first time mum - totally confused about buggies

[queenie1]

I'm only 19 weeks but already beginning to think about all the stuff we'll need to get...and feeling pretty overwhelmed by it.

I've been looking through the product reviews on pushchairs but still very confused.

I went to Mothercare the other day and they couldn't stop going on about the benefits of a Bugaboo Chameleon. But it's so expensive! Is it really worth it? What also about McClaren and others etc? Also do I need to have a carrycot or can I go straight into a seat thing?

So many questions...any advice or ideas gratefully received!

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

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

I was adamant I didn't want a whole house full of buggies but I'm considering buying my third now because I didn't get it right before. I have a quinny buzz and it's no good at all off road (which is important to me because although we used a sling when my ds was young and a carrier when he got bigger he was too heavy for me to carry).

Remember a buggy is something you will use for a couple of years, a travel system seems like the answer when you're thinking about a little baby but you only use the car seat option etc for the first few months and after that it's just a buggy, a very expensive buggy.

I have a cheap maclaren like supermarket one which I use more than my posh quinny for trips to shops etc.

I am looking at the out n' about 360 for my next attempt. It's very light. ebay have some good deals.

Good luck.

I second the Hauck Infinity, I bought it instead of a Bugaboo or a Quinny (both of which were originally on my list) because I knew DD2 would be my last child.

The Hauck stood up to many miles of walking, and the carrycot, pushchair and car seat were all well used. I trained for the moonwalk whilst pushing DD2 in it and even with a flat tyre 12 miles from home it still coped admirably (just a bit harder to steer - needing 2 hands not 1) It was also really easy to mend the puncture using a bicycle repair kit.

The shopping tray underneath is quite small but you can use clips to hang bags from the handle and you can push one handed whilst you hold a basket in the other going round the supermarket.

never really got in to the whole pram/buggy love thing, so no expert, my only tip is when you are looking at them try to fold it up whilst holding something else. sounds daft but go to mothercare, grab a doll from the toy bit and see if you can hold the doll and fold the buggy at the same time!

I like and have tried these...
Britax Vigour 3
Hauck Infinity
Mother care Quantum 3 wheel

My fave features...

Lie flat
big shopping basket
reversible seat for older babies
one long bar handle
push one handed
big wheels

I prefer pushing a big/good pushchair and don't swap to a maclaren at 6 months, I find them heavy and cannot push one handed with a walking toddler.

You ladies need to come over to the pushchair shed (in products) as we love our buggies (rather tan buying bags and shoes it's our 'thing').

I used a big buggy (quinny buzz, awful, ugly, verrrrrrrrrrrry wide and heavy) followed by bug cam and though I also had an umbrella buggy I used the bug as I loved having dd face me. I sold it when she turned 2. I am now expecting again and will buy anotherone, keep my maclaren to leave inthe car and for holidays, max cosi car seat with base in the car as it is fab.

The bug is very expensive but did everything I wanted. I have two other buggies after the awful buzz before buying the bug which I should have done in the first place! If you use the car every day (I don't) it will drive you nuts. For me a good quality pram for lots of walking (though not offroad, have a 3 wheeler for that), light to push and to have dd facing me was what I wanted.

Stokey - it depends on your lifestyle, but if you're a city dweller who walks a lot too, plenty of us love our Xplorys

It's also a godsend if you have SPD, or any back problems.

Thanks for all your suggestions - amazing! Really useful and lots to think about...

Will definitely get a sling of some sort and will try out a few of your suggestions before making a decision.