Prams

[HumTeach1012]

Hello. Anyone decided on their pram yet? There are so many! Just after some general advice about preferences, choices and experience really. As a first time mum to be it's all really confusing! X

Hi I got the silver cross freeway liner, I'm not over gooey eyed on prams lol and the one was the first that stood out to me so I went with that in the end :)

I have to say when we started looking I felt totally overwhelmed so much choice.

Stokke all the way! I love ours.

It all depends on your specific needs I guess. I went for iCandy peach, as we weren't too bothered about easy fold (still ok to fit in the car though) and I wanted something very sturdy with large basket as I like long walks and do daily shopping. I loved it. We've now got citi mini jogger as I commute to work and DS is on buses a lot, so collapsing with one hand was THE most important thing.

It all depends on where you will be going with it, how big your car is, if you want the baby seat to lift out and sit on the frame or not (ok for very short trips but it gets hot in there for long periods and isn't great for baby to be in a car seat for a very long time).

I remember a few of us all having babies together, we all bought lovely travel systems but they were such a faff to get out each time that we all bought maclaren buggies as soon as our babies were 6 months old.

My lovely expensive travel system had to go when DC2 arrived because I couldn't push it one handed (DC1 was a runner). I also rather envied the people who planned to have 2 DC's or more and had bought pushchairs that could have another seat added before their first was born.

I went for the Maclaren Techno XLR.

I worked with baby goods whilst at university and nearly everyone came in for a Maclaren once their LOs got to about a year (if not before), so I went for the XLR as its suitable from birth (with carrycot and carseat), and would suit up til whenever dd no longer needs a pushchair.

I adore it, and dd (2.3) now only uses it for naps, but we are expecting dc2 so am looking forward to getting the carrycot and car seat out of storage to use again.

Pregnant with number 2.

My advice would be never assume you'll stick with one pram so don't try and get everything in one package. I don't know anyone who only has one pram.

We had a Jane Rider until LO was a year - loved it, loved the lie flat car seat. However, it's very heavy especially with a toddler in.

The grandparents have a Petite Star as it's small and is the only reclining option that would fit in our classic mini. It's good for what it is, a cheap and small pram but it's a bit wobbly and cheap feeling and the basket is hopeless.

We now have a bugaboo bee, oh my god this pram is a dream. Expensive but you can tell as it's in no way wobbly like the Petite Star.

I got a bugaboo cameleon for DD1... Then had DD2 and thought I needed a double so got an icandy peach 2...

If I would've thought ahead I may have bought an adaptable one to begin with and saved myself about £900

Jane Trider. Like the Strider mentioned upthread but three wheel version. Needed something good for moderate off roading (woodland walks and muddy/bumpy football fields) and easy to manoeuvre and collapse. Also wanted option to parent or outward face. Tried it out at Kiddicare and loved how easy it was to push and fold, plus the moses basket converts into the car seat which was amazing so don't need to buy separate items! Got one second hand on ebay and I am so so pleased with it, it's in the spare room waiting dc3 to be born in about 7 weeks time. I am so excited :)

My advice would be to think about what your lifestyle is like and try out the ones you think might suit in a shop, then do your research online to check other reviews and make sure they agree it works in those situations. We thought we wanted a Mamas and Papas Zoom until a number of reviews said that the front wheel was too small for bumpy ground- would never have thought of this myself.

This is baby number 2 and we've bought a graco evo. Having an easy fold down is essential as DS likes to keep me on my toes. It's got a nice big basket, doesn't need a carrycot and doesn't cost a fortune (got ours on eBay for £150)

We'll probably use it for a year or so and then swap over to the maclaren umbrella pushchair that we've got.

Make a list of things you need from a pram, how big is your car, will you be using public transport, will you be pushing it around a town or more around woods and off road.

Then go somewhere big like John Lewis or Mothercare and go have a play and think about what you like. You might want a 4 or 3 wheeler. You might want something with height adjustable handles if one of you is tall.

We have a Bugaboo Bee and I love it. I still use it and DS is 2.2 yrs.

It's light and folds up in one click unlike some prams where to get it in the car you have to take the wheels off. It parent and forward faces and the handles are height adjustable. The basket is a good size. It folds small so fits easily in the car boot and sometimes even behind the seat! The seat and back extend for when they grow and you can fit a car seat on to the frame. They also keep their value if you ever decide to sell it on.

I've just chosen the three wheeled Jane Trider and transporter too so pleased to hear good reviews upthread!

I love it, it's really easy to fold up and down, and the lie flat car seat sold it to me- baby can sleep in the carrycot with no time limits so could in theory be asleep at home, put in the car and then wheeled round the shops without waking up I know, I know, I won't ever be that lucky in RL but I love the principle!

Another Graco Eco here and there always seem to be offers on on various websites
Baby due next week so not used it yet but easy to fold and light but sturdy feeling

It really does depend on your lifestyle.

I second what was said about the Petite Star. That's what I had for the whole time I was on mat leave with DC1 – it's cheap (bought reconditioned from the manufacturer for about £60), easy to fold, light but my god, the basket is hopeless – tiny and once baby is bigger, impossible to access under their weight. Also you can't put ANYTHING on the back of it or it'll tip over.

It was a good cheap starter buggy for us, but I've since bought a secondhand Bugaboo Frog (predecessor of the Cameleon) as it's chunkier, super-manoeuvreable, has a big basket and the fat back wheels cope much better with the bumpy/muddy terrain in our semi-rural location than the Petite Star's tiny little plastic wheels. Also it came with a buggy board, which will be v handy with DC2 on the way (DC1 is almost 3 and still gets tired walking too far… plus he loves anything skateboard-like).

There are so many secondhand bargains to be had, the one thing I would say is that once you've decided what you'd like, get on eBay/Gumtree/Friday Ad/your local FB selling site and buy the same thing with all the extras for a fraction of the shop price.

Stokke Xplory. It was the only one high enough that I don't have to hunch over to reach the baby and my back is sore enough in pregnancy so imagine it will be worse when the baby is here!

I am on DC 3 and have finally found the prefect pram!! I have the Mountain Buggy Swift which I used with carrycot for the first 4 months then just the main pram which fully reclines and have got a lovely sheepskin liner in it...

It is so nice to push and looks so comfy for DD. It is also small and manoveurable enough to use day in day out - lift in and out of car etc. I have an umbrella fold buggy but never use it as is so horrible to push by comparison!

I know a lot of people like a parent facing pram but I had this at the carrycot stage and DD (10 months) now turns to look up at me if she wants to (there is a window in the hood of the pram!) but otherwise generally likes to look at what is going on.

We bought a Stokke Xplory for DD in 2012. No regrets at all. I haven't pushed or seen anything I like as much. We are now getting the sibling board before DC2 arrives in Aug.