Tall mum to be on quest for pram that won't break her back

[HotButteredToast]

So, I'm a first time mother who's 6ft tall. WAY over the average. I also live in London, thus no car but I usually do battle with the buses as a means of getting around. Therefore, with these factors in mind, I shall continue...

My husband and I went on a jolly to John Lewis today to test drive some of their prams, the sort that go from newborn to toddler. The Bugaboo Chameleon and ICandy Apple were the best for height, the former best for maneouvrebility but lummy! They are huge and tank-like. I felt anxious about the inevitable bus-related stress of the future just by looking at them. The Bugaboo Bee looks like a much better, urban option but is far too small, both in terms of the handles and the level of the baby's seat.

I'm tempted by some of the Maclaren style prams, but the seats on those only face the child away from the parent and I'd prefer to look at the wee one.

Any thoughts gratefully received.

Maclaren xlr has adjustable handles and you can buy a soft carrycot so a small can be rear facing here

that should read small baby

The Quinny Buzz has a handle which extends quite far. We have it and I loved it when ds was small - I've changed to a McLaren type now he's older though (2.3 yrs).

I have a Maclaren xlr and the handles are great. But it's still pretty bulky for London buses I reckon, I wouldn't want to be having to fold and hoik onto the bus or up and down steps with a little one in my arms.

You need the Stokke Xplory!

Saved my back and am about same height as you (and DHs who is eve taller).

Not only does the handle come up incredibly high when you adjust it (to about half way between my boob and belly button) but the seat and carry cot sits up high too so there is no bending whatsoever when dealing with your baby.

Am in London too. And have found the manvourability superb - I walk about with Starbucks in hand (there is a cupholder too) and still push and turn the stroller no problems. Its very very light (10kg) and turns on a plate. And its narrower than Bugaboo Chameleon so no issues with narrow doorways in shops etc.

Goes on the bus just fine although I've not done that too often as I mostly drive.

Folds up easily and no issues getting it in car.

It will do a child until they are about 4 with its various settings.

Only one downside is cost - ££££s but if you're already looking at Bugaboo Cham, you're in the ££££s territory already.

Oh and Stokke seat can be adjusted to either face you or away from you.

In the position facing you the seat has 3 recline positions inc almost flat so ideal for naps when younger.

My DD is 18 months and since about 12 months prefers to face away from me for maximum observing.

The facing away position has 2 recline options.

You will need the carry cot for a newborn and its really great. My DD loved it till she was about 12 weeks and then she kept trying to lift her head to see what was going on so I changed her into the seat.

They say you should use the carrycot until they are 6 months but my DD at 12 weeks was already touching both ends (tall like DH and I). But I think both of the above are common
issues with carrycots on many models of strollers anyway.

I bought from Kiddiecare (best price at the time and fab service). There are lots of extras and mildly ridiculous extras you can get for a Stokke. I just got the stroller, seat, carrycot, shopping bag and nappy bag plus the footmuff for the seat (summer baby so no need for sleeping bag for carrycot).

Anyway enough waffling from me - have a look at this instead:
www.stokke.com/en-gb/stroller.aspx

I would agree that you definitely need to look at the Stokke Xplory!

Ah ha! I see Stokke are Scandinavian. That explains the height and the expense. And I hadn't even thought about the inevitable tallness of the pending progeny! Oi vey. That means the Maclaren won't be an option then.

Thanks very much for all the advice. I shall start on my quest for an xplory. I wonder if they come with optional bull bars and flame spouting hubcaps for those moments of pram rage on the buses (one of which I witnessed on the way back from John Lewis. eek!)?

Hm. Now, not wishing to rain on your parade here but... I found the Xplory hard work on public transport in London. It's fine on the bus if it's not crowded and no-one else is occupying the pram/wheelchair space. But there's no guarantee of that, obviously, and I suspect in a pram rage situation you would struggle because you can't collapse it to make room for anyone else which I found does cause rage from other buggy users and, on occasion, means a bus driver will sail right on past you at the stop. It's tricky on the Tube too, especially if there's no escalator. You will see there's an option to click it down to two wheels to enable you to bump it up and down stairs. Do not be fooled. Once you have a baby in it, a changing bag on the handles and shopping in the bag the mechanism is not all that easy to operate and it's bloody heavy to drag up and down stairs.

BUT having said all that the Xplory is fantastic for all the other things Skandi said. I'm tall and found it was really brilliant. The forward-facing thing makes a world of difference too. If you generally walk a lot and bus a little you might be OK. Could you maybe borrow one and take it for a spin on the bus in rush hour or nearby primary school kick-out time? Those would be good times to test it. I'm made of pretty stern stuff when it comes to London transport but I had to admit wilting a bit when I had the Xplory in tow. You might be much tougher than me!

Also, another thing which I wish someone had reminded me about, when testing buggies in places like John Lewis, remember that they have no baby in them or shopping dangling from the handles or any other 'stuff' to add to the awkwardness and weight of them. And floors in general are not as lovely and smooth as those in John Lewis either! I don't mean to sound patronising AT ALL - it's just something that I completely forgot about when I was buggy shopping! Good luck anyway.

Loola Up- adjustable handle, folds in one piece, compact full size pushchair and has reversible seat unit.

Only issue is that it can be quite heavy but for a rear facer it would be quite good.

My friend sold her Stokke because it didn't work on public transport in London. She got a Maclaren XLR instead - she & her husband are over 6ft & so is baby!

er, obviously baby isn't yet. Meant to say that baby was looooong, as you would expect.

Mutsy 4rider light.

Don't buy a Buzz in London.. it's the most tank-like of al prams (IMO )

My 6'2" friend would suggest a trip to M&P - she liked the M&P Luna and found it easy to push. It's quite narrow and lightweight and folds up small, but is suitable from birth (you can get soft carry cot with it, so can be forward facing, and had a true lie-flat seat which is big enough to take large toddlers.

Have a look at the Urbo or similar in M&P though.

Hello ladies,
Hmmmmm... further useful comments. We've still to pop along to M&P so will do that in the next week or so. SweetApril, I'll bear in mind your critique about some of the challenges of the xplory on public transport. But looking at the Maclaren XLR, isn't that for when the babe is a bit older?

Maclaren XLR is from birth. I know a few mums who bought this because they use public transport a lot. And handles adjust quite high I think. But it's forward facing. I'm not a Maclaren fan myself but plenty of people swear by the XLR. What about Baby Jogger City Mini with the carrycot attachment so your baby can face forward for the first few months? I had it when my DD was older so no idea how long the carrycot is or how it would be on the bus. I'm not sure if you can use it from birth without carrycot (although I seem to recall some MNrs have). But by itself the BJCM is fab on public transport. Superb one-handed fold, high handle, smooth ride, you can hang a ton of shopping on with no tipping (you're not meant to, mind!), great hood for keeping off the sun. Again not forward facing though with carrycot or car seat attachment.

Sorry, I meant 'not forward facing without carrycot or car seat attachment'

Ok, update on the pram situation. DH has been spontaneous. He's gone ahead and bought an xplory on ebay for about a third of the cost of a new one. We'll test run it once the wee one arrives and if it's a disaster and the instigator of too many pram rage sessions on the bus then we'll shift across to the Maclaren. At ebay prices it's not quite so horrendous to test drive for a month or so and then hopefully we'd get most of our money back should we need to sell sooner rather than later. Thanks muchly everyone!