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Pushchairs

Join our Pram forum for pram advice. Plus read our round up of the best pushchairs currently available.

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Original poster

Parent facing, how imporant is this?

39 replies

ladymia · 25/09/2012 15:16

The pushchair I am pretty much set on doesn't have this.

This will be my first so not sure if this is a feature that I would miss out on if I didn't have it?

OP posts:

peanutMD · 25/09/2012 15:27

You won't miss what you don't have.

Lots if people go with forward facing pushchairs from birth as long as they lie flat it makes no difference to your Child.

That said I personally like having it for the first year or so because I liked being able to look at ds and soak to him without leaning over pushchair all the time.

But I walk a lot so he was in the pushchair for hours at a time but generally no it doesn't matter.

peanutMD · 25/09/2012 15:28

Speak not soak (damn auto correct :o)

TittyWhistles · 25/09/2012 15:36

We have one that can go either way.

I've found that my ds says awake longer and is more chatty and points things out to talk about when he's facing me.

If we're out for a long walk and he's likely to want to sleep, I'll face it forwards. He will watch the world go by and enjoy the view but he seems to get bored (and so do I!) quicker without the conversation and so will drop off.

I much prefer him facing me, he can eat an apple without me stopping every few seconds to check him as well.

Original poster

ladymia · 25/09/2012 15:44

hmm now i am doubting my original decision!

i was scared to ask this question! :)

OP posts:

peanutMD · 25/09/2012 15:49

Honestly it really makes no difference.

Plenty if people are walking around who were in FF pushchairs as babies and I haven't choked or had stunted speech because of it (although sometimes my mum wishes it had stopped me speaking :o)

Get a pushchair that suits your lifestyle and your needs/wants, many people do and your DC will probably see you plenty in the other hours they are awake.

Out of curiosity what have you picked?

TheSurgeonsMate · 25/09/2012 15:54

I never did turn mine round. I like being able to see her! I tried forward facing a couple of times but I was lonely and frustrated.

peanutMD · 25/09/2012 16:01

Aah see my DS started trying to shove the hood away so he could look forward at 18m.

I conclude I am either boring, ugly or both :o

Startailoforangeandgold · 25/09/2012 16:11

I always thought DDs saw enough of Mummy and probably wanted a prettier view.

Anyway, I wanted a mountain buggy because it would go where I wanted it to go and they all faced forwards.

Original poster

ladymia · 25/09/2012 16:32

maybe i am just one of those i want it all kinda people!! :)

i am getting the babyzen i am VERY excited about this

www.babyzen.com/video-zen.php

OP posts:

newtonupontheheath · 25/09/2012 17:33

We didn't have ff with ds and he didn't seem to suffer for it!

The major downside (for us) was that ds was really sicky and I had to keep leaning over to check if he'd been sick so I could wipe him. But I mean really sicky. He wore a bib until he was 6mo non stop.

Had he not been sicky, I doubt I'd have been bothered!

peanutMD · 25/09/2012 18:09

Ladymia the pushchair looks good and you need the carrycot fir a newborn anyway so it will be rear facing for a few months.

My only issue with this pushchair would be that it looks a total faff to fold and I can't imagine how you get on with it in the pouring rain having to lay the handle on the ground, I'm not sure it would last too long before getting damp and bashed leading to rips.

Sorry to piss on your chips, just a problem I've dealt with in the post and its not good!

Ihateparties · 25/09/2012 18:41

Tiggy on here had one and said the fold is amazing. She's not easily pleased. They are lusted after in the circles where a good pram is admired that's for sure.
On the PF vs FF thing, I like a PF option, I am yet to be convinced that any child of mine cared either way. They also did the leaning out thing. Sometimes you don't know until later on how they'll be. I don't think it's a massive deal but I would miss it.

peanutMD · 25/09/2012 19:10

Go with Tiggys view point, if she rates it so highly it must be amazing!! :o

Mintyy · 25/09/2012 19:14

It has only been seen as important to have parent facing for the last few years. I really wouldn't worry about it. As someone else said, I spent practically every waking moment with my first dc for the first 2 years of her life and I think she and I benefitted from having something else to look at when we were out with the pram.

I reckon it will be one of those baby-related things that is quietly forgotten in future, like boy nappies and girl nappies .

crackcrackcrak · 25/09/2012 19:18

If your dc will
Spend a lot of time in a buggy I think it's really important. I rear faced dd until she was out of her bug pram and into a stroller because my SEN teacher dm insisted on it. I don't regret it, her speech was early and excellent. I know this is anecdotal and probably do to several factors but I like to think it helped. Plus they smile at you all the time

peanutMD · 25/09/2012 19:19

There were gender nappies??

Mintyy · 25/09/2012 19:23

Oh yes, they were all the rage in the 90s!

Ragwort · 25/09/2012 19:26

I'd never heard of PF when I had my DS (2001) we had a 'walking buggy' and he was forward facing, surely it made for a more interesting view as he could see what was going on (although he usually slept through most of the walks I think it's a bit of a trendy fad like the expression baby led weaning.

Yet another guilt trip for new mothers .

coldcupoftea · 25/09/2012 19:37

I find it funny that people stress so much about parent facing with their PFB, then when no.2 comes along they get shoved in the bottom of a Phil n Teds with no view at all

This is what happened with mine btw, and DD2 has not suffered for it!

stillwaitingforthesummer · 25/09/2012 19:40

I'm going to buck the trend here. DS1 hated the his buggy. The only way I could get him in it, until he was around 1, was in parent facing mode. If I'd had one that only faced away it would have been a complete waste of money as we'd never have used it.

Ihateparties · 25/09/2012 19:49

Lol ragwort re the expression baby led weaning, that sums it up really well!

If they spent 8hrs a day in the pushchair or you never otherwise spoke to them then yeah, genuine difference.. otherwise.. personal choice imho.

Original poster

ladymia · 25/09/2012 20:00

oh wow thanks for all the comments I am swayed back now to my beloved babyzen i think aaaah relief

peanutMD no i welcome your comments! i am going to go and check it out before i buy it (if i can find a place in London that blooming stocks it - or will have to go further) but I will definitely try and fold it and see. it's one of the main reasons i am getting it so the fold is going to be a faff them i am staying away. will imagine myself in the rain when doing it too ... good point

OP posts:

Tiggywunkle · 26/09/2012 00:05

Oh gosh...the Recaro Babyzen is easy peasy to fold one handed with the baby under one arm did then roll it alongside you into the house or to the car. It takes a bit of practice to get it right - I got a bit frustrated at first but it's all about the angle and watching where the locks going. I could do it blind folded by the end. There are quite a few steps but again all are easy one handed. The recaro babyzen folds stood up, so there's no bending or anything. You do need a bit of floor space to fold it though as it ends up like a pyramid at one point. I miss mine and would love another. It used to sit really flat against a wall ready to go. Such a neat and tidy pushchair and soooo cool!

Tiggywunkle · 26/09/2012 00:11

Just to add to the debate. I am a fairly unfussy mother in many ways. Parent facing or not has never bothered me because 99.9% of the time pre the age of 2, both my children would be asleep in under 5 mins of leaving the house. Plus as someone else has pointed out trying to find decent ie pushable and useful double pushchair that parent faces is nearly impossible. I also enjoyed the peace of the traffic roaring to endless chatter for an hours outing to the shops. My ears got a rest from the 11 hours of incessant questions and my children probably liked break from me! it's only been this year with DD aged 3 who suddenly wanted to see me to talk to, and DS who literally cried and sobbed if he couldn't see me - aged just under 2 - that has forced us to have a rethink and buy parent facing pushchairs!!

crackcrackcrak · 26/09/2012 04:03

Ragwort - is it fuck a trend....my mother still bemoans she had to import a rear facing pram for me at great cost at the time...in 1979.
Information here supporting rear facing
www.wordsforlife.org.uk/which-way-should-a-buggy-face

Why is it when research/information becomes available about a better way of doing things, is it so easily belittled as a fad to make mothers feel guilty?

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