Pram confusion

[Anylouise123]

I am going to be a first time mum and I'm realy confused about prams! Lots of mums I speak to seem to spend £500+ on buying a pram and with a budget of under £300 I am feeling that I won't be able to buy a good product for the baby. I think I want a travel system with swivel wheels and that faces both ways. Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated thanks

Think about what exactly you need to narrow it down

Do you need something to use on public transport? Or fold into car often?

Or do you need it for just walking in countryside? Or just regular paths?

Personally I would say you don't need an actual travel system. Reasons being baby shouldn't stay in car seat more than necessary as it's hard for baby to breath in bent car seat position, and not good for spine growth. So car seat if needed just leave in car.
You also don't need a carrycot. You just need pram to lie completely flat for newborn. On some prams the main seat doesn't go completely flat hence carrycots are used on top. For your budget you will get more imo if you get just a pram than lies flat from birth. You can add sheepskin/ cosy foot muff to make it snug

Can you look second hand? The only issue with a travel system is the baby is in the car seat for the car and then when you're out and they're not meant to be in them longer than 2 hours max as it damages their spine.

Look on eBay, gumtree, preloved etc and they're be loads

Definitely look on ebay- we got a bugaboo bee with all the extras (would have been £700+ new) for £220, and it's been brilliant. If you find one you like then look second hand you might be able to get it for sensible rather than silly money!
Think about what you will mostly be using it for then decide whether weight/ease of folding/ ease of getting in and out of car /narrowness etc is important as well as the other things you mention. It is overwhelming to begin with- I asked just about everyone I could to begin with!

We had a Graco one that folded flat when baby was tiny but can also sit upright when they get bigger and it faces both ways. The car seat did click on as a travel system and was really useful for trips to the shops and things, especially if DD was asleep! We took the pram part with us for longer trips/days out so she wouldn't be in the car seat for too long.
Agree second hand pram would be cheaper but I would suggest getting a new car seat so that you know it hasn't been damaged.

No need for public transport as I have a car and will usually be needed for just general walks ect. As I'm a mobile hairdresser baby will be coming with me to some clients (ect family/friends) or will be dropped off at mums so something that's pretty easy to get in and out of the car is a must. I have seen ones on eBay such as the safe and baby merc with everything for around £250 but I am unsure on the quality/safety ect. Thanks for all the help so far with the last baby born in the family 18 years ago we are all a bit confused! Lol

The grace one sounds brilliant just what I'm looking for do you mind me asking where you got it from and how much it was? Thank you

Graco*

We got ours in Mothercare sale last year. It would have been about £400 but we were happy to have "last year's colour" so we got it for about £325 I think. It is very easy to use and has a fleecey foot muff thing with it.

If in and out of car, I would make sure the whole pram folds in one piece.

Some to look at that you might be able to get second hand:

Bugaboo bee ( about £550 new)
Babyzen yoyo 0+ ( £450 new)
Armadillo flip (£399 new)

All fold in one piece and parent face. And small enough you don't need to buy another in a years time. When your hairdressing I wouldn't leave baby in car seat. The baby zen above really would be ideal as even when up its tiny, so you could fold handle down and park baby asleep in hall/ corner of room at friends/ family without people tripping over it. Add a sheepskin liner and it's very comfy for newborn. It's folds small enough to go as hand luggage if you ever fly also! Is a tad over budget though, but has been out a year so could be on eBay etc already

Oh it's £375 for just newborn kit, if that helps as could buy the 6+ part a few months later. £450 is whole part

You absolutely do not "need" to sped that sort of money on a buggy. It's all personal preference but i am now expecting second time round and know exactly what I do and don't want. I managed to pick up what I wanted on eBay for £85 which new would have been over £300!

Personally I hate travel systems, anything heavy, difficult to fold. you can narrow down options by going to shops and trying some out. Also ideal to avoid buying something all singing all dancing as most people end up with a cheap lightweight stroller from 6 months. If you can find something that will suit as baby gets bigger then that helps (the heavy prams etc are not so bad with a 7lb newborn but are a nightmare with a squirming 1 year old!!)

I second the yoyo 0+ as long as you definitely don't need to use it for a lot of walking. If I had one now I would have destroyed it in less than 2years, too much bumpy terrain, too many miles covered, if I had had one 7 years ago living in a london flat it would have been ideal.

Also look out for the joie chrome, graco evo, graco sky, also I know they aren't popular on here but I like the mamas & papas sola and sola city. All of those are reasonably priced but reliable quality. If you could stretch the budget the easywalker mosey is a great all rounder and I hear great things about the armadillo city.

Fwiw if I was starting again I wouldn't buy an infant carrier at all, I would buy a 0-4 fixed in the car rear facing seat, a cybex sirona, britax dualfix, joie tilt/steadi/stages/I-anchor or a hauck varioguard. Unless you get lot of lifts or taxis, in that case an infant carrier is more convenient.