clueless dad to be. help on pram / pushchair situ

[ccdixon]

ok so first i thought you had to get a pram (carry cot) because baby needs to lie flat so the wife was looking at spending 500-1000.
then i see all these pushchairs that claim to be suitable from birth eg maxi cosi mura plus 3.... are these really ok from birth or does the baby need a carry cot?
really dont have a clue?
feel like im gunna get robbed if i dont get advice
thanks

We never had a carry cot. We had a frame that the car seat clipped into, it was fine. Unless you're planning on pushing the baby around for hours in the pram, or using it as a spare crib, carry cots are a waste of money.

We did buy a buggy with a carry cot attachment but then we used that as the Moses basket too. It depends on how long your dc will spend in the buggy, I personally don't like seeing newborns in a car seat attachment on a buggy, but that's just me! You can also buy buggies that have the option of the seat lying flat, we have the baby jogger summit x3 which has a lie flat option and it cost under £400.

We had a graco mirage ( lie flat pram with a car seat that can clip on to the frame) which worked fine from birth for our first baby.

I have a twin buggy now (mountain buggy) with carry cot for the little one which is useful as she is a winter baby and finds the graco too cold to sleep in. But im not in the uk and I dont think it would be an issue there.

Whatever you go for look at second hand ones.

Anything where the baby can be flat is fine, e.g babyjogger City mini. Carrycots are cosier though, so for a winter baby I'd get one.

The graco was 100 new including car seat, and is still fine 18months later.

Mountain buggy was 150 secondhand with one crib attachment. Weve had a few flat tyers which is quite annoying tbh otherwise its a nice pram bur id never pay full price for it.

Have you considered a sling instead of the carry cot?

thanks for your reply
that is music to my ears

no but i will look into a sling sweetandfullofgrace

so carry cot not needed
so these sort of things would be fine

www.pramworld.co.uk/maclaren-techno-xt-champagne-free-pampering-kit#.VTQaTNJViko

www.pramworld.co.uk/maxi-cosi-mura-plus-3-modern-black#.VTQJNtJViko

www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3756090.htm

thanks

we were hasty about buying the carrycot for our Orbit as it made it a lot more expensive but I really love it and it's suitable for overnight sleeping also the package we got came with the rocker so it'll be easily used downstairs as a Moses basket. I also want to take longish walks with the pram when I can.
It was about 1500 including two isofix bases, one car seat, carrycot, stroller frame, rocker (which fits car seat, carrycot and stroller seat) and the hood for the stroller.

There are lots of things to consider when it comes to a pushchair because what suits one persons needs may not suit another.

My main considerations are:

Budget?

Do you walk/use public transport/use car mostly?

If you walk a lot what kind of terrain do you walk on?

Will it have to be folded to be stored at home or can it be left up?

Realistically, you only need something that lies completely flat and anything else is a bonus. Personally I like to have them facing me, especially as small babies and although you can clip car seats onto the frames of a lot of pushchairs it can affect their breathing so its really not advised as a long term solution.

I meant to add that if you do decide to go down the travel system route, please check that the car seat actually fits your car and safety ratings if possible as they vary in quality.

The three you linked to all look absolutely fine to me.

Other things to consider (as well as useful suggestions above) are...

Will you be walking a dog with the pram? If so, get one with a bar across the handles (rather than two sticks iyswim) as it will be easier to push with one hand.

Are you or your wife tall? If so, check the handle heights and go for a tall one (104cm or above) to save yourselves a lot of backache.

Will you need to carry a lot of shopping? Check the baskets are big enough.

I used a McLaren Techno from birth for DD1 and several of my friends ditched their expensive prams quite early in favour of McLarens.

For DD2, I have bought a Baby Jogger, which is easier to push with one hand whilst holding on to a toddler and has a bigger basket.

The most important thing (I think) is that the person who will use the pram all the time can easily fold and lift it. Ideally you want one that can fold with one hand. And parent facing when they are tiny.

I had two secondhand prams - a monster 3-wheeler Jane one that weighed a tonne and a secondhand Quinny Zapp. The former was for long walls and off-roading, the latter was for quick trips and the car seat fitted in it. In the end I never used the Jane, it was far too heavy and complicated. The Quinny was light, never broke, wasn't complicated, easy to fold, I loved it. We also had a moby wrap and I tended to use that instead if I wanted to walk with DD.

My ICandy Raspberry lies flat so it suitable from birth, DD goes in something called a "newborn pod", which is a bit like a footmuff but is suitable from birth. It cost £560 with all the bits I need and is perfect for getting around town.

thanks for all of your help

also wondering if i should prepare for the future and buy a pram that can convert in such a way that a second seat can be added somwhere (do these exist) as we do plan if all goes well to have our second child whilst the first one is between 12 and 18 months

so do any prams exist that can have push chair seats attached to them?
or am i being silly

I've had five prams so far and looking at another
You need to be realistic, do you drive or mainly go walking? Take public transport? The best one I've had is the mothercare xpedia, it is a carrycot which turns into the pram! I love love love it. You can buy the car seat attachments for it, and the shopping basket is huge!
Nice and sturdy but not too heavy to push, and has a great range of adjustable handlebars.

Ccdixon, there are a few of those types of pushchairs around but I would say they don't make the best singles if size is an issue because they have to be bigger obviously.

Have a look at the Baby Jogger City Select, Oyster Max, Micralite Twofold, Icandy Peach 2, Phil & Teds, Britax B-Dual, Jane Twone, Uppababy Vista.

thanks so much for replies

looking at oyster max, icandy, uppababy and Britax more closely

so many choices
so many reviews
and so many options

think i now have it down to oyster max and uppababy
both can take up to two seats and we plan having a growing family close together
both can take a third child on buggy board apparantly
now need to go test them

thanks for everyones guideance