Prams, buggies, travel systems 🤯

[Margo34]

I have no idea where to start.

In lockdown, when you can't go and visit a store to see/push/try anything, and you're a FTM without a clue what you'll need or want, how do you decide what to get and where to get it from and when?! I don't want to get one too soon, or too late if it takes months to process an order and deliver!

And.....the prices!! Oh my.

Help!!

@mouse1234567 I find it a very easy pram to manoeuvre but it won't be the lightest pram out there. We also live rurally so I can't comment on using it on public transport very often.

Height wise, we are 5'8 and 6'2 and the handle works well for us. I am long legged and some prams we tried I found I kicked the basket when walking which doesn't happen with the vista.

@Margo34 we used the carrycot part until DS was 3.5/4 months as by then he was getting big and his head control was good enough to be a little more upright. He was born on the 91st centile though so I'm sure it fits other babies for longer.

We ordered ours when I was about 28 weeks pregnant because I wanted it in 'Jordan' which was a popular colour.

One thing I would recommend if you get the Vista is the Cybex Cloud Z car seat. I was originally going to get the Maxi Cosi but the Cybex rotates in the car (godsend as baby gets bigger) but also stretches out when attached to the pram so it will lay flat x

@NoNameIdeas @dottydally thanks so much that’s very helpful. So hard to make decisions when you can’t see them!

When shopping for Dd2 pram we nearly got divorced🤣.
It was 23 years since dd1 was born. The shop assistant fired Questions at us as soon as we entered the shop.
3 wheels
4 wheels
Fixed wheels
Travel system
Make
Colour.
3 bloody hours we were in that shop. DH told me through gritted teeth to pick a pram, any bloody pram. I just wanted a pram, she definitely saw us coming. It ended up costing us over a grand.

Any that has an Uppababy Cruz or Vista - what car do you have?

@LexiM
We have the Cruz and have a Mazda 3 and a Chevy Cruze. Both are hatchbacks and could fit the Cruz in easily.

Hi! I'm interested in everyone's recommendations on here - I've been wondering about Bebecar I Pop or I Top travel systems but they're quite expensive - does anyone have any feedback on this brand?

@LexiM I've bought the vista for my baby due in June and it fits in my Renault clio boot easily. The boot cover has to come off and the buggy does not lie flat in the boot but there is still a fair bit of space. Bassinet we will have to put on the back seat but I assume that's fairly common with small cars.

We tried SO many prams and I really feel for those trying to choose in lockdown. I honestly had no idea until I went into the shop as it turned out I didnt like any on my shortlist in real life. We went for vista as really easy to use and fold, bassinet nice and high on frame, adjustable handle, large basket, folds compactly and light to lift, and the carrycot is ventilated and suitable for overnight sleeping. Basically I thought it was perfect and just more user friendly than the Bugaboo Fox which was my second choice.

Thanks @BeingATwatItsABingThing and @girlinajumpsuit.

We have a Skoda Fabia so sounds like could be an option for us. So far I thought that or the Bugaboo Fox but from videos it doesn’t seem as easy to collapse etc. and more expensive. I’m not too worried about putting the carrycot on the back seat as we rarely use the backseats anyway and they aren’t in it for that many months.

@LexiM I definitely found the vista much easier to collapse and generally just more intuitive than the Fox which I found a little more fiddly. That said the Fox was very lovely and felt really nice to push - as I drive a lot on my own though and want to be able to get in and out of car as quickly and easily as possible, i thought the vista suited me more

Hey all... does anyone have any advise of the iCandy peach travel system? And also bottles lol! Thinking of the NUK or MAM (which dont look the nicest)😂

OK I've looked all afternoon and evening at online reviews and YouTube vids- left right and centre!

I'm thinking maybe a pushchair and car seat without a carrycot might be sufficient for us, dunno though! How do you know until baby is here 🤔

I like the sound of the Uppababy, maybe the Cruz over the vista, but can you buy without the carrycot anywhere?

Thank you to @BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz for your suggestion of the Mamas and Papas Armadillo Flip XT, from online research this could well be our front runner.

Thank you to everyone for helping me understand and sharing what you've gone for! It has really helped me work out what we might need and we now have a potential shortlist!

@margo34 You can't buy the Vista without a carrycot but think you can the Cruz. That said the Cruz upright seat isn't suitable from birth as it doesn't lay flat so you'd need either a bassinet or car seat, but unless your car seat lays flat baby can't be in it for more than 30 mins at a time x

@cheyanne101 are you planning to breastfeed or bottle feed? If breastfeeding, don't bother buying too many before baby is here as you might end up with a baby like my DS who is only now (at 5m!) starting to take a bottle. We've tried every sodding bottle out there just to give me a couple of hours to myself and until a couple of weeks ago he refused them all. Will now reluctantly take to a NUK bottle but still isn't happy about it so we are keeping it for emergencies. When I was pregnant I just assumed any baby took any bottle but he has proven me wrong

This thread is so useful. I am a FTM and don't have a clue about pretty much anything. With the shops closed i also find it difficult to take a decision based on online descriptions only. 🤦‍♀️

When dd1 was born we lived in a small house with no storage and had a tiny car (old Renault Clio). We went for the babyzen yoyo because it packs down so small. It doesn't fill the boot of the car, it just slots into the footwell. It's been great. But is definitely a city pram, it's very unstable on country paths.

If it's any reassurance op, DH and I went to a pram shop (the only one around for miles) before this all kicked off and were still completely clueless! We ended up asking friends for recommendations and picking from that list :)

Have a look on precious little one. I got my travel system from them and their prices are really good. Just had a nosey and it they have some amazing deals on at the moment - www.preciouslittleone.com/products/19/travel-systems/

I ended up going for a Diono Quantum travel system which I really like but I would say the downside is it is very big, so wouldn't be suitable for use on public transport but it is great in all other respects, one hand fold, bassinet that turns into a seat so you don't have an extra pram attachment to store once it has been outgrown and a huge hood to fully protect against sun, rain and people who think they can stick their face in your pram to see the baby 😂

@Margo34lso live in a small mid terrace and have a hatchback car. I’m due in a month and I’ve just bought the bugaboo bee5 with maxi cosi cabriofix car seat. The bee5 is small and compact, you can get a carry cot but also the seat can be used from birth so you don’t really need the cot (and it’s an extra £200). It’s my second baby and I’m finding this one much easier to fold down and store than my first which was a big more traditional pram. The seat can face forwards or rear facing and lasts from birth-4years. Without the carrycot the pram was £600 and something and the car seat an extra £100 so I wouldn’t say it’s as extortionately priced as some others for example the other bugaboos, uppababy etc.

In your position I would go for a bugaboo bee, or the babyzen yoyo. To be honest, everyone I know who got big travel systems (myself included!) got rid of them as soon as they could and switched to a Maclaren or Sivercross pushchair. I know it seems like a big and overwhelming decision right now, but it's actually such a short time that you will need a travel system style set up! Good luck with everything :)

We used our travel system for years. Only bought an umbrella buggy for when we went on holiday and wanted something smaller that we were less fussed about. Hated the damn thing. DD kept slipping down and it was much harder to lie her down for naps. She was much happier in the Uppababy.

Thanks @2girlssoon0 for your advice on the Bugaboo bee5, good to know you're finding it manageable to fold and store easily!

I haven't looked at babyzen yoyo yet, will put it on my list to look at! Thanks @SilkCottonTree.

This is soooo tricky without being able to go to shops and push a few or fold them up! Arghhhh!

We used our travel system for years Fair enough - I guess it depends on your lifestyle and if you use the equipment for multiple children. We used public transport quite a lot, and the large travel system buggy (we had a Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle) was just too awkward and bulky, even though it is not one of the biggest on the market. It was great for taking on picnics though as it had masses of storage and did well off-road, but not for day to day use we found.

If we have a second child, we'll be getting the Babyzen Yoyo as we know a fair few people with similar lifestyles/living arrangements who have been really pleased with it.

Sorry to jump on the bandwagon but we have just bought the Uppababy Vista for our baby due in June. What car seat would people recommend with it please? Thanks

@Chester6 oh god I haven't even started on thinking of that yet. Jump aboard!

@Chester6 we have the Cybex Cloud Z car seat with the Vista. It was the only infant base I could find that rotated and it's been a godsend. Babies get heavy very quickly!

I also like it because it pulls out to lay flat when it's attached to the pram/not in the car. It means I can bring him in in it if he falls asleep in the car and pull it out to lay flat. I then let him carry on napping til he wakes naturally. If it didn't pull out I'd have to get him out as soon as we get home as they shouldn't be in it too long.

It is more expensive than the maxi cosi but worth every penny in my opinion. You can buy a bigger seat for the base when they outgrow the infant carrier too so you can use the base until they're 4 or so.

@Margo34 I have the Mammas and Papas Flip XT3 and I love it! We live in a small London flat and it folds up tiny in my hallway. It’s really easy to push - much easier than iCandy I found and it’s handled everything I’ve thrown at it so far. Plus great storage!

Uppababy (can’t remember if it was vista or Cruz) was my other fave but I got a great deal on my M&P flip xt3 which made my decision. I know loads of people with Uppababy pushchairs who love them.

Good luck!

A bee or yo-yo are designed for city living. The Ha re fine on smooth streets and shopping centres but if you want to do any country walking or uneven pavements they aren’t good.

I would look at a baby bigger city mini GT. Folds flat, really great to push and you can get a carry cot for it.

I had a Joolz Geo- spent a ridiculous amount of money on it for baby to use the baby jogger after 6 months because it folded easier.