One mumsnetter - one vote. Which pushchair would you get for a newborn and why?

[ScummyMummy]

I'm completely confused and want to be told what to do! Tell me. Imagine you had a newborn suddenly delivered tomorrow and no buggy in the house. Which one would you buy? Why?

Mountain buggy urban (elite)

I've had over fifty pushchairs and prams, and this is the most versatile - if I had the option to get another later on, then my first choice for a newborn would be an emmaljunga because of the solidity and suspension - however it's not practical over about 9 months as it hasn't swivel wheels. (you can get one with, but tis still v heavy)

Then later on a maclaren techno as it is so reliable and well made, fits everywhere, is comfy and easy to use.

But the mountain buggy is suitable at all ages, incredibly high quality, very very simple and reliable and has a good basket as well.

I've narrowed down my ideal buggies and have got all three of these, it kind of reaches the point where you aren't interested in the others available as you know you've got the best iyswim.

I had a bugaboo cam and wasn't impressed with its handling especially down kerbs or on rough ground, also it was flimsy compared to those I've recommended - however it is great in other respects and very popular.

Also I refuse to put a newborn in anything without air based wheels!!

Nationalflight 50 pushchairs!!! Wow!

Mountain Buggy - only ever had that so can't suggest anything else. Ds was in it (no carry cot [bad mummy emoticon]) from 3 wks to 2.4yrs when he stopped using a buggy. Used in both country and town and fab at both apart from folding for buses and fitting in small car.

Mountain buggy Urban
Quinny Buzz

But whoever said about have a good umbrella stroller (I loved my ZAPP though it didn't recline which is NOT idea!) and a cheaper travel system is right.

You ideally want something they can lie flat in from birthday, but by 6 months they'll want propping up and to take the world in.

many of my friends have several prams, i only ever needed one - mountain buggy urban with carry cot, cos it was so good

I love my Inglesinia Otutto, I still use it nearly every day at almost 18 months.

But I also totally covet the Stokke Xplory

Yes you don't really need the carrycot for an MB, as it lies flat and is like a hammock - in fact I'd reckon a baby would go off quicker with just the hammock seat flat.

Check out the ratings on the review section as well, gives you an idea...many buggies out there are just kind of 'fun' imo, but some are serious engineering and time-proven stuff.

My all time faves have been Mountain Buggy Urban and Bugaboo Gecko. I think like lots of previous posters that perfect buggy changes over time so - nice carrycot, rear facing, big seat and where you are pushing it too!

I'd just get a sling, I wouldn't put a newborn in a forward facing buggy, neither of mine went forward facing until the were about two, and even then, by preference, they would choose the Cossatto rear facing pram/pushchair. I only used the pram/pushchair for journeys on foot direct from the house, if we went in the car they went in the sling.

I saw the recent studies on the need for rear facing buggies. All I can say is that it still doesn't stop my praise of the MB - and all I can say is that if having a forward facing buggy holds back language skills, I'm really glad - as it is now we can hardly get a word in edgewise - just think what it would be like if he'd been rear facing and therefore not held back by facing away from me . (In fact, lying flat he could often see me anyway - and I usually sang to him as we went round - or talked to him, despite not being able to see his face - and he absolutely loved watching the dog run after her frisbee etc from quite an early age )

i would get a mcclaretn like the techno xt which can be used from birth with a really comfy footmuff or buggy snuggle lay on thingy been as though its summer iyswim. I find them big systems a waste of money as you soon want something compact and light.

I'm not up to date with latest models! We had a Graco travel system back in the olden days. I would go for anything that is as flexible as possible ie includes a car seat (pusher facing) for the tinies. But can convert to front facing when they get bigger, and can carry lots of shopping ! Room for a case of beer in the underseat basket is a nice to have .

My DD (3.5months) loves my Maclaren because she is so alert that she likes looking around. When she is in the rear facing travel system that we also have she cranes her neck to try to see out at what is going on!

I know there is research about front/rear facing and which is best but I honestly think that as long as they aren't in them for hours and hours every day and they have lots of interaction out of the buggy then I can't see it as a problem for my DD, but then each to their own really.

I got a Mclaren Techno for my newborn and it worked very well for going on and off the tube, great for stashing in the car, it lasted until he was 3 years old when we passed it to his cousin.

Big Buts:

1. You don't get any face to face cooing time when you walk down the stree with them. I was sorry about missing that . You have to stop when they cry and go round to attend to them rather than just dealing with it as you go.
2. They are very low and at traffic fume level 3)You really don't feel very much like yummy mummy pushing a 6 week old in a McLaren Techno. In fact, to me it felt distinctly un-yummy IYSWIM! It was fine 6 mnths+ though.

I admit that suffered from pram envy for all the proper Bugaboos and Mamas & Papas ones.

I resisted but given my time again I would buy 2: a proper one (maybe 2nd hand?) and a McLaren

Chicco 4 Me - this pram is so underated and it is truely a genious peice of kit!

here

it comes with a frame, seat unit, carseat and carrycot. also has footmuff, liner and changing bag.
this pushchair folds down as small as a maclaren in pushchair mode, its only slightly wider. its is also rear facing or forward facing which most lightweight strollers are not!

the seat unit completly comes off so you can use it as a frame and carrycot/carseat at first, and the carrycot can be used as a carseat anyway with an attatchment. (which is about 20 quid)

basically its like have a quinny frame and carseat plus a maclaren all rolled into one very nice pram!

i cannot recommend further, i still use it in stroller for my daughter who is 2, and my 3 year old fits in it easily too.
will be using it with my new baby due in 6 weeks as well, so it has got alot of use out of it, it will litrally do you birth to three/four!

dont be scared off by the hefty price tag in shops.. i got mine brand new from an ebay pushchair store (and it was new in all the plastic and had tags in orginal box) for £330 which is nothing considering you get EVERYTHING you need!

Mac Techno XT.. love it!
all time fave, and the one i keep coming back too

maclaren techno xt,easy to use,light,simple.but sling for closeness

My reasoning for rear-facing has nothing to do with research and so on, I like to be able to see my babies (if I am not holding them in a sling) and I know they prefer to be able to see me. I see tiny babies in forward facers and they look so totally detached from their mum/carer.

On a purely practical level, when they are forward facing you can't see if they have the sun in their eyes, or are getting blasted by cold wind, and when they fall asleep and need to be reclined you don't always see it and they end up asleep with their heads at a nasty angle that will leave them with a sore neck. Babies and small toddlers always take their gloves off so their hands end up livid red and freezing, and in the summer they end up in the full glare of the sun because no sun-umbrella keeps them in the shade from all angles. Random strangers have full access to your baby when they are forward facing, but a rear facing pram means they have to stand next to you if they want to see your baby, and it makes them much less likely to paw at them or freak them out by leaning right in over them, this holds true for a baby in a sling too.

A rear facing pram/stroller allows you not only to look at and talk to your baby, it keeps them sheltered from the sun and wind, and means you can see if they need anything. It's not rocket science to realise that when your baby is facing you they will be interacting with you and feel more secure because they can see you. Human babies are designed by evolution to be carried until they are independently mobile, if you haven't got your baby in a sling the next best thing is a rear facing pram/stroller.

To me, the way it faces is just as important as how easy it is to fold and push!

Greenmonkies I agree with your entire post! That's why I'd go for a proper pram initially then a techno or such later on.

I can't bear not being able to see my babies either, so technically speaking I'd get the carrycot if I was going to just have the MB from day 1. However it would be possible not to from the point of view of flatness etc.

Even just for 3 months or so it's so lovely to have a proper, bouncy pram where they are high up and within your sight. Also I hate seeing the moro reflex if the wheels aren't cushy enough...ds2 did it all the time when I tried a solid tyre buggy one day, never again with a newborn!

In case anyone is interested and currently shopping, this site has a sale on and the inglesina otutto (among others) at a really good price (I think)

If I had a newborn arrive tomorrow and no pram/sling in the house (and unlimited budget!) I'd definitely get a stretchy wrap first

But on the pushchair front, I seriously love mine, it's the Loola Up - can go forward or rearward facing, 4 recline levels from completely flat to sitting up (and they work facing both ways), you can recline/unrecline while the baby is in the buggy as well.

It's compatible with the bebeconfort car seat (and maxi-cosi ones, I think) if you want that (I didn't) and you can get a carrycot for it (again, I didn't bother as it laid flat facing me for from-birth)

It doesn't have air tyres, but it does have 2 modes of suspension, one nice and smooth for newborns and one harder for older babies/toddlers which is easier to get up kerbs etc. You can set the wheels to swivel or not. It folds umbrella-style and you can remove the seat when folded to fit it into smaller boots/spaces. It's a little bit too heavy when folded to carry too far, but you can roll it along on its front wheels when folded. It's not easy to fold/unfold one-handed, especially while holding a baby in the opposite arm. But I have only had to do this once ever and I use public transport a lot.

But the best thing about it, IMO, is that the seat cover is removeable, machine washable, and reversible with a summer and a winter side, which means it feels like I have got a new buggy every 6 months it's great when you get bored of things like I do but don't have the money to keep buying new! And on the money side, it only cost us £218.

Icandy Apple - Have had it 3 years and upgraded to Pear for a double. Now use it again as a single. Being modular really easy to lift and fit in car. Great movement. Faces us. Looks as good as new and get stopped everywhere asking where we got such a beautiful system. British. Great service. If we needed another one now though might go for Icandy Peach which is being tested by a friend who just looooves it. Icandy is definitely the best

Oh wow, everyone! Thank you so much for all these messages. I'm not sure I'm much further forward in some ways because there are so many different solutions suggested and I can see the attraction in practically all of them. I am a non-driving, public transport using, big-city dweller who also does quite a lot of walking and expects to do quite a lot more while off on maternity leave, albeit not up mountains or anything like that. But mellifluouscauliflower, especial thanks to you because basically I've been pondering going sensibly straight to techno xt land whilst simultaneously wistfully imagining cooing at a baby in a cosy-looking, parent-facing vehicle of cool. Your post confirmed for me that this doesn't make me a sentimental freak.