Buggy Accessories - MacLaren Major?

[Weegiemum]

My dd2 has a MacLaren Major due to her Perthe's disease. She is not allowed to walk (though she can) for the next 18m. OT have provided a buggy, but nothing to go with it. Up until now it has been OK, but yesterday it tipped down ALL DAY and by the time we got home from nursery she was totaly soaked through.

I had a look online but things like Rain Covers are VERY expensive. I called OT but they said they can only provide the buggy!!! Should I just get her some waterproofs (decent quality jacket and trousers)? or can someone here point me in the direction of some way to get the accessories any cheaper?

I already bought a string bag from Lakeland which goes on the back and holds as much as a shopping tray.

Thanks a lot!

you can get them on e-bay but they are quite expensive (and don't forget you need the sun shade first in order to be able to put the rain cover over the top!)
To be absolutely blunt - the accessories make it a total pita to use if you are getting in and out of a car - you have to take them all off to be able to fold the thing up, and the sun shade clips are a nightmare. DD2 holds her own umbrella now if we use the buggy instead of the wc. You could also try just getting a poncho thing - they are not quite as good in a buggy as a wc but better than nothing.
if you do decide to get the accessories, you can order them through any disability supplier and shouldn't pay any VAT - we got ours from Rolyon homecare I think - but have sold them on as we gave up using them!!!

Thanks Romy.

Was thinking they looked like a PITA. It not as if we will need them for very long either, only 18 mo, and I have to fold the buggy to get on the train with dd2 (going to nursery in the rush hour there is just no space for a buggy and I have to fold it and then hold her, its only 10 mins so my back doesnt give in that much.

Think I will just go for the waterproofs - the buggy dries out fine in the nursery foyer while she is there, and then there is space in the porch at home for it to dry - and she keeps most of it dry with her body. And when it is sunny she can just wear sunscreen and a hat, as if she was walking.

blimey - i wouldn't go near a train with the sunshade and raincovers on if i had to fold the buggy, rush hour or not! i wouldn't know what to do with the damn things when i'd taken them off either, it was bad enough throwing them loose in the boot of the car! stick with the waterproofs - much better plan!

You could try one of these raincovers which are custom made for the Major and do not require a sun-shade:
cgi.ebay.co.uk/RAINCOVER-MACLAREN-MAJOR-ELITE-SPECIAL-NEEDS-BUGGY_W0QQitemZ250254253526QQihZ015QQcat egoryZ116555QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Do you know if you can fold it with this on it?

No, the rain cover should be removed before the Major is folded - but the raincover itself does fold down flat.

Rain covers are a pain! I have to get a train (or walk a mile for a bus) to get dd2 to nursery - only till the summer, then she will be going to school and gets the bus from the end of the road, luckily) and it is impossibel at that time in the morning to get the buggy on to the train unfolded.

Looks like a trip to the outdoor shop for decent waterproofs for her is the best way forward!

Manny - that's interesting - they obviously changed the style, as I only bought mine brand new last year (and sold it three motnhs later used only thrice...) - and had to buy the sunshade and the raincover - looks much better! i still wouldn't try and take it on a train though!!

No, this particular eBay company (based in North Yorkshire) do not make Major buggy raincovers for MacLaren...they are an independent plastics company. They approached MacLaren with their beskpoke rainhood design but MacLaren weren't interested in adopting it, however their design has been sold to various authorities instead.

Hi, can I just say we have the same raincover in the link (bought from same company on ebay) and yes you can fold the buggy up with it on. We've had ours for over four years now and it's only just got a split in it due to ds kicking at it all the time. The only thing is the little hook that holds the buggy shut when folded doesn't quite reach if the raincover is still attached but you can always use a bungy thing with hooks if you are going by train. Small price to pay as the only criticism of this raincover is how fiendishly difficult it is to remove from the buggy frame without ripping all your nails off!

Btw I did ask the company before I bought it if it could be folded with the buggy and they said yes. I wouldn't have got it otherwise and it really has been fine.