Do I need a pram with a bassinet for my winter newborn?

[EmKL]

Hello, I'm an expecting mum, baby due Dec 26 feeling overwhelmed by pram/pushchair options. Would love some guidance!

I keep seeing people say to not go for a 'travel system', and while we aren't interested in the bundles available at JL/Mamas & Papas because we've already decided on a car seat separately (and I don't need the bag/cup holder accessories etc), I'm confused about what you would use for a newborn, in winter, other than a pram with a bassinet option? Surely this is key for not exposing them to the elements?

My notes:

• We want something that folds easily/to be slimline as our boot isn't huge.
• We are keeping an eye out secondhand - so any recommendations for models which are a few years old V welcome!
• We have two different needs - 0-6m and then from 9m as we'll be away in the middle without a need for a pushchair, so we're happy to buy two separate (esp if we can find something secondhand). We're assuming the first one needs a bassinet part though?
• We won't be using the car seat on the pram frame, so no need to consider the ease of this!

Thank you!

You will need something that has a lie flat option, suitable from birth, up until they're about 6 months old when they can't support their own weight. We have a M&P XT flip which has a bassinet for first 6 months, and then a separate seat for sitting up in when they are older. So two separate bits. I think this is fairly standard but there are some that just have one seat part that changes between the two options.

And you absolutely don't need the full travel system - I have never put the car seat on to the pram. Although I did find the coffee mug holder useful, but you can always just buy that separately if you want one. Facebook market place is a good option for second hand.

Definitely a bassinet for a newborn, I think the advice was to switch to a sitting up pram when they had control of their necks, about 9 months?

Baby's need to lie flat, and if you get a second hand one, you might want to buy a new mattress for the Bassinet. (Same as the advice if you buy a second hand cot, get a new mattress) And then you can also buy sheets that fit the Bassinet mattress. Our bassinet was sleep safe, so I could leave them in it to sleep in the day.

Going for walks with baby in the pram is one of my fondest memories from when they are so little, go for a walk, baby fell asleep and then I could have a cup of tea in peace!

you dont need a travel system but you do need a pram that lies flat if you don’t have the bassinet. Not all do.
you say you have decided on car seat. It’s worth bearing in mind if you have gone for a convertible car seat which is designed to last then these are often not great for newborns because of the seat angle and a baby carrier might be a better option. In my experience being able to put the baby carrier on the frame of the pram when just nipping in somewhere was much easier than getting them out of the seat to transfer them

Thank you for your quick response! We did look at the Flip XT3 when last in M&Ps, and I've seen a few secondhand so this is high on our list.

Thank you for the note on the new mattress - I hadn't heard this before. I'm so excited for these walks!

Thank you for your response - we decided on an Avionaut car seat because of the extra safety testing they go through, and none of these are available in the bundles from the big shops. It's an infant car seat so we're aware we'll need a new one when baby gets bigger!

I guess in theory you could use a sling exclusively but realistically you need some sort of lie flat option. I love the Joie Versatrax with the adapters for the bassinet. It fit in the back of my Mini which limited options so I didn’t test out loads. I did have the option to pop the car seat onto the frame because I had the adapters but I didn’t use it very often. I have just sold it and it still looks great after 2 babies/kids. I replaced the mattress for DS2 and think it was a few quid.

I have a c1 car with hardly any boot. We have a baby jogger city tour 2 which we got for.our first 6 years ago and are using again with our second as we also had exactly the same requirements you listed
Its very light weight (can push one handed around a busy city).

We have the slightly older XT2, I think the main change was the colour of the bars on the side of the pram, really nothing important! We have been very happy with it, fitted in our Ford fiesta boot. Would recommend. We bought it new but because it was being replaced by the XT3 it was a bit cheaper.

I think so. Pushchairs aren’t good for their backs. Lying flat is important in those first months.

I just had my yoyo bought the new born attachment on eBay second hand and it can be washed in washing machine so it was time to have second hand

then I had him moved to the normal push chair at 6 months

ive had it 5 years now through 2 kids still using it now with my 2 year old

we have a small flat and used overground and tube all the time so needed a small one that folds

it also fits overhead in the plane

Silver Cross Nia has a bassinet that folds down with the frame all in one.

Joolz Aer2 Nest to Seat might also be worth you looking at

We had a Yoyo which fold very small and has a lovely furry sleeping bag. We had the bassinet too, but the new born pack would be fine. We also had the car seat attachments so could use it like a travel system and it will be useful when you're away. It's genuinely brilliant, and when I borrow someone else's pushchair, I realise how much I love it.