So confused - who to listen to?

[MichelleM]

Have bought very light & easy to fold Graco pushchair which can lie completely flat,and have lend of pram with good sized carrycot. Next purchase I was planning was a really good car seat. But after listening to people who have run down Graco and who are all for travel systems and/or 3 wheelers, I now feel completely confused and torn. Any advice appreciated.

Personally would go along with you in rejecting travel systems (redundant after 6 months or so)and 3 wheelers (am an urban public transport user) but really think the important thing is to enjoy the purchase as a adjunct to your fantasy of life with a baby. Apologies if you already have a baby- in that case I'd say hold off and soon your needs will become clear! Loved that stage of deciding what my babes would really, truly, need and ended up with some completely useless stuff- floating bath cushion that didn't float comes to mind and millions of tiny socks because they were so so cute- but felt ludicrously happy making such silly decisions as they fitted in perfectly with my rose tinted vision of what my bubbas would be like. So my advice would be go for whatever takes your fancy and fits your price range and it'll all come right in the end.
Er.. not sure that this is very helpful... sorry

It very much depends on your lifestyle Michelle. I had a small car and lived in a village so found my travel system a very useful purchase. Eventually got a Maclaren daytripper as well which got more use than the travel system once DS was one. But still use it as a pushchair for slightly rough walks (eg path round local boating lake) because daytripper with little wheels jars my wrists.

But actually what you've got sounds a good combination. I've heard good reports about the Graco city pushchair thingie which it sounds like you've got. Also good idea to borrow the pram because its big and you won't need it for long. So why not go ahead and purchase your car seat. If you're really up for a travel system you could see if you could get one that would fit the pram chassis but not really necessary.

We got the Graco Mirage, which lies completely flat and have used it since DS was born - he's now 11 months. I've been really happy with it, especially as I use public transport a fair bit, it is much easier to manoever than the more hefty travel systems. I've had no problems with it at all - it is nice and padded which was lovely when DS was new, and has a good sitting position now that he's sitting up. I do thing that the Graco pushchair that you can fold one-handed would be easier than mine though as the one I've got takes two hands, which can be a pain - but not the end of the world!

I had a lie flat buggy and a borrowed from my brother britax car seat and a sling - didn't need anything else. The buggy was £60, (mothercare own, still using it for second child, 3 and a bit years on) the sling was £40 (baby bjorn, currently out on its 3rd loan as ds too big for it) and obviously car seat was free.
A friend lent us a 3 wheel buggy - the only place we have ever used it was on the beach, any of road things we have done we have used a sling or backpack. It is just too big to be useful in the car, when you have lots of shopping you wonder why you didn't leave the thing at home! We also had a loan of a double buggy which also went back to owner, as also too big.
A travel system would have been a pain for me and I was really happy with my combination. I don't know about Graco but I was really pleased with my lie flat buggy.
The other thing you might want to bear in mind is that there is some research that says that babies left to sit in travel seats all day (like those who are moved in the car seat into the travel system than pushed round the town all day) can have trouble with their spines. It is better for a baby to lie flat as much as possible. Have no idea where I got this from, but think it might have been mumsnet - mo idea where????

I certainly agree that travel systems are over-rated unless they suit your specific lifestyle. We got one and the pram is just to big and heavy to push easily and will not fit in the car properly. The car seat part was good as it was more roomy than most but has these annoying bits which clip onto the chassis and invariably end up sticking out grazing your legs when you carry it.

It was impossible to use in town so I used a sling when babies were little and got a cheap mothercase buggy (£15) when they got a bit bigger. Yours sounds much better as you can use it from the word go.

We've also got a 3-wheeler (yes talk about wasting money, we've got the complete set!) as where we live is rough terrain. It has been very useful and the best thing is that you can manoevere it with one hand. But if you want it for shopping then your buggy sounds fine.

Thing I learned is that no matter how much research you do and how many people you ask, you will still end up with a few duff purchases just because they don't suit you. With the gift of hindsight we could have saved a fortune but thats just the way it goes. Stick with what you think will work best for you.

MichelleM - it sounds as though you've already made a good purchase, just get a car seat & that should be everything.

You only have to look at the number of second hand travel systems 'hardly used' for sale, to see that most people find them a waste of money - I know not everyone does. We borrowed a travel system but it was a nightmare, used it once; did use the car seat bit. We bought a three wheeler (live in the countryside & do a lot of walking) which has been invaluable, an 'umbrella' fold up buggy, sling & DH uses a back-pack carrier.

There is so much hype about buying these things, pure marketing propoganda to get you to spend money when youre at your most vulnerable; try & borrow as much as possible before parting with your own cash!

We bought the old Britax travel system 4 yrs ago for ds1. Used the car seat on the buggy frame a lot in the first few month, especially as small babies sleep a lot (?!) Only used the carrycot for a few months as a substitute moses basket.

Used the pushchair constantly for a couple of years - attached a buggy-board to it when ds2 arrived. Same cycle again with ds2 and then finally a couple of months ago I bought a McLaren buggy for ds2, who is now 18 mths.

I like its lightness and portability as opposed to the heavier travel system, but it carries much less stuff in the shopping tray and doesn't feel as robust on rougher terrain.

Choose what you think will suit you, because there are advantages and disadvantages to whatever you choose.

I'm one of those rare people who love(d) my Mothercare (Graco) travel system! No fuss, no faffing about and still using the pushchair 4 years on.

Don't get a 3 wheeler unless the front wheel swivels - I borrowed a non-swivel one from a friend and despised it as it didn't steer.

MichelleM, it sounds like what you've got is absolutely fine.

Thanks so much for all your replies - its really helped reassure me that what I've got so far is ok, and has worked well for several of you.

As a first timer I just sometimes feel overwhelmed, trying to make sure that I make all the right decisions, but I guess I need to chill out a bit more & trust my instincts.

Thanks again.

I had a graco travel system and loved it. I found it was light and easy to steer and small enough to fit in the car. I didn't like the big travel sytems like the Mamas and Papas as I felt I wouldn't want a car seat, a chassis and a pushchair seat all at the same time.

Get a good car seat, Brittax are a really good brand, some of them are suitable from birth, rear facing and them forward facing as they get older. As you will always be transfering the baby from the car seat to the pram, don't bother with a 'rock-a-tot' style which you strap in each time, as it will only last 9 months or so. It is these stage one small car seats that are supposed to be 'bad' for the child as people leave the baby in one all day as a chair.

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