Lightweight prams/bringing baby up stairs.

[Mamamooligans]

Hi, I have a few questions.
I live in a second/top floor flat, its a converted house and nowhere to leave pram downstairs.
1)How would you bring baby up? Is it safe to carry the carrycot up with baby inside it, then leave them inside the flat and come down for frame? (Know all the neighbours and would lock the door anyway. Or is this a bad idea?).
2) Can you leave pushchair outside in the rain with rain cover on? If weather is nice my OH will be able to leave it in front garden before he goes to work and bring it up when he comes in. But will it be okay potentially left for hours outside in the rain with raincover on? I'm due in winter and know I won't be able too in snow, but not sure whether leaving it in rain for hours will cause any damage? Its a communal garden but won't be an issue leaving pram there.
3) Would you go for a specifically lightweight option or will I get used to carrying up a normal/standard pram?
4) Any recommendations? It must be parent facing for at least the first 6 months, have a bumper bar as I just feel like the type without leave them looking too exposed. I would ideally prefer a carrycot rather than a seat suitable from birth or a newborn cocoon but appreciate that might not be practical so thats more of a nice-to-have. I'll most likely be buying secondhand as it will be left outside at least when weather is nice so don't want to spend too much incase it gets stolen, although nobody has ever taken neighbours bike so possibly over thinking that one. But most likely can consider any price range as should be able to afford whatever secondhand!

1. when DS was very little we carried the pram up with him in it. Now if we’re leaving we taken the pram down first and then go back to get him, and when we’re back the other way around. We never leave the door locked as this to me is the main thing that could go wrong - he is inside and we’re inadvertently locked outside. He is put in his cot as a safe space, but the layout of our flats mean we could see anyone entering or leaving our flat from the ground so we’re not worried about other people. Our pram is light enough that I could carry him and sling it over my shoulder, but it would be a bit of a faff
2. I can’t see how this would be good for the life of the pram and as the handles won’t be covered they’ll likely get a bit grim. Do you have a car? I think a lot of people keep their pram in the car, but we don’t have one.
3. I would go for lightweight. We’ve had people visiting with a normal pram and they’ve struggled with the stairs. It does depend where you live and what you will using the pram for. For instance, we’d have gone for a lightweight pram anyway for navigating the tube.
4. we have the babyzen yo-yo, which has none of the features you want but is very light and great in a number of other ways

The silver cross reflex would be perfect for you

I always planned to carry the carrycot up with him but that was actually a nightmare on my own because you need an extra pair of hands to pop it off. It was so easy to just pick him up and carry up the stairs, less stressful than I expected it to be

I wouldn't leave out in the rain tho. Sorry just realised you cant carry them up as you have nowhere to leave it. I have bugaboo bee5 and it's light enough to carry upstairs with baby in it. Works the biceps

When I had DC2 I had a leg in an orthopaedic boot and one crutch so no spare hands. I carried him around in a close caboo sling when I needed to, so he was secure on stairs etc. Got it for about £15 on Facebook marketplace.

The baby jogger city mini has a compact carrycot which is useful for this sort of situation and is apparently a great pram

When we lived in a flat without a lift, we had a bugaboo bee. I just used to leave it in the boot and carry my baby up

1. I would. I only live on the first floor but plan to bring baby up then pushchair. Possibly can manage baby in one arm and pushchair over other shoulder to try both together, no idea if that will work! Would be even harder to manage both together up two flights of stairs but may work.
2. I think it'd probably be okay in rain occasionally but wouldn't do it very often.
3. I was planning on something lightweight, I was looking at the baby jogger vue and its probably the most sensible to get something lightweight. However I bought something else secondhand and hoping that I'll just get used to it. But someone else probably has first hand experience of how/if they coped with a normal pushchair and stairs.
4. What about the silver cross pursuit? It has a bumper bar and can be parent facing or world facing. Has a newborn liner rather than carrycot though! I've gone for what looks like an older version of it, I'm not sure what the model name of mine is, but seems to be the same type of thing. Mine has stroller type wheels rather than nicer wheels with the pursuit. Folds in one-piece, has a newborn liner/cocoon thing, lovely big seat. I'm thinking its just an older version of it, you can probably find it if you look secondhand. Baby isn't here yet but so far I love it. Just hoping I won't regret not getting a lightweight one. Or if you do decide to go for new, I've just seen the red/brick one is reduced to £425 on mothercare, guessing they are discontinuing that colour. Although still a A LOT, so secondhand may be better anyway.

Thank you everyone for your answers so far! :) No unfortunately no car.
I won't leave it out in the rain then and will try bringing baby up first, or possibly juggling both depending on what pram I get! Unfortunately the bugaboo bee, babyzen yoyo & baby jogger city mini aren't for me as no bumper bar as I just really dislike the look without, although otherwise do look very practical options.
I worry whilst carrying pram up unfolded with baby in it I won't be stable enough up 2 flights of stairs as wouldn't be able to see the steps properly. But think I'd be okay if just bringing up carrycot with baby in it first.
I know all the neighbours, and I'd just be outside the main front door whilst collecting frame, but I do feel like it'd better to lock my front door just incase?
The silver cross reflex looks like a possibility, however I can't see a way for it to be parent facing for first few months? Is there a newborn carrycot or something to add to it? Where can I find one compatible?
The silver cross pursuit I also like. I hadn't thought of the advantage of one handlebar over 2 meaning I could possibly carry over my shoulder if a one piece fold. Mothercare website says its a 'lightweight design with compact one-piece fold', but doesn't say how lightweight! A compact fold could be maybe mean I could manage both baby and pram at same time. I'd ideally not like to leave baby in flat unattended.
I would ideally like a carrycot, but realise it may not be most practical. Glad I'm not the only one in the awkward situation of trying to find a pram for flat living with no lift! It adds so much more to think about! Hope you get on okay with your silver cross once baby arrives and you don't find it too difficult bringing it up and down!

I've actually just seen Joie Mirus, one handlebar, one-piece fold, bumper bar, parent & world facing. Lie-flat seat suitable from birth. Any feedback on it? Looks ideal!

I can't comment on the pram. We left ours in the car and used a sling to get up and down the stairs (and then on everywhere else I went making the pram totally redundant and a good way of making sure that we couldn't use the car boot). By about 3 months old I had given up even pretending that we used the pram and now that she is over a year old I am selling it. If she gets too heavy to carry I will get a lightweight buggy but she is still light enough to go on my front and then I can move her to back carries for ages after that. She's walking now so the length of time I will be carrying her will be starting to get shorter and shorter and then a quick back carry when her legs are tired won't be a problem. I can heartily recommend the close caboo sling. I used it until she got too heavy then moved over to a woven wrap.

I would absolutely go for something like the Mirus, where you can carry baby and buggy. If for no other reason than getting a young baby down for a nap in the day is much easier in a buggy, as you can push it back and forth in the hallway to help them nod off. Also means that they learn to nap in a buggy so you can go chill out in a coffee shop for the duration of the nap!

I have the silver cross reflex with baby nest and while it's a brilliant, hard-wearing buggy which I still use regularly with a toddler, I'm not sure it would be great for bringing upstairs regularly in the first few months. I used to find it heavy in the beginning as my core was shot from pregnancy.
Having said that it's very narrow and slender. You could probably fit it in the hall if a. It's big enough and b. the neighbour's agree. Then bring baby upstairs in sling.
Cybex do a nice small one that faces both directions and has a baby nest. It looks quite light, can't think of the model name.

What about the Mamas & Papas armadillo flip xt?

Has a carry cot, parent and world facing, compact fold, I think it might even have a carry handle when folded (?) but I would check that because I might be thinking of another buggy. Decent sized basket also which is probably handy if you don't have a car.

It's not as small and probably not as light as say the bugaboo bee or the Babyzen Yoyo, but it seems to fit the bill for you?

The cybex eezy s twist faces both ways, is very lightweight, small fold and you can buy a bumper bar.

You can also buy a bumper bar for the baby jogger city mini.