Please help complete newbie who wants to walk on beach!

[Angelico]

Dear MN, I am begging for advice from the experienced! :) Pregnant with 1st child (22 weeks) would like to get a buggy in the next couple of months. Really want to have one buggy to do everything. Here is the 'needs' list:

1. Live near a beach so was thinking a 3 wheeler might be best? Want to be able to walk on beach daily, then walk into town to shops / for coffee etc.

1. Would like one that clips straight into car so carseat good. Also carrycot bit would probably be good or at least reclines flat for newborn. So that's probably a travel system then.

Erm... think that's it. Oh and foldable for car. We live in a bungalow so reasonable space and doesn't need to go up stairs. Also I know I am getting an ELCS so not sure if that has impact on how much weight I can lift etc.

Thank you in advance for any recommendations / warnings :o

ps: can you tell I am utterly clueless? People keep babbling at me about ICandy thingies or Phil&Ted or maxicosi whatsits and I go a bit reptilian

:)

Ok, lets cut the field down a bit for you!!
Have a look at some of these - have a good Google - and then come back and tell us if any catch your eye and we can help you with some more precise pros and cons.

Have a look at the Mountain Buggy website - at the Swift and the Urban Jungle
Have a look for the Baby Jogger Elite or Summit.
Have a look at the Out 'n' about Nipper 360 and the Nipabout.
If you have a big car, have a look at the Maxi-Cosi Mura or the Mutsy Urban Rider.

Have a look also at the Easywalker June although the wheels may well be too small...but we wont know until it arrives in the UK. Ditto the Baby Jogger City Versa.

To be honest, anything with bigger wheels will go easier on the sand than something without. But equally I have had one urban pushchair push easier on sand than a Phil&Teds. So a lot does depend on your beach walk. Is it Pebbly or have lots of soft sand, or can you walk straight onto hard sand? We have all of these three options where we live.

Tiggywunkle thank you!

I will google and report back! :)

Oh and beach is all sand, can be soft or firm depending on tides / time of year, usually softer until near the shore line. (Everything I started to write there sounded vaguely pervy lol!!!)

We live near the beach and it does depend for us on the time of year. Thats why I thought I would ask. I know one end is always really thick sand to push through, and another patch is often banks of pebbles. In the middle is usually a bit of soft sand and then hard sand. Also for us, once you are on the beach, its usually hard sand - so its just the bit at the top which sometimes its easier just to pull a pushchair through. Just to add, we used to take a Bugaboo Cameleon to the beach a lot too.

Okay had a look, the Maxi cosi mura looked pretty good even though it's 4 wheels but set together at front. Presumably you have to buy all the bits separately? And do they just clip on and off the frame? Any good cheapo sites that do a package?

Also you mention Bugaboo - friends offered us a 5 year old bugaboo set, don't know what model it was but all the bits! :) Is that the one you used on the beach?

I reckon any bugaboo with the bigger rear wheels would push similarly to the cameleon, so if it is a gecko or frog - okay. If it's a bee then not so much. You're probably not going to be able to lift any of these mentioned (apart from maybe bugaboos and the nipabout) very soon after a section but that would apply to almost anything with the features you want. Have you somewhere fairly local you can go and see some stuff, get a feel for how heavy they actually are, what they're like to fold, push (on cheaty nice flat shop floor at least) etc?

Sorry I missed the ELCS bit, but TBH you are unlikely to go anywhere for the first couple of weeks and certainly not alone. I wouldn't worry too much about lifting because given you wont be driving for approx 6 weeks, someone will be with you anyway. I had two C-Sections and it was fine to lift etc by 6 weeks and I had been walking a fair way long before that.

As ihateparties says - it depends which Bugaboo it is. Any other than the Bee would probably be fine.

The other thing you haven't mentioned is whether you would like your LO to parent face or not? That will make a difference. There is a 3 wheel version of the Mura too. The Mura is large folded but great to push and uber comfy for the child. But its fairly chunky.

Thanks ladies. TBH the more I look the more confusing it all gets

DH is quite keen on the Phil and Ted Explorer in case we have another LO fairly soon as it has the inline seat option. Any thoughts on whether this is worthwhile? Or better to get a buggy you really love and then change as necessary?

The Jane ones look quite good too but don't seem to have them locally.

I quite like the option of LO facing me.

I would worry about a double, as and when you get to one. Choosing a double is far harder than a single and your actual age gap will be a big factor in which double is right for you. Choose a pushchair for here and now, but see it as a rental - choose something new which offers a good return on your money later (keep the boxes, instructions etc.) or buy second hand wisely and well, and you should recoup all or almost all your money back.

Thanks Tiggy going to look at a few today or tomorrow so may be back with more questions! :)

If anyone else has any good beach suggestions I'd love to hear them!

E.g. quite liked the look of that bugaboo cam but 2 wheels on the beach is a bit

You can use the 2 wheel mode - but to be honest you dont do that. You simply flip the handle over so that the large wheels are at the front and push in rear wheel drive mode and its fine! Once you get to hard sand, you can flip the handle back and push with the small swivel wheels at the front once again!