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Original poster

Pram debate- First time mum needs advice

34 replies

pigleychez · 06/01/2008 14:41

Hi everyone,

Ive started looking at prams and am totally confused with all the different types etc that there are.

Ive seen this one
Chicco Trio Enjoy Travel system.. which i quite like, its a good price too and I defintely want baby to be able to lay flat.

Anybody any experience with this travel system? and/or have advice for a first timer.

thanks

---------------

Hello,

We've noticed this thread is quite old and some of the products mentioned on this thread aren't available any more. We've spent weeks speaking to parents and testing prams and pushchairs, from lightweight easy folding prams to all terrain buggies, we've seen them all. Here's our round up of the best baby pushchairs on the market right now.

Hope that helps!

MNHQ

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Minkus · 06/01/2008 15:18

Hello Pigley! (waves from July thread)

Best advice I was given is to practice collapsing and unfolding it in the shop- some are an absolute nightmare to do and when you have a wriggly baby, handbag and/or changing bag if you can't do it easily with one hand it will be a real pain.

Also think how wide they are, I didn't consider this and plumped for one that happens to be quite wide so it was a bit tricky getting it through shop doorways.

The one you've linked looks lovely! Good price too.

Misdee · 06/01/2008 15:23

i dont like travel system becaus ethe car seats aren't generally the safest one out there (maxi cosi is btw) and its always a compromise between good seat and bag pram or vice versa.

i would suggest getting a car seat that fits your car first of all. then look for a pram.

look at your lifestyle? will you be using prublic transport a lot? or do you drive? how big is your car boot? are you likely to go off roading (not just the local park) and go into woods, beaches etc. how much is your total budget?

answer those questions, then i'll pop back

(ps, i am a bit of a pram nerd)

Original poster

pigleychez · 06/01/2008 15:33

Hi Minkus (waves back)

There really is so much to think about!

I drive so dont to worry about going to public transport that much. My car is a rover 25 with an average size boot.
Wouldnt imagine id be doing anything "off road" as such. Walk around the park or through the woods would be about as hardcore as it got!

Im ideally looking for something that baby lies flat in, easy to push around town without being too heavy(Im only a weed!)

Budget up to about £400.

OP posts:

pooka · 06/01/2008 15:35

I'd second misdee in saying that the carseat fitting a buggy is not the be all and end all. Have had a pliko p3 with car seat, rarely used to put the car seat in the pram. And then after ds was born got a bugaboo (which I love love love) which had attachments for car seat (maxi cosi) but again rarely used. I personally am not keen on keeping a baby in a car seat for longer than a car journey really.

Misdee · 06/01/2008 15:37

right, once baby gets to be a toddler, pushing that chicco would be hard work.

put aside about £100 for the car seat (depends on siofix, etc) and get one fitted in your car.

are you wanting brand new? or is lightly used ok?

You could get a phil and teds single, with cocoon, and that way baby is laying nice and flat when asleep and is a big enough pushchair without being heavey for my 5 year old.

generally 3 wheelers are lighter to push.

the mothercare urban detour is a good buy and i think they do a carrycot as well for one or two of their models, which might come in under your budget.

or you could get a maclaren techno XT which is suitable from birth as lies flat and is a good sturdy pushchair.

Original poster

pigleychez · 06/01/2008 15:38

Doesnt have to be a Travel system as i can imagine that most of the time the car seat will stay in the car anyway.

I also like the Mamma and pappas Pilko Pramette which is lie flat.

I totally agree about newborns not being in car seats for more than about a hour or so anyway- Hence wanting the lie flat option.

OP posts:

Misdee · 06/01/2008 15:38

babies really shouldnt be in car seats for longer than 2hours and that inclides journey times as well.

HTH.

Misdee · 06/01/2008 15:39

m+p pramettes are lvoely, but very front heavey, its hard work getting the current model up and down kerbs with a toddler in it.

MAMAZON · 06/01/2008 15:42

I had one of these for my DD.
it was lovely ( though mine was double that price )

when i had finished with it for DD i gave it to a friend who used it for her DS and she has now passed it on again!

they are fantastic value and very sturdy. the wheels have a great little gadget that works like a suspension unit so if you are walking through teh park or over bumpy ground you can adjust it so that baby doesn't get bumped about.

the carry cot part can be placed into teh car with a special adujest that fits to the seat belt so if baby is asleep you dont need to transfer into the car seat (adjuster needs to be bought seperatly though)

teh car seat is really well padded and comfy.

basicly i bought it and woudl frimly reccommend it

MrsBadger · 06/01/2008 15:42

agree with Misdee that carseat is best bought seperately

consider the silver cross 3d, the m&p pramette, or the silver cross dazzle (very snazzy irl), even the micralite + carrycot.

MrsBadger · 06/01/2008 15:44

NB it is really not recommended to use carrycots in the car, even if it says you can. Rear-facing seats are much, much safer.

Misdee · 06/01/2008 15:44

i looove the look of the SC dazzle. havent seen one in real life, and worry it wont live up to the way i have been spoilt by lovely well built macs lol

MAMAZON · 06/01/2008 15:45

Oh its not actually thatheavy to push with a todller in it.
I moved over to a Maclaren techno when DD was about 18 months as i just wanted a change () but used to have nephew in it all teh time (he would have been 4 and very large indeed) and it was still easy to push.

Original poster

pigleychez · 06/01/2008 15:46

Thanks for the advice ladies.

MAMAZON- How did you find push the buggy with a stroller in it?
Was collapsing etc easy enough to do?
Do you drive? If so what size boot/car do u have?

Sorry for all the questions

OP posts:

MrsBadger · 06/01/2008 15:48

I had a go with a friends before Christmas - it is neat and nippy and the handles are a good height but compared to the Macs it's probably built more like a Triumph than a Techno, iyswim, and the carrycot is on the smaller side.
Ideal for urbanites / drivers though, and certainly more stylish than the Pramette.

MrsBadger · 06/01/2008 15:49

(sorry, that was re the Dazzle for Misdee)

Original poster

pigleychez · 06/01/2008 15:49

The silvercross 3d was my orginal choice but when i say it in real life i thought it weighed a ton! and that without a baby inside.

OP posts:

Misdee · 06/01/2008 15:50

thnkls mrsB.

i want to find a stockist so i can have a look, just in case lol.

MrsBadger · 06/01/2008 15:52

ah but pigley how easy was it to push?
Some pushchairs (esp 3wheelers) are heavy to lift but, due to big wheels, suspension etc, are much easier to push along than one that weighs less.

Flllightattendant · 06/01/2008 15:53

Hello,

I know,it is so difficult to find the right 'one' as they are all so different and you never know what you'll appreciate in a pushchair till there is a baby in it, which is usually too late

I would only say to bear these things in mind:

newborns need suspension. For about 3 months if they are on bumpy ground or town centre cobbles, they will throw their little arms back at every tiny jolt. Air tyres are the way to go for this, 'suspension' on hard wheeled buggies is not the same thing at all!
You'll need to fit it in the boot if you are going anywhere by car with the buggy.
Some are easy to fold and others need to be dismantled - not a problem if it is an occasional trip away, but if it is every day you will find it a pain taking it to bits while baby wails in the car or climbs out of the windows
Shopping baskets are useful, many are tiny or inaccessible.
Swivel wheels are very important once your child is heavier, ie after about a year or 18 months.
Very wide pushchairs are not easy to get into most shops...there are shops I have not been in for 4 years due to the buggy access problem. Go round your local town/High Street with this in mind, before you buy one - check out the gauge of the aisles and doorways.

I hope this helps. There are some brands which are better and prettier than others, that is all down to personal taste, but the basics stay the same

Misdee · 06/01/2008 15:54

silvercroass 3d was easy to push with dd3 in it. very heavy to lift in and out of the car.

my BOB(sadly suitbale from 9months+ as 06 model) weighs a bit, but is like pushing practically nothing. they are available here this summer, and i think they will be suitable from birth.

MAMAZON · 06/01/2008 15:54

if it still folds the smae way there are two clips on teh handles that you pull up with your fingers whilst lifting a lever with your foot, very similar to a normal umbrella fold.

Very simple and easy to use. the ease of folding was a huge consideration for me as i have a Ds with Sn as well so couldnt be taking forever to faff with it.

it was lovely to push, the handles swivle so you can have them at any position you like. makes it much more comfortbale to push. teh suspension thing was also very usefull.
its not too front heavy either once you had a toddler in it. I know that a few of teh larger systems can be really difficult to lift the front wheels in order to get up curbs, but this was fine.

I do drive. at teh time i had a peaugot 306, so a hatchback. it fit in fine. it didn't take any more room than a typical umbrella fold and was shorter than my current techno once folded

Original poster

pigleychez · 06/01/2008 16:04

Thanks for that MAMAZON. Helpful thing to know.

Any thanks to everyone else for their advice.

Being a first timer this is like entering a whole new world!

OP posts:

Original poster

pigleychez · 06/01/2008 16:05

Sorry meant Many thanks...

OP posts:

Jennster · 06/01/2008 16:18

Can I just add - get a pram that has high enough handles for you - very very important. I'm only 5'10'' but my god unless they've changed in 2 years, the handles at the highest height are made for shorties. I have a PhilnTeds and push both of mine in it no problems. Heavy and bulky to store (in the back of my estate car) but really easy to push.

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