Ok, so does anyone NOT use a pushchair? Ever

[redheadbedhead]

I'm wondering if a pushchair/pram/buggy/plastic sci-fi monstrosity is actually worth it. I like the idea of strapping the baby to me until it can walk or is this unrealistic?

Am quite tempted to post this in AIBU to see who tells me I'm being an unrealistic woo-merchant, but actually I really want genuine opinion.

I has a cheap buggy which I didn't use much but it did come in handy at times, as others have said, going mooching round the shops or going for lunch with mates a buggy was better as you could have a coffee without little fingers going in it.
I got pregnant with DD2 when DD1 was 10 months old and carried DD1 until I was about 8 months pregnant so it is doable.
Once I had both a buggy was completely necessary though, but it meant I mostly used a single and carried the other.

I have theergo and live in london. great on crowded buses and tupe (not all stations are barrier free).
I had a travel system from dc1 but dc2 didn't like it at all and wanted to be carried everywhere.
it is pricey but much less than most prams.
our pushchair now is a simple buggy, which has it's uses but we still prefer the carrier.

I think you can skip the 'massive pram' stage. I got into slings properly when DS was a few months old and then used a sling a lot until he was about 1.5, hardly ever used a pram until then but then began to use a buggy more as he was very big and a late walker. We still sling him occasionally at 2.3 though! I made a load of mei ties and definitely found these the best for back carries etc - tying 'tibetan' gives you a lot of support.

I ended up buying a cheapo 2nd hand mountain buggy as we live in the country and it has a very tall handle (we are both giants) but if you got on well with slinging and lived in London then a lightweight umbrella-fold buggy with a shoulder strap would be the obvious choice.

You definitely need something for grandparents / childminders though. I got an ancient buggy off freecycle for my parents to use and we had a Quinny buzz that we hardly used at all once we had started slinging but which my mil LOVED as she liked having a 'proper' pram to wheel around her village. I'm fairly sure if we hadn't given her that to use she would have bought her own pram for her house! My mum did use a sling a couple of times to settle DS but would not have felt confident or able to take him out for the day in it so that is definitely something to bear in mind. There are so many good cheap prams available on eBay though, you definitely don't need to spend a lot on one!

No.2 now on the way and I have bought a big all-terrain double in case it is v icy (only time i really hate slinging) first couple months (due in the winter) but this time round I will be slinging from new-born a lot more. I found once I had ditched the pram and got confident with front & back carries DS was just so much happier in the sling, slept better, interacted more, became a calmer little guy in general. I loved not having to worry about steps, lifts, doorways, getting on and off buses etc. Also found once you don't have a pram to hang all your crap off you realise you don't actually NEED that much stuff which is quite liberating!

You do need to tailor your wardrobe slightly, the dreaded waterfall cardi is great as can wrap extra fabric around baby in sling to tuck in toes etc.

Slingmeet is a great idea if you can find one, worth checking out 'real nappy' meets or asking the NCT in your area as there is often an overlap between slings / cloth nappies and other faintly patchouli-scented baby activities

It's also a good idea to google sling libraries - we have an awesome sling library in the northeast where you can hire slings for a month for a nominal amount and it means you can try out a variety of slings before you commit to buying one, but also get shown properly how to use one. There must be one in London!

oooh what a good idea pottering will check it out.

I've not used a pushchair, ever. I'm about to have DC4 and it's never come up as something we've needed. We've settled into using a mei-tai as it's the most comfortable for us with our health problems and my husband and I can both (at our very opposite sizes) use one easily even on public transport (neither of us drive, again it's just not come up as something we needed).

We have used wheeled shopping baskets (redone suitcases) for really large shops which is what most people use a pushchair for anyways so it's all in how you feel you need to get things done. I prefer the sling + backpack approach though (if anything, it stops us buying too much stuff if we have to carry it ). Also, so many places deliver these days that it's very rare that we need to a large shop in town so a backpack handles our carrying needs well.

I didnt use one for ds3. Hes 2 now and I still occasionly sling him.
Ok I lied two hot days his first year I tried a pushchair as I was worried about him overheating but hated it and bought a lighter sling instead.

I hardly used it for dd and to be honest wish I had never botheredfor any of them

I think it does depend. I had three slings with DD and a pushchair and I used a combination depending on where I was going. However there was a point at just over a year old where even back carrying it was too much for me. With DS I tried slinging him and pushing a pushchair (I know you don't gave two) but the combination of leaning over to push plus the toll of two C-Sections and back issues meant it was impossible to babywear second time round. My friend still wears her two and a bit year old. To be honest although I can imagine the closeness is lovely, my own comfort is more important than going to those extremes or the child could walk....You certainly don't need a huge pram system anyway. There are plenty of cheaper from birth lightweight systems you can get sent next day post birth if slings dont always work.

Thanks for all your advice people. I really appreciate it. Joined a Sling Meet group so will go and try out all their stuff - they even said they'd lend me a baby to put in the slings!