Choosing a compact pushchair for use from birth

[gdc]

Hi. DF to be, come 10 July. Feeling rather flummoxed regarding choice of pushchairs. We live in central London, in a small one bedroom flat, and currently don't own a car. I'm looking for a backward facing pushchair suitable for use from birth (ie capable of fully flat), possibly a 3-in-1 (although I'm not sure that this is absolutely necessary?), but above all else I want something that is relatively light and compact, both when folded and open, and is able to be opened/folded easily. Adjustable length handles would be good as I am quite a bit taller than my significant other. If possible I would like this to work with a travel seat as well (don't want to have multiple devices in our small flat!).
Any thoughts much appreciated. Budget is reasonably flexible, assuming it's worth it! Thanks in advance.

not at all,
a £40 car seat is much safer than no seat at all,

Actually that's not true some of the cheap models would still fly through the car with the added weight of the seat increasing the speed and distance it would travel, so where the pram stood up in a taxi might topple over, a cheap £40 car seat with the plastic parts that the seat belt go through would snap and send the baby with more force through the wind screen.

Have a look at the which reports some of them are appalling and on sale in a shop near you.

Sorry OP, buy the Bee it's fab

well i think we need to agree to disagree on this one,
i think in an accident they are much safer in a seat then sitting in a buggy,

i would say the streety(cheaper)
or the bee are the best options,
i looked at the streety when i was preg but ended up with the buzz (which i sold 4 months later)
i wish i had bought the streety,

I think I agree that it's Bee vs Streety, but Mrs gdc has just thrown into the mix that she hears that small wheels means a lot more effort getting up and down kerbs, buses, taxis etc. Oh well. Good job there's plenty of time between now and July, although no doubt it will go quickly... I think it's time to go and make a pain of myself in John Lewis.

In London they really don't care if you have a car seat or not when you leave

Not meaning to cause offense to anyone, but by law you must have a newborn strapped into a carseat in a car. By law (and by scientific research as well- excluding the dundee study which has been proved to be bollox) you do not need a rear facing pushchair, and your child's development will not be harmed by faceing forward. Their early death in a car accident in which they are not properly restrained, however, is definately not good for development, speech or otherwise.

Taxis have different laws governing them.

Gdc - with regards to small wheels I think you'll get used to whatever you have very quickly. Bigger ones are designed for rougher terrain, not really city living and tend to be on the bulkier child transportation devices!

Chicco 4 me is pretty good. Well worth a look.If I had one for my first then I wouldn't have got through loads of buggys!

lastboxoftampons - I have the Micralite Toro and love it. I often take it on buses where I have to fold it up, and it is wonderful. I bought the carrycot, but to be honest if I was doing it again I probably wouldn't bother and just use a sling for the first few months (or you could use the car seat).

What makes the Toro so fab is its rear inflatable wheels - a much smoother push than pushchairs with solid wheels in my opinion, and lovely if you do a lot of walking.

DD is 1 now, and I can't imagine that we will ever need to buy another pushchair.

Maclaren Techno is fab.

I live in a tiny flat in Dublin. No room for separate bits and bobs. We bought the fab maclaren because it lies flat from birth, and folds up to the tiniest neatest size we could find. We have it propped up just next to the front door.
It's really light and bus friendly/car boot friendly. The hood has a window in it so you can look down and see your lo. Also, forward facing doesn't seem to have affected my chatty 15mnth old dd.

A sling or carrier is also worth getting. Useful for tube/busses/anywhere with stairs where pushchairs would be a hindrance. We had Mothercare's multi position one and used it up till about 10 months. (well, dp used it mainly)

Bear in mind that prams based on car seats have restrictions in that new borns shouldn't be in a car seat for over 2 hours at a time because the aren't lying flat and it restricts their breathing (apparently).

Agreee with Naomi and Sazm Please get a car seat.

I have the bebeconfort Loola Up - all the issues with the Loola seem to have been fixed with this model and it goes rear facing, lies flat without a need for a carrycot, and you can buy a compatible car seat (or the maxi cosi ones are compatible too). I find it really easy to steer, and you can change the height of the handle.

Also it doesn't take up much room when folded, and you can take the seat off the chassis if you want to make even more room. I can easily see us using this for the next few years.

The only thing which is a bit of a pain is in rearfacing mode, there is nowhere to grab in the middle to help take it up/down stairs, you have to grab both the legs instead. And the raincover can be annoying too but if it really bugs you, you could always just get a universal one.