Please help me understand travel systems vs prams

[Correlation]

Hi all,

My first baby is due in March and I'm looking at prams in the sales now. I'm interested in a particular pram/pushchair and want to get a separate carseat that just stays in the car. The pram I like says it is a travel system, but looks like you have to buy the car seat separately, so I don't really understand? Surely a travel system means the cot/seat part of the pram becomes the car seat? Or am I being stupid?

I only ask because I don't want to pay more for a travel system when I'm getting a separate car seat, if that makes sense. I want a decent pram/pushchair and a decent fixed carseat.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

Here for the answers cos I am so confused too 😂

Also here for some answers!

Travel system just means baby car seat attaches directly to pram base so you can remove from car and attach to pram

There not meant to be in car seats for any length of time really when little so it's not really needed

One bit of advice I'd give is don't spend a fortune

We wasted over £1000 on a pram/carry cot / travel system thing

Biggest waste of money ever wish I'd just spent £300

To me, ‘Pram’ implies a carrycot. ‘Travel system’ implies carrycot, car seat adaptors, and a seat for an older baby.

I’m not a fan of car seats on pushchairs. We’ve had extended rear facing every stage car seats for both of ours. And tbh rarely used a pushchair until they were well over 6 months as a sling is much easier.

I decided I didn't want a travel system as most come with a car seat when I wanted a fixed 360 spin. I just bought a pram separately which came with a carry cot bassinet and toddler attachment so will last me the way through and then the car seat I wanted separately. Didn't work out that much more x

To me, ‘Pram’ implies a carrycot. ‘Travel system’ implies carrycot, car seat adaptors, and a seat for an older baby.

This, although where I live people use "pram" for any buggy type thing.

A travel system means attaching the car seat to the base is a possibility. It usually needs adapters and you can choose adapters for several brands of car seat, both isofix and belted. The car seats aren't necessarily poor quality, very high quality car seats can be bought, although they will only typically last the first year. Babies can't spend that long in a car seat at first, but it is handy to be able to stick the car seat on the frame for quick trips to the shops.

I'll disagree with PP, we spent just over £1k on the travel system including the car seat and isofix base (Uppababy Vista with maxi Cosi seat) and it was well worth it. DD1 is 2.5 now and still used it until DD2 arrived a few months ago, she's in it every day now. Worth every penny, but we walk a lot so it was always going to get lots of use.

We ended up using the travel system with our (separately bought) car seat more than the carry cot as dd liked to be able to see where she was. It was so handy if we just popped to the shop to pop her and car seat out together especially if she was sleeping. Obviously we had to watch she wasn't in it too long but it was still a lot easier!

Even if you don't want to use the car seat a travel system will give you a carry cot and a older seat so it is quite flexible. We ended up using the carry cot more in the early days as a travel cot too so it was definitely worth it (check it is rated for sleeping if you think you might want to use it like this)

Travel systems usually have a base with wheels with three attachments (or mine does).

Those are:

Carry cot - traditional lie flat 'pram' cot for newborns and younger babies

Buggy/stroller attachment - seat for older babies who don't need to be completely reclined. Baby gets to see much more of the world!

Car seat - obviously for the car, however also fits on to the wheels.

I actually liked having the travel system as I found the car seat clicking into the base really useful. As others have said, newborns can't be in the car seat for a long time, but it's so easy to just get frame out of boot, take car seat out of car with baby (maybe sleeping baby) in it, and click it onto the wheels to go around the supermarket or pop out for shorter trips.

For me, a travel system was worth it. Baby is 5 months and I alternate between all three attachments still! Car seat on the base for shopping and to save my arms lugging the car seat with baby in to the car, pram when it's nap time and I want to walk somewhere, and buggy/stroller mode when it's wake time and I want baby to get some stimulation. DC will outgrow the carry for soon but it's been great!

We have the I candy peach which is a travel system I believe as it has bassinet, seat, and can have attachments so u can have a car seat on the frame ( we have a maxi cosi car seat) I know I candys are expensive but well worth the money ( can get them on sale at the min).
Mine is now over 2 1/2 years old and looks brand new and will be used for this baby in April, so easy to clean looks pretty and is easy to steer

Following for info too. Thanks all.

This was the most confusing part of the whole bloody pregnancy.

PP has a good explanation. But you could either get a pushchair with a newborn insert and then separate car seat, or a pram with newborn bassinet, seat for 6 months+ and the car seat clips on the top.

Made doubly confusing by the fact that you can buy a different travel system make to the car seat make and then buy adaptors to sit the car seat in the top.

Re car seats, you can also get ones which swivel or you just take out and clip on the top but think about exactly how and where you use it. We bought the car seat to clip in the top of the pram but have probably only actually used that about 3 times. Probably cos of lockdown.

Really helpful - thanks everyone!

From me personally experience, having a car seat that fits onto the pushchair is a life saver! Baby so often falls asleep in the car and then is woken up by transferring to the pushchair and then you've got a crabby baby to contend with 🤦‍♀️