Londoners, what do you actually use?

[Fuckedoffat48b]

We are currently considering which buggy to get our first baby. We live in SE London zone 4, don't currently have a car but are planning on getting one one and obviously use public transport, both trains and busses a lot, and will have to navigate narrow bumpy pavements full of other people. We are about to move into a small, two bed house.

I am wholly against big expensive travel system, and think they are overly cumbersome, unnecessary bourgeois status symbols that are an inconvenient menace on the Tube. I want something light, foldable and narrow. My husband has fallen in love with the iCandy Strawberry .

Whenever I ask staff in showrooms what Londoners who use public transport actually use they all swear blind they use the iCandy and Bugaboo. But then they would wouldn't they…

So Londoners, what did you actually use from birth. And was it any good?

Phil and teds Dot is very little but you can add an extra seat if another baby happens. Not easily foldable I never had to fold it because it’s small

Bugaboo Bee and Maclarens were what my NCT group all ended up with. Something you can carry single handed up the stairs if needed!

The Babyzen Yoyo is great - light and folds up small. But honestly for the first 6 months I just used our Ergobaby sling. Id recommend using a sling, especially if you are using buses - at certain times of day you won’t get on them with a buggy as two other people will have beaten you to the buggy space.

A sling

I actually use a massive icandy peach. I call it The Tank. But in double mode I can get on buses with another pushchair. I can steer single handed and hold other dc's hand. It's easy to push. I store huge amounts of gubbins underneath. I've been pushing pushchairs in Central London for 7 years now and I think it's great.

Important caveats: we never fold it and we have no car.

We had an iCandy strawberry. It was great in London. It's very easy to manoeuvre but seemed sturdier than things like the Bee. It was easy to get on and off buses. We never moved on to McLaren or similar, unlike most other people I knew. We didn't use the car much though and it's bulky folded to go in a car, though easy to fold.

Luckiestgirl the dot looks like a good compromise, though I haven't tried that out yet. Will keep my eyes peeled in showrooms.

Turkeyboots I looked at the Bugaboo and liked how light it was, but it is still a big, expensive quite wide travel system.

Kintan I am wondering whether this may just be the way to go, and we put off getting a buggy until the after the birth instead of getting some giant travel system with a carrycot we never use! We are quite pro sling/baby wearing and maybe this is just the answer for the first couple of months!

Babyzen YoYo. Obviously.

I used a massive Stokke Xplory and loved it. Kept baby up nice and high and was super easy to push and steer. Can count on one hand over six solid years of using it, the amount of time I wished I had something smaller. Found people always willing help with stairs, though most places have lifts etc. I say get what you actually want, and what is comfiest for baby.

For public transport, a sling/carrier whenever possible.

Otherwise though we went with an Armadillo Flip XT - easily foldable when required for our narrow hallway, but sturdy enough for walking lots of places, and a good size basket underneath. Nearly everyone else round me (SE zone 3) seems to have the Bee, or a Bugaboo Cameleon, but the Bee seemed a pain in the arse to fold when I tried it, and strangely low.

Our Armadillo used to fit in our Fiat 500 too (albeit with a wheel popped off, which was very easy to do).

Yoyo and ergo

Bugaboo bee. But mainly just a sling/carrier.

I like that the bee seat is adaptable for a bigger child so when DC2 finally makes her appearance and DS (2.5) gets fed up of the buggy board/has a tantrum or needs a sleep then he can go in the bed and I can wear the baby. Worth thinking about if you are planning more.

There’s bugaboo Facebook pages where people sell prams they’ve often had very short periods of time for bargain prices, it’s where I got mine from and it honestly looked new!

Babyjogger city mini worked perfectly for me. Used a car seat on top when DS was tiny (though the main bit is suitable from birth)

One hand fold is great when you are on your own with a baby

McLaren techno from birth.

Very reasonable, surprisingly snuggly and comfy even for babies when they're young, foldable with one hand and light to carry.

We had a bugaboo, it doesn't work for tubes but is ok for buses and nicely spacious for the child and if you don't have a car to haul all your stuff around...
BUT then we got a yo-yo for travelling, and barely used the bugaboo again. It's so handy, fits on any bus around other prams, can carry it up and down tube stairs, folds into nothing, the only thing it can't manage for us is really bumpy towpaths, but that's hardly a deal breaker. Our 3 year old still fits into it if we're going on a long trip like the zoo, and is comfortable enough to fall asleep. Am due DD3 any minute and one of the only things I've bought this time was a newborn nest for the yo-yo. I've kept the bugaboo in case the baby really loves rear facing but am considering selling it to fund more slings instead (because they're also the best in London!).

Another vote for sling! Have never used anything else on any public transport in London with any of my DC.

I was SE zone 3 and used an iCandy strawberry.

Bugaboo bee here

Bugaboo Bee. Great for the bus as it can fit in the narrow space behind the disabled bar on a normal bus, or in the narrow spot on a Routemaster.

Small wheels suck if you ever leave the city, though. These buggies are pricey but do age really well (not comparable to a McLaren for example). I bought ex-display and my mates all bought second hand. Their buggies are now onto the second kid.

I candy peach

Slings all the way. I had a stretchy wrap first then a lightweight Calin Bleu then a woven wrap, later a buckle carrier, Babyhawk my favourite. DP too.

I didn't think before I had a baby I would get on with slings but was great. Especially in early months when the bustle of London transport, and London in general, felt overwhelming for DD, keeping her close helped her calm.

I would find a local sling group and try one with a large teddy bear then buy one ready for that first trip out.

My friend uses Dot. They use the second seat for shopping cos they only have one kid. But you can get it off. They just never bother cos they like shopping

I just got a Mountain Buggy Nano v2 love it

I don't drive so go on public transport a lot. I initially had a Bugaboo Bee

• great on buses, but impossible on escalators.

As soon as my kids were old enough (about 6 months), I switched to a Maclaren - very lightweight and very quick to fold up on a bus.

I would also recommend a sling for the first few months.

Absolutely do not bother with a giant 'travel system'.

We have a bugaboo bee. We live in zone 2 and it's great. Also use the sling but it's a lot to carry baby plus all their stuff if out all day. Friends have the Bee, baby jogger city mini, Maclaren or yoyo.