What should we go for?

[Iwillorderthefood]

We need a new pram for our newborn. I have two children already, and we went down the bugaboo route, but it's impractical, does not fold in one, huge and is not great for bus travel, or indeed any narrow space. I love maclaren and we have a triumph but it won't do from birth. I like the look of the techno xlr, but there is no option for parent facing, which we quite like at the beginning. So my questions are, has anyone had an xlr or XT used from birth, how was it? What other lightweight suggestions, folds in one, and can be parent facing too are there?

My "ideal list" is similar, and it looked to me like only the Bugaboo Bee did it - but even though it is small for a Bugaboo it felt a bit too fiddly and complicated to me, and pretty heavy and wide (as well as expensive!)

So I have given up on parent facing and am going to go for a Graco Evo Mini (which is pretty similar to a Maclaren in many ways I think - easy fold, light, narrow). It will lie flat for a newborn, but there's no basinnet option and it doesn't parent face.

My plan is when she's little I'm (hopefully!) mainly going to use a sling anyway, and she's never going to be being pushed along for very long when she is in the pushchair (I think usually we'd be using it when we are about to get on a train or a bus or go to a cafe or to visit friends, so then she can be facing us as soon as we're actually on the transport/at our destination). So I decided parent facing was something I could compromise on (particularly given I suspect she will want to see the world before too long anyway!)

We are pretty similar, but I have to do the school run every day, so baby is likely to be in the buggy for 2 hours a day, so i am really questioning the non parent facing aspect. I shall take a look at the graco evo though thank you. I have looked at babyzen Yoyo, but the reviews say it looks and feels cheap with one saying that parts not that well made.

A friend of mine had the Maclaren Techno XLR for her third baby (she doesn't drive, so wanted something easy for the bus). She had the soft carrycot so that her DD could be parent-facing when she was small, the only complaint she had about it was that the hood did not stay up very well.

It's been a really good buy for her, her DD is 3 in March and the pram is still in really good condition. I really like the fact that it has an 'apron' that attaches to the pram with press-studs rather than a footmuff, it doesn't drag on the floor. My friend's DD was 10lb 6oz at birth and is tall now but she can still use the pram easily.

Yes this is why I thought the maclaren might be good. Thank you. Hopefully I will hear of other positive stories about this buggy. Only concern for me is that I understand that maclaren may have discontinued the carrycot. Still can always get it from ebay.

Also a Maclaren fan, I think the soft carrycot is half price on the mothercare sale site if you fancy a look.

I've had the xlr from birth for both of my children, although they both spent the first five or so months pretty much exclusively in the sling. It is now 4 yo and very battered. I'm not too impressed with the quality tbh, the back wheels have gone wrong loads and the handles lost their rubber soon.
However, I don't know if any other pram would have been any better.
I really wish I had had a parent facing option.

I will check mothercare. Cies not being parent facing is my big issue right now.

Yes the carrycot is there. That's good to know.

Silver Cross have just launched a stroller than can be used from birth with a newborn cocoon thingy and it parent faces too.
It's called the Reflex, it's pricey for a stroller (£250 apparently) and available from March. Looks quite nice too.

Ooh, reflex does look interesting. Pity it doesn't say the weight and width, but I might go and have a look when it comes out....

Have a look at the Petite Star Njoy Bubble.

It's an umbrella stroller that can rear face from birth - 3 years, I haven't used one but I have heard good things :)

I am going to check out the reflex and petite star njoy bubble

Reflex looks like a contender especially as you can put a car seat in a well, I agree with pp that I need to know the weight and width.

Petite star njoy bubble looks good too, but reviews say that there is no room to hang a changing bag on the handles and there is little space in the basket underneath the pram. Of course, Reflux has no reviews at the moment.

Reflex, not reflux.

www.itstartedwithasquish.com/introducing-the-new-silver-cross-reflex/

This shows the Reflex dimensions and weight.

www.itstartedwithasquish.com/introducing-the-new-silver-cross-reflex/

Hmm good point about the Njoy.

Just a thought about the SilverCross, I'm assuming its a cross over of the Pop and 3d and both are truly awful to use so I dread to think what something combining these would be.

How about something like,the Micralite fastfold, Micralite,Toro or Baby Jogger city mini? These can all be used with carrycots and Maxi Cosi car seats

The Recaro carseat fots.onto the XLR if that helps!

I would say try the BJCM with carrycot option. I find it a much better push than the Maclaren my parents have at theirs.

the icandy raspberry is supposed to be similar to bugaboo bee,
it is out also march time

Yes I know what you mean about the silver cross, my friends had the pop and it was terrible. I think I would need to see it and see how it feels.

Emark icandy looks good.

So I think so far to look at

Silver cross reflex when it it's out
Icandy raspberry again when it's out
Check out the recaro car seat option with xlr
Look at the BJCM, although I must get over my thing about three wheeler prams (not that keen, but I know that lots of people love this pram so need to investigate it)

What about getting the on public transport? Am in London and there is a possibility of travel on tube with buggy! plus two other children, so whatever I get must be easy to get on and off buses and tubes.

This is why the reflex looks so appealing, and the maclaren.

BJCM do a 4 wheeler. Or did...

Has the four wheeler been discontinued?