london with 7mo and bugaboo bee+

[Liz79]

Hi,

at the end of next week DH and I are taking 7mo DS to London. We are travelling by train and staying in a hotel 5 mins walk from Euston. How do we get about on public transport? Never really used the bus in London before, always the tube. Should we stick to the disabled access stations? Feel it will be a PITA to take DS out of buggy (and unhook changing bag and empty rain cover and other stuff from basket), fold it, carry down escalator, on tube, back upto surface, put all back in/on buggy.

Also what baby friendly evening activities can we do with our friend who has never previously held a baby! We figured DS will be OK going for a meal but theatre is probably out.

Thanks

Buses will be fine (be prepared for the whole of MN to come here and remind you to fold it if a wheelchair gets on :o).

I've only taken DD on the tube a couple of times but found it safer to keep her in the pushchair and hold it on the escalator with someone else in front. This is what we were advised to do by the station staff.

You've probably got the best pushchair to take round London tbh, it's so versatile and small.

If you stick to disabled only access tube stations you will be very very restricted! Take a look at the tube map, there are only about 4 in central London and you can bet half the lifts will be out of order .

Bus can be a pain as if there are 2 buggies already on bus you may be asked to collapse it (if they let you on, but that's another subject) also you may need to do lots of changes if you are covering a fair distance. Tube with a buggy is fine, you can leave DS in it, take it down the escalator and carry or bump DS up and down the steps - I don't know how heavy the Bee is but with a Maclaren I have never had any problems, even on my own someone almost always gives a hand on stairs.

Theatre definitely out I would say - can't imagine any fellow theatregoers being pleased at a baby interrupting proceedings and buggies not practical with the design of most theatres!

OTOH lots of restaurants (prob not the Michelin * ones ) will be fine with baby joining or sleeping in buggy while you eat.

Thanks, friend has suggested all star lanes in Bloomsbury, a bowling alley with eatery attached. Presumably they won't mind a baby as it will be a bit noisy/music playing etc. But willit be so noisy DS won't sleep....sigh

Bloomsbury Lanes are fab, think The Fonz and Happy Days :o They absolutely won't mind a baby. the eatery is very much burgers and fries.

Bit surprised by suggestion of Bloomsbury Lanes as the music is always so loud there it's the last place I would take a baby! I remember having to leave once with a roaring headache... Maybe it's quieter in the daytime?
You can always take the 168 bus (a few other routes too) down to the Thames and across Waterloo bridge, for a walk along the South bank if it's nice weather. Lots of restaurants etc down there.
Also, if you like museums, the Wellcome Collection is free and opposite Euston and has great baby changing facilities!
Don't go to the palaver of taking DS out of his buggy for escalators, just hold tight and concentrate hard on hanging on... Keep an eye out as they have special wide ticket barriers for buggies.
Have a nice trip!

V. sorry for thread highjack, but can you still catch london black cabs with baby and buggy?

Thanks

Thanks for your help people, we are arriving at Euston and staying close by, think we're goingto spend the day at the British Museum, back to hotel to do baby's night time routine, bf in peace and quiet and put down to bed in buggy before walking to the bowling place. Touch wood he will sleep Ok during our meal and bowling :) Very pleased this all sounds like fun and does not involve any public transport (google maps says museum and bowling just 15mins walk from hotel)

you will easily do tube i've done it myself with a baby in maclaren and carried them up stairs, balanced on escalators etc. so think with two of you with bee+ will be a doddle.

personally i'd be happier somewhere quieter in evening but hey have a fab time! Im sure you will. Life doesn't end after babies and its so much easier to get out with one in the evenings before they become mobile!!

the toddler is staying staying with grandparents! Any suggestions of what else we could do in the evening?

Don't put the Bee wheels down on the escalator - there have been cases of the wheels getting shredded on them! Bugaboo won't replace under warranty if this happens and you'll be stuck without a buggy to use on your trip.

Such a light buggy though, I'm sure you can carry it between you. Have a great time, I love London at this time of year with all the shops etc all Christmassy

Icklejess, how did the wheels get shredded - was it as they came off the end of the escalator?

I live in London and with 2 of you you'll be able to get across the entire transport network. I manage it by myself by standing around looking helpless and someone always comes along and helps on the tube. Buses are v v easy.

Evenings - lots of restaurants and pubs have no problems with babies and I think Winter Wonderland opens this weekend in Hyde Park. Covent Garden remains nice to walk around and some museums and galleries do late night openings. I recommend looking at TimeOUt online or buying the magazine when you arrive - it has a kids section but also more generally recommendations across anything that you could phone and ask if babies are welcome. If your baby is under 1 year some cinemas run special screening for Mums and babies - showing proper grown up films.

If you use the tube your best bet is definately keep baby in the buggy going on the escalators. one person holds the handle and keeps it as upright as possible, another stands in front. first time I used tube with DD made the mistake of attempting to fold down the buggy- and nearly got shoved- with baby in my arms- down the escalators. Was on my own and a staff member had to save me he was very helpful and went down with me and calmed my frightened 6 month old baby on the way down too.

I use the tube a lot, in the old days with a bugaboo frog and now a maclaren. My only advice would be to avoid rush hour! Most tube stations have wheelchair/pushchair automatic barriers at the entrance to the lines, otherwise they'll be a barrier controlled by a tube worker. I do use the esclalator with the buggies, but understand that not everyone would be happy to do this. Having your partner with you will make the whole process of steps easier if there's no lift at your station.

Black cabs get a thumbs up too. They're really spacious so you just wheel the buggy in, put the brakes on and you're sorted. One of my DCs had bad travel sickness as a baby though so I couldn't use them very often!

I avoid buses completely - they're too unpredictable and won't even stop for you if they already have two buggies on board. Also even a narrow maclaren is sometimes a real squeeze to push down the aisle.

I agree with avoiding the theatre, just not fun with a 7 month old! How about Yo Sushi to eat? They have high chair attachments and watching food going round on the wheel is fun!! As for food they do finger food sizes pieces of fruit, bowls of rice etc.

Have a great trip!

I use a Mclaren and take on buses all over London without too much trouble. If there is two of you you'll be OK on the tubes too - carry up & down stairs and on the escalators just stand one in front & one behind. Def avoid rush hour. You might still have time to get a central London bus map sent to you which will help with planning.

Good cafes/chains for kids are Giraffe/Wagamamas/Pret/Eat.

have you checked out Time Out London online? Lots of info there re entertainment & pick up a copy of the mag for full listings once you hit town. The bowling place is great - we had our work Xmas do there 3 years ago - my first venture out after DD was born - she was about 3 weeks old :) They have karaoke booths too.

Make sure you take in walk along the south bank - London Bridge to Westminster is fab & lots of places to stop, eat, rest etc enroute.