Second Pushchairs. A common phenomenon?

[liam]

I am a student researching the trend of buying different pushchairs for different purposes, alot of parents I have spoke to now have a range of chairs for different needs. Is this common? How much are parents willing to spend on a second pushchair?

Anyone with any ideas or info please contact me:

[email protected]

Many thanks

I have 2, one for shopping etc - McClaren Techno and one for dogwalking which is a 3 wheeler thingy with pneumatic wheels. Only ever use 3 wheel thing for that as is too unwieldy to get in and out of shops.

SliverX is the one you need, she has about 300!

We've been through an embarrassing number of prams/buggies etc. DD is nearly 3 and we still have 2, a 3-wheeler for long distance walking (I don't drive) bought very recently because the cheapy buggy was killing my back and a cheapy (£35) basic buggy which lives on the porch and is used for travelling and shopping expeditions (she won't really sit in it unless very tired, but I'm not ready to carry my own bags!)

In total we've had:
M&P 3-in1 £600 (incl. all extras)
M&P Pliko £150 (but friends have nursery shop, so was free)
Maclaren daytripper £60
Maclaren Daytripper £60 (First one got stuck in train doors)
Mothercare 3-wheeler £140 (But DH got it 1/2 price)
Mothercare basic buggy £35
Mothercare

I had a Mothercare travel system (£140). Love it to bits as it was easy to steer, comfy and suitable from birth (and, despite the warning notice, you can fit a 3yo in the shopping basket with no problems ). Also have a £40 Mothercare umbrella fold buggy, bought for travelling, which is now the main one we use as DS2 is nearly 3 now.

That's it. No fancy-pants all singing all dancing 3 wheelers, no doubles, none lost-in-action and completely happy with what we went for. I know I'm in a minority with this!

This is a fascinating topic. It seems so many of us have all done much the same thing when we bought the "main" buggy, knowing full well it probably wouldnt be right for certain situations. Too much choice that's what I say! We have 1dd, 7 months old, she is transported in
1 Jane Matrix (flat cot that attaches to the chassis - a 3 wheeler and doubles as a flat car seat up to a certain age and weight), now she is using the buggy seat (£400)
1 Maclaren Quest, for travel and when I can't be bothered to struggle with the Jane i.e. all the time these days (£100)
Plus a sling and a soon to be bought backpack carrier, for her parents to take her on days out climbing mountains and the like!

All of your insights are great

Chas and Kika, this was another area I am interested in, the use of a light pushchair and a sling/backpack. Do you think alot of parents take both on holiday or for walking?

Maria luisa, is the cheapy buggy hurting your back because it doesn't have an adjustable handle length?

no, I have a dodgy back anyway, but the buggy wrecks my back because it has no suspension and I have to push my rather tall,solid DD up very steep hills. That said, I don't even like pushing it around town. The handles are okayish, but TBH it's a cheap buggy and it was never going to be all that great.

Liam yes we take backpacks or slings for serious walking too. 2 bushbaby backpacks (£130 new, one secondhand £60), one baby bjorn sling secondhand £10.
Despite being carboot sale and charity shop devotee I don't mind spending money on backpacks and buggies cos they really improve your quality of life.

Liam are you market researcher or academic researcher?

Graco Voyager 2-in-1 travel system. £140
MacLaren Daytripper. £50 (reduced because previous season's colours).

The voyager which included car seat was used from bith and will be used for no 2 come May.

The daytripper is only suitable for 6 months and was bought for hols/keeping in the car because when DS was small in winter it wasn't cosy. DS is nearly 3 and so we are trying to phase out his use of it but still need it on occasion. I think it will need replacing for no 2 because is looking fairly worn. But voyager should last us through I think.

Hi Fennel,

I am a student in my final year so I guess academic, except I'm not being paid!

This info is all for my dissertation, and thank you for your help on the backpack issue

Liam

only 2 pushchairs

• one comfortable reclining/multiway one - used from birth to now (2 years), cost about £200 and looks like it'll see him through to independant walking
• one cheapo (£8.50 in Sainsbury's sale) foldaway one used on holidays, busses, quick trips out
• also had a nice sling for ds for the first 6/9 months

couldn't be doing with more than that, limited storage space at home and small car.

Liam, both my pushchairs affect my (admittedly dodgy) back because they don't have adjustable handles.

Soupdragon, that's a really good point, I never thought about the adjustable handles from a health point of view, I assumed it was a convenience issue, an insight like that would make adjustable handles a requirement on pushchairs rather than a selling point. Hope your back gets better and I will definitely incorporate that point, thank you

Janeway, your points are great, and perfect for what I am studying. Thank you. How has the cheapo one held up? How many times have you used it for travelling?

first pushchair - bought by my mum, so don't know cost but it's heavy, metal construction. only used it again for dd2 as it's the only one I have which lies flat (ish).
2nd - graco citysport £30 from tesco online, in last season's colours (!) - dd1 liked the bar she could clutch when sitting, it's very light but only folds flat, not umbrella construction and the 'click' to hold it all together is dodgy now. oh and it's so light that once I got one of the wheels stuck in a rut in the road and went a*e over tt - dd1 ended up with nose very close to the ground, me with holes in the knees of my tights
3rd maclaren bog standard buggy £50 from toysrus. use a lot because it's an umbrella buggy. tried to get a secondhand flat-lying pram for dd2 but gave up cos couldn't find exactly what I wanted & didn't want to shell out any more.
with hindsight, wish I'd got a travel system that cost a lot but was at least adaptable to my needs. swivel wheels are a must & I agree that adjustable handles would be great, because most couples are different heights. parasols are generally rubbish, so integrating some kind of shade would be my list if i was buying again..
my sister has now offered me a 3-wheeler, but I'm resisting until I can offload all our other stuff in the cellar

My first main pushchair is the M & P Pliko travel system, with every extra. It's an umbrella fold which is good as our hallway is very narrow & I love it. It is still in good nick so OK for number 2.

We also got the cheapest Mothercare one for when flying abroad (which only happened once). I hate it, it cannot turn corners, its too low, so you have to stoop - I hate this one and never use it.

Also baby Bjorn sling which was great. Got this when ds was 2 weeks old and the only one I could wear for more than 5 mins without my back hurting. Used this a lot.

No 2 will arrive when ds 2y11m so hoping I can cope with a single pushchair. Either ds walking standing on the back of the M & P pushchair or no2 in sling. Will have to wait and see.

Liam

cheapo one is 9 months old and going strong - some critisisms though - handles are too low for dp and I occassionally wish it'd recline for when ds has a dose - still can't complain for that price. It's used about 3x each week and has been to Italy and back plus the length & breadth of the UK & Ireland.

Main buggy has nice high handles (prerequisite with dp being well over 6ft) and is still looking very good - it should certainly do any No.2.

Liam,

I use the Baby Bjorn a lot with my baby in the shops, in very cold weather for walks, so I warm the baby with my bodyheat, and also inside the house when the baba wants to be held but I need to do things, and intend to use it later for long walks/hillwalking.

Once I buy the back carrier we'll see how I'll be able to carry the then 1-2-3 year old baby, if he is too heavy for me, we'll get a v. light buggy too. I find the back carrier/sling useful for big shopping trips, for walking, and on holidays, also just a simpler option when going into crowds. And the baby LOVES being up high and seeing 'stuff'!

Hi Liam,

I've been through about 8 pushchairs in various guises. (Some of them as the coordinator of a baby equipment rental service.)
I've yet to find one buggy that fits every situation or every age of child.
My favourites are:
1: Mountain Buggy Terrain (New Zealand) -- tough and rugged, good for long walks and stuff, but terrible in shops/cars/buses/planes as too bulky. Also (I think this is a general problem with 3-wheelers) the seat is on quite a hefty backwards recline to prevent the child falling out and that means that ds is often straining to sit up straighter so he can see out better.
2: Maclaren Volo umbrella stroller (UK) -- this is quite a recent purchase, and is great for shops/cars/planes. Its light, folds and unfolds easily, has high (but not adjustable) handles, good swivel wheels so you can steer with one hand and a shoulder carrying strap so that you can carry ds and the buggy with ease. Down side is that the seat doesn't recline, so it wouldn't suit infants under 6 months, and its crap over rough terrain. (Although I did take it round Angkor Wat and it did OK)
3: Instep Double jogger (USA) -- a light build, with wheels that come off easily so a bit less daunting than the Mountain Buggy (although its light build means it is straining under the weight of my two heavy kids). Again good for outdoorsey things, but not much good for shops/cars/planes etc.

The worst buggies I have tried have a combination of the following:
1: Fixed front wheels so steering is a real effort
2: A weak structure so you can't put enough pressure on the handle to lever the buggy up steep curbs
3: Low handles
4: Really fidgety folding mechanisms
5: Awkward sunshades that get caught in the folding mechanism or tend to fall off the main structure

Anyway, I must have spent about 450 pounds on buggies. Have yet to find the perfect one. (Although if I was starting again now, I think I might try a Dutch design called Bugaboo, which seems pretty groovy. My Dutch friends swear by it)

Best, Lorien

Thankyou CountessDracula for that wonderful introduction :0

Heres the list, this is only for................................................................................................................................................TWO children.
implast 3 in 1 cost 285
mamas 2 in1 cost £315
mamas pliko cost £365
silvercross 3 wheeler cost £655 (with every extra)
mamas 3 in 1 cost
silvercross 3 wheeler Surf City cost £265
mamas freestyler TS cost £360
silvercross coach built durham cost £700
mamas pliko p3 TS cost £470
mamas arai
mamas venezia
mamas 2 in1 .
mamas pliko
mamas freestyler
Mamas/peg seat cover
Mamas Jeans Freestyler
The first BRAND NEW Compact from Silver Cross, as we are personall friends With the chief Exec
IF people would like to see some information about this then please email me. on [email protected]

We just have a thing for new wheels for the lads

Now did I tell you she was the daddy.... (or mummy?)

I am actually addicted to buying pushchairs. I have 3 kids and am currently on my 13th pushchair and looking for a new one. Can't help it, i just get bored with them.

I must say the bit I find boring is buying the blimmin things. Once I have them I just ignore them.

I am reeling ...
What do you lot all DO to need that many buggies? Where do you all GO? ....
Silverx .... my jaw is literally on the floor ... where do you PUT them all

I have two: A Graco prammy/buggy thing (cannot remember the cost ... only that I bought it in South Africa where it was cheaper than in the UK) that lies flat and was perfect from birth until DS was 18 mths and we went on holiday and bought a Maclaren Vogue thingy ... that was perfect for long haul flights ... I think it was about 150 pounds.

I would love a New Zealand Mountain Buggy ... butr they are very expensive and don't fit in my car ....

its ok if you can afford them all these prams and buggies