Which buggy/pram/stroller/car seat do I need
Discussion
As the title suggests - we are expecting our first little addition and so the conversation is turning to equipment.
I am aware that it is best to vary baby's position when travelling, i.e. to not just leave them in one carry system which doubles as a car seat. I'd like an all-rounder for walking and transporting, with a matching car seat which will remain in our vehicles.
I've got a 320d saloon (f30) so would need to fit in the boot easily.
I am aware that it is best to vary baby's position when travelling, i.e. to not just leave them in one carry system which doubles as a car seat. I'd like an all-rounder for walking and transporting, with a matching car seat which will remain in our vehicles.
I've got a 320d saloon (f30) so would need to fit in the boot easily.
I went for separates, and glad I did. Mamas & Papas Pliko pushchair - little one can lie flat until they're old enough/strong enough to sit up, Recaro seat (wanted isofix and well, they do make car seats and not anything else.......) and as soon as we could we moved from a pushchair to an "umbrella" folding stroller as they're so much more manoeuvrable and light.
I've walked everywhere with my son (now 12 months) since he was born - I do a weekly 3-5 mile walk for exercise as well as walking everywhere when on mat leave. Both of the above were fine for pavement/shops and rough paths alike - we live next door to big open parkland with mud/gravel paths.
You soon find trying to lift the rear facing car seat out with them in after 3-4 months is more hassle than its worth, and if they're asleep they won't often get disturbed if you lift them out.
I've walked everywhere with my son (now 12 months) since he was born - I do a weekly 3-5 mile walk for exercise as well as walking everywhere when on mat leave. Both of the above were fine for pavement/shops and rough paths alike - we live next door to big open parkland with mud/gravel paths.
You soon find trying to lift the rear facing car seat out with them in after 3-4 months is more hassle than its worth, and if they're asleep they won't often get disturbed if you lift them out.
Mumsnet is over there ---> 
Maclaren Techno XT: http://www.mumsnet.com/reviews/pushchairs/stroller...
From birth 'til they can ride a scooter, flat to seated, roof and raincover, folds small, doesn't cost the earth.
"Done."
Maclaren Techno XT: http://www.mumsnet.com/reviews/pushchairs/stroller...
From birth 'til they can ride a scooter, flat to seated, roof and raincover, folds small, doesn't cost the earth.
"Done."
We use an out n about nipper that's available from kiddicare. Folded small enough to fit in the boot of our BMW Mini and is suitable from birth to four years old as it can recline flat or be seated up. Suited us as we do a lot of hill walking so we could take the little one with us in that prammypushchairthingy.
If you go for a Bugaboo, which is expensive and very well made and really a nice bit of kit....
it will fill the whole of your boot. The saloon BMWs are not very versatile boots and the Bugaboo comes apart into two pieces and small it ain't.
That said, our Bagaboo Chameleon has been a great purchase and is virtually unmarked/unbroken in 2 years, and is now a great pushchair having been a great baby pram.
Big thing though...
it will fill the whole of your boot. The saloon BMWs are not very versatile boots and the Bugaboo comes apart into two pieces and small it ain't.
That said, our Bagaboo Chameleon has been a great purchase and is virtually unmarked/unbroken in 2 years, and is now a great pushchair having been a great baby pram.
Big thing though...
Maxi Cosi or BeSafe for car seats. We went for the BeSafe. Not much in them, but the BeSafe has a better hood as it's a separate mechanism to the handle. MaxiCosis involve clipping a cover onto the handle.
Bugaboo or Uppababy for pram systems.
If you're tall and have a longish stride you'll kick the rear axle on the Bugaboo. We went for the Uppababy Vista because of this. There's a few other features that made it better in our eyes too, for example the frame will stand upright on it's own. They also do great accessories like a frame for sitting the cot in which then doubles up as a laundry basket. I did like the leather on the Bugaboo though.
Go to JohnLewis and ask for their 2hr private shopping session. It's free and they'll go through everything you're not sure of.
Isofix worth it's weight in gold too.
Bugaboo or Uppababy for pram systems.
If you're tall and have a longish stride you'll kick the rear axle on the Bugaboo. We went for the Uppababy Vista because of this. There's a few other features that made it better in our eyes too, for example the frame will stand upright on it's own. They also do great accessories like a frame for sitting the cot in which then doubles up as a laundry basket. I did like the leather on the Bugaboo though.
Go to JohnLewis and ask for their 2hr private shopping session. It's free and they'll go through everything you're not sure of.
Isofix worth it's weight in gold too.
Edited by Rico on Thursday 27th June 17:37
We started with a MaxiCosi Cabrio seat that can be dropped onto a Quinny stroller frame, useful for the first 6 months as it allows you to go from the car to being on foot without having to transfer out of the seat.
Spent £££s on a Mamas and Pappas chassis/cot/seat/pushchair combo thing - filled the boot of a V50 and we only used 50% of the options.
Managed to pickup an Out-n-About offroader for the holidays of the 'Bay, and Tesco had a <£20 buggy that we've used from 12months up.
The Quinny has been returned back to being a stroller by fixing the liner back in and is now used by Grandparents - 2+ years of use for £50 (of the Bay again).
Spent £££s on a Mamas and Pappas chassis/cot/seat/pushchair combo thing - filled the boot of a V50 and we only used 50% of the options.
Managed to pickup an Out-n-About offroader for the holidays of the 'Bay, and Tesco had a <£20 buggy that we've used from 12months up.
The Quinny has been returned back to being a stroller by fixing the liner back in and is now used by Grandparents - 2+ years of use for £50 (of the Bay again).
GaryGlitter said:
We started with a MaxiCosi Cabrio seat that can be dropped onto a Quinny stroller frame, useful for the first 6 months as it allows you to go from the car to being on foot without having to transfer out of the seat.
Spent £££s on a Mamas and Pappas chassis/cot/seat/pushchair combo thing - filled the boot of a V50 and we only used 50% of the options.
Managed to pickup an Out-n-About offroader for the holidays of the 'Bay, and Tesco had a <£20 buggy that we've used from 12months up.
The Quinny has been returned back to being a stroller by fixing the liner back in and is now used by Grandparents - 2+ years of use for £50 (of the Bay again).
Advice on pushchairs from Gary Glitter. Priceless Spent £££s on a Mamas and Pappas chassis/cot/seat/pushchair combo thing - filled the boot of a V50 and we only used 50% of the options.
Managed to pickup an Out-n-About offroader for the holidays of the 'Bay, and Tesco had a <£20 buggy that we've used from 12months up.
The Quinny has been returned back to being a stroller by fixing the liner back in and is now used by Grandparents - 2+ years of use for £50 (of the Bay again).
Rico said:
Also, I'd heard about not leaving them in car seats for more than 2hrs but never knew why other than I assumed cramp.
Turns out it can cause the airway to close and sadly a few babies have died from this.
Not sure how true that is/isn't, but this is taken from their website:-Turns out it can cause the airway to close and sadly a few babies have died from this.
"This is subject to a lot of misunderstanding. This is generally said and written out of concern for babies and, in a nutshell, boils down to the fact that a baby car seat such as a Maxi-Cosi Citi SPS or Maxi-Cosi Cabrio(Fix) and Maxi-Cosi Pebble should not be used excessively. Children should not lie in a fixed position for too long unnecessarily. They must be given the opportunity to develop their motor system and arm, back and neck muscles. As manufacturers of the first car seat for babies in Europe, the Maxi-Cosi, naturally we have been including this in our instructions for many years. So do not place a baby in his or her seat for the entire day for reasons of convenience, but give him or her the opportunity to develop. This also applies to front pack carriers and all other products in which a baby sits, hangs or lies in a stationary position. However, this is not problematic whatsoever when taking a relatively long car journey or holiday trip once in a while. Our advice is as follows: stop once every 2 hours. After all, the baby must also eat and be changed on a regular basis."
Good luck with the kid, mine is 5 weeks now. I did alot of shopping around and research, ended up with a quinny buzz travel system .
It's got the frame/ wheels and comes with a carry cot for new borns to sleep in and is certified for overnights, really useful when visiting family etc.
Also comes with a normal pram style seat for when she is older.
We then got a maxi cosi car seat and isofix base. The quinny is really easy to steer, folds easily and is one if the lightest travel systems. My wife is easily able to lift in and out of car etc.
It's got the frame/ wheels and comes with a carry cot for new borns to sleep in and is certified for overnights, really useful when visiting family etc.
Also comes with a normal pram style seat for when she is older.
We then got a maxi cosi car seat and isofix base. The quinny is really easy to steer, folds easily and is one if the lightest travel systems. My wife is easily able to lift in and out of car etc.
Get a travel system there is nothing worse than getting somewhere with your child asleep knowing you will have to wake them to move them. I'd bet if you didn't buy one that within a month you'd be off to buy one after having to wake your child to get them out of the car get them off to sleep in the pushchair/ pram then try and settle them again back in the car.
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