Clueless about travel systems

[honeyharris]

I've started researching travel systems / prams / car seats etc to the point of confusion! Several friends have suggested getting a travel system rather than individual items, which seems to make sense. However, I'm not sure whether a two in one (car seat & stroller) or three in one (car seat, Carrycot and stroller) would be best - is it ok to have the baby clipped in in it's car seat or is it better for them to be able to lie flat?

My dh hasn't been much help - we've seen some Hauck systems on special offer on Bounty and he wants one of those because it has cup holders and lots of bits to carry shopping and various things!

Babies shouldn't be in a car seat for more than an hour

A carrycot or pram with full recline is best I think

People say carrycots aren't worth the money but my dd had 5 months of use out of hers, she slept in it in the house as well as using it when we went out and it was included in the pram I bought for £250 so I can't grumble

I didn't get a car seat that could be used like a travel system because I didn't need that

Also, I thought travel systems generally were a lie flat pram which then inclined upwards to be a buggy, with the option to clip a car seat in but this doesn't seem to be the case? Sorry I'm rambling slightly, have been googling stuff for nearly 3 hours now.

I think some lie completely flat but not all

My m&p zoom lies completely flat but also comes with carrycot

You can buy a car seat to make it a travel system

M&p sola is probably the same as they are very similar

Im going 3 in 1 simply because its better for baby to be laying down that sat in a car seat for hours while I'm wandering around town.
Comfy baby will be less stress for both of you x

The thing that confuses me with the All-in-one type travel systems, surely once the baby outgrows the car seat you gave to buy a whole new pushchair set??

I'm seriously stressing over pushchairs, it's just too confusing. I'm purposefully delaying and delaying it because I just don't understand it all. There are too many options and too many confusions.

I think it's best not to spend huge amounts on a pram for baby as when they get to a year or so most people switch to a light stroller

I spent £350 on a pram with carrycot and seat unit, and also a lightweight stroller

Dd is 9 months and I am happy with both

I use the pram much more than the stroller at the moment as I like to have her facing me

Newborn babies should lie flat as often as possible, and car seats should only be for car journeys. Carrycots that can you can take off so baby can stay sleeping are good as you'll get more use out of them, and it's alot comfort for baby x

You really need to work out what you need.

I've bought carry cots with other babies but I'm not with this baby as I know she won't be out loads. I drive every where. Don't spend days out shopping etc. I also have a sling.

Think of it like this.
Do you drive/ use public transport?
Budget?
Will you use a sling?
Will some one else be using the travel system?
Will you be around town or in the country side?

That's how I worked it out.

Also go to shops & have a good look & feel of the travel system.

Best of luck!!

Go and spend some time playing with various models in john lewis or a baby shop. If you're near london there's a baby show coming up next month where there will be loads of models on display to try.

Go to Mothercare and ask them to demonstrate. When they finish and you know what you need mumble politely about coming back with your mum who is going to pay for it (or similar) and then buy online, potentially from ebay/gumtree for loads less.

Don't buy car seats secondhand though, you need to be certain that they have never been in a collision before.

I bought this mothercare xpedior.

It has carrycot, car seat, pushchair and was £200 quid in the sale, this is for dc2, which is at the cheaper end of the market but I know that we will switch to our old stroller in a year so didn't want to spend a fortune.

We had a second hand crappy thing for DS so I decided to buy new this time because I really wished we had a lie flat carrycot- I think its worth getting one of those. The baby will sleep in this at home after I do the school run, I hope!

Exactly what Shellywelly said.

You won't need to replace the whole system when baby outgrows the car seat/carrycot - you just start using the pushchair bit instead.

I'm now trying to work out why every pair of curtains I have seen that I might like for the nursery are either net or voile? Is there some Law that Nursery's can't have normal curtains?

Why does everything have to be so complicated???

Thanks everyone, I will be using the car and mostly around town, and intend to buy a sling as well so will probably give one of the 3 in 1 systems a try. It's difficult knowing what I will need with this one being my first as I can't really imagine what it will be like actually having a baby and what we'll be doing!