Suggestions for a straightforward pram?

[snowrevolution]

We had a hand-me-down pram for DC1, which is unfortunately now too knackered to use for DC2.

Can anyone give me any suggestions for a reasonably straightforward pram? I already have a car seat and a Mclaren pushchair (from 3 months), so really just looking for a pram that DC2 can lie flat in (facing me) for the first 6 months or so. Love the look of all the Bugaboos, Quinny's etc, but can't really justify the expense for something that I will only use for 6 months.

We live in a city and get around mostly by public transport, so preferably don't want something enormous. The last pram we had was a 3 wheeler with robust tyre-type wheels (brand now discontinued) and we got on pretty well with that, but entirely open to new ideas!

Do you mean you only want it to last 6months and then you'll go back to your Maclaren? And by straightforward, do you mean simple to fold/unfold? The Bugaboo Cameleon isn't a simple fold or unfold but you quickly get used to it. It, as well as the iCandys (except Strawberry) all fold in two pieces I believe. Do you have a budget and are you planning to buy new or second hand?

Somehow I read Quinny as iCandy! I'm having a stupid day, sorry. Don't buy a Quinny Buzz though. If nothing else, it will be an absolute nightmare on public transport because it's really wide.

Yes, I only want it for the first 6 months, then I'll go back to using the Mclaren. By straightforward, I just mean that I don't need anything flash or designer, with lots of different attachment, just something that will do the basic job of transporting DC2 around flat on their back for the first few months, and that I will be able to wrangle onto buses without too much difficulty. Doesn't necessarily have to be a simple fold / unfold; two pieces is fine.

I don't have a budget per se, but my eyes have popped out of my head at the price of some of the more expensive models (Bugaboos etc) so I definitely want something at the cheaper end of the scale. Unfortunately will have to buy new, as I live overseas and they don't really have a second-hand pram market here.

Does your Maclaren lie flat? If so, they sell carry cots that offer a lie flat option which fit on top of the existing seat.

It kind of depends where you live as each country seems to sell completely different brands.

If you don't mind the baby.facing away.from you, a Baby Jogger City Mini or Britax B-Agile are very no fuss pushchairs that are actually very good. You could put a soft carrycot on them to make the baby face you. The new BJCMGT will have air tyres and an adjustable handle so will be even better.

If you happen to be in the Netherlands, the Easywalker June will be out in a couple of months, but they haven't yet said if it will be suitable from birth without a carrycot. It's really narrow with four air tyres. It might be a bit expensive though.

There are loads of umbrella folds suitable from birth if you like them. The Chicco LiteWay is a good one.

A Micralite Superlite with carrycot could also work well. They have air tyres at the back and are lovely to push. You can buy air tyres for the front of it too for off road or snow.

Unfortunately my McLaren doesn't lie completely flat - it's from 3 months.

I live in an EU country and can probably get most major brands delivered from the UK (or get my parents to pick one up and bring it out with them). Thinking about it, I could probably buy something from Ebay and get it delivered to my parents, but I think I have a preference for a new pram (or at least one where I know the previous owners).

Definitely want baby facing me, and probably prefer something with a carrycot (rather than an umbrella fold).

Hypatia - when you say I could put a carrycot on top of the Baby Jogger or Britax B-Agile, would there be any way of attaching it, or would it just sit on top, IYSWIM?

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Will definitely look into these.

The B-Agile and City Mini both have proper carrycots. The City Mini probably works best though as the B-Agile one is supposedly hard to get on and off. Ihateparties has just got one and i think wishes she had got the BJCM for ease of use. There are a choice of two carrycots for the City Mini - a hard bodied one and a compact carrycot. Both BJ carrycots can be used with or without the fabric on. There will soon be a compact plus carrycot too. There is a choice of 3 or 4 wheeled BJCM too and as Hypatia says the BJCMGT will be out soon too.
Baby Joggers come with a lifetime warranty on the chassis too (not wheels or fabrics). I have had 3 and the double and although they may look basic at first glance they do the job brilliantly with good attention to detail.

Just to add, I would be surprised if you went ack to your Maclaren afterwards

Well if it was a soft carrycot, you'd place it on the seat and the carrycot will have clips at tge side that hook onto the D rings on the pushchair. You can also get various carrycots for both that sit high up on adapters. Britax make a lie flat carseat called a Baby-Safe Sleeper which also sits on the chassis like a carrycot.

I would be surprised too! :o Unless you're tall, I would steer towards the B-Agile personally as it's 58cm wide compared to the City Mini at 62cm wide. I find over 60cm can be too wide on a bus because the gaps aren't wide enough for two of them, but that may just be my local buses.

Check out Nania Beebop £300 circa brand new looks and works just like a bugaboo cameleon.

When this baby arrives (imminently I hope!) will get to really check on the ease of use of the b agile carrycot. I got this over the city mini basically because of the price (buggy, bumper bar, carrycot and raincovers for each >£250, a full size carrycot and larger wheels. Probably would have got the bjcm4 as tiggy says for slightly easier use but saving the extra cash for something else!

For straight forward and with a carrycot I don't think you can beat either the city mini in its various guises or the b agile. The seat fabric strips from the city mini easily to put the cot on or you can leave it on, it does come off the b agile but only with a screwdriver so if this is a factor for you? Obviously you can just stick the cot on top of the fabric but it doesn't look as good.

There is also lightweight stuff like the icandy cherry, the frame on that is very light, the carrycot comes off really easily etc. Given if you add a cot onto a city mini or b agile it is no longer a 1 piece fold then I suppose that opens you up to many other things that come in frame and carrycot format. Micralite has been mentioned etc.

Wow - you guys are a wealth of knowledge on all things to do with prams and pushchairs. Thank you! I will check out the ones mentioned so far. City Mini and B-Agile both sound like options.