New parents to be - advice needed!

[Piranha1981]

I'm 25 weeks pregnant with our first baby, due end of Jan, and we've just attempted our first serious pram/ transport system / buggy shop and am now completely confused! Advice very welcome...

We live near central London in a small flat on the 2nd floor (no lift), don't have a car (though may drive hire cars occasionally), will mostly be using public transport, want something light and manoeuvrable and ideally want something we can use from birth that can be adapted further down the line. We also don't have a lot of storage space in our flat so important it doesn't take up too much room.

Price is a consideration but it's not the main thing as relatives have very generously given us some money to put towards it.

Options we are considering:

• Mamas and Papas Sola (light, like the forward/rear facing options, wouldn't necessarily need a carry cot as goes flat from birth, however this looks like it might be a bit cold? - ventilation holes in the hood -and the foot muff thing really doesn't look very warm - plus it's an extra £60!)

• Phil and Teds Smart (this had been our preferred option, but don't think this has the option of rear facing? Also do you need to buy the separate carry cot to use from birth or does seat go completely flat?)

• Silvercross - looked good but was in Mothercare on Oxford St and customer service awful so didn't get to ask any questions!

• icandy cherry - not seen but it keeps popping up on MN and elsewhere as a possible option that seems to meet our criteria

One thing I'm struggling with with all of this, is that whenever we go into a shop it seems that the shop assistant has his or her favourite and so you end up getting the sale spiel for just one option at a time!

I'd really welcome any views on any of the options above (as well as anything else we might consider that seems to fit the bill!). Thanks so much in advance.

I'm a central Londoner too - I needed a pram that would go easily on buses and the tube - went for the bugaboo bee, and 2 and a half years later, still very happy with it. Hope this helps! Very light and easy to steer.

Don't get too hung up on separate carry cot attachments - just one more thing to find storage for. Just make sure you get a decent pram that can go flat for the first few months.

Prams are a minefield- worse than buying a car IMHO.

Hi

Can't really help but can sympathise! we are going through exactly the same thing and one of the hardest and most confusing purchases ever! Had conversations with my mother along the lines of " you are only buying a pram - what's so hard about doing that!"

Can also agree with the different shops attitude! Problem is I guess that only we know how we are probably going to use it / react to it and given its the first - I'm struggling even with that bit at the moment!

Good luck!

I personally wouldn't get a Smart as a main buggy...The seat is recommended from 4 months which would have been fine for my DD at that age but i'd say it's more from 6 months...The recline is barely there so wouldn't be great if you're baby was going to sleep in it for extended periods...The basket is pretty small...I love my Smart as it's got a quick and nifty fold and looks very different...As a buggy addict i have many buggies and the Smart is used mainly by DH for quick trips to the park...Give my DD a choice of buggies and she'll generally choose the Smart, she's 17 months...The seats pretty small but then so is my DD so that's not an issue for us...We use it with a Cushy cushion, makes it look more comfortable...No idea about the carrycot option...Can be used with a car seat so it's rear facing then, but it's not recommended using car seats for extended periods.

I'd get a sling in your position.
Newborns aren't that heavy.

And then, once he/she has grown a bit and you are used to what you really need a pushchair to do (ie. sleeps in the day? big walks so mum gets some exercise and fresh air? carrying your shopping?) then go out and buy one. I wish someone had said this to me - although the travel system we bought was ok, I really wish I'd waited.

I'm in London too and bought a travel system to start with. Then gave up on it and used a sling as travel system was too bulky for buses/trains. Now have a secondhand bugaboo bee which I bought off a fellow MNer and wish I'd had from the word go.

I would go the slng then Bee route - so many Londoners I know have started with a travel system then ended up selling it nad buying a good wrap sling then a Bee.

Another vote for the Bee here. We've had ours since birth and are still using it 2 years later. I absolutely love it. Also I think with the new version the "baby nest" (for newborns) looks even more snug. Mine was a winter baby and she was absolutely fine from birth.

Do you have somewhere at the bottom of the stairs to your flat that you could leave the buggy? Lots of my (London) friends did this and with the Bee it's perfect as it folds so well. Get a bike lock if need be.

the cherry is fantastic and does everything you need! John lewis do them!

Also look at a close baby carrier are fantastic! :)

I would vote bee or cherry. Bee+ if you can afford it rather than the bee as resale is excellent as they are the newer model.
In all honesty, much as I loved my cameleon, if (when) I have my third baby, I will probably go for a bee plus, as it means one pushchair from birth, which rear faces, folds small, is light and can be steered with one finger, even with a 4 year old in the seat and a 5yo balanced on the back bar!

They chery does look good though, and more conventional than the quirky bee, and it has the option of the carrycot, although most people I've spoken to have said the carrycot only got used about 10 times! The bee does have the padded cocoon, or you can get custom made baby nest from snunkie/poshbugs/cosifantozi which does the same job and is a lot cheaper than the bugaboo version, and is also bigger so will last a lot longer!

I'm in the same situation and don't really want to spend 100's of pounds on a buggaboo.
I have found the prefect solution - a Baby Jogger mini it folds up with one pull to a fabric handle in the middle of the seat and just collapses so easily into a small bundle (we have a tiny flat and tiny car boot). It is very light and manovers easily its only £200 and the newborn can lie down flat and it can be used as a buggy for the baby as it grows up so no need to buy another stroller later.
I have not read a bad review yet on this buggy you can get a car seat adapter and for it and place your maxi cosi car seat on top. to be honest I really dont want to buy a travel system as it all seems a lot of bother and you need to live in a house to contain all the extra parts.
You can buy them in John Lewis, Tesco, boots and I think Mothercare.
Good Luck

I agree with notevenaghostie, I wouldn't rush into buying an expensive pushchair until I know what I need it for really. I had my first one a year ago and now I know that how I planned my days with the baby before she arrived was quite far from the reality. I would go for a sling too at the beginning (www.redcastle.fr/en/translate-to-anglais-fiche-produit/p/tikamak/?tx_ttproducts_pi1%5Bcat%5D=177&tx_ttproducts_pi1%5BbackPID%5D=29&cHash=2c710857db) and one of these (www.connectababycarrier.com/pages/instructions.php) later, when your baby doesn't have to be laying all the time. Baby will be better close to you than anywhere else. Than when you see how much time daily routine takes with your little one, then you'll have a better idea what you need your pushchair for. In any case I would go for one that has a very confortable and quite big seat, that you can use completely flat too, as your baby might love to sleep in it. Mine from 3 to 9 months only wanted to had her daily sleeps in her pushchair, nowhere else. But also I know people who cannot use theirs, as baby doesn't like it. It's a gamble, so better not to spend too much on it in advance. BTW, you always have the secondhand option too. Good luck!

Have you thought about the new quinny zapp, small fold super light.

Ive had the original zapp and its fab and the new one has the rear facing/lie flat option for newborns.

Never had a bee but i would avoid the icandy theyre really chunky

Everyone - thanks so much for all your advice!

Looked in John Lewis again on Sunday and the sales guy suggested looking on Ebay (clearly wasn't on commission!) which I think is what we're going to do. He also pointed out about VAT increases post-January, which makes me want to rule out waiting too long, though I guess if it's 2nd hand it won't make a difference.

Definitely leaning towards slings from birth but with the VAT issue probably trying to sort out a buggy this year just in case we end up buying new. I have to say the Bugaboo Bee is very appealing (but hopefully 2nd hand).

So helpful to hear all these recommendations - thanks again!

Get a new baby jogger city mini. Same price as second hand bee but folds much easier for the tube/buses. fab suncover and very easy to push including with bigger babies. doesn't rear face but you can get a carrycot for first few months or use with car seat for short journeys. it weighs the same as a maclaren xt so you won't need to swap to an easier pushchair and fits compactly into any boot. we got ours for a great price from boots.com. my friend had hers from newborn and it still using it occasionally for her 3.5 year old.

With DD we lived on the 4th floor of a flat with no lift! The stairs were a nightmare but we had the Maclaren Techno XLR. You can use a recaro seat with it as a travel system for when that's needed but it lies absolutely flat, is so easy to push and is very lightweight. I developed a technique whereby you can pulll the buggy back and slide it up and down one step at a time. It's also lightweight enough to carry it folded up and down stairs with the carry handle whilst baby is in sling. I would watn you that storage on it is a bit rubbish. There is a basket but really you can't fit more on it than a couple of bags of shopping.

I must say I am tempted by the Bee next time....