Confused by whole pram, pushchair, car seat business! Help!

[Cosmogirl]

Hi,

First-time mum to be here ....Am only 23 weeks so not thinking of buying anything until after Xmas, but confused about what to buy re: pram. Is it best to get a travel system or a pram [read somewhere that newborn should lie flat and can't do this in travel system such as Graco ones].
Silver Cross look nice but a bit large. Bugaboo ones seem really expensive and confusing! Quinny look ok but for a newborn it is basically pushing the baby around in a car seat and there doesn't seem to be any hood or protection around seat so baby quite exposed.

Anyone who can shed light, advice etc - very welcome! Haven't a clue what I'm doing.

[mrsgboring]

happynappies be warned I can talk about slings for hours. Not a real expert mind you - I had my own little fads.

I started with a stretchy wrap - extremely supportive and possible to breastfeed in but I didn't manage it. It would probably be my number one recommendation for a newborn though unless ability to BF is essential.

Ringsling is probably the easiest to breastfeed in. Slightly more tricky to learn how to use it. You also have to watch your baby's positioning - if his/her head is too bent forward (i.e. chin on chest) s/he can cut off the airway. All you usually have to do is put a folded muslin under baby to correct position. It's harder to wear a coat over a RS than a wrap.

I came to mei tais fairly late so I have never done them with a newborn. A newborn sits upright in a MT with their legs in a "froggy" position. They are pretty supportive carriers but I prefer wraps.

There are also Soft Structured Carriers such as the Ergo. They aren't IMO ideal for newborns but you can use them. They are like mei tais but have buckles and adjustable straps instead of tying on. I like my Ergo lots and it was the first carrier I manage to BF in (but I had real problems BFing and DS was a year old before I managed it in a carrier)

Check out www.thebabywearer.com for real expertise!

Google "Instructions" and "babywearing newborn" plus the type of carrier e.g. "wrap instructions babywearing newborn" to see how the slings are used, which will give you more of an idea what might suit you. Then ask me some more

There are also loads of YouTube videos which might be worth a watch (use same search terms)

Now I really really really must stop skiving on MN and go and pay DS attention/tidy up

[rrrayray]

Hi there.

Afraid too many posts to read them all.... But i'll tell you the Travel system i've just bought not only looks fantastic, but is much cheaper than some of them out there, and is lovely and light whilst remaining sturdy.

Its the Out n About- Nipabout. We have it in Raspberry.

It has a lie flat pram fitting for while baby little, as like you said, they should be lying flat where possible. Converts to a seat when older & want to see their surroundings. This seat can face both towards and away from you.

The other bonus is for an extra £15 you can buy converters that allow a maxi cosi car seat to clip into the frame if your just nipping in somewhere & don't want to wake/disturb little one!

Hope maybe thats some help, as i'm over the moon with mine! Good luck choosing... and i agree, wait until after Christmas, you may well find some bargains! xxx

[rachels103]

I was just as confused as you....I listened to what I thought was common sense and bought a Maclaren, even though I really wanted a pram so that ds was facing me and could sleep in it during the day.
Sad though it may seem, I had so many sleepless nights over it in the first couple of weeks that I went and bought a pram anyway, so you really need to go with your instincts.
That's not very helpful I'm sure. Sorry!

[BikeRunSki]

Hi, I was as confused as you 6 months ago! But I got my head round it, as DS is 12 weeks old.

We got a Quinny Buzz travel system ie: chassis wheels, pram bit (Quinny Dreami), Buggy bit (Quinny Buzz) and car seat (Maxi Cosi).

We chose a travel system because we live in the countryside and either walk to local shops (when I use the pram top on the wheels) or drive to town (when I use the car seat on the wheels). I imagine I will start using the buggy top instead of the pram top when DS grows out of the pram in a few months time.

Luckily, I got a company car with a big boot just before I went on maternity leave (strange but true)!

Several people have warned me (including HV) not to leave DS in the car seat for too long at once -no more than 2 hours - as this has been associated with SIDS. So on a long journey, stop, have a wiggle, feed and nappy change every 2 hours or so. I put DS in the Dreami pram bit as often as I can. He also sleeps in the Dreami when we go out to see friends for the evening.

I like the Buzz/Dreami pram combo as it is tough enough to take on footpaths, bridleways, cobbled streets and unsurfaced roads etc around here.

The Buzz wheels are quite wide and not the best at nipping round town and in and out of shops. We have been given a Maclaren for when he is strong enough to sit up, which I can see being easier for urban use.

We use the Maxi Cosi with an Easifix base on Isofix bolts in my car. This is a bit of a luxury, but makes putting the car seat in and out of the car very easy, which is nice when you make several stops close together. It is easy enough to secure the Maxi Cosi with a seat belt, but a bit more faffy . It was beginning to annoy me after a week when I had a hire car whilst mine was being repaired after a van hit it.

The only down side of the Buzz is that the shopping basket underneath is a bit wee, but not much of a problem.

Oh, and we bought the wheels-chassis, Dreami pram top, Buzz buggy top, set of spare wheels, cosy toes, rain covers and travel bag second hand. Got the Maxi Cosi and EasyFix new, but shop around and you can save abput £80 on the combination.

And Congratulations on your pg. New babies rock! (Like I said, mine is 12 weeks old).

[BikeRunSki]

PS - I also have a front carrier for long country walks. Makes prolonged boggy/soft/rough ground and stiles much easier. I broke my shoulder a few years ago and can't use a sling, the front carrier distributes the load much more evenly and comfortably for me.

[BikeRunSki]

Another advantage of the Buzz is that you can position the Dreami pram or the Buzz buggy to face away or towards you, depending on how you feel about these things (eye contact or external stimulation...?)

[jingleMAMADIVAsbells]

Bikerunski- can I ask a bit of a nosey question without being cheeky?

If you are going into town with LO why not put carrycot or pushchair seat in with chassis rather than take baby in and out of car in seat?

Personally I'd rather take baby out of eat and put him in comfy pram to walk around than have the ease of clicking a car seat out.

Sorry it sounded worse than meant but have always wondered that as I see alot of people doing it...

[BikeRunSki]

Hi jingleMAMADIVAbells - I don't mind you asking at all. I have used the pram bit of the Quinny going round town occassionally but it is quite big and cumbersome for manouvering around shops. That is one reason why I don't often use it. The main reason is, if I have lots of stops to make, and need to drive to several places in quick succession, then I need to disturb DS a lot less if he is in his car seat and I can just pop him in and out of the car. Like this, he doesn't wake up if if is asleep. He does wake up if I unstrap him, then put him the pram, then lift him out and strap him back in his car seat a little while later, then do it all over again a few mins later. Our nearest town centre is a bit pants, and the shops I tend to need to go are on several trading estates on the edge of town, but few are on the same one! We live in the countryside, and I to save up my errands in town and do them all at once. To get to the Supermarket, Mothercare, ToysRUs and Matalan involves three different car parks. More if IKEA, Gap, Next, Boots or TKMaxx are involved.

[jingleMAMADIVAsbells]

AAAh that makes sense bikerunski, thank you fo explaning am juts a nosey bugger tis all

[sorkycake]

Cosmo, if you're planning on having another child within 2 years of this one then please give some serious thought to something like a Phil & Teds, which has the benefits of lie flat for newborn, then up for a toddler, buy the kit to convert to a double etc. One buggy for all needs.

Tons of flexibility, great resale values, narrow and easy to manage.

Just check it will fit in your car though.

[Cosmogirl]

Hi ladies,

Thanks for all your thoughts. I went and had a look in a shop yesterday and we really liked the look of the Britax Vigour 3+. It seems fairly lightweight (11 kg) has carrycot so baby can lie flat facing forward or backward, pushchair quite large and faces forward or backward, plus clip in car seat too. We've seen the whole lot for around £360 but will wait until Jan to see if it comes down in the sale.

Sorky - having been so sick in this preg, I honestly can't bear to think about having any more children just yet! I know it is more practical to plan but too scary a thought right now.

[MsBump]

HI

I'm 24 weeks pregnant and have been having the same pram 3 in 1 2 in 1 travel system buggy issues!
Everyone I talk to has recommended the Maclaren XT however I reckon that I'd still like a pram/buggy to start with that's more suitable for a new born and then get a second hand easier buggy for a bit later on.
The travel systems are appealing to first time mums because you don't have to think. The reality is that you'll never get to 'test drive' anything until you actually have your own baby...doing it in a shop is pretty much useless as you've no idea how heavy its going to feel with a baby and bags of shopping or how awkward it is to get in and out of a car etc my advice would be to chat to any friends or family with baby's and then make your own mind up and don't beat yourself up too much if the dream pram turns out NOT to be that great after a few months... most mums I've chatted to had changed their buggy's 3-4 times before their kid grew out of them so be prepared to make buggy boo boos!

Good luck x

[nappyaddict]

I like to have at least one big sturdy pram for walking and one lightweight pram for public transport and chucking in the back of the car for short trips out.

My favourites are

traxx ecuador, mutsy 4 rider or light rider as it is sometimes called, any of the teutonia pushchairs, mamas and papas skate, m&p joolz, gesslein f2, gesslein future, gesslein vision s, mothercare maiu, bebecar ip-op, bebecar vector, mia moda allegria, mia moda atmosferra, petite star whirl, petite star dot, luna, bugaboo bee, jane carrera, jane solo.

[mummy2isla]

My lo is 6 months old and absolutely loves facing me in her pram. I have had a pilko but did not like it. It was quite clunky to push. Then I tried a bugaboo bee ... but that fell over on a bus, which terrified me! And it broke. After some consideration and road-testing I have bought a teutonia lambda, which is great. I agree with the other posters though that what you should do is test a pram once you actually have a baby. Things that don't seem important now will suddenly be so important (big shopping basket, extending handles, etc!!). Definitely get a sling though. Again maybe test out a few?? I have a baby bjorn that I absolutely love - my baby slept in it for the first couple of weeks during the day! Now she loves going in it when I am doing housework etc. Make sure that you are comfortable pushing whatever you get. I am tall and had sore shoulders from the pilko!