Advice on pushchairs

[Ernie&Kopka]

Hi all,

We are expecting our first baby, due in August and really need advice on which pushchair to buy. Living in London and a one bedroom flat, we need something practical, lightweight and for a newborn through to three years of age. We have our eyes on the Buguboo Chameleon, it's quite pricey and we are not sure if we would be paying for the brand and the novelty of being able to mix and match colours.

Can anyone advise us on other makes and models of a lower price that you have had a good experience with, that are just as practical and well made, with the two settings from a carry cot into a chair.

Thank you!

[Helen GV]

Have you looked at the Bugaboo bee? Lighter and smaller but still practical, also cheaper than the chameleon.

[paps]

We have stairs leading up to our front door so needed a light weight buggy we went for the micra lite:

http://www.micralite.com/

They sale them in Soup Dragon so you can go in and look at but we found ours cheaper online.

[SarahLP]

If budget a consideration, worth deciding which pram you want then trying to buy a good quality secondhand one. They get superficially bashed up fairly quickly anyway, esp if you are carrying up and down stairs a lot. I started off buying everything new, especially as both my mother and mil wanted to help out (first grandchild on both sides), but 7 months after birth ebay is my new best friend.

[ClareC]

Also think about if you want any more children and what sort of age gap. If a small gap then one that can be converted to a double is a good bet!

[srisky]

The whole thing is very confusing with so many (perhaps too many) options out there. I spent ages researching prams/travel systems, as we live in a first floor flat without much storage space. Also, we didn't want to spend an extortionate amount on some of the more in vogue travel systems.

My only experience is with the Baby Jogger City Mini, which I chose because of our flat and also as we have a small car and, hence, small boot space.

The pram is light (7.7kg), very easy to steer, folds easily using only one hand and is suitable from birth to 13kg (toddler age). It costs approx ?200 and you can buy a carry cot to attach to it if you really want but it is not necessary and babies outgrow them within 4-6 months.

The pram is only forward facing but I haven't found this to be a particular issue, as my baby (like most) tends to fall asleep as soon as it starts moving, so there is no opportunity for parent/baby interaction. However, there are windows in its very large hood (useful in the rain and rare bright sunshine) for you to keep an eye on them. Once they get to an age when they don't sleep so much they prefer to be outward facing to take in the world.

You can also buy adaptors for approx. ?20-30 to attach maxicosi car seats to the frame to create a travel system.

Hope that helps!

p.s there is a new version of the baby jogger, which can be converted to fancy twin buggy if you are planning to have babies very close together in age.

[crystal7]

We live in a 1st floor flat and have a Cameleon. Really great pram, so nice to push and parent facing option in buggy mode which was important for me as I walk a lot. If I were to do it again I'd get a Bee though I think more compact but still parent facing though I don't suppose the suspension is as good...

[Ernie&Kopka]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply and offer so much information. We will check out all suggestions x

[Ko]

have a bugaboo bee which i love. don't think you are just paying for brand though - it really is a joy to push, smooth and comfortable for me too. i go out most days for long walks and my 15 month old boy loves falling asleep in it and has done since he was newborn. most days we get a couple of comments about how comfy he looks in it!!! i would echo what others say about trying to get one second hand in good condition if you don't want to fork out for a new one.

[karter]

We went to John Lewis to buy a load of stuff, the guy then showed us the buggies. We were set on the Maclaren xlr ( as recommended by friends and friends on here). The chap recommended the babyjogger as it folds very very easily and is versatile too with other products. This is the second shop assistant from two diiferent stores recommending the jogger and being very confident about it. People have different requirements. We don't have issues with stairs. Must say the jogger seems easy to drive one handed whilst holding a latte or mobile phone. We still have not decided though and left that one out for now. Bloody confusing this world of buggies.:-S

[Ruth_Baldock]

We had a bee, which we just sold as we now have a Phil and Teds, but I literally couldn't fault the bee. Light, easy to 'drive', easy to fold and store. Bit pricey though, but it seems most buggies do cost a bloody fortune nowadays!

[donra21]

I'm also researching buggies for my first baby! Can I ask the Bugaboo Bee fans - did you feel it was really suitable from birth, with no carrycot?

Anyone got any comments on the icandy cherry or the oyster?

thanks for advice

[Ruth_Baldock]

There is a newborn cocoon which pads out the seat etc, makes it more snug for bubs and that does the job just fine :) (IMO)

[helena handbasket]

karter Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> We went to John Lewis to buy a load of stuff, the

> guy then showed us the buggies. We were set on the

> Maclaren xlr ( as recommended by friends and

> friends on here). The chap recommended the

> babyjogger as it folds very very easily and is

> versatile too with other products. This is the

> second shop assistant from two diiferent stores

> recommending the jogger and being very confident

> about it. People have different requirements. We

> don't have issues with stairs. Must say the jogger

> seems easy to drive one handed whilst holding a

> latte or mobile phone. We still have not decided

> though and left that one out for now. Bloody

> confusing this world of buggies.:-S

We really loved our Baby Jogger City Mini. Of the three yes three buggies we have, I can't think of a single complaint. It folds ridiculously easy with one hand, fit my son up to four years old (and he's big!), it fits everywhere including small car boots, runs really smoothly even with one hand. Fits on buses and trains easily too. It was also inexpensive, think in the ?180 range from Kiddicare who of course had it shipped to us overnight.

Can't say enough about it really.

[buggie]

Donra21 - I've got the icandy cherry and really like it - when carrycot/carseat are on the base they sit higher than in the bugaboo's which I liked (especially when really tiny).

We're in a 1st floor flat so appreciate how light it is to carry in and (while not one-handed)it's easy to fold up. Only pain now is that she's big enough (and nosy enough!) to use the buggie bit on it, if she falls asleep we have to lift her out and she wakes up :( that said, it'd be an issue no matter which buggie we had.

[Ko]

donra21 - yes the baby cocoon for the bee works well. i used to take my boy out in his just to get him off to sleep and it did the trick so i guess he felt nice and cosy in it!