Challenge for you wise ladies!

[2wwmadness]

Please help! I'm pregnant with our 1st child. What pushchair so I need! Do I need a travel system? I would like something light (I will be driving and using alot of public transport) ideally that would last me a while and see through the toddler years. I also want something funky (limited edition colours maybe) I like traditional prams but they seem a bit bulky?!?
What would you re commend? It's like a mine-field of wheels!

do you have a budget?

Some more questions :

What will you be doing? Where will you be going?
Do you live in a city, town or country?
How big is your boot?
Do you want to be able to add a second seat on for a subsequent child?
Do you want the baby to face you once out of carrycot mode?
Would you buy second hand?
Do you want a removeable carrcot?
How tall are you and your partner?

Congratulations on your pregnancy :)

What kind of budget do you have?

Maxi Cosi Elea £325 - looks funky, folds compact and is suitable with one of the safest car seats on the market, the Maxi Cosi Cabriofix.

The Jane Solo Reverse £279 - does'nt look funky but is practical with reversible seat and it can (unusually) fold with the seat unit rear facing which is really handy and weighs only 8kg!

Live in a town. My mum lives in a big city. It would be for shopping and days out. We are a city family.
Drive a hatchback
Not bothered about board for another child
Would like it if baby could face me and also face out (is that possible)
I would buy second hand if it's in good nick
I am 5"3 dh is 5"8ish.
I dont really have a budget.

mima xari it ticks most of your boxes
its not mega light weight, but its a real head turner and i would take it on a bus, its foot print is not large
www.cheekyrascals.co.uk/1570/xari
and you did say you have no budget
i have one and it is the best pushchair i have ever owned i have had 60
they are the easiest, lightest, stylist puschair i have ever used

It's beautiful!!!! Will that see us through? Newborn-toddler? And I'm guessing the price is all in? No hidden extras I'll need? Any more suggestions?

I would send you off to look at the iCandy Peach - and the rest of the range. But the Peach is my favourite. Also the Bugaboo Bee and Chameleon. I have had a lot of pushchairs and this these two brands take some beating. The Xari is stunning but hopeless in a small car. The Babystyle Oyster gets good reviews and has funky colours.

yes comes with carrycot and raincover and seat unit, the carrycot is inside the seat unit very clever and yes would see you through newborn to toddler. for next winter i have a buggysnuggle in mine, fit a treat so no need to buy their footmuff

I love my iCandy Cherry - it's great around town, super light (until my chunky DS is on board) and the frame fits into the boot of my mini. It's compatible with the Maxi Cosi infant carriers.

I really recommend that you find a shop with a big range of brands and styles and check out what works best for you.

Really useful things to look out for are large shopping basket underneath, one handed steering (really useful when holding a brolly in other hand), narrow frame that squeezes through all doorways and cup holder (really).

Thanks everyone! I will look at them all. (think emoticons) is there a buggy superstore? That stocks them all? Apart from a department store.

Kiddicare in Peterborough if you're nearish.

mima xari's are only in selected john lewis, kiddicare in peterbough are very good and have loads all out on display and i mean loads but don't think they stock bugaboo or icandy, other than that go round your local small independant baby shops

Thanks. I really appreciate it

On the iCandy website they have a search facility so that you can find your nearest stockist. I think you can search by county, so you can find a bunch of pram shops closest to you.

JL sell Bugaboos, iCandys and Mimas. The Mima Kobi is gorgeous too and will take a second seat, so have a think about whether you want to be able to add a seat on in the nearish future. The Peach also takes a second seat and the new version will have a better second seat than you'll see on display. The Mimas on display are all dark grey at the moment I think. They do silver seat on a black chassis (Cosmo) which may be in but I don't think it is. But they also do white seat units (dirt wipes straight off them so not impractical at all!). If you contact Cheeky Rascals, they'll supply it as a white seat unit with black carrycot fabric inside. The white fabric for the carrycot doesn't meet UK fire regulations so they're not supplying them at all in white unless asked.

Bugaboo Cameleon - buy 2nd hand if you want to save a lot on the price

Pros - can fit a massive amount of shopping underneath it, ticks your stylish/LE colours etc boxes, faces both ways, pushes in snow/sand etc if needed. Also because you can buy all the bits separately (wheels, chassis, seat, extras etc) if something goes wrong, you can replace the bit easily, rather than the whole thing.

Mine was 2nd hand (new in 2007) and is still going strong with 2nd child in it, buggy board on it etc - will be using it for the new one due next year.