best pushchair/carrycot combo if you have a bad back

[gretagrape]

Hi all, my first time so hope I don't break any unwritten rules! I have a back injury and baby is due in March - have done tons of research but can't seem to find a pushchair/carrycot that suits - can only manage to lift 10kg max when I've tested some. Jane Trider is nice and seems easy to use but how long before they grown out of it - doesn't seem very tall from seat to hood? Can anyone recommend anything? Needs to be good off-road as we spend a lot of time in the countryside, and pref. pushchair that can face backwards. Thanks. x

I have a bad back - damage to lumbar vertebrae. I am using a Stokke. The height is fab when lifting the LO in and out.

My biggest problem is the car seat. I've hurt myself every time I have lifted it. I've given up using it and got the bus or train instead. My DH has no problems with it.

The Sola from Mamas and Papas is very light, easy to fold, small when folded and the seat is rear and forward facing. Suitable from birth. Brilliant!

I've a bad upper back bought and went through hundreds of pushchairs, bugaboo frog the best, cameleon runner up. Never did try a stokke though but they don't have suspension in the wheels which put me off.

I could push a bugaboo one handed with a 12 month old in it and a toddler on the buggy board no effort at all.

wow thanks for all your advice. I'm only going to use carrycot then pushchair - lifting a carseat in and out is way too much twisting for me! Only place I didn't stay long was Mamas & Papas as service was rubbish but will try them again! My Mum said Stokke looks good as well, so guess I'm off to the shops again tomorrow.
x

There is more than one Stokke now. I have the Xplory but I believe the Scoot is lighter. Check out their website before you hit the shops.

I don't think any of the stokkes are genuine off road options. anything with a reversible seat tends to be less geared for proper terrain, fine for light off road though. I have a Jane twone which is the same seat unit as the trider and my on the taller side 2y 10m old is still very comfortable in size wise. She's 95 cm I think, at the same age my son was 101 cm, he would have struggled. Bugaboo s are the easiest things I have pushed but fold is a pain, maybe less so on the cam 3 and the seats aren't high up if that's likely to bother you. There is no need to lift car seat, just leave it in the car and load the baby there. I have to leave mine strapped in, which is all slightly irritating but essentially fine. Go look at and feel as many prams as possible so you get an idea of the features that are most important - ie a high seat or terrain able (these don't seem to come together, centre of gravity issue??) Good luck!

Yeah, I have already started to think that I'm going to have to compromise a bit with the off-road side of things in order to get one that I can actually use on a daily basis without damaging myself. Thanks for the info on the Jane as well. How does everyone feel about only having a pushchair that faces forwards? Thought Phil & Teds might be an option, but I don't know if I want my baby facing away from me when it's only 6 months?

Phil & Ted's are a great double but not a fab single, if you want a 3 wheeler then get a nipper, incredibly light or better still if you can get one a "Bob" with a swivel wheel - come up 2nd hand on ebay as from the US.

You can get all terrain/snow wheels for the bugaboo.

Not sure if the nipper has a carrycot, the mountain buggy does but again the older models on ebay before P&T owned them are lighter and better...

Stokke no good for off road!

I think as well you need to think about what exactly will make your back worse. A Stokke is good for the baby mode, but will the height (and I know its adjustable) be an issue when lifting a heavy 18 month old in? I know I am better with a low pushchair and then simply 'dropping' my toddler in than lifting him. In fact I can't even imagine having to do the turn from a low car seat, to bring him out of the car, and then twisting to lift him higher up.
I am better at lifting a heavy pushchair though than bending down to open / adjust it. So something heavier that simply flicks open is better for me than having to bend down and deal with an autolock.
The other thing that is absolutely critical for me is the handle height. It has to be correct or else I get back ache. The Nipper handle for example is much lower than many. The Baby Jogger Elite handle is too high for me when its horizontal (most comfy point).

I strongly suggest you have a good play in a shop to work out exactly what will be most important to you.

Have a look at the Baby Jogger Versa GT. If its too heavy for you as one piece, you can easily remove the seat to fling it into the car without bending too much. The seat is a good height and its easy to fold. Plus its got the off road wheels for you and will parent face. I had a Bugaboo Cameleon as well, and the new version is easier to unfold than the old version. That handles mild off road pretty well. Have a look also at the Easywalker June. I think the others are better options but the easy access seat is a bonus for me.

My other thought it to buy 2nd hand because you may well find your needs change as baby grows, it is virtually impossible to get it right first time when considering something like a bad back.

I agree about 2nd hand in this case, as much as you can try things you won't really know until you've used it day to day. I like a parent facing seat when they come out of the carrycot but I am a wuss, they're always happy forward facing, at least 1 of mine if not more if I'm completely honest has preferred it! There is a carrycot to fit the newest nipper, I saw it in a shop only last week.

I had an Xplory because of severe SPD. Was worth every penny; the handlebar is like a walking frame, so in the early weeks it was easier to walk with it than without. And as it can be lowered down the stem as the child gets older, if lifting them up is an issue as a toddler you don't actually have to. Though if my back was straight and I bent from the knees it was fine - you can't really avoid lifting toddlers, anyway.

Definitely go and have a play with them all, though. We did - the Xplory suited us perfectly but may not everyone else.

Just reread - do NOT get an Xplory if you live in the countryside or regularly visit. They're shocking - a small stone or bit of gravel in the wheels and the brake stops working. The engineer was actively reproaching me over being careless. I tried to explain that it's a pram, not a Porsche Carrera, and should be capable of dealing with city parks with ease. Big sigh and, "well, it's your buggy, but..." I loved it, it suited our needs perfectly, but it's hopeless if you rely on the Underground or live in the countryside. Hopeless.

Hi I've taken on board all your advice but my problem is more the lifting the pushchair into the car more than pushing it. Any idea which one is best for easy folding and light to lift? Thanks x

Greta I went pram shopping today and I'm in love with the Joolz Day Tailor, the seats nice and high so is the car seat and carrycot. We are getting the Cybex Aton Q car seat and Sirona for grandparents cars as the Sirona goes from birth to 18kg(about a four year old).

Xplory is great for the height but only on flat surfaces....

Tory - maybe go tiny instead. The babyzen yoyo 0+ is good imo for bad backs. It's not at all high up but super super small folding and lightweight. You can fold handle right down and pull pram towards you at chair height, so at home/ friends/ in cafes you can pick baby up and put in from sitting down. Once baby is old it forward faces and they can get in and out themselves from climbing/ walking age once they become heavier ( around 1 year)

I would them look at the Cybex sirona car seat as mentioned. It lasts 0-4 ish years, stays in car ( so no heavy lifting of car seat), and twists outwards so you can strap them in without bending in and around.

Take a look on YouTube to see how both work

I've got the Jane trider, my 7 month looks big in it lying down but when he's actually sat in it there's loads of room. He is also very tall, he's 98 centile 29" already so not small by any means.
I would say the carrycot is very heavy.( we had the transporter but the micro carrycot would be lighter and more manageable).We adopted him at 6 months and didn't use it but he did just fit in it at 6 months but as I say he's a very chunky tall one!
The buggy itself is also heavy to lift in and out of the car but is easier if you remove the seat unit and do them separately which is really easy anyway.
All that aside I love it. It's so manoeuvrable I can carry a basket around the shops and steer it easily with one hand. It's a doddle to put up and down and even hubby managed it! I love the suspension on bumpy ground and the nice height of the seat unit. It's also so easy to turn from parent facing to forward facing, it's just a really well designed good quality easy to use pushchair.