When to order a pram? And any recommendations?

[Ros2023]

Hi everyone,
I am 18 weeks pregnant so not looking at ordering a pram just yet but just wondered when you all have got yours or when you plan on getting it?
I have been looking online at some prams to get an idea of what we would like/need but there are so many! Some are so expensive and some are so cheap where do you even start? Just wondered if any of you have any recommendations of prams you have got that are good quality and reasonably priced? I am
in the uk.

I would suggest going to a good baby shop and getting the tour so to speak from the experts. In my area I was able to make an appointment so I knew I'd have 1 on 1 time with the staff member to really be able to show me. I didn't know where to start and found that helpful. I then went away knowing what I wanted and ordered it from wherever I found it at the best price (doesn't need to be the store you look in!).

I'm quite superstitious so I didn't start buying things until after 28 weeks when I was feeling more relaxed that everything would be OK with baby, but that's just me personally. You'll know when you feel ready to as start buying.
Just be aware that certain prams might have a number of weeks lead time. For example some I was looking at had a 3 month waitlist for certain colours etc so I wouldn't have had time to get those.

There's so much out there it was like shopping for a car😂 So really take your time deciding. Think about what's most important to you.
Main things to think about in my opinion:
How heavy it is, how it moves, how long baby will get in it, is it part of a travel system, will you be getting it in and out of a car all the time, does it fit in your boot, what type of terrain you'll be walking on and do you need to consider it turning into a double for another baby.

Most places you're able to order and pay off bit by bit and collect when you're ready. I collected at 36 weeks having paid deposit and then 2 further payments to spread it out. If people are looking to get you things you could even ask for vouchers for the shop you're going with to help pay it off. I did this and found it a great help.

Happy shopping!

Hey OP

In relation to prams, is there a local pram centre/store you can go to as generally they will talk through options and show how they fold etc.

Im 21 weeks and just ordered mine last weekend.

For me a big priority was the car seat options as we will travelling quite a bit and cant see the actual pram or bassinet getting as much usage. I also set a budget I was happy with before I started because it is do easy to get swayed by the more expensive options.

We ended up ordered the graco near 2 me dxl on a bundle which comes with 2 car seats and the near to me crib.

First figure out what you want. Do you live in the country or city? Is the size of the fold important to you (small car or hallway)? Do you need a massive basket for shopping in person because for example you don’t drive? Need something small for public transport or all terrain for muddy fields? Are you thinking of a second in quick succession and so converting to a double will be useful or are you more likely to be a 3 year age gap or one and done? Do you want to be able to put the car seat on the frame?

Then once you’ve narrowed it down go to a shop that has a good selection in stock and give them a try in person. And/Or repost on here and ask for some specific recommendations. There’s little point in me saying I think the YoYo is great if you need something that handles muddy dog walks…

I think bugaboo is pretty good. I've known bugaboo prams last decades and it's a good design. I would say look after 20 week scan. Some shops will keep the prams till baby arrives.

Go to a few big shops and look around. What do you want? Something to fold away easily, be light? Large and comfortable?
Your needs will change as baby grows - and if you have a second one!
When you've narrowed it down write a lost of all the models that you think fit the bill and then buy it second hand, sell it on when u want a new one
You'll save a FORTUNE.

Where are you looking? You can get full systems for £200. You don’t need anything fancy for a baby / toddler, in my opinion. January sales might be a good time to start looking if the more expensive ones are to come down in price.

Thank you everyone! When I had my last 2 children I went into a shop and had a look around. That was 13 years ago so I feel like everything is new to me! But I think doing that again is the best bet 👍🏻 it’s a minefield. There are so many types and colours it’s overwhelming!

We booked an appointment at John Lewis, and a member of staff talked us through the different models. We don't have a car and walk wherever we can, so we wanted to get a new one as it'll get a lot of mileage.

Agree with he other posters that it's worth thinking through what your priorities are in terms of weight, size, ease to fold, ability to handle different terrain, price etc. As an example - we definitely wanted a bassinet that was safe for overnight sleeping, which helped narrow down the options. But as we don't have a car, we didn't need to consider the dimensions of the pram when folded compared to our boot.

We ordered ours quite late, when I was around 32 weeks. That was partly to avoid "using up" the guarantee period before we were using the pram.

Enjoy the shopping!