Pram advice for FTM......It’s all so confusing! 🤷🏻‍♀️

[FingersCrossedForAllOfUs]

Happy New Year everyone!

I know there have been a few threads like this recently and I have been watching several and looking up all the various prams which have been suggested. I’m just so confused by all the choices!

I thought if I list the type of pram me and DH are looking for, some kind mumsnetter’s might offer some advice please!

• We will mainly be using the pram (pushchair & carrycot type set up) for A-B local journeys in the car so it needs to be easily foldable.

• Pushchair should be both forward and rear facing and can adjust seat positions.

• Good steering, suspension, sturdy and durable.

• When out walking we are unlikely to be anywhere too adventurous, it will be around the local area on pavements, paths and in the park.

• 4 wheeler not 3.

• The fabric parts ideally need to be removable and washable.

• A good size basket underneath.

• Car seat advice would also be appreciated. This seems like another area of confusion!

Thank you for reading!

@FelicityBob

Don’t get a silver cross pioneer, it’s shit. If you plan on having two close together than get something that converts to a double. Or swap to an out and about nipper double which is amazing. Three wheelers are also amazing for pushing with one hand. Don’t get blinded by the beautiful expensive travel systems. They are bulky and heavy and you’re likely to swap to a stroller after a year.

Totally agree!!! We had the pioneer (John Lewis special edition) and the front wheels buckled. Very light use (baby was born in May so in the 9 weeks of use it was used maybe 5 times on pavements)

We've got the bugaboo donkey3 and it's brilliant

Car seat we have the maxi cosy pebble pro

Love my mamas and papas flip cost £850 for whole bundle but I feel it’s totally worth every penny.

Not too heavy to lift, front wheels clip off for cleaning, rain cover opens in half so easy access to baby and if go inside shopping centre etc can fold it down, height adjustable handle.

@FingersCrossedForAllOfUs We went for the Mamas and Papas Ocarro Fossil Grey. Bundle was £1000. Our requirements were similar to yours. The car seat reclines, so it can be safely used for longer when attached to the push chair, and we got the swivel isofix base which people say is a lifesaver (you just swivel the car seat round to face you when putting the baby in the car).

@alphabetti

Love my mamas and papas flip cost £850 for whole bundle but I feel it’s totally worth every penny.

Not too heavy to lift, front wheels clip off for cleaning, rain cover opens in half so easy access to baby and if go inside shopping centre etc can fold it down, height adjustable handle.

I have a gut feel you have the bundle I got (for £1000 less but let’s not discuss that 😳)

Best buggy ever.

Hi OP, I've got a mamas and papas armadillo flip which is awesome, I really love it. I actually bought it second hand for about £150, but they are quite reasonable new as well - depends on your budget. I don't think they make them now but looking on their website, the new Ocarro looks similar. The liberty print one is lovely!

I personally wouldn't spend thousands on a travel system; my first DC only liked being carried so was in an ergobaby carrier, second DC has barely used the pushchair as we haven't been out much due to lockdown! I prefer to buy a car seat separately as well, I've had a number of Maxi-Cosi seats and they are great. For newborns, the CabrioFix one is good value and you can either use it with a seatbelt if you don't have isofix or get a base second hand if costs are an issue. Most pushchairs have adaptors to put the car seat on to as well.

I do agree it is overwhelming though, and especially hard with lockdowns and not being able to try any out in the shops.

Definitely the Bugaboo Bee.

Uppababy vista - you will not find a bigger basket!
Car seat compatible with maxi cosi infant carrier, we had pebble plus ones for our twins.

Thank you all very much for taking the time to post I really appreciate it. I didn’t expect so many responses! We will be looking at all the models.

@alex1889 - Our budget is up to £1000 for the whole bundle.

@ParkheadParadise - Thank you for reliving the nightmare! You should remind your DH that he did say to ‘pick a pram any pram’ 😂

@EssentialHummus - Re: 3 vs 4 wheeler, I have heard that some 3 wheelers aren’t as sturdy and can tip. I don’t know how true that is and I don’t mean to offend anyone who has one. It just made me a bit concerned when I heard that as prior my impression was they looked really stream lined and easy to push.

I love Bubaboos

We have purchased the Bugaboo Fox and although not used it yet, I really love how easy it is to push and how you can customise it with different hoods etc. The Maxi Cosi Rock fits into it with the suitable adaptors.

Good luck, the car seat search drove me mad!

I spent £600 on a Cybex Balios S bundle and I love it. First time round I had a cheaper Britax system but it was rubbish after 6 months.

The cybex is a dream, but may be slightly bigger than you are wanting. Worth a look though.

@KodakNancyEurope oh yes I had the armadillo flip too, the xt with bear print and LOVED it! I got it for a steal on marketplace. So easy to fold down and really easy to push, plus I loved the print 🐻

My 3rd pram (only my second child 😱) is the bugaboo bee - I love it and it meets all your criteria. It's not amazing off road but sounds like you don't need that - and it's easier to pop them in a carrier for walks etc anyhow. Fits with the maxi Cosi cabriofix which I also found worked fine.

FTM here, I was pram shopping online in lockdown 1 so I absolutely feel your pain! It's a minefield.

I went for Mamas and Papas Strada in the end - their new one released in July /August. Ticks all the same boxes as your list. Others have recommended the Mamas and Papas Flip XT - this was our 2nd choice, the Strada is basically an upgrade on it so I understand and ever so slightly lighter, plus the bassinet rocks on the floor/flat surface and is collapsible which will help with storage when my baby is grown out of the bassinet. So happy with it!!

(I should add, baby is now 3 months and we've been using it since birth, pretty much daily),its awesome.

Another vote for Uppababy Vista. My DD is 19 months and we still use it. The basket underneath is just fantastic, so good for putting your bag / baby's bag / shopping / coat when it gets too hot

Did swap to a stroller briefly in the summer but i really missed that basket!

I was totally overwhelmed choosing mine and I must have read more travel system reviews than any sane person ever should! The one thing I would suggest having a think about is whether you might need the pram to convert to a double in the next few years - if you do this will massively narrow down your choices!
I went for the Uppababy Vista in the end, I agree it is wide and I have crashed into a few door frames, but it has also handled a lot more walks than I ever planned to do thanks to lockdown and I'm really pleased with it.
Would also massively recommend the Cybex Cloud Z car seat as it reclines which is a life saver if baby falls asleep in it, as they say you shouldn't leave them in a car seat upright for more than about 2 hours.

Another vote for the uppababy vista! The best pram system imo. My two have grown out of it now and am sad to no longer be using it. You will not regret buying one!

I’ve gone for the mamas and papas armadillo flip xt this time around, and a cybex car seat bundle- it seems amazing so far!

3 things to consider:
1- how tall are you and dh? If above average height you definitely need to try out your prams. I was convinced that the bugaboo was our perfect pram. It was, apart from it felt like I was pushing a wheelbarrow, it was so low. Ended up with a Dutch make for taller people.

2- the baby may hate the pram! Slings are soooo much cheaper. You may be ok to get a car seat that fits o to a pram base. Joie do good ones of these.

3- there is no perfect pram! There is the pram you chose and use. Then there is the pram you wish you had. Then there is the pram you will get next etc etc. So be careful with your budget!
But second hand is a good idea.

I ended up getting my 'perfect' spec pram when my wee one was a bit older. When I knew what I needed for our lifestyle.

(And fyi a 2 handled pram can't be pushed 1 handed. V important if you need to carry baby whilst pushing the pram!)

Though saying all that, I think the Joie Chrome DLX hits your spec.
I had a Joie and it was amazing.

ICandy Peach has a huge basket and the ride is very smooth.

In your lifestyle I would def look at the bugaboo bee

However, dont exclude three wheelers. We have a 3 wheel mountain buggy, and they are super sturdy. The amount of wheels seem to make no difference to stability

@FelicityBob can I ask why you don't like the pioneer? I heard complaints about the wheels for the original model but the remodeled pioneer 2020 seems to have sorted it. This is the one we're considering at the moment, just wondered if there's anything else to look out for

I had no idea where to start - I looked at recommendations, asked friends who gave me the 'what not to buy' and in the end I went to an amazing independent shop near where I live (I'm still in tier 3 but decided to act quickly in case we end up in tier 4 soon!) and chatted with them about my needs / wants and I ended up getting the mamas and papas ocarro 9peice bundle on a really good January deal. No hard sell, I had my eye on three different prams with three different prices and I went with what I felt was best for me.

I'm a FTM too so had no idea where to start but I decided that no amount of dos and don't we're going to help me make a final decision, I needed to feel the pram and decide for myself and I'm excited to finally get to push it in June! And you know what if it doesn't agree with me, it'll be reet I tried my best! 😂

I went for the ocarro because it folds down one handed which I thought would benefit me when I'm going solo, I also got the car seat that reclines so I'd feel less guilty for whacking it onto the pram if I need to run into aldi.... and the seat folds down with the pram so it's one less thing to take off when I'm using the seat, which also fully reclines and can be used from birth if not any reason your carry cot is out of use, and the carry cot has a handle on which means the baby can't stay in it when it I take it off the pram.

And you know what I might be totally freaking deluded and all the above shit might not mean squat when it comes too it but it all felt right to me and what started as a super stressed out meltdown panic has ended with happiness and excitement.

I think what I'm trying to say is... pick one that sounds and feels right for you 🥰