Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Rear facing pushchairs... opinions?

58 replies

MrsMar · 15/05/2007 12:19

I quite like the idea of a rear facing pushchair, I'd quite like to see my baby when I'm pushing along. I've also read they are better for a child's language development because you can chat more easily while walking along, and they can see your face while you're talking. Does anyone have any opinions? I've only seen one in Mamas and Papas (tbh I've not looked very hard!) which was pretty expensive, much more than forward facing ones, so is it worth the extra expense?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
ChasingSquirrels · 15/05/2007 20:21

lapserunner - never come across anyone else who had this

LucyLu1981 · 15/05/2007 20:34

Thanks Squirrels! And yes it is fab, am a bit gutted though as we (read my mum) paid £600 for ours!!! Have 10wk old DD so haven't used the pushchair bit yet but the car seat and carrycot are great! You can buy something so you can use the carrycot in the car but don't have that. The carrycot has an angly up bit too so they can start to sit up in it

Cakehead · 15/05/2007 20:43

I loved my Bebe Loola - thought it was great for infant age, as you could see if they were spitting up or need a general mopping up. Then when DD began sitting up, loved being able to use the pushchair as rear-facing, as we could chat quite happily together. But there did come a time - at about 12 months, I think - when she wanted to see more of what was going on around her than her mummy, so luckily, with the Loola, you can turn the pushchair round to face forwards. She suddenly became really engrossed in everything in front of her, rather than frustrated that she could only see me. So if you can find a reversible one, I think you get the best of both worlds.

PigeonPie · 15/05/2007 20:46

Well, I love my Stokke Xplory . It might be a bit cumbersome in the car, but out and about it's fantastic and there aren't many pushchairs you can say that you regularly get stopped and asked about when you go out (and I've had it for 18 months) because people think it's so unusual and great

BandofMothers · 15/05/2007 20:48

I got my Infinity from Kiddie care a lot cheaper than I've seen it elsewhere. In a nice red colour.

hatrick · 15/05/2007 20:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Loucee · 15/05/2007 22:16

We also have the Quinny Buzz. We live in the country find it's two back chunky tyres are great on the bumps roads/half pavements but the wee wheel at the front is great in shops. You can fit the car seat/carrycot/pushchair on the chassis and the pushchair can face rear or outwards. DD prefers rear facing and I feel she's a bit more protected from mad shoppers and their bags when we're in the city!

ScottishMummy · 16/05/2007 08:33

isnt it great the range of prams around - so many features

i have a bugaboo and really rate it

pigeonpie- yep stokke is a real headturner

NoviceKnitter · 16/05/2007 08:51

I also spent a long time researching this dilemma. Have bought an icandy cherry which faces forward or back. The great thing about it is it's very light (buggy 7.5kg) and easy to fold, though you do have to take the seat off, which I think is the case with all pushchairs that have the option of rear facing. Cherry also has nice big shopping basket and easy steer swivel wheels. Babe not out yet so can only rave about it from wheeling around the shop! It's £210 for buggy or £299 inc. carrycot and fits the Maxi cosi car seat (£99).

Ottuto owners - do you have to take buggy seat off to fold? Had missed this one and it looks great - tho heavy?

\link{http://www.icandyuk.com/cherry.htm\icandycherry

NoviceKnitter · 16/05/2007 08:53

Whoops icandy cherry

Hopefully that's worked...

ScottishMummy · 16/05/2007 09:00

i have a Phd in prams im obsessed but didnt know bout icandy cherry only the apple the chimera breed of buzz/bugaboo

ScottishMummy · 16/05/2007 09:01

smart very nice

NoviceKnitter · 16/05/2007 09:05

Tis just out last couple of months. Is lighter and easier to fold than bugaboo - only remaining test will be durability over time, and whether taking seat off to fold becomes too much of a fag and end up trading in for a Maclaren. Think they could have come up with better colours,but hey. Watch this space...

LucyLu1981 · 16/05/2007 09:25

NK - no you can leave the pushchair on to fold up although is a bit bulky. Haven't had another pram so can't compare but I don't find the Ottuto heavy at all x

Tallis · 16/05/2007 09:27

I like the look of your icandy cherry v much - but the site isn't exactly bursting with detail is it! What about seat reclining position, accessories, measurements etc? Where did you get all your info from, NoviceKnitter?

NoviceKnitter · 16/05/2007 09:27

Hmm, interesting. Know anywhere in London where i could test drive?

oliveoil · 16/05/2007 09:30

You can analyse all you want

Get yourself a McClaren (or equivalent)

fold up small, weigh nothing, cheap

Both mine were in forward facing from around 6 months and never shut up talking so I really don't see how it causes problems in language development. What a crock of shite.

How long are they in it for exactly? About and hour a day, at most, broke up into trips to the shops or park etc?

BonyM · 16/05/2007 09:37

I have a Stokke Xplory which I love and still use rear facing now that dd2 is 2. We chat all the time.

Have to say that her speech is phemomenal - much better than any of her peers. She puts some quite complex sentences together and the words are very clear.

I have no idea if this is as a result of being in a rear-facing pushchair. She loves books, we did baby signing, all these probably contributed to her language development.

It is lovely to be able to see her though - I keep a small umbrella fold pushchair in the car for quick trips and although it's more "convenient" I don't like it so much.

Ceolas · 16/05/2007 09:40

It's your preference really.

I don't believe that having a rear facing pushchair will have a marked effect on his/her speech development.

Talking to him/her will, whether it's in a pushchair or not.

Ceolas · 16/05/2007 09:42

FWIW, my DS has amazing speech. We get comments on a regular basis. He was forward facing from 6 months.

Next baby will be rear facing though. Just because I want to

NoviceKnitter · 16/05/2007 09:42

Tallis - if you look at the bottom of page i gave link to there are pages you can view with accessories and tech spec etc. Think it's four positions but can't remember and still in box!(whoops should know!)

NoviceKnitter · 16/05/2007 09:47

My friends who are speech and language specialists say facing backwards has no influence on this aspect of development. Like others say it's just personal preference. I nearly went for Maclaren Techno from birth but combo of rear facing option and one handed steerability swung me to go for Cherry in the end.

LucyLu1981 · 16/05/2007 09:58

Unfortunately not - I found it on the internet and loved the look of it so decided to order it and send back if I didn't like it!! There are 2 versions - 2 in 1 or 3 in 1 I would say go for the 3 in 1 if buying from newborn as the real carrycot is lovely - the 2 in 1 the pushchair bit converts to carrycot and is not as comfy for newborns IMO

Tallis · 16/05/2007 10:04

Thanks NK. Durrrrr. I see the links now. It looks, well, amazing. Can you fold it with the seat still on? Maybe you haven't tried as it's still in the box . It looks like a bugaboo but better and not as expensive!

NoviceKnitter · 16/05/2007 10:15

Tallis - no you have to take seat off. Then frame is easy one hand fold (tried lots in shop!). Thought all both ways facers were seat off to fold till heard about Ottuto this morning... would love to be able to compare...

Swipe left for the next trending thread