30 weeks pregnant and confused about prams, bassinets and travel systems

[Babytime26]

I am 30 weeks pregnant and thinking about buying the pram soon. I am so confused with people’s advice on what to buy. People have said to me not to buy a travel system as is it a waste. My question is where is the newborn supposed to go then? They can’t stay in the car seat for more than 30 mins, so a doona wouldn’t be suitable. Plus if I just buy a pram and lay her down surely she won’t be secure without the bassinet as it has sides. She will be too small to strap in… what if she rolls around with the movement of the pram?

We bought all of the same make for car seat, buggy and bassinet. The buggy frame allowed either the bassinet, the car seat or a seat with a harness to be used. We used the bassinet part for walks till he could sit comfortably in the seat I think that was somewhere around 7-8 months. To be honest I think we used the car seat on the frame once and that was when I was running into the shops to grab some milk so was literally a 5 min job. Otherwise if we were going somewhere we just brought the frame and the bassinet or seat depending on what age he was. Also in the bassinet they don’t roll around or need to be strapped in when they are lying down

Newborns don’t roll and even in summer you’ll have a blanket over her in the pram part. The sit up bit is used after a couple of months when their bigger

@Chocolateaddict999 this is exactly my thinking… but everyone around me keeps trying to put me off but no one is actually telling me what to do. One says buy a doona, the other says buy a standard pram that lays flat. Others just don’t give a solution at all. I feel like what other option is there for a tiny newborn other than the bassinet…

We used a Doona X which is the latest model and has 3 settings: lie flat (almost fully lies flat), relax and sit up. Realistically, you don’t travel much with a newborn and they sleep a lot in the first few months, so this meant that they weren’t disturbed when taking them out of the car and I could almost lay them flat. This became their main car seat until age 1 and was also perfect when we went abroad and were in and out of Ubers etc. Once they were 4 months and could sit up a little, I used a normal pushchair which is suitable to use from birth (most pushchairs are.) You can fully recline standard pushchairs when the baby falls asleep, and they’re more sturdy for longer outings and to carry shopping on etc. Also, the basket is handy and I didn’t want to pay for all of the expensive Doona attachments!
I’d recommend a Doona X and a sturdy pushchair which you can fold with one hand, folds up compact and ideally, small enough to put in the overhead locker on a plane. I find travel systems too bulky to store, and over-priced. I know people who have paid so much for travel systems and only used them for the first year, then they’ve had to buy a separate compact stroller to save boot space and for travelling abroad. Also, some travel systems require two people just to add the car seat/bassinet adaptors!
The Doona X is expensive, but if you have someone you trust selling one second-hand, then all of the fabric parts of it are washable, and you’ll be assured that as a car seat, it hasn’t been in a previous accident.

I like having the travel system because my baby has reflux and she prefers the car seat attachment to the bassinet (lying flat is painful for her). Technically it’s against safe sleep guidelines but she’s supervised in it and we don’t keep her in there for too long, just short walks. It’s super handy too when picking up other child from nursery, I can just pop car seat on the buggy wheels, then back in car and she sleeps the whole time. We used the bassinet attachment lots for my other child but not this time. We will use the seat attachment from around 5 months.

https://www.maxi-cosi.co.uk/pushchairs/fame-stroller?color_swatch_id=6027

this is what we went with it’s on the pricier side but we know we want a 2nd so we kinda kept that in mind. It’s been a year and a half and we are still using it with the buggy seat and no complaints. DS is very comfy and happy in there.

With my first I had an uppa baby vista. Had a bassinet option, car seat adapters, seat which could be forward facing or parent facing etc. We mostly used the carrier and the bassinet didn't get much use, but used it a lot once past the bassinet stage.

Second baby I added a double Out'N'About to the house. Again for the first 6 weeks or so baby was mainly in the carrier, but took to the out n about very well. We didn't have a bassinet. Another refluxy baby, better to be slightly elevated rather than laid flat.

Both systems worked for us tbh, I got strangely attached to both buggies! They were great in their own ways. I liked that both worked in town and when on rougher terrain. DH even took them both running.

IDK where you're based but there are often every kind of option you can think of available second hand, in next-to-new condition. Which certainly helped me be more accepting of having bought something that the baby basically never used (like the bassinet).

It’s so hard isn’t it, knowing they will only use the basinet bit for a few months. I might just look second hand and see what I can get.

You can buy ones with separate parts like the Yoyo. Because the bassinets get so little used, you can pick them up second hand and buy just the frame new. We actually used both the bassinet and the new born pack a lot. We like the new born pack because it had a bit more space and was cooler in summer when it was very hot, plus it folds down, but the bassinet was easier with a new born who wanted a cuddle every ten minutes. We have the car seat adaptors as well, but only because we don't have a car so they're useful for taxis. If you have a car, the car seat is much easier to leave in the car than faff around unfastened it. You can just plonk the baby in the bassinet.

If your budget is on the smaller side, I’m going to recommend the Joolz Aer2 - it’ll also be suitable as a travel pram.

It comes with a bassinet, Nest to Seat (0-18 months and faces out and in), and also an upright seat for when they’re older. It folds down and it like less than 5kgs in weight.

Then just get a car seat and you’re done.

I have the Joolz as well as a Bugaboo pram and couldn’t understand why we’d all buy prams and then a few months later get lighter versions…why not go straight to the lighter versions?! Still nobody can answer me that. My closest guess is the lighter versions’ wheels aren’t as solid and smooth ride as the main pram, but that also depends on the state of the pavements near you

Used my bassinet and travel system once for ten minutes. Total and complete waste of time and money.

We had a lie flat travel buggy with car seat adapters and a good carrier.

I used my bassinet for about three months before my baby became too nosy and wanted to look out. I’m glad we had it when he was tiny though. It’s better for them to be able to stretch out fully. We still use the seat unit of our travel system pram at a year old and have no plans to change to a travel buggy. I did a lot of research and our pram was perfect for our lifestyle. We got the Joolz Hub 2.

Honestly I was an advocate of no carrycot/bassinet with my eldest. I couldn't see the point of them, I had a lie flat parent facing pram from birth and I could strap him in just fine (straps usually adjust in size). I hated the fact that you paid so much extra for them and they are used for such a short time period.

With DC2 I had a second hand pram and it came with a carrycot, so we used it. OMG I absolutely loved it. He loved it, too, and seemed to be so much more cosy and secure in there. He essentially spent a lot of his not-being-held time at home in the carrycot. DS3 didn't like being put down as much and would only go in the carrycot when I made a makeshift one of those baby nest things out of a rolled up cot duvet (only when he was in eyeline, not unattended).

I was happy both times TBH. I probably didn't need a carrycot for DS1 because I didn't have much space and I was happy without it. But I was glad to have it for DS2, so if you think you want one, there's nothing wrong with that.

Absolutely do not buy a Doona, they are so unsafe. Babies should not be in a car seat apart from when in the car. Buy the highest safety car seat you can afford - MaxiCosi are good. Look at what pram you can get 2nd hand, then even if the bassinet isn't used that much, you haven't spent much. I ended up using a carrier most of the first 6 months so I'd research that to, I love our Ergo baby one and you can get decent second hand ones on Vinted.

I have the Joolz as well as a Bugaboo pram and couldn’t understand why we’d all buy prams and then a few months later get lighter versions…why not go straight to the lighter versions?! Still nobody can answer me that. My closest guess is the lighter versions’ wheels aren’t as solid and smooth ride as the main pram, but that also depends on the state of the pavements near you

When I had DS1 the lighter buggies were only forward facing, and didn't recline very much. They were also much lower to the ground so better for older children who could get in and out themselves.

Things like the Bugaboo Bee or Babyzen Yoyo did exist but only really those two, and they were hellishly expensive, which is relative - at this time a full travel system was about £400-600, but the lightweight toddler buggies were less than £100, maybe a bit more if you got a Maclaren. I never paid more than £60 for one.

These days the big pram systems are so expensive that even the fancier lightweight prams seem inexpensive and the super cheap ones are rarely even seen any more. Yet the baby products industry thrives on making you think each stage needs its own dedicated thing.

It depends on your budget. People who say don’t buy one maybe don’t have the cash. If you do have the cash it’s worth it to have one.

Second not buying a Doona. It’s nuts to me they even manufacture them

You can buy a pram that lies flat, lots are suitable from newborn, or a pram with a bassinet attachment.

I don't think the bassinet attachment was a waste, especially if you're planning on having more babies and reusing it.

I had a travel system, yes it’s a lot of faff but I’d say it’s worth it as you can attach a compatible car seat if popping in for an appointment or shop or newborn cot for longer periods, the seat unit when they’re able to sit up. You can get ones that fold now silvercross breez have a foldable carrycot looks great, something like that would be good if you have a tiny boot but if you have room most aren’t too big, I have egg and icandy, mines 2 soon and I still use it. If you’re looking for cheaper less hassle, I believe a lot of the travel prams you can purchase a newborn cot/basket type thing to place inside the pram I’m assuming it attaches somehow I’m not sure but know a lot of people use this method - newborn pod might be the right word?

We had an icandy travel system with Joie car seat. Whilst I wouldn't get the icandy again, just because it was so big it's absolutely the sort of set up we'd get again. We used the car seat on the frame, used the bassinet loads, especially as it was sleep approved so used at friends houses etc for nap time, used the push chair seat forever.

I used a lie flat pushchair, you can use the harness from birth. I did actually have the bassinet attachment but used it as a bed at night.

Honestly it comes down to budget and lifestyle, a car seat and a lie flat buggy is fine, a sling or carrier useful, then you can get more and more deluxe options but they are choices not essential, you don’t need parent facing even, it’s a preference. Please don’t get yourself worried by it, instead think about the journeys you will be making and be led by that

Many prams lie flat with main seat, so they can be used from newborn. We had a mountain buggy and the main seat lies fully flat so you could easily use that alone, maybe add a baby sheepskin with pram holes for comfort.

We did have the carrycot also, as on mountain buggy this is only way to have parent facing. The carrycot converted to parent facing seat so we got around 1 year out of it. I liked the carrycot as it’s easier putting baby in without straps every 5 mins, and it’s more like a portable crib out and around and for naps at home. The actual pram we used for nearly 5 years!

We never used a car seat on pram. Didn’t really see the need, just took baby out in arms and either carried into house in arms and into sling or pram out and about.

I always had the carrycot, lie flat buggy part and car seat with adapters etc. Its not safe for babies to be in car seats for long so mine were only in them in the car and brief shop trips (20 minutes). I always walked a lot with the pram so the carrycot was well used and the bonus was when we got home they could stay in it and sleep. I have had all sorts of prams (3 kids). The best ones were mothercares own range one and a Joie so both cheaper ranges. I always had maxi cosi car seats and sxtendd rear facing car seats. The dearer ones I had were not great.

Hi @Babytime26 - it's a nerve wracking time but hope you can try not to worry too much.

I had a the safest most recommended baby car seat of its time.
Then I bought a buggy - McLaren or mothercare that lay flat with an Aussie sheepskin in it and I used the harness from day one.
then a Baby Bjorn sling for around the house and walks.

this was a good few years ago and I can imagine it's harder now with so much choice. I wanted a light weight buggy that could collapse easily for me to put in my car boot as I'm a loan parent. Also didn't want it to be too heavy or bulky as I went on tube and on escalators. I had this buggy u til she was nearly 3 and then she walked everywhere,

I also had a little bassinet and then she slept with me. Then I got a large cot that turned into her toddler bed until she was 4.

Good luck with everything.