The Mrs is pregnant - does a 3 door hatch work?
Discussion
Hackney said:
FreeLitres said:
To visit our family in Scotland over Christmas we need to take;
Travel cot (folds down to approx 1ft x 1ft x 4ft)
Bag of bedding, sheets, etc
Travel system frame
Travel system seat
Car seat
3 days of Baby clothes/nappies/food
Small suitcase for 3 days clothes for Wife and I
Pile of gifts for inlaws/nephews
Pile of gifts for my family
Winter coats
If I had a small hatchback, I'm trying to figure out which of these frivolous items I would be able to leave behind. I would have to leave almost half of them to fit in a Ka.
For 3 days why did you need to take a "travel system"? Just take the car seat.Travel cot (folds down to approx 1ft x 1ft x 4ft)
Bag of bedding, sheets, etc
Travel system frame
Travel system seat
Car seat
3 days of Baby clothes/nappies/food
Small suitcase for 3 days clothes for Wife and I
Pile of gifts for inlaws/nephews
Pile of gifts for my family
Winter coats
If I had a small hatchback, I'm trying to figure out which of these frivolous items I would be able to leave behind. I would have to leave almost half of them to fit in a Ka.
OR if it's a travel system just take the frame and fit the car seat to it.
Clearly you can choose to ignore such advice but would really struggle why anyone would?
Also remember babies need to have a flat back (hence the cot attachment for the pram) with this you can take them out for a walk - you need to get them fresh air not cooped up in the house and then you can use that as a daytime place for baby to snooze. And no dumping baby on the floor to go to sleep isn't viable as you need to rock then to sleep.
Do you actually have kids as the medical knowledge on this is patently clear
Hackney said:
FreeLitres said:
To visit our family in Scotland over Christmas we need to take;
Travel cot (folds down to approx 1ft x 1ft x 4ft)
Bag of bedding, sheets, etc
Travel system frame
Travel system seat
Car seat
3 days of Baby clothes/nappies/food
Small suitcase for 3 days clothes for Wife and I
Pile of gifts for inlaws/nephews
Pile of gifts for my family
Winter coats
If I had a small hatchback, I'm trying to figure out which of these frivolous items I would be able to leave behind. I would have to leave almost half of them to fit in a Ka.
For 3 days why did you need to take a "travel system"? Just take the car seat.Travel cot (folds down to approx 1ft x 1ft x 4ft)
Bag of bedding, sheets, etc
Travel system frame
Travel system seat
Car seat
3 days of Baby clothes/nappies/food
Small suitcase for 3 days clothes for Wife and I
Pile of gifts for inlaws/nephews
Pile of gifts for my family
Winter coats
If I had a small hatchback, I'm trying to figure out which of these frivolous items I would be able to leave behind. I would have to leave almost half of them to fit in a Ka.
OR if it's a travel system just take the frame and fit the car seat to it.
We regularly Christmas in Scotland with family.
While the children were babies/toddlers we hired the big baby stuff and it was delivered to my sisters house before we arrived.
All gifts were delivered by Amazon before we arrived.
We travelled with I days supply of nappies as you can actually buy nappies in Scotland nowadays.
And they have also just got washing machines up there also.
And then we just hop on a plane and are there in an hour with hand luggage only.
Hackney said:
FreeLitres said:
Good luck with that.
To give you a visualisation, here is a pram in the back of a 1-series;
You now have your supermarket trolley at the back of the car loaded with boxes of nappies, wipes, weekly groceries, bog rolls, etc. Where do you put it?
The next day, you are going on holiday or visiting your family/friends for a few days and you have a couple of small suitcases to take.
See where this is going?
You've bought the wrong pram.To give you a visualisation, here is a pram in the back of a 1-series;
You now have your supermarket trolley at the back of the car loaded with boxes of nappies, wipes, weekly groceries, bog rolls, etc. Where do you put it?
The next day, you are going on holiday or visiting your family/friends for a few days and you have a couple of small suitcases to take.
See where this is going?
Our city mini jogger (bought because it folds flat with one hand) takes up half the space of he pram you have.
Only problem we have in our 3dr 1 Series, is the bloody isofix base + seat is so massive. It's behind the passenger seat as it couldn't fit behind me, even though an adult passenger could.
When the seat's in place the passenger seat has to go forward.
At the moment my wife travels in the back (behind me) so she can keep an eye on 4wk old jnr.
When this car goes back (it's a lease) in April 2015 I'll get a 4/5 dr but that's as much because of what I want my next car to be (RS Audi or AMG Merc) than anything else.
We don't want or need two cars so 3 drs is fine for the moment.
Edited by Hackney on Sunday 15th March 22:47
We used Recarro Sports in the 1 series as they were small and the £30 buggy lay on the floor and a bag of baby bits between the two seats. Boot was always empty of any baby kit.
The bucket thing period was a faff as you say. The Isofix base does mean the front passenger sits further forward but luckily I didn't marry Miranda Hart.
kapiteinlangzaam said:
DonkeyApple said:
The problem isn't the car but lack of planning.
We regularly Christmas in Scotland with family.
While the children were babies/toddlers we hired the big baby stuff and it was delivered to my sisters house before we arrived.
All gifts were delivered by Amazon before we arrived.
We travelled with I days supply of nappies as you can actually buy nappies in Scotland nowadays.
And they have also just got washing machines up there also.
Seems like a lot of faff and pre-planning.We regularly Christmas in Scotland with family.
While the children were babies/toddlers we hired the big baby stuff and it was delivered to my sisters house before we arrived.
All gifts were delivered by Amazon before we arrived.
We travelled with I days supply of nappies as you can actually buy nappies in Scotland nowadays.
And they have also just got washing machines up there also.
Easier to just buy a bigger car I reckon
But then I Fedex my luggage on holiday to my hotel so I only ever travel with hand luggage.
I've never had a 'travel system' other than the cheapest push buggy and a baby Bjiorn carrier and never taken babies or toddlers somewhere where there are not shops.
Welshbeef said:
Um you do realise its medical advice not to keep the baby in a car seat for >2hours as it damages babies back development.
Clearly you can choose to ignore such advice but would really struggle why anyone would?
Also remember babies need to have a flat back (hence the cot attachment for the pram) with this you can take them out for a walk - you need to get them fresh air not cooped up in the house and then you can use that as a daytime place for baby to snooze. And no dumping baby on the floor to go to sleep isn't viable as you need to rock then to sleep.
Do you actually have kids as the medical knowledge on this is patently clear
A £30 Britax buggy does all that you need and lies flat in the wasted space of the rear footwell. Clearly you can choose to ignore such advice but would really struggle why anyone would?
Also remember babies need to have a flat back (hence the cot attachment for the pram) with this you can take them out for a walk - you need to get them fresh air not cooped up in the house and then you can use that as a daytime place for baby to snooze. And no dumping baby on the floor to go to sleep isn't viable as you need to rock then to sleep.
Do you actually have kids as the medical knowledge on this is patently clear
Add a baby Bjiorn carrier to the mix and every base is covered without utilising any boot space at all.
And babies will sleep absolutely anywhere because that is all they do in between tit sucking bouts.
Welshbeef said:
Um you do realise its medical advice not to keep the baby in a car seat for >2hours as it damages babies back development.
Clearly you can choose to ignore such advice but would really struggle why anyone would?
Also remember babies need to have a flat back (hence the cot attachment for the pram) with this you can take them out for a walk - you need to get them fresh air not cooped up in the house and then you can use that as a daytime place for baby to snooze. And no dumping baby on the floor to go to sleep isn't viable as you need to rock then to sleep.
Do you actually have kids as the medical knowledge on this is patently clear
Yes, 1. 4 wks old. So I don't claim to be an expert.Clearly you can choose to ignore such advice but would really struggle why anyone would?
Also remember babies need to have a flat back (hence the cot attachment for the pram) with this you can take them out for a walk - you need to get them fresh air not cooped up in the house and then you can use that as a daytime place for baby to snooze. And no dumping baby on the floor to go to sleep isn't viable as you need to rock then to sleep.
Do you actually have kids as the medical knowledge on this is patently clear
But I know we don't fill the boot of our car with a pram, or need to take a "travel system" to visit the rellies.
We have a city mini jogger, which is a pushchair which folds flat. It takes about about 1/4 of the boot.
Who suggested dumping the baby on the floor?
I haven't read the whole thread, but we've been managing for 20 months with a Mk1 TT. Mind you, we live in a suburb of London with excellent transport links, comparatively speaking, so we're not dependent on the car for all our journeys.
Getting in and out is OK for us, probably because the back door is so close to the seat. The trick is to buy a buggy that fits the car, not the other way around. At least you should be able to fit the rear facing child seat in the back of the clio, I spent 12 months with the mrs in the back with her knees round her ears
Getting in and out is OK for us, probably because the back door is so close to the seat. The trick is to buy a buggy that fits the car, not the other way around. At least you should be able to fit the rear facing child seat in the back of the clio, I spent 12 months with the mrs in the back with her knees round her ears
I think it comes down to the view that one person's micro car is another person's family wagon. When PB Jr3 was on his way, I bought a Gen4 Liberty wagon. Plenty of space. I bought it from a couple who were expecting their first child and thought the Lib would be too small - they have a Hyundai SUV something.
Having said that, I'll be looking to change again soon'ish. The problem with babies is that they don't stay that small for long, and three kids seems to be the tipping point.
Having said that, I'll be looking to change again soon'ish. The problem with babies is that they don't stay that small for long, and three kids seems to be the tipping point.
I had a Clio 197 back in 2007-9; only selling when Mrs Hume became pregnant.
We live in a city centre and she won't drive big cars, so an Audi A3 sufficed nicely for 2 years, followed by an S3 5-dr for another 2. As many have said on this thread, you really don't need to carry about loads of stuff - but it's helpful to have the capacity, and we bought roof bars and a folding Thule roof "bag" for holidays and trips. We've always used a Maclaren rather than the more complex "travel systems".
When baby no.2 came along and I was driving more with work, we got a Volvo V60 and a run-about. The larger car was great on longer trips, but it was rarely used at full capacity. When the run-about's clutch started dying, we went down to one car again (Golf R32 5-door, which we should have gotten back in the day when it was a younger car really as it suits us so well).
Now, as the kids are getting older (approaching 3 and 5), there are really only a handful of times per year when I feel we'd need more space. We're at the point where we need to take very little on trips and are almost past the pushchair stage.
We live in a city centre and she won't drive big cars, so an Audi A3 sufficed nicely for 2 years, followed by an S3 5-dr for another 2. As many have said on this thread, you really don't need to carry about loads of stuff - but it's helpful to have the capacity, and we bought roof bars and a folding Thule roof "bag" for holidays and trips. We've always used a Maclaren rather than the more complex "travel systems".
When baby no.2 came along and I was driving more with work, we got a Volvo V60 and a run-about. The larger car was great on longer trips, but it was rarely used at full capacity. When the run-about's clutch started dying, we went down to one car again (Golf R32 5-door, which we should have gotten back in the day when it was a younger car really as it suits us so well).
Now, as the kids are getting older (approaching 3 and 5), there are really only a handful of times per year when I feel we'd need more space. We're at the point where we need to take very little on trips and are almost past the pushchair stage.
kapiteinlangzaam said:
Hackney said:
Yes, 1. 4 wks old. So I don't claim to be an expert.
But I know we don't fill the boot of our car with a pram, or need to take a "travel system" to visit the rellies.
We have a city mini jogger, which is a pushchair which folds flat. It takes about about 1/4 of the boot.
Who suggested dumping the baby on the floor?
All the info I can find suggests your pram is not suitable for new borns.... 8Kg min weight.But I know we don't fill the boot of our car with a pram, or need to take a "travel system" to visit the rellies.
We have a city mini jogger, which is a pushchair which folds flat. It takes about about 1/4 of the boot.
Who suggested dumping the baby on the floor?
Welshbeef said:
I concur - unless I'm looking st the wrong one (post a link up to conclude it one way or the other) 16.5lbs new borns are what 7lbs. In 4 weeks its highly unlikely your baby would meet the min weight of baby to use the pram... If that is the case you need to stop using that ASAP and buy one which is suitable.
You should go to his house immediately. This is huge. Quick. Go. Whoa now people, hold the pitchforks, this isn't mumsnet:
http://babyjogger.co.uk/docs/pdf7z2a3tDRp8hl_13995...
http://babyjogger.co.uk/docs/pdf7z2a3tDRp8hl_13995...
eltawater said:
Whoa now people, hold the pitchforks, this isn't mumsnet:
http://babyjogger.co.uk/docs/pdf7z2a3tDRp8hl_13995...
Indeed. They all come with those coffin bags anyway. An additional benefit as those bags help protect the newborn from being smacked against doors and tables or dropped when out on the lash. http://babyjogger.co.uk/docs/pdf7z2a3tDRp8hl_13995...
eltawater said:
Whoa now people, hold the pitchforks, this isn't mumsnet:
http://babyjogger.co.uk/docs/pdf7z2a3tDRp8hl_13995...
Great spot - we don't want disfigured babies backs. http://babyjogger.co.uk/docs/pdf7z2a3tDRp8hl_13995...
How much is this thing and is OP intending on getting it or is he going normal size/big size and hoping it fits as that's overall cheapest option.
Just stumbled across this (I'm not sure how) but figured I may have some valid input...we have a three door Fiesta and a Mondeo hatch. Our daughter is now just over two. We use the Mondeo for trips >1 day away and the Fiesta is perfect for trips into town or days away. It's not the three doors that will be your issue but the lack of a decent boot. Forgive me if this has been answered but I haven't read all the way back through: could you run a second, low cost, more practical car and keep the Clio?
Another thing to think about is that rear facing child seats (up to 5 years old) are 5x safer for infants in accidents so is a big thing in many EU countries and could be coming to the UK.
If they do then a small (think Golf size) car with the huge seat cannot have an adult sat in front its that big.
We've not got one of these things but if and when the law changes you can only have MPV or 5 series size plus cars. 3 door.. Simply wouldn't be possible to get then into the seat due to its swivel max angle.
If they do then a small (think Golf size) car with the huge seat cannot have an adult sat in front its that big.
We've not got one of these things but if and when the law changes you can only have MPV or 5 series size plus cars. 3 door.. Simply wouldn't be possible to get then into the seat due to its swivel max angle.
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