Is it better to buy a pram with a detachable carrycot, or one that folds right up? Sorry, yet another pram question...

[piggysgal]

Can anyone help? I am expecting my first baby at the start of October, and I am going cross-eyed looking at all the prams out there and reading up on past threads. Sorry to submit yet another pram question, but as far as I can see no one has asked exactly this question before. I want to get a three-in-one with carseat, pram and buggy options, and like the look of the Mamas and Papas range. But I don't know whether to go for the completely fold-downable Pramette, or something like the Ultima, with a detachable carrycot.

I am quite short and weedy, so am definitely after something as light as possible - this is really the main criterion. We live in London, and most of the pram's use would be on the streets and public transport. We'd take it in the car at weekends on various trips (I don't drive, but dh does), but major off-roading isn't going to be a factor. I have several steps up to the front door and don't want to break my back. I also need to take it on the short plane hop to my parents' home. Sadly my lovely mummy is severely disabled, and there is no way she can come to visit me - and I would like to visit her asap. Having a carrycot would mean I wouldn't have to install a separate travel cot at my parents' house just yet - and it would also be useful for visiting dh's elderly parents. But in the general scheme of things, not having a carrycot is not the end of the world in that respect. My main concern would be having to check the carrycot into the plane hold. If I were to use the carrycot as the baby's bed rather than buying a separate Moses basket I would be concerned about it getting dirty in transit. And also, would it not be easier to check in a pram that folds down into one simple piece?

So I'm thinking I might just as well buy a Pramette and a separate Moses basket for use at home, and buy a cheap travel cot for use when we're away?

Or would I be missing out on potential advantages of having a detachable carrycot?

Can anyone tell me what the advantages/disadvantages of having a detachable carrycot are? Does it help that when you get home you can take carrycot containing the baby into the house first, then come back to fold up the chassis? Or is it better that you can fold the whole thing up in one piece (clearly not with baby in situ, I hasten to add)? Am trying to imagine what would work best for me when coming back from an outing with the pram, and having to negotiate the steps to the front door. Does it make things easier/more difficult on public transport?

Oh how I wish some omniscient pram-god could see into my mind and select for me exactly the pram that I need...

Many thanks in advance for any replies.

Kate

We've got a Silver Cross with a Sleepover top. It works just fine indoors for DD to sleep in, but won't fit in my car. It's far too big to take on public transport. Now she is 4 months old she isn't very comfortable in it because she almost touches both sides and top and bottom (and she's hardly a bruiser of a baby).

I would say that as you travel on public transport you would be much better off having something that folds right down. I can't take mine on a train for example and I'd be stuck if there were already buggies on the bus.

I have the pilko pramette thing and its great. You can get some really timy travel cots - i.e the samsonite bubble that you could take to your mums. The pramette isnt particularly light, but it does fold easyily, its in the back of my focus, and I can lift it even thought I'm only 5 foot and had a c-section. Its very manovourable too? There is no way that I could have fit the chassis and carry cot and a car seat and my weekend bag in the car.

I have the mamas and papas 3 in 1 which has carrycot & pushchair parts. DS1 slept in it at night for 5 months and was very comfortable in it through the day. The big plus about that system was that the pushchair could be rear or forward facing - I think the pramette is only forward facing. I didn't think this was a big deal before having DS but ended up almost always having him facing me in his pushchair - I could talk to him and sing as we walked along and I could hear everything he was 'saying'. When he was facing forward every time he said something or made a noise I had to stop and go round the front to speak to him!

I found it no problem to go on and off buses - they have space built in for prams so no need to dismantle - and it fitted into the boot of my car (a Honda Jazz) no problem.

Hope this helps.

i have a bebeconfort pushchair/carseat and carrycot which i loved for ds1. we borrowed a moses basket for him but this time have just bought a stand for no.2 so it can sleep in carrycot as it will last longer than moses basket (only large mamas and papas one fits it though). i much preferred having a 'proper' pram bit as it gives loads more protection agianst elements! also liked having a pushchair seat that could face me (ds1 still faces me know and is a fantastic talker, i think it helps!) not sure about the transport thing tho - depends if most of the buses have space for prams. you don't really want to fold anything down when they are little so maybe get a good sling for 1st few weeks if possible? whatever you do i personally feel it is important that they lie flat as much as possible when little (think it is something to do with neck/head balance and muscle control lacking but someone may correct me) so i hate seeing babies in the carseat bit for ages when not actually in car! (just my opinion!)

get both!!

lovely flat carrycot for first 4-6 months, then lovely rear facing pushchair option to fit on same chassis from them on (like mamascot I have a much loved mamas and papas 3 in1 but there are lots of option)

then when your precious poppet is 10 months or so and you're heaing off on your first holiday (or whatever) buy a stroller too

hi there
if you have to use public transport alot i would say not to bother with the seperate 3 in 1, i have 2 dd's and expecting in december i am having m&p 3 in 1 and a pliko pramettte but we dont drive at all so i know it will get the use. i want the p3 pramette for when i go on bus maybe twice a week, and once in a blue moon we go in inlaws car, i am buying a pramette travel sysytem so can also use the car seat on my 3in1 chassis if needed(this is a good option to have for public transport, but no easier than the pramette travel system iykwim)

anyway the short of it is i love my seperate carrcot as will get the most out of it by using the carrycot as lo's 1st bed, and lo can sleep during the day downstairs too, but like i say we dont drive, and when my ex drove when i had dd2, we tried getting a 3in1 in the boot of various cars and even if they did fit, you would end up having to seperate the chassis from carrycot or removing wheels, so you might as well just take the chassis and click the car seat straight ,as why bother with all that fuss.

personally i think something the size of p3 pramette would suit your life better especially if you have stairs to negotiate too, the only down side is once your lo has out grown the PRAMETTE part, the pushcahir itself is only forawrd facing, but you tend to find that with most pushcahirs that fold like that. it is one of the best strollers i have ever owned and couldnt recommened enough as i think they do as good a job as the big prams, without all the bulkyness of big prams and the flimsyness of smaller buggies, they are much more stable than that,i also think there good value for money and will last through to toddler stage, where as a 3in 1 has more limited shelf life, most ppl end up getting rid after 18 mths/2 yrs to down size to something smaller, i think you get the best variety in size and features with a p3 which make it last longer

sorry if long but i hope this helps

I have a silver cross 3D which has a matress you put in to make it a pram for the early days. It is light for it's type of pram. I'm 4"ll if that helps and can lift it easily into car. I have also carried up a flight of steps at a railway station.
I have also taken it on the bus ( london transport) in both the pram and pushchair settings with no problem
We used it in the ealy days in the nroom and DD slept in in with the moses basket up stairs

We had a Britax Practicale with carrycot only. we knew we would go on to buy a light weight buggy so didn't see the point of the push chair bit. The baby slept in it at night and went out in it during the day and it folded down and served my 3 babies really well. This is my pram

At the moment I am using a Babystyle 3in1 and it is lovely, im always getting comments from people about it and when my dd was first born I found she would only sleep in the carrycot and not her moses basket so the fact it could easily be removed from the chassis was great. Unfortunately the whole thing is very bulky and will only fit in the boot of our car (a rover 400) with the parcel shelf removed and it leaves no room left for shopping, its even a tight squeeze in my Dads Citreon Picasso and they have quite large boots It that respect it is not very practical, i have yet to attempt to take it on public transport as I prefer to walk everywhere at the moment.

We have also just bought a lightweight Century stroller, its nothing fancy but the seat lays back so its suitable for baby's and we use that for quick trips out in the car, it wil also be better on public tranport. So I get to use my fancy pram most of the time but if it calls for it then we have a more practical one that fits in the boot for if we go shopping.

With ds2 I had a Graco travel system which I found very easy to use on public transport and it fitted in the boot perfectly. The only thing I didnt like about it was the position ds2 was sat in whilst in the car seat. If we were out for the whole day and we had the car seat on the pushchair we found he would be grumpy by the time we got home due to the funny position the seat kept him in. I also found he looked lost when put in the pushchair bit.

I know how hard it is buying a pram especially when its your first baby. I knew i wanted something fancy like a proper pram this time around as dd is my lst baby but I forgot about it also having to be practical Even dh didnt realise how big it was when we saw it in the shop.

Good luck and im sure you will choose the right pram for you, it just gets a bit overwhelming when you see all that is on offer out there, doesnt it

Hello Piggysgal

I have a Chicco Trio...it is a buggy type that has a carrycot that clicks on...tis fab for newborn, car seat also clicks on too. The buggy bit is umbrella fold a la maclaren but much sturdier and comfier for my ds...I?m still using it at 19 months..only reason i will change is cos i am pregnant again and so may need to visit the double buggy hell! I walk everywhere so it gets a good pounding.

this one

Im the only one of 6 antenatal friends who hasnt had to buy a cheap second buggy cos their prams were too big. Not sure you would get it in mothercare though?? MIght need a pram shop specialist. I got mine online from Kiddicare and I think it was £280 for everything.

Cannot recomend it enough...also tis nice to have something that is a bit different. It is great as a buggy too now ds older....umbrella fold so fits in car no probs but not little and crappy like maclarens, has a good sized padded comfy seat and sturdy wheels (4 of). Also it came with a cosy toes and raincover you didnt have to buy them as extra plus raincover fits in a pocket in the hood so you dont have to fill up your shopping basket with it. (you do have to buy extra raincover for pram mode though but wasnt dear.) Some of my friends have maclarens and they seem v rickety in comparison, small seat and v. little wheels. Only disadvantage to Chicco is that buggy isnt rear facing (carrycot is though).

We took it to US when DS 3 months and have been on a few flights with it since, I also take it on the train to my mums. The buggy seat lies flat also so for your actual flight you could check in the carrycot (the airlines have giant plastic bags to put things in to stop them getting dirty) and use the buggy at the airport, you just then hand the buggy bit over at the door of the plane.

Carry cot was fab, cant recommend enough. Was lovevly as a pram and was great when we went to stay with people as we didnt need a travel cot, just used carrycot . The carrycot clicking off was a great feature?if you arrive home and you baby is asleep you will not want to wake it up so you can get in the house!! I used mine for DS to sleep in overnight when visiting rellys, he also used to sleep in it in the day.. You can use carrycot in the car too as there are straps etc for fixing to belts but it isnt as safe as a proper car seat.

An extra thought, we have just bought a cheap travel cot and leave it at my mums permanently so I don?t have to lug it on the train when going down there. I just used to take DS in a sling with a small rucksack of stuff and get my mum to buy nappies etc at her end. So until he was bigger I didn?t need the pushchair/pram for visiting there at all. Mind you a bit different now he?s bigger!

Wow, so many great responses. I love mumsnet! Thanks so much evenhope, geordiemacminx (thanks for the tip on the Samsonite cot), mamascott, horseymum, tassis, mad4girls (congrats on your new little one in December!), peachygirl, thehairybabysmum (thanks for that, I'll definitely look into the Chicco Trio), Pebblemum (great tips on the Babystyle and Graco) and NAB3. Your comments are all so useful. I still haven't quite decided what to get yet. I think the best thing is going to be for me and dh to go to the showroom and have a look for ourselves. Maybe we'll even go up to the Twoleftfeet showroom as they seem to have so many models up there. I need to get my finger out though. The comments about the forward/rear-facing pushchair facility (thanks Mamascott and horseymum) are particularly useful. That's not something I'd even thought of, but I can see now that it's an important factor to take into account.

Does anyone know if it's possible to get a special 'travel bag' type thing to put prams in to into plane holds? Perhaps that would be the answer if I end up buying a pram with a separate carrycot... How much easier it would all be if my mum were well. Sigh.

I think I am just going to have to accept that whatever I buy is going to have its advantages and disadvantages. What a minefield this is! I think anyone setting themselves up as a pram personal shopper would make a fortune.

Cheers again everyone

Kate.

im sure two left feet showroom is great(havent been mysef) its always best if you have a good play with what your buying

but please ask advice about buying from them i havnt myself, but everyone i spoke to on here have said there ordering/delivery is v.v.v.v.v bad and do not deal with them at all

also m&p do a travel system(only in red i think) included pliko p3, car seat and seperate carry cot, the same style as the chicco one, so you could have the benefit of umbrella folding and speretae carry cot forgot about that one,

Hello again...just to say about the travelling thing with a baby...all the airlines i have travelled with, long and short haul have had no probs checking in car seat etc so dont worry about that too much. We have had no damages either so far.

Re forward/rear facing options...rear facing is lovely when they are bigger but the compromise is that im yet to find a rear facing that folds down compactly...often they are a separate seat unit to chassis or fold down quite big in the way of a conventional pram.

Unfortunately i'm yet to find one that is the best of both but in view of your travelling a lot i would defo say go umbrella fold type with carrycot. The baby is rearfacing in the carrycot and so will be looking at you for the first 6 months anyway.

good idea to visit shops and try lots..make sure you fold them up and down and switch directions if faces both ways.

Happy hunting!!!

@ Piggysgal - sorry to throw spanner in the works, but I've been looking at the M&P website and the Modo offers everything you talked about in your first post. The MPX chassis is umbrella fold, and folds down with the seat attached in EITHER DIRECTION, plus the seat lies flat as per pramette. Only disadvantage is that it doesn't have the separate carry cot.

The Ultima DOES have a separate carrycot but isn't umbrella fold, although it will fold with the seat attached but not with the carrycot attached.

Okay so I've jsut talked myself in a big circle - you're right and there's not one system that does everything!! And the M&P Ultima reviews I have read say it can be a bit unreliable. If anyone has one, I'd love to hear your experiences.....

Ooh, more replies! Thanks girls. Yes Mad4girls, I read that too about twoleftfeet. It's such a pity. Why can't they sort themselves out? Hairybaby'sbum (love that name!) thanks for your tip about travelling. It's good to know you haven't had any problems. I'm really thinking now of trying to find some kind of bag to accommodate the carrycot. Thanks for the tip on umbrella fold and carrycot. LucyK1978 - I'm going to look at the Modo right now - thanks for finding that. You're absolutely right, everything has its advantages and disadvantages doesn't it? I'm now vacillating on the whole M&P brand anyway, as the reviews of the Primo Viaggio carseat aren't that great. I'm thinking a Britax Vitality Vigour Four might tick most of my boxes. But tomorrow I'll probably think something different! God, I am even DREAMING about prams at the moment. How sad am I?

Cheers everyone

Kate

OOOooo I just remembered - I was in m&p yesterday and they have the pilko prammette half prioce - £150 ar the moment - think its only in the afternoon tea fabric which is cream with red spots - lovely if you are having a girl and a great price