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Pushchairs

Join our Pram forum for pram advice. Plus read our round up of the best pushchairs currently available.

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Original poster

I'm in a bit of a panic and I need some advice! Buggy for baby and toddler?

66 replies

MrsMcgee · 25/08/2011 08:39

My bugaboo chameleon has just packed up. I thought oh well I'll buy a bugaboo bee. Then I found out I'm pregnant!

So now im in a complete muddle as I don't know whether to get a double or not. Dd will be 2.10 when the baby arrives. She's a very slow walker and we walk a lot. Pretty much everywhere. But i have no idea how much that will have improved in 9m. I'm not keen on the idea of getting a single now and then ending up needing a double.

Also, thinking way into the future, we would like to, all going to plan have dc3 with a much smaller age gap, so we'll need one then right might aswell get the use out of it now? Or am I way off? Coz I'd quite like to not have to think about it!

Anyway; looking at the p&t, ICandy pear and peach blossom and the britax dual. But in a sense how much do you guys think it will be useful to have a double? I don't want tonne on it and then never use it! I suppose i could ebay for it and then sell it on. If there is anything similar to the chameleon you could recommend please do! Light to push and easy to turn etc.

Any recommendations of a shop we could go to to try them out a bit? We have a mothercare but their range always seems really limited. Oh we're in Oxford!

Everyday we don't have a pram is a day when we really struggle to get out so I'm panicing a bit, I also don't make decisions quickly so need help!!

OP posts:

saoirse86 · 26/08/2011 10:40

I also loved our Powertwin but the babies were too young for the front seat really at about 9 months but a bigger gap would be fine. However that definitely means needing a separate single later so I'd only get it if you're willing to do that. It was by far the lightest double to push I've tried though.

We've now got the B-Dual which I think is a great double. Pushes really easily on flattish ground, a bit heavy uphill but most doubles are TBH. But there's loads of room for each child, especially if you use the adapter things to move the top seat forward away from the bottom seat. When your baby's tiny you can have him/her lying flat at the bottom and have the top seat rear facing (without the adapters) or forward facing. It has to be forward facing to fold with both seats attached. Both seats lie flat, and you can use a car seat with it.
At the moment you can get it from Boots for £450 with free second seat and free car seat, and if you're in the boots parenting club you get over £100 in points too!

Original poster

MrsMcgee · 28/08/2011 17:58

Frigg I can't believe we missed you! Especially as we seemed to be there for what seemed like the ENTIRE day! :o
Had a look at the peach which I really liked, it was really light to push but the seats really are tiny. DD only just fitted in now, and I don't know if she would in a year!
What is the new version like? Does it make the seats any bigger?!

Wasn't keen on the P&T - toddler seat seemed really little, it was bulky, and the babies head really did look like it would be lower than its feet!
Looked at the britax which we liked but DD seemed slumped in the seat. Which is a shame as the price is the most reasonable of the bunch!

I like the look of the baby jogger one - though I didn't see that one there, just on the net. Going to see if I can find a stockist..

Liked the look of the iCandy pear / apple. It seemed a bit unwieldy with the big front wheels on it though. But in all other respects its perfect.

OP posts:

FriggFRIGG · 28/08/2011 19:11

are you
sure you missed me?
because just before i left,a man and a woman came in,and went directly to the icandy....was that you?my DD was near the front door reading books,and DS was in the crook of my arm,i was looking at the p&t verve....
we left by about 11 though!

the seats on the icandy can get bigger i think if you remove the liner....

pramsgalore · 28/08/2011 19:30

i have just bought the verve and used it for a week non stop on holiday for my ds 5.2 years and dd 2.10 years and it was fab, the back seat was easier for dd to get in and out of, but saying that ds did get in the back with help and was comfy, the leg room for him was ok but his knees almost touched the bottom of the front seat [did not really matter as he tends to curl up when in a pushchair, but remember he is over 5, he would jump in and out of the front seat and dd stayed in the back and did never once felt like it would tip, was very easy to push even with all that weight and the panniers fitted better than on the vibe and i did not once have a problem getting it anywhere with them on, it felt so much more stable than my p&t sport and the fold with doubles kit still on the back is so easy and quick to do, i really would recommend it and it would last until you no longer needed a pushchair, it also will be great for shopping when i only have dd as the back seat will be empty

Original poster

MrsMcgee · 28/08/2011 19:58

No wasn't us - though we must have just missed you as we arrived at about 11. You would have known if it was as dd was protesting at having to walk.. err.. to put it mildly!
She did have a bit of room if you removed the liner - didn't look very comfy though. And still wasn't overly big - she could barely get her head under the hood too.
She's only 50th centile - I think she must have short legs :o perhaps hence the walking issue?!

pramsgalore: hmm that does persuade me a bit actually, I think I'll have another look!

OP posts:

FriggFRIGG · 28/08/2011 20:13

ooh! prams im so glad to hear that! mine arrives on wednesday!

Tiggywunkle · 28/08/2011 20:26

The Peach hood slides up the chassis as well as also unzipping at the back, and the liner removes. My almost three year old (in age 4-5 clothes) fits very comfortably with plenty of room to spare.so much so that we are going to get a Peach for her to keep using. If you go to www.bestbuggy.co.uk and use the compare pushchairs tool, the seat measurements are on there. Remember the Peach ones have the liner in though. The Pear seats are listed too. Just watch, there is barely any basket with the Pear and the youngest will be hidden. I found the seat rotators hard too and the wheels on mine kept getting stuck. Its a real shame about the B-Dual seat because it has a lot to offer. Did you put the footrest up? But it sounds like seeing some pushchairs has helped.

aswellasyou · 28/08/2011 20:44

I put a thick footmuff in the B-Dual today and it's made loads of difference to the slumping in the seat. My daughter and niece weren't too fussed about slumping a little bit and I only put the footmuff on because it was cold, but I'm amazed how different it is now.

However, the Verve is starting to sound like a really good tandem. The BJCS is also a really good option-I just couldn't get over not being able to lift the front up because we go up and down kerbs a lot and I didn't want to have to go out of my way to use dropped kerbs all the time. It's definitely worth having a really good play with as many as your children will let you. You don't want to end up buying and selling loads like the rest of us have!

pramsgalore · 28/08/2011 20:59

the verve is fab and the problem about storage is solved by using the panniers and they hold loads, yes they do make it wider but i never had a problem and i even took it on the park and ride bus and i hung a bag off the handle and it did not hit dd or ds in the head, unlike on the sport.i have owned/have a sport, E3 and vibe and now the verve and the verve is the best one.

FriggFRIGG · 28/08/2011 21:23

i have owned all of those too!
im so glad to hear it really is better than them,as i thought it would be!
i noticed i could hang a bag off the back too,the rear seat is tucked under better,and the handle is taller,i didnt have to stoop when pushing around the shop,and im 5'8!
interseting to hear about the paniers...i might have to look into those,how wide do you think it makes it?

FriggFRIGG · 28/08/2011 21:24

interseting obviously i meant interesting!

pramsgalore · 28/08/2011 21:40

it really does depend on how much you stuff in them as they expand, when empty nothing really, you have to put one of the straps around the bumper bar and the other on the frame and they fit perfectly, i could not really use a P&t with out them. i also have a parent console on the handlebar and a buggybuddy clip, and you don't have to mess about trying to push the front seat up in the middle like on the vibe when you fold with doubles seat on and the basket does not get in the way like it did on the vibe when you fold it as well.

pramsgalore · 28/08/2011 21:52

frigg i was being nosey on the other thread and the base bag is rubbish, i used one on the vibe and it was really difficult to get to as it sits under the back seat, one side in the basket and one side out under seat, i know the seat is tucked under more on the verve, but i still think it would be a pain to get to, you would be almost on your hands and knees to get to it.

Tiggywunkle · 28/08/2011 21:55

The base bag kind of works on the Vibe but you can only use the smaller half which is a bit of a waste but I got a fair bit in there eg purse, keys, phone, muslin, nappy, water bottle, wipes etc. Enough to get by. It's better than nothing! The small Diddie bag hangs over the bag of the Verve doubles kit seat too. The Baby jogger parent console is worth a look too.

Tiggywunkle · 28/08/2011 21:55

Verve..not Vibe lol

FriggFRIGG · 28/08/2011 21:56

thanks for that prams! i shant buy a base bag then i'll have a looksee at the panniers....what parent console do you have? i was going to get the sunshine kids one...

pramsgalore · 28/08/2011 22:15

i will have to get it out of the car, but it is like the p&t handbag a bottleholder eitherside of a zipped compartment, i got it off ebay but can not find it on their now, i also bought one for the bumperbar . i prefer one with a zipped compartment so my keys and purse are safe. i am sure their website is printed on the top. will have a look

FriggFRIGG · 28/08/2011 22:18

that would be fab,thankyou!i hadnt thought of getting one for the bumperbar! im sure DD would appreciate somewhere to put her bits and pieces too!

pramsgalore · 28/08/2011 22:29

the bumperbar one is like this
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BUGGY-TRAY-BABY-PUSHCHAIR-BUGGY-ORGANISER-DRINKS-HOLDER-/160512894170?pt=UK_Baby_BabyTravel_Pushchairs_GL&hash=item255f5064da

FriggFRIGG · 28/08/2011 22:33

oh that looks fab!

pramsgalore · 28/08/2011 22:45

this is it
www.amazon.co.uk/Jolly-Jumper-Stroller-Caddy-Cupholder/dp/B000JQ4B3C
but i am sure i paid less off ebay

FriggFRIGG · 28/08/2011 22:51

thankyou!

pramsgalore · 29/08/2011 12:22

frigg here it is on ebay and cheaper
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CUP-BOTTLE-HOLDER-FITS-QUINNY-BUZZ-PHIL-TEDS-JANE-NEW-/190563706458?pt=UK_Baby_Pushchair_Accessories_parts_ET&hash=item2c5e7b665a

FriggFRIGG · 29/08/2011 12:37

thankyou

Original poster

MrsMcgee · 29/08/2011 15:21

Had a look at the bjcs today in John Lewis and it does seem really easy to push and fold. Anyone got any opinions on it? My worry is the seats are just fabric and only guaranteed for 6m. Would they lose their shape or split with a heavy 3 year old in after 6m use? Argh why am I this bad at making decisions!!

OP posts:

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