Common Sense vs Softy Mum?

[MistressFrankly]

I a quinny buzz for 9month dd. I have loved this pram with its transformer like abilities but am thinking of getting rid as have been given a silver cross buggy. It makes sense really:

• i have a very small flat and we no longer use the maxi cosi or the carrycot parts and my hall is already full with 3 bikes.
• money is tight and could get a nice chunk for the travel system.

-Everyone else hates the pram (too wide and heavy) -We now have to use seperate car seat as DD is a giant so lots to fit in car But, and i know its silly, i dont want to give up the rear facing seated pram. I love having the interaction with DD as we do the shopping. I feel daft not wanting to swap but surely it is good for her to have her mam pulling silly faces, singing to her and having in depth discussions about which peanut butter we should buy? Or do you think the forward facing would give her a wider view and be more interesting? I get the sneaky feeling i am being a little precious. It gets on my nerves tripping over the blasted thing indors whereas the silver cross folds up neatly but when we are out i love it.

Thoughts please

I would get rid of the Buzz. Honestly by 12 months most children would rather see out anyway. If you really want rear facing consider selling both, buying a cheap second hand Quinny Zapp chassis and buying a Zapp Xtra seat to go on top (the older chassis will hopefully be easier to open and shut) but even so mt daughter at 12 months didn't want to look at me lol! My son has rarely had the luxury of facing me being in a double pushchair.

yeah i think you're right - my face isnt as interesting as the outside world time to be practical. Thought about getting a new one but makes little sense when i have been given a perfectly good buggy. Cheers Guilford, needed a nudge.

Sorry...I am not a terribly fluffy person! I love my children dearly but as long as they are happy seeing the world, then I feel it must be nice for them to have a change from seeing me all the time at home! We still chat the whole time :)

DD1 faced me until 3 in our old FWCT and I hate having DD2 (3.7) & DD3 (1.8) facing away in the BJCMD (as do they - it's difficult to hear them when it's noisy/busy) and I have to stop the pram to check on them if they have fallen asleep or need me.

Rear facing all the way for me I'm afraid. If I could find a double that would accommodate a 105cm 16kg 3.7y/o who's likely to need a pram until school age or even beyond that faced me I would sell my kidney to get it (or wheedle at DH until he gave in).

Any ideas Guildfordnanny?

Not being soft at all, I loved my dc facing me. Dd did until she was 2, ds at 12 months hated it and I turned the buggy around and he loves it the monkey! We are big walkers, half an hour each way to pre-school and much more yet he hates facing me now and I hate him facing away.

Each to their own, like I would never, ever use a stroller ff from birth even though lots of people happily do, doesn't bother me what anyone else does, I do what's right for me and my dc

Went out with DD in the ff silver cross and yup i hated it. Didnt like having to keep stopping to see what was going on with her. BUT it was great on the bus. And very nippy. So have decided to keep both for the time being

I am afraid DD is stuck with me yabbering away at her. I cant abide shopping and only ever went with headphones on which clealy cant do with LO in tow. Without her to distract me i nearly slaughtered half of manchester today. Saturday shopping . I thought i was being soppy but turns out she is keeping me sane and distracting me from bouts of pram rage!

Compromise - keep ff buggy for everyone else and bus journeys. Clear out crap from top of wardrobe and hide quinny bits and pieces out the way.

Thanks for the input

Have to disagree with Guildfordnanny. I think it's a myth that children would prefer to look out rather than interact with a parent. If you are spending any amount of time a day with your child in the buggy having them facing you will do wonders for their speech development. It's not like they can't see other things when they are parent facing anyway.

I put my dd back into rear facing when she was two as I found it a pain not being able to hear her in traffic busy areas. We both really enjoyed it and chatted and sang away together all the time. Kept a rear facer for about 6 months after that.

I guess it boils down to personal preference and circumstances. It's rare we spend more than an hour or two in a pushchair, once or twice a week out of the 60 hours my children are awake at home. I can assure you my daughter certainly doesn't need any more help with her speech development but it gives her mummy with hurting ears chance to enjoy the peace and quiet as she walks along ;)

DS is 15 months nearly and HATES facing out - he only settles/naps etc if he is rear facing - I am infact looking at getting a buzz but need something to go off road - currently have a zapp xtra (use phil * teds off road but he hates it and DD now walking more!)

DS preferred to face forwards from about 6 months. It would be nice to rear face (he's 20 months), but whenever I try, he finds it strange and wants to be picked up. In his mind, if I'm right there and looking at him, I might as well carry him. And that I will not do (have already sustained injury once from carrying him for an hour). So.. forward facing it is. He also hates pushchair hoods, rain covers and anything else that prevents him from seeing things around him.

Unless you spend most of your day walking with DC in pushchair, I really would not worry about rear facing/speech development etc.

fairmum - I think the buzz three can go offroad? I'm getting a Jane pro reverse as off road and parent facing.