Baby Jogger City Mini advice needed please

[bellastella]

I'm currently in the process of choosing a pushchair for my third baby who is due in six weeks! My other two DS are 12 and 3 so I don't think I will need a buggy board. I think I'm certain about getting the BJCM...

I like it because it folds up small (we have a Peugeot 106 ie small boot). With my other two I had big prams from birth so used them for baby to sleep in downstairs but boot issue and finances mean I can't have multiple prams! I also like that is has one handle so I could hold 3yoDS hand and still be able to steer.

I've seen that they have updated the pushchair for 2011 and put a backboard in to make it more upright also added straps to keep the position more upright. Must have been a lot of sagging complaints! So I would go for the new version...if I can find it.

The questions bit...
What other bits shall I get? What other bits did you get and how successful were they?
I could get the hard bassinet/carrycot which would give me the praminess I like. I could get the carseat adaptors and plonk a carseat on it. (What carseat did you get? Maxicosi cabriofix is most frequently mentioned but .com website lists other compatible ones) I could get the raincover but the hood is very large and would perhaps do. There are numerous parent and child consoles/bars available too.

Also storage... I think the basket underneath isn't huge. I wonder how much I could fit under here? 4 pints of milk and a loaf of bread or more or less?! Do people hang bags over the handles? Is this terribly dangerous and unstable?

And wheels... I am bad at wearing my wheels away due to lots of walking. How are people finding the wheels wearing? Could you buy some 12" wheels and fit them on? I'd love easier manoevering when we go to the beach.

Urgh, this is long and wittery. Apologies. Any advice appreciated and even alternative pushchair suggestions!

Bum, forgot to ask if both pushchair and carrycot would fit into a small boot? Doh!

Hi Bella,

I had the pushchair for my big 2YO until he was out of it all together at 3.5YO (used occassionally at this point) so there was plenty of room and although the seating position never posed an issue it was slightly more reclined than I would have liked it to be but this is an issue I have had with most prams excpet one. So don't worry too much if you can't get a new model. My only realy niggle about it is that the footrest is just a moulded well rather than an adjustable part if that makes sense.

Accessories-
I passed this onto a friend for her newborn and 18m on she still loves it, she never opted for the carrycot because money was an issue but if you can afford it I would get it personally because I like being able to see them at that age and as you say you can use it as a moses basket for daytime naps too. I would also say buy the raincover and a padded liner/footmuff as the seat unit itself is not that padded. The Jane Nest Plus footmuff is large, padded and very cosy. Whilst the hood is large it is not actually water proof and I found that the hood material was not fully waterproof, so would end up soggy. I have never owned a pushchair witha parent console so can't really comment on this but there are no pockets on the hood for a purse or anything like that. I would probably go for the bumper bar purely because when my DS was younger he loved to grab hold of it and lean forward but this is just my preference and it is in no way essential.

Storage-
The basket itself is not huge but there is a drawstring type bag on the back of the seat unit which I used to fit some pull ups, wipes, a cup and raincover. The actual basket is a fair size and would probably hold maybe a bit more than your estimate especially if lighter items.

I bought buggy hooks for mine but again never got on with them because of the shape of the handle and it would be very easy to tip with a small baby in because it is lightweight so again would'nt advise.

Wheels-
Myself and the person who now owns it do not drive so it has done a lot fo mileage and the wheels still look fine after almost 3 years of constant use. I don't know about the 12 inch wheels but I know that one fo the few downfalls of this pushchair are that it would not budge in the snow last year so I doubt it would be any good on a beach. I don't know if it is all BJCM'S or if ours had a fault but it says the front wheels locks, ours never it would stay swivel but this was'nt really a big issue for us.

I am not sure about the boot thing but the pushchair does fold pretty compact and the wheels are very easy to get on and off if needed which makes it a lot flatter.

Overall I loved mine and wished I had it from birth rather than waiting till we almost did'nt need anymore.

:)

Oops sorry that was a bit erm long winded :o

Will post when on laptop as using iPod. The new 2011 also has better carrycot. Will google.

new model

Appears to fit better than the carrycot I have.