HELP! Travel system vs pram, pushchair etc.

[Nessa78]

Hi, I'm expecting my first in a couple of months and have started the mountains of shopping, which has prompted me to reaslise I know NOTHING about babies!

We're trying to decide between getting a travel system, and getting everything seperately but keep getting conflicting advice. Ideally I want something that will last longer than 5 minutes! Any suggestions or experience from much more experienced people than me would be very gratefully received

I recomend getting a travel system- namely the Bugaboo cameleon.

It is suitable from birth to roughly 4 years (although it is more like 3 years- you shouldn't need a pram after then anyway)

It comes with a lie flat bassinet for newborns, a proper "seat" for babies 6 months+ and can be used in conjunction with the Maxi Cosi carseat. Unfolds/folds within seconds (you can even do it one handed), can be parent or rear facing, straps on the seat are adjustable to grow with your child.

Lots of accesorries available- footmuffs for winter, liners and parasols for summer, cupholders, organizers etc.

They come with removable fabrics- so if you get pink fabrics say, you could change them to blue if you have a boy or if you just fancy a change.

Here is a demo video- but please note some of the methods used in this videos (namely the folding and unfolding) are for the OLD Bugaboo

Watch this:

Then this (this shows what is new with the new cameleon- namely the folding and unfolding):

I recommend thinking about your lifestyle first and foremost, before specific models... figuring out what you do day to day and from that defining what features are most important to you. Then you can use that criteria build a short list of things to go and see, feel, fold etc. What you love on paper isn't always what you love in person it doesn't always translate somehow.

For example, I love small, light, narrow pushchairs with small folds... but I walk everywhere over rough pavement and cobbles so what I would naturally choose is really of no use to me! Also as a personal choice I prefer lie flat seats to the combination of a carrycot then a bucket shaped seat when that is outgrown, I know lots of people who are the opposite though. Those sorts of preferences will also play into your decision.

The Cameleon is a great example of a good all rounder that is unlikely to be totally unsuitable in most situations but equally you may find that your requirements lead you in a slightly different direction if your needs are more specific.

In general whether you buy it all together in a package or not doesn't really make much difference. Obviously if you want to put the car seat on the chassis you need to look into whether the right adaptors are available but beyond that all I would be looking at is getting things for cheapest price possible, whether that is buying a package or buying items separately from different places.

Oh I wish I had been a mner when I bought mine!

I would probably go a completely different direction!

I bought a Jane travel system. Don't get me wrong, its been great. And it served its purpose, and whilst I have seen others go through one cheaper pushchair after another, mine has lasted the course, and would probably see me through another baby - if required!

This is what I would do now:

Borrow/buy secondhand a pram, I literally only used the pram part of the travel system for 3 months. After that straight into buggy, which reclined perfectly for this purpose.

Buy a separate carseat, again, the one with the travel system, was great, but I think I would maybe get one that you can adjust for at least a couple of years. Unfortunately, I gave birth a rather tall child!

The buggy was great, but the downsides were it was too wide for some shop doorways and aisles.

Also not much shopping room!

I would be using the pram, til you get your head round what you want a buggy to do for you, and THEN make your decision. You will know more by then.

Hope this helps abit....I remember the dizzy confusing world of travel systems!

I agree with ihateparties - identify your lifestyle eg car based, walking, public transport. shopping, off road, walks in the park, narrow or wide doors, your car boot size, your house and storage space for a pushchair. Will it be folded a lot or can it be left open. A lot of pushchairs are sold on image ie we will all go to the beach - but how often will you? Get realistic.

A pushchair plus a car seat forms a travel system. Graco for example sell packages. But if you buy something like a Maxi Cosi Pebble or Cabriofix or iZi Sleep or Britax Babysafe then you will find there are adaptors for a large number of pushchairs. But check it fits into your car, and also if you want / need a base. It will probably work out cheaper (VAT reasons) to buy a car seat and pushchair from the same shop, but they dont need to be "A travel system" - does that make sense? You need to work out which car seat you need / want / can fit and also which pushchair you like / works / fits and see if you can marry the two together. And if not, which is the compromise. For me the car seat was the only one that fitted in my car, so that then narrowed the field down. Next car boot space narrowed it down further. If you walk dogs, then having good tyres may come first. Does that make sense?

You also do not need to spend a fortune, but brands such as Bugaboo will hold their value far more than say Bebecar. Treat a pushchair as a rental - dont get too sentimental about it, and then if at a later date you think something else will work better for you, then consider it! If you get the right pushchair first time you may never need anything else!

Budget will also apply. My top choices are pushchairs like the Baby Joggers - Versa, City Mini, City Mini GT; Bugaboo Cameleon and Bee; Uppababy Vista; Mutsy Evo; Babystyle Oyster; iCandy Peach, Cherry, Strawberry, Peach Jogger; Mee-Go Pramette; Stokke Crusi amongst others. But if anything else catches your eye then shout. TBH in general you would be better finding a really good independent shop than heading for M&P and Mothercare but the latter does have some good stuff hidden amongst the rest!!