New Mum: Looking for buggy advice

[rachaeln]

Hi EDF

First time Mum and looking for advice from the community.

We've kindly been given a 5-6year old, well used Bugaboo Cameleon in good working order. To freshen it up, we can buy new parts + fabrics (total approx ?400 to do so), but the frame/chassis (which is very scratched etc) will stay the same.

Alternatively, we could invest in a new buggy.

Pro: It'll last longer

Con: It's expensive, we've got a buggy already

We really like the Bugaboos with all the interchangeable parts but open to other Brands as well.

If we bought a new buggy, we're currently thinking of the Bugaboo Cameleon or Bee.

However, we've been reading that it's good to get a buggy which can expand with your growing family so looking at the Donkey as well.

What would you do?

Bit lost and overwhelmed.

Would love some support and advice.

Thanks

Rachael

[mackfish]

Hi Rachel,

We bought a second hand buggy from the forum and only replaced the front wheels. A uppababy cruz.

It has been fantastic for us and works like a treat.

There will be things that your baby loves and hates. In our case, our baby does not like the bassinet and only used it a few times. So dont go about replacing everything right away.

Good luck!

[rachel9985]

Hi Rachael,

I am also a new mum and we went with the Uppababy Cruz (narrowed it down to that vs. the Bugaboo Chameleon). We're really happy with the Cruz so far! If you want to have something that can expand with your family, the Uppababy Vista is very similar (same bassinet / seat etc.) but is slightly bigger / wider and you can add another seat. With the Cruz you can't, but you can add a buggy board.

We got ours from Peppermint on the Northcote Road - they were very helpful with making a decision and the service we experienced was great, they also did us a deal as we bought the whole travel system (including car seat) from there.

There are lots of Uppababy buggies around second hand as well (my friend got one off eBay which is like new).

Hope that helps!

Rachel

[niki111]

Hi Rachel,

I'm a Mum of two children, 5.5 and 3 years old now, and quite understand your post. The world of buggies is confusing and overwhelming. There are so many buggies out there and to be honest I think they all have their good points and their flaws, and it all comes down to your baby, you and how you envisage using the buggy. I've had 3 buggies in total, an iCandy Cherry (which I loved), a second hand phil and teds (which I never used, none of us got on with it) and a Maclaren Quest (which I've had a love / hate relationship with). I'm sure others think differently to all those brands / buggies.

If you have a Bugaboo Cameleon, personally, I'd stick with it. It's a good brand, and there a lot about so clearly good. Don't replace everything yet, just see what you end up using or not (i.e. car sear attachment, only if you use a car frequently AND go from car to walking... otherwise you can just carry the car seat in when you arrive - I used our attachment twice I think with the first, never with the second child).

As for buggies for your growing family, that will entirely depend on the age gap between your children. I got the phil and teds buggy when my second came along, only to discover my second didn't like lying down in a buggy (who'd have thought!). So that went and I used a sling and the original buggy, until the youngest was old enough to sit, then the oldest went on a buggy board.

There are so many options, I don't think you can possibly consider them all now, and you have so much to deal with already, being a new mum to be. My advise would be to keep what you have, try to spend as little as possible on it, and wait and see if it works for you. You can always buy a different buggy or buy new parts for it as and when needed.

Good luck!!

Niki