Pram do'a and don't's

[ttcttc]

Looking for recommendations for prams. Prams you've bought and loved and prams you've regretted

Obviously everyone's needs are different but just to give me options to look at

Thanks.

Firstly, I assume congratulations are in order! 🎉

We have (and love) the Joolz Hub. We had a Cosatto something for the first 4 months but it was too heavy to get in and out of the car.

The Hub is light and compact, and has big wheels for when we go walking in the woods. The pushchair part lies flat too. It steers really lightly and easily so holding my toddler's hand while pushing the pram isn't an issue. The only downside is that the basket underneath isn't big enough for a conventional changing bag. The waterproof cover is easy to put on, although I know there are prams that are just waterproof without needing an extra cover.

For the first 7 months when DS2 could fit in the car seat, I loved being able to attach that to the park instead of the bassinet, especially if he was asleep.

I was bothered about colour/patterns to begin with, but realised this doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Consider what is included (eg cosy toes) when buying too, as some of these things are considered extras. Have a look at FB marketplace too, lots of barely-used bargains about.

Hope this helps!

Love our bugaboo fox. Love my friend’s out n about nipper. Really like another friend’s baby zen yo-yo (and she’s really happy with it) but it wouldn’t suit our lifestyle. Only pushed it once but DB’s second hand Nuna Mixx seems decent. Only pram I haven’t liked is SIL’s iCandy peach. It’s straps are difficult and I didn’t find it that easy to push.

My advice is to go and pick the one you want and then try to get it second hand. I spent over £1k on a travel system and honestly really regret it now as that money could have been spent elsewhere.

I had about 5 prams with my first. Finally settled on and loved my Uppababy. Sold it on when I was finished with it for a decent price. Bought another when I got pregnant with my second. Can’t fault it. Nice big basket, comfy, large seat, lots of different height settings on the handle. She’s 2.5 now and still using it daily

This post is probably the biggest don’t tbh! Don’t pay attention to anyone’s else’s recommendations if their lifestyle and requirements don’t match yours. There’s no point me saying I think YoYo is great (which it is, for me!) if you do daily muddy dog walks and never get on plane or public transport. I would repost and ask for recommendations based on what you need- are your urban or countryside, do you drive, live in a flat with no lift, take public transport etc.

Try a few out and especially check that it is easy to get in and out of the car.

I looked at expensive prams but ended up getting a Babylo travel system from Smyths Toys for £200, I absolutely loved it! It's moved nicely, the basket was a really good size, it folded well, felt really sturdy, handle was adjustable, carry cot converted to a seat when baby got bigger and he was so comfy in it too. I was so gutted when he out grew it and I had to get rid of it

Absolutely agree, go and try them all out then buy one on FB marketplace or somewhere. The resale value on prams is terrible so you can often get a nearly new one for a few hundred £.

consider also if you will have 2 children close together so might need a pram that converts to a double

I've been through 5 prams now (and about to move to Bugaboo Donkey)

Favourite pram I've had is the Ocarro and I'm sad to be getting rid of it. Least favourite pram with either the Ickle Bubba Stomp V3 (felt really flimsy and cheaply made, didn't feel secure) or the Cosatto

Don’t spend lots of money.

My DS has never lasted more than 20-30mins in the pram before becoming inconsolably upset. Usually I would count 15mins as very successful. Hasn’t slept in the pram since he was about 3 months old. I’m in awe of people walking around with sleeping babies/toddlers in prams.

We’ve not used the big pram in about a year but do have a cheap one that folds small to keep in the boot just in case - maybe used a couple of times a month. He is 19months old.

Love our bugaboo fox.

Always ended up with a bugaboo.

We did try a silver cross with our 2nd but it was so heavy in comparison so went back to bugaboo.
With our last we tired a icandy. Again it was so heavy went back to bugaboo.

Customer services is fantastic with them as well. By this point I've owned 3 bugaboo fox's from new for our youngest. Solely down to warranty purposes we upgraded. (She be using it till we feel comfortable to put her in her disability stroller as the bugaboo is much more padded)

I have had one small issue. Where they sent me a new chassis before they collected the old one. Which kept me completely mobile

Mine cost a fortune and too heavy. I loathed it. Swapped it for a padded buggy that was much lighter as soon as I could. Waste of money that still irks me but I suppose I did use it for 2DC and then gave it to a friend who unexpectedly became pregnant at 43

Great advice above

Totally agree with the posters saying get it 2nd hand.

My first buggy cost more than our car (for context our war was a £650 2nd hand job too). I can't quite remember why now but I ended up paying £80 for a second hand Jane slalom pro to use for muddy dog walks because I didn't want to get the good one mucky. I'm sure you can see where this is going - the Jane slalom was ace and it became our main buggy for years and we didn't get much use out of the one that was £££.

Thanks all, some good suggesting re types to look at.

I know everyone's needs are different, I think I mentioned that in the OP actually.

I won't be getting a second hand one but I'm not fussed about a really expensive one either. Just wanted some ideas of what to avoid, didn't want to get a cheap one to have the same problems as others have had 😊

Never even thought to look at smyths . Just reading reviews now.. how did you get on with the isofix adaptors? Or do you not drive? X

Never even heard of Jane slalom.. to be fair , you can tell they're decent just off the pics lol

Ocarro is up there on my list. I have loads of time I'm only 12 week. Don't know if it's worth the price tag though? X

I would say it does massively depend on what you’re planning to do with it. I had one for baby being born (mamas and papas occaro ) but have ended up with quite a collection. I liked the occaro and it did everything I needed it for. The wheels weren’t too small to handle some stones on dog walks etc. Was quite heavy to folk to put in the boot but it does have the benefit of folding as one piece with the seat part on it when a lot of prams don’t. We then got a little travel buggy which we leave in the car to save putting the big one in and we take it on holidays. We also have a running buggy and find it is so ridiculously easy to push that it ends up being the number 1 option unless we’re going somewhere like out for lunch when a big pram taking up lots of space isn’t practical. Now we have a toddler it’s good too as he looks too big in the occaro but the running pram is really spacious still. My friend bought the egg and said it was her biggest regret as she just didn’t feel like that amount of money was worth it. I’ve bought all mine second hand after the first one

You need one that fits your lifestyle, so think carefully about what you do and how you want it to fit into your life.

We have a bugaboo fox 2 and love it. We live in a village and do regular dog walks down footpaths and bridal ways so needed to stand up to some difficult terrain. We also go to a lot of parks where the paths are gravel so needed larger wheels. It's handled everything really well.

Bonus is it has a large basket and can easily hold the shopping / change bag / dog who refuses to walk!

One which I’ve just discovered if you’re not a runner but maybe have a dog or go long walks is the out n about. Now I’m looking at doubles, I’ve tried the double version and it was so insanely light to push. I know people who have taken it abroad too. It might be one to buy second hand for after the initial ‘baby pram’

My brother got one for his toddler on the recommendation of my friend and we all found it a bit of a chore. Mind his little one is 2 now so by time I need one I'm sure I can inherit his and try again 😂

We went with the babyzen yoyo. I love how light and compact it is, especially when using public transport in London but it doesn't feel flimsy either.

If we didn't live in London, I'd probably had gone with the bugaboo fox or uppababy vista.

Ocarro is up there on my list. I have loads of time I'm only 12 week. Don't know if it's worth the price tag though? X

You can find them in bundles on offer quite often and as you've still got a long time to go you've got time to keep an eye on offers!

I really loved mine, couldn't fault it at all.

They're over £1,000 from M&P but you can get from a third party for much cheaper e.g here with car seat and foot muff is £629
https://www.babyplanetonline.co.uk/mamas-papas-ocarro-pushchair-6-piece-maxi-cosi-cabriofix-car-seat-bundle-grey-mist?gclid=CjwKCAjw586hBhBrEiwAQYEnHe1UTQ7HHkadoMC2W0Ndmak9YIM78vz51jlCIC4Hgw3WndgHR4poxoCk-8QAvDD_BwE

Or this one has car seat, isofix base, changing bag and footmuff https://www.pramworld.co.uk/mamas-papas-ocarro-8-piece-cabriofix-bundle-fossil-grey/?gclid=CjwKCAjw586hBhBrEiwAQYEnHdtc0vkQVR9ox2VjOaJECRtIKr4D1wC2Fu5BKRthAJANvBQ3m8kfvxoCYewQAvDBwE#fooc=743&fok=eba4b3328fb4555b5eb36eaa41a65d2a&foos=gplauk

Try them out in person, check they fit in the car (sounds obvious but we didn't check both cars..), look for second hand, be realistic that they'll resell for pennies so maybe start second hand

Also to me the cybex cloud z car seat was more important than the pram and I absolutely loved it, would buy it again and again. So I got the deal with the occaro and the cloud z in the same bundle