advice about travel systems!

[Bubbless]

i am looking for a travel system for DC1 due in dec.
my understanding is that this is a car seat, which is also suitable for use on wheels like a pram, which then transforms magically into something suitable for a toddler?

i know i may sound really stupid but this IS what i think it is, isnt it?!
and which ones have you had good / bad experiences with?
:)

A travel system is one that has a compatible carseat, but you can't use the carseat as the only method of transporting a baby unless the baby will only ever be in the seat for a maximum of about 30 minutes up to about 8 weeks and up to 2 hours until 6 months. You'll need a lie flat seat or carrycot for longer trips out. Most pushchairs can take a carseat these days, just not mosy basic strollers.

What do you plan to do with the pushchair normally? Will you be using it on public transport or in the car? Do you have a small boot? Will it need to be used offroad or just on pavements or the park? Does it need to fold in one piece or freestand in your house? And do you have a budget?

What works for one person won't necessarily work for another.

A Hypatia says, these days should look to buy a pushchair with either a lie flat seat suitable from birth, or one which takes a carrycot and then you also have a pushchair seat suitable from 6 months old. For example a Mutsy Evo has a lie flat seat suitable from birth but the iCandy Cherry needs a carrycot.

Then on top of that, you can add a car seat onto many pushchairs which then turns them into the magic travel system. So when you are looking for a pushchair, you need to consider, if you need the car seat option ie car seat on the pushchair chassis at all, and if you do, then you need to make sure the car seat fits onto the pushchair you have chosen (as well as checking it fits in your car!!)

As Hypatia says, the car seat option should only be really for short outings. eg nipping into a shop or the doctors. But if you know you will be out on a longer outing, or your baby has already spent a longish journey in the car ie more than 30 mins, then you should transfer them when you arrive into the pushchair or carrycot, and then back into the car seat for the way home.

how on earth is all of this so complex!
i bet my grandmother didnt have all of these things to think about!
i think im going to take a friend of mine plus her DS to a big childrens shop and put him in them and see whats going to work out being best practical for me!

thank you for the advice, at least i now understand what they are!!