

I have bad spd during pg and a bad back anyway so, for me, slings are no good at all. But I know plenty of people who don't have a pram. If that's your choice, just go with it and be prepared to get a buggy if you don't like it. Or if your baby is one of those rare ones which like space (like my ds!)

RitaMorgan · 13/06/2011 09:46

I've never found I needed a huge bag of baby stuff either - a couple of nappies, wipes, a muslin and a baby gro, now I usually bring a cup and some rice cakes too, but it all fits in my handbag or a small backpack.

StiffyByng · 13/06/2011 10:25

We have a pram but steep steps from the front door so it's tricky to use. (Moving soon, thank goodness). I pretty much always use the sling as my residual SPD makes carrying the pram tricky. But I love the sling anyway. The baby sleeps in it and it feels very comfy. My husband wears it round the house to calm the baby! We've used the pram a handful of times in 4 weeks. I get all the stuff I need (nappy, cotton wool, spare clothes) into a small shoulder bag.

otchayaniye · 13/06/2011 11:06

Another one who has never bought a pram or buggy. My daughter is 2-3/4 and I'm 7 months pregnant (back carry her in a wrap, husband uses a Boba structured carrier for naps) and don't intend to get a pram for this one either.

I like stretchies for the newborn phase (you can buy interlock jersey at 5 metre length and cut in two and get two wraps), then woven wraps from then on, mei tais and Ergo for under 1 year then Boba for older toddlers as the back comes up high for longer bodies.

otchayaniye · 13/06/2011 11:09

"It's not the baby carrying that's the issue really though - it's the fact that if you have no pram to hang stuff from, or put in the basket, then you will also have to carry a huge bag full of nappies, wipes, muslins, drinks, spare clothes etc etc. Very heavy and uncomfortable with a sore postnatal body if you need to walk more than 100 yards, or up a hill."

To be honest, I've never had a problem. Was fine post-section and have only used handbags, or those Le Pliage bags. Honestly, what do you carry around with you? I find you tend to carry more crap about if you can, and you most times don't need it.

Especially for a young baby, just a packet of wipes, a babygro and a few nappies. That won't even weigh one pound.

I've bought food shopping, bottles of wine, library books and baby/toddler stuff and still managed (and no, I'm not some weight trainer) with a shoulder bag.

crystalglasses · 13/06/2011 11:10

I couldn't use a sling at all with my first dc as she was very heavy and I'd had a emcs.

BadPoet · 13/06/2011 11:22

Definitely, I did both times. First time, living in second floor flat in the city - a sling was by far easier for public transport. Second time, my dd regressed a bit when ds was born so he went in sling and she went in buggy. I know some people use only slings but a combination worked for me, mostly slings in the early weeks though.

Finding a good supportive, comfortable sling is key. As well as babywearing, google slingmeet which could give you the opportunity to try some more.

purcellfan · 13/06/2011 20:49

We didn't use the pram except for big supermarket shops (to carry shopping home I mean instead of car) really till at least 6 months, so could have gone straight to a lightweight buggy. Ds got quite heavy around 9-10 months so we used it more but now he can walk I use it more for the bags (picnics, water bottles, spare books for waiting around make bag heavy) really, unless he's asleep, and the lightweight ones are normally collapsible, unlike newborn prams. Found the changing bag we got totally useless as too heavy, we just use an old back pack. But I have one friend who couldn't use songs as her back got bad, so depends.

purcellfan · 13/06/2011 20:49

Slings not songs!

emsies · 13/06/2011 21:18

I had a section so didn't use a sling in the first few days (but didn't leave the house for a bit then either!)

After that it was a sling all the way. We were in a flat up stairs and it was great to just pop baby in the sling and just walk out the door. Fantastic and definitely recommend it.

There might be a slingmeet (google) near you, or some breastfeeding groups will lend slings.

We had a pushchair that laid flat, but wasn't ideal for a pre-6month old but we never used it.

Really really recommend a sling (moby or kari me are reasonable on ebay, and so much cheaper than a pushchair.) A little backpack will carry nappies etc. Its great for bonding, great for the bebies development and great for you - hands free!!!
Good luck

Sarah159 · 13/06/2011 21:35

The kari me sling www.kari-me.com/ and a transparent dome umbrella was all we used at first. The brolly was great because it meant I could still go out if the weather was a bit off and the kari me is very cosy & comfortable. I tried to be minimal in what I bought as money was tight and I didn't want to regret buying lots of stuff. My mantra was "there's nothing I can't get at a 24hr Tesco if I really need it" :)

LittleMissFlustered · 13/06/2011 21:37

Do you know any sling users? Might be worth asking them if you could try their sling, and if they're good friends perhaps even the child, for a short walk to see how it feels? I couldn't get on with them as my hips and knees are in dreadful shape.

Flip

1 2