two children, but a pushchair novice-help!

[otchayaniye]

my second daughter is heavy 8 months and i already carry her hours in the day and think i need to bite the bullet and get a pushchair. first child (now 3) never needed one so i'm a bit overwhelmed.

seeing as i carry so much, it would be nice to have the option to forward face, but also we use public transport so something light and foldable (mcclaren?) would e good.

can you recommend your favourites so i can start ebaying/gumtreeing?

A lot of people I know love this stroller...

www.babyjogger.co.uk/citymini.html

Yep we had a mclaren stroller, it was excellent actually. It last through 3 kids. Recently bought a mamas and papas stroller as a cheap replacement and it's rubbish. The mclaren was good quality al round.

thanks

just so i know, what are the rear facing options? just the bugaboo bee?

Assuming you're talking about being relatively narrow and folding in one piece for the bus then there's the Bee, Oyster, M&P Sola, M&P Urbo, the new Baby Jogger Versa (due late summer I think), Jane Rider/Trider, new Easywalker June (due in June), iCandy Strawberry, I know there are lots more I just can't think.

Most pushchairs don't fold very well when parent facing and tend to be more bulky that way.

Also your budget makes a huge difference!

Chicco Liteway is fantastic, I regularly use it and fold it up, on public transport

I think there's some confusion because in your OP you put you want forward facing. That, in the pushchair world, means facing away from you, but I think you mean you want parent facing. Is that right?

sorry, yes. my mistake (see what i mean? pram novice!)

the bee mit be an option as if i don't use it very much i can flog it easily?

If you get a Bee, I'd personally buy new. So many people have had problems with wheels and handles that it's best to have the warranty.

I agree completely re buying a Bee new. At this point in time, buying a second hand Bee is a risk. If you read the Bee v's Cameleon you will see that Honeydragon has had such issues.

well, i don't particularly care about what pram i get but don't really fancy spending 500 on sonething that i'll use only twice a week for an couple of hours, but if they are crap i'll get another type.

well, i don't particularly care about what pram i get but don't really fancy spending 500 on sonething that i'll use only twice a week for an couple of hours, but if they are crap i'll get another type.

seeing as it will only be used 5 hours a week how it faces is probably not important and it sounds like a mclaren would be goid.

she's lmost 8 months, are they ok from that age? any model particularly good?

If you aren't too fussy re suspension, I liked the Mamas and Papas Urbo. It's got a good seat, the handle tucks in say for on a bus. It folds easily but the seat needs to be forward facing. It's one I could see me taking on a bus and folding. It's a bit of a hard ride though. Fine for short outings but not one to push all day IMHO.

I think if I were you I'd get an Oyster. They're much cheaper than a Bee new, and cheap second hand. The parent facing fold is still an ok shape/size. I've been very happy with mine and it's always the first pushchair I go for, unless I need a double of course!

My DD is 18 months and doesn't spend much time in the pushchair at the moment, but I still much prefer her parent facing, and she seems to prefer it too. She chats lots, points things out etc etc. I think going from baby wearing to having a child in a pushchair forward facing is a big step for you and your child, and not one I'd choose.

many thanks. which model is it, or it it only the one thing?

ahh, i see the one. looks good, thanks again

There are a few versions of it.

Originally it was a silver chassis with black and green or black and pink fabrics.
Then silver chassis with black seat and coloured hood. Then black chassis with black seat and coloured hood.
Then the plush version (chrome chassis and coloured seat and hood).
There was also an all black one which I think has a leatherette hood, but I've never seen one in real life.
Then a new silver chassis one which is a shinier version, but not the same as the plush.

They vary in price quite a lot depending on which model it is, but they're all essentially the same design.

at knowing too much about these!

thanks, since you know so much, would i need any accessories with this (spose i just need the sun shade?)

You need the stroller (which comes with a raincover) and the colour pack. If it's an older colour pack it will have the hood and liner, if it's a newer one then it comes with a hood, liner and head hugger (which is intended to go in a car seat).
I have two of the older colour packs, the first I got has a UV/insect net stored in the hood, the second doesn't. They changed the design so newer pushchairs have a hidden UV net under the stroller footrest which means they no longer put them in the hoods. Babystyle do like to change things a lot!

So if you're buying new or second hand it's probably worth just asking about the net as I've found it really useful.

Also when we bought ours new it came with an apron but we didn't realise that until we got home and had bought the oyster footmuff too. I think they've stopped including the apron, but I wouldn't recommend buying either the apron or footmuff as an extra as they're both really short. I'd buy some other footmuff. I've had a buggy snuggle and pupabag footmuff on it and they're both really long.

sorry again, is the hood the colour pack? i don't care about the colour, just want a sun hood. it's a bit confusing -- going from a piece of cloth and a hat to all this talk of aprons, packs, rainhoods etc.

think i'll buy new as people on ebay and gumtree are having a giraffe

The hood is the colour pack. You need to order a colour pack to get the hood :) So choose any colour - there's always black!!

thanks again. toddled off to buy one and found these things are like gold dust. cant't get one for a month?

is this normal?

Really?! There are normally loads around. I wonder if they've slowed down production hike they've been facing about not quite finishing the Oyster Max and Oyster Gem.