Buying my first pram, any ideas please? pram versus tandem?

[halfpintminicooper]

Hello, I'm due in 12 weeks with my first child and have been looking at prams and I've found the one I really like which is a babystyle oyster. I've not found any reviews for it though. I want a pram which is easy to manouver about and has a bar to hold onto instead of two handles to make it easier for my mum to push who is a pensioner. I'd like the baby the face me and the pram to have a roomy shopping compartment.

Also I'd quite like to have 2 children close together (I may think twice about this when baby arrives ;-) ) so would I be wasting my time in buying the babystyle oyster at nearly 500 quid (with everything) now only to have to trade it in for a tandem possibly next year? Has anybody got any experience with going through this and any recommendations on products. Any help would be lovely as I'm really confused and need to buy soon. Thank you

Buy the single. Having a second dc is not guaranteed - certainly not your perfect age gap.

I am the opposite, I would buy a tandem now and upgrade later. I spent a lot of money on a Bugaboo to use it for just over a year before buying a tandem. But you have to pick your tandem carefully and which tandem you get depends in your proposed age gap. A small age gap gives you more choice. A two year plus age gap gives you less choice. And you never know how you will feel having had baby No 1!!! In your shoes, I would look at a Baby Jogger City Select, an iCandy Apple or Pear or a Peach (bear in mind there are huge improvements on the way to the Peach) or Phil and Teds, or Uppa Vista stroller, B Dual or Mamas and Papas Skate. But all have pros and cons. Have a look at www.bestbuggy.co.uk to compare pushchairs side by side. All of these have a good resale value and are stylish as a single. I do wish I had bought a single that turned into a tandem but there weren't as many around three years ago. Or, if you do choose a single pushchair, have a look at resale value later on to make sure you maximize any return. I didn't lose much on my Bugaboo to be honest.

Thank you ladies. I've been on the best buggy link and had a scout around. The iCandy pear looks good but I have to let my mum have the last as she is going to be doing most of the baby sitting. I will keep an open mind on the pram and tandem. Who knew how many buggies there were to choose from!..it's mind boggling! Just got to work on my husband now, about going to test drive some more prams/tandems! ;-) Thank you

I have just had to have a little sit down at the thought of paying £500 for a buggy.

I have three DC.

With the first I spent (what I thought was) a lot of money. It turned out to be a bad choice as it was too large, heavy and was difficult to negotiate shops and other places. In the end I got rid of it when DD was 6 months and I had a wider choice of smaller buggies.

My third is now coming up for the age of 2. With him I bought a buggy/stroller that was suitable from birth. This is after buying pushchairs/buggies for two previous children and making my mistakes with them.

I spent £40 on it from eBay. I have just had to buy a replacement as the wheels were rusting up and getting jammed. I bought this one last week. So far it is great and I am very happy to get such a bargain.

You will then happily be able to spend money on a tandem if or when you need it.

Anyway that is what I suggest.

My thoughts are that if you're willing (if a little annoyed) to spend £500 on a pushchair, you won't want to spend £32.49 on one like that instead which you may end up using for a couple of years.

I agree that you should buy one of those convertible tandems with a removeable second seat.

I personally wouldn't go for something like a P&T or britax b-dual where the lower seat is relatively small and doesn't give that child much to look at. If you have a very small age gap, say a year, and DC1 is 2.6ish when they start walking everywhere, then your DC2 woould be 18 months-ish and probably won't like a seat like that.

Your mum may also want to have both of them in it as long as possible so she doesn't have a toddler running around as well as DC2 in the pushchair, so I'd gor for the biggest seats possible.

So maybe Baby Jogger city select

icandy peach/peach blossom or apple/pear might be ok

I have an oyster and love it but we're planning on a 2 year plus age gap so will probably use a sling for the first few months, then maybe a buggy board. If you planned an age gap like that it would work ok.
bambino direct have good offers and mothercare will price match it if you pay on mothercare's website then call to say where you got it cheaper, and they'll give you a £10 gift voucher too. [csmile]

Just to add the B Dual second seat is actually a good size. My 2.5 year old is very comfy in it and actually prefers it to the top seat. Also the Phil & Teds Verve has seats that both take the same weight (I can't remember if it's 20 or 22kgs but it's certainly a good-sized child).

Don't spend £500 on the Oyster.Here the whole Oyster package is £410 including the £10 discount. If I were you I would consider getting a pushchair that can turn into a double, but don't just get it for the sake of having a double. You never know what might happen in terms of having a second child. If you decide to breastfeed, it's very possible you will only conceive after stopping breastfeeding. You might decide to leave it a while-most people aren't trying for another when their baby is 3 months old. Or you could conceive twins and then a tandem won't cut it!

I would get a britax b-dual or a city select now, as they both make fab rear facing singles as well as doubles, but I would also buy a from-birth light buggy (single) like a maclaren xt or baby jogger city mini. with both of these you'll have your pram, double and lightweight car and travel buggy, so you'll be sorted for the next 4 years, whatever gap you end up with. Getting both together will cost you less than a bugaboo (at least that's how I would justify it!)

Since it's your first I'd say get the Oyster if you really want it because it is your first and if you get pregnant again you can either sell it or re-use it depending on age gap. £375 inculding delivery, footmuff, raincover and changing bag.

It reclines to 120 degrees (according to which.co.uk) which is the minimum requirement for a newborn if you don't want a carrycot, I had a big Emmaljunga for my DS which reclined to this and it was as close to flat as you can get without being flat but it was a bit better for us as he was a sicky baby.

In the long run a tandem may or may not be useful but would be a good investment if you definately want more although your not guaranteed to have.

The baby jogger city select or Britax B dual would be good because the second seats are also a good size. The B Dual is actually cheaper I think. It's £349.95 here and you get a free second seat, carrycot or Britax car seat with it so it is a bargain!

I have the oyster and started using it when DD was about 4 months. She was a big girl but the distance between the shoulder straps and the crotch strap is really long. I had to put the liner and footmuff (with it's own liner too) on it to kind of pad it out and make the distance shorter. Even then it wasn't great. I wonder if they've done that purposely to make you buy the carrycot?!

Anyway, I'd definitely go for the carrycot from birth, unless you give birth to a baby who's 3 foot long!

The offers at bambino direct look the best if you want a carrycot, although I love the plush version.

The new Babystyle Oyster Plush in various colours is currently available at babybabyonline with the carrycot free and 15% off which makes it under £370. Free P&P. I think thats a pretty good bargin!.