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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Front facing buggy from birth?

32 replies

YellowSquirrel · 02/01/2016 16:29

Joie litetrax £100 mother care photo

I have bought the above buggy in the sales. Mainly because it fits in my tiny car boot. Now I am regretting my choice because the baby faces forwards. It lies flat so is suitable from birth. I plan to be using a sling carrier for longer walks etc.
What are your opinions on front/rear facing prams?
I am so confused with baby choices!!?
Thank you.

OP posts:

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AuntieStella · 02/01/2016 16:33

You might find the topic a more helpful place:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pushchair_chat

madwomanbackintheattic · 02/01/2016 16:34

Rear facing is very du jour. billions of babies were raised forward facing from birth. the whole rear facing thing is reasonably new and trendy in baby raising terms. Doesn't make it worse or better, just different. Tbh, if you are following other stuff like baby wearing, your rear facing buggy won't get much use anyway.

stargirl1701 · 02/01/2016 16:34

I prefer seeing/chatting to my babies. We went with the Stokke Xplory. Love it still - two babies later!

bumblebeerat · 02/01/2016 16:40

We used rear facing with dd but or ward facing with the two ds simply because we couldn't afford a rear facing one or fit one in our tiny fiat punto so had them in a £50 cheap thing. They are both fine. As it's been said before rear facing is a pretty new thing.

randomsabreuse · 02/01/2016 16:42

With 2 slings - vomity child I've used the pushchair to prove I can in nearly 5 months. Town has steps and cobbles though and dog walks are not pushchair friendly - Stiles, mud etc.

Useful for things like smear tests or if you need an exam when DP is back at work.

Mine wouldn't like rear facing - always has preferred looking at the view - copes in the sling though looking sideways. Nosy child really and likes lights!

madwomanbackintheattic · 02/01/2016 16:50

Lol Stargirl, because no-one using a forward facing pushchair EVER in the history of the world looked at or chatted to their babies.

AngelsWithFilthySouls · 02/01/2016 16:57

I think it will be fine. When DS moved out of carry-cot pram he was rear-facing but hated it - he's far too nosy and was obviously bored of my face so he's always front-facing now

CharmingChampignon · 02/01/2016 17:00

I was obsessed with buying a rf pram with dc1 - read and believed all the research. She barely went in it as we found the sling the most comfortable/useful mode of transport. I talked to her all the time anyway and always ate together at the table once she was weaning etc and there have been no problems with her speech. DC2 went ff in a double from the beginning and talked in sentences from 18 months. I think they mostly went in the pushchair to nap anyway...

ByThePrickingOfMyThumbs · 02/01/2016 17:02

It will be fine.

A friend of mine with twins used a Baby Jogger Double from birth. Both babies were forward facing in that and they were prem so tiny initially. It was not a problem at all.

You got a fab bargain with that buggy. Relax. Your baby will not be socially stunted!

Claraoswald36 · 02/01/2016 17:05

I'm sure it will be fine. If you are slinging and have a great carrier you probably won't use the program much when the baby is tiny. I was all rear facing obsessed with dd1 - my best friend wasn't (used a Oran like the one in the op) - our dds are extremely wordy now and followed almost identical language development patterns, both very advanced as toddlers.
The older I get the more I realise these details don't matter much - being a responsive parent and talking to your baby at home all the time is more important than pram choice. Unless you plan to keep the baby in a pram at least times, not just a bit of shopping and the school run

NoTimeLikeSnowTime · 02/01/2016 17:07

Same as Pricking's friends, I had prem twins in a side-by-side that had to go forward from birth. It was just one of the 90000 things I felt guilty about at the time that I now think was completely stupid.

Babies aren't in buggies for their entire day. If you walk around looking into a pram and talking at your baby you'd probably walk into a lampost. Little babies sleep in prams (well mine did anyhow) or look at the clouds because they're lying down. Bigger babies look at the "CaR!" 'Dog!" "NeeNaw!" and frankly Mummy ain't so fascinating, It's a complete non-issue.

tomatodizzy · 02/01/2016 17:10

It will be fine. If you're really worried get a matching infant car seat and then the baby can face you
www.joiebaby.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Litetrax-TS-Gray-RightAngle2-cs-CC-510-2648-xl.jpg

et voilà

Mrswinkler · 02/01/2016 17:13

Forward facing here.

I'm sure they would prefer looking out and about rather than at you all the time! You do find you stop and look at them by going round the front of the pram anyway and talk to them as you are walking when they are a bit bigger.

Original poster

YellowSquirrel · 02/01/2016 17:19

Thank you, I feel much better now. Baby won't be in it that much, and I will chat away to him/her at other times.
Thanks for link of the car seat but that's another expense I can't justify! This is a budget baby! Even looking at YouTube videos of how make a sling out of old t_shirts!

OP posts:

Jesabel · 02/01/2016 17:23

I like the idea that a rear facing pram is a new thing! All prams used to be rear facing

I personally would hate a forward facing buggy with a little baby, I'd be leaning round checking they're ok all the time. I'm not super keen even with my 22 month old because it's hard to talk to him and see whether he has fallen asleep or not, and I don't like him eating if I can't see him.

DiscoSpider · 02/01/2016 17:25

Yellow a sling out of old tshirt may be cheap but it won't be overly supportive or comfortable for you! You can get a stretchy sling for about £20 from Victoria Sling Lady, which should last until baby is about 4/5 months, then maybe look at the slings under £50 Facebook group for a preloved carrier when baby is a bit bigger.

Re your actual question (sorry!) I prefer parent facing personally when they're tiny, but there is nothing wrong at all with forward facing from birth. Pram looks like a bargain!

Artandco · 02/01/2016 17:25

Do look on eBay for second hand slings. We bought a great soft one ( the old close caboo), for £6 unused in box still! It was about £50 new at the time

sepa · 02/01/2016 17:29

I personally wouldn't get one that only did one or the other (mine you have the choice) but if this is what suits your lifestyle (car wise) and your planning on using a sling then I see no problem with it being forward facing.

Artandco · 02/01/2016 17:29

Oh and free cycle is good if you have time to wait and see what's put up over a few weeks. There's often cots/ clothing/ toys etc up for free if your local. Especially bigger items that people can't be bothered with the hassle of selling and posting

madwomanbackintheattic · 02/01/2016 17:35

Prams, yep. Plastic 'buggies', no.
Don't think the op is buying a vintage silver cross lol.

badg3r · 02/01/2016 18:01

Looks great to me. We had a forward facing MacLaren from birth but didnt get it out till he was about 6 weeks old, he was in thr sling the whole time till then. It will be fine.

PennyHasNoSurname · 02/01/2016 18:05

Find a sling library and hire one! Roughly £8/9 per month and can swap and change as the baby grows.

I had a Maclaren XLR so once she putgrewthe attached carrycot she was forward facing flat from three months. Done her no harm linguistically.

museumum · 02/01/2016 18:07

How well can you see into it? Does it have a window? If it doesn't you'll be forever stopping to look and see if they're asleep yet / awake yet.

tuilamum · 02/01/2016 18:17

DD has a forward facing buggy, had it since birth and now she's 5 months and loves it, sometimes its the only way I can get her to sleep on a separate surface to me. I was worried about having forward facing at first but its turned out great because she's so damn curious

maybebabybee · 02/01/2016 18:19

Havent had my baby yet so can't comment from personal experience but when I went pram shopping with my mum she was bemused that rear facing was even a thing.

I really don't think it's as big a deal as it's made out to be.

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