Can someone solve my admittedly minor pram/travel dilemma

[GrumpyBear]

Hi,

I'm going away to London when my DD is six months old. We have a Quinny Buzz which I feel is too bulky to take on the train, so I have suggested getting hold of a Maclaren Techno which is less bulky/easy to carry etc etc and DD can sleep in on the train. DH agreed in part.

He then said why don't we take the carseat (we'll have a car seat in London anyway so no real need to take it) and we can just attach it to the Quinny chaise. Again this raises the whole 'bulky' argument in my mind. I then had thoughts about getting hold of a Zapp frame as they're small and light/easy to carry should we need to.

I mean we're not going away forever, but we'll have our luggage and all of DD's crap with us.

So anyway, what the hell would you do??

Sling

In your situation i'd use the Techno...I know my DD wouldn't have like sitting in a car seat for extended periods...Techno will allow your LO to sit up and lie down as needed...I feel it's hard enough on trains with my tiny Citisport, let alone a massive travel system like a Buzz...Then once you're in London you may be using the tube system.

I do have a sling and do use it, but DD is a fussy thing and won't be worn for long periods of time.

I would just take your usual buggy. I have travelled on trains a lot with my buggy and never had a problem. The guards (and other passengers) have always been really helpful with loading on/off etc. as i was on my own.

If the baby is asleep i just park it by the doors and sit next to it if the train isnt too busy. I used to just move it at each station to the side not by the platform so that it wasnt in anyones way.

If the train was very busy then i just folded it up and had the baby on my lap. Where are you travelling from, what type of train is it, an intercity type or one of those commuter trains?

I have also used a sling, but it is not as easy to be honest as you have nowhere to put anything else.

re your luggage etc, i would use two rucksacks, one each for you and DH plus your baby change bag. I used to always pack stuff in bags/rucksack such that i could get on/off train by myself if there was noone to help, then any help in lifting buggy was a bonus.

Also have you got a family railcard...it is worth doing...youu dont need to pay for the baby until they are 5 but if you use a railcard and get 2 adult plus 1 child ticket then you save so much on the adult tickets that it is worthwhile.

We had this issue as our family live in Glasgow (we live in the Highlands now) and had to travel from when DS was 6 weeks old to visit, we had an beast emmaljunga cerox which was fantastic but a PITA if the train got crowded!

We eventually went through loads of pushchairs until I found the Baby Jogger City Mini, it is fantastic and I wish we had gotten it sooner for travelling. It is compatible with the Maxi Cosi car seat and the seat lays flat etc.

It literally folds with one pull of a strap and folds in one piece to which is a bonus!

Having done the whole travel with bulky pram etc I would say in the end it is soo worth the extra money. In Glasgow there is also an issue with large pushchairs on the tube so you may also need to take this into consideration with your buzz.

We take a suitcase if there are 2 of us (one wheels that and the other has DS) and rucksack if we are alone with DS.

Would also recommend family railcard as it means you definately have seats booked and you save a fortune paying for your DD for example it was going to cost me and DP £75 return to Glasgow but with railcard and paying for an extra child seat it cost £47 and the bonus is it means that if you need to take the car seat with you to a seat you have somewhere to sit her and no one can moan :o