Expecting DC1 and would welcome advice on which pushchair / travel system to buy

[Sesthinks2009willbeagreatyear]

Hi! I'm expecting DC1 in May and until I got pg had never heard of P&Ts, bugaboos, quinny, luna, etc.

Our criteria are:

• light weight (I have a history of mild back problems)
• 4 wheels (for some reason DH thinks 3-wheelers aren't v stable and I'm not fussed so I'll go with it)
• Converts for newborn to lie flat
• pushchair so that baby can face towards me or away from me

Also worth considering is that we may try for DC2 when this one is only about 10-12 months.

We'll predominantly use it walking locally in paved areas. We have dogs and if we go out ona long walk across fields we'll probably try and find a suitable carrier once the baby's big enough.

We haven't found out the sex of the baby so will be going for neutral colour.

Budget isn't too much of a worry within reason as we see it as an investment for more than just this one (hopefully!)

Is there anything else I need to take into consideration?

Any ideas or am I being too fussy??!

Bugaboo. Job done!!

Most prams that face you or face forward are heavy heavy heavy. Bugaboo weighs the same as m and p pliko prammette but is so much lighter to push, prammette is hard work! Pain to getin and out of the car though as you hae to separate the pieces.

Thanks carrielou!

I think we're going to go window shopping at the weekend and will definitely look the Bugaboo bee out. Does it go completely flat for a newborn?

ooh no not the bee!! I mean the cam, bee not suitable for anything other than pavements (no rough ground, sand etc). Yes it does go flat and use with the nest for the first 6 months then you need the footmuff. I love love love my cam but hated the Bee. Used it twice before I sold it!

Another vote for the Bugaboo Chameleon here. I absolutely love ours, it's a real treat to use

Buggy wise you can't really beat a Maclaren.

Ah yes! Looks a bit more like it! Will definitely put it in the list to look at

Wish I'd seen this post before buying my Silver Cross (doesn't face parent and heavy) and Loola (Very heavy lifting up onto pavements but does face you). Hmm.

Which Silver Cross did you get? Their 3-D travel system is also on our list to look at...

Had a 3d, loved it as a pram and pushchair but soooooooooooooooooooo heavy. Very like Loola. If you get a big 'pram' you will still prob want to get a maclaren when bubs is about 6 months for slinging in the car, holidays etc.

this one

Hmmm!

Am liking the cameleon and also the i'coo targo at the moment then...

The i'coo is less than £300 but not sure who stocks it.

Will maybe print off a few before we go looking and give DH an idea.

Thanks for your thoughts. Any more always welcome!!

To be honest I had a big pram for DS to face me and I loved it but if you do alot of walking I would definately get a 3 wheeler TBH I now have one and wish I'd had it from the start! Lovely to push and not unstable at all!

My DS is now 2.5YO and I'm on my 4th pram, just bought a aclaren, if I'd have bought 3 wheeler to start I wouldn never have been through the other 2 as I love it so much.

The Jane Slalom is supposed to be one of the best out there.

Jane Slalom does sound great but it doesn't face parent after baby grows out of the carrycot. That's the problem I've had in finding the right one.

If you have the funds get yourself a phil and ted sport (300 pounds on kiddicare with doubles seat/cacoon) and a maclaren xt. the phil and ted with cacoon will rear face for first few months and is lovely for bumpy walks, and super stable, despite four wheels, and the xt is fab for car boot/public transport/ shopping centre. The phil and ted then becomes your double when your number 2 comes along. I would recommend buying both now as parents/ friends are very generous with first baby but not with later kids. Bugaboos are gorge and lovely to push but you'll need a maclaren as well (as they're not very practical!) and later a double, so I wouldn't bother wasting all that cash and instead get two buggies that will see you through the next four years. Rear facing buggies are lovely in theory, but most older babies want to face forward most of the time anyway.

Similar pushcahiers that might fit your bill (and cheaper than the Bugs) are: First Wheels City, iCandy Cherry or the M&P Switch

Just got in from work and seen your suggestions
Thanks - I'm off to investigate!

Recommend the iCandy Cherry, with the only issue being the carrycot is small and doesn't last the full 6 months so you have to transfer to the stroller early.

Never thought I'd say it because I've always favoured M&P pramettes and maclaren strollers but had a little play with friends bugaboo bee today and couldn't believe how light and steerable it is with a toddler in. My stroller felt like lead weight all the way home after that!

bugaboo bee (@7kg) or cameleon (@9kg)

Sooo hard for just one buggy to fit all your needs - that's why I have a bugaboo cam, P&T double and a Maclaren stroller!!!

If I had to choose one, it would def be the bugaboo, so comfy and easy to 'drive'. Only really used my P&T for about 6 months but still usefull when out and about in the rain (so glad I didn't get rid of my bug as I was going to, have a friend in the same boat who did and bitterly regets it), but at the moment it's the bugaboo with a buggy board - is great. Def will need a stroller for later on too, invaluable for grandparents, airports etc.

I'm a fan of the Bugaboo Bee - lovely and light, small wheels, easy to steer and very neat for public transport. Folds small too. And comes in great colours.

Think its going to be tough to find one that meets all your criteria - we have a very similar list! Am expecting DC2 and had a quinny buzz last time, lots of good points but very bulky and ended up with a maclaren buggy too. Was going to just replace the buggy which is on last legs, but am always niggled that most buggys only face out. Have now spotted the bebe confort streety and am going to try and have a look - has most of what you are asking. Haven't managed to see one in real life yet - my main concern is that it might not lie completely flat, which is a no-no if you want to use it from birth. Good luck, will watch the thread with interest.

The icoo Targo is lovely, really nice to push over all surfaces and will last long into toddlerhoo!

I have seen them for £249 on ebay!

If you can stretch it though, I would go for a bugaboo cam.

hi there- if you're even vaguely thinking of having a 2nd (with a gap of less than 2.5 yrs). You really should just get the phil and teds now- you'll end up regretting it when you have to shell out for wheels twice....
Three wheelers are very stable and the plus point (of the ones with air tyres at least) is they are by far the easiest thing to push with a toddler in. I have owned a bebe confort elite (like loola but even heavier-lovely with the carrycot as early pram but so heavy once bubs was over 6 months). Then a Jane energy (umbrella pushchair like a maclaren only a bit lighter flat from birth), this is nice and light and ok (good for flights etc). And then a mountain buggy urban- which I have to say beats everything else into a cocked hat- pushes like a dream (I can push it with a heavy two year old in- one handed) is simple, robust enough for country walks but manoeuvrable for shops/pavements.
Biggest piece of advice is really try the thing out in a shop- fold it down and pick it up unfold it- push it (and take something heavy to put in it when you push it- you may feel a bit silly, but honestly people forget how heavy that little newborn is going to get!). Oh and the facing you thing- well from the perspective of developmental psychology the ?research? done on interaction and rear facing pushchairs is not all that great (imho) and I wouldn?t be worrying about it. Of course if you want to be able to look at bubs beyond the 6 month carrycot stage then that is your prerogative?.

Just back from having a look round a couple of shops.
Was really disappointed by Mothercare World. The shop was a mess and no one on hand for help and advice. I also looked at some of their maternity clothes and some of them were just on the floor and the rest were limited sizes. Not inclined to go back there in a hurry!

Back to the topic though... I still like the look of the i'coo targo from the website. Can't find a stockist though! Does anyone know of a stockist or anyone that has one?