Where to Start?

[lazysod]

Baby coming in Jan so we need car seat, and some method of transportation.

I'm not a cheapskate, but I'm not Roman Abramovich either.

The trouble is I haven't a clue where to start. We went to mothercare @ lakeside the other day and came out none the wiser.

Friend of the Wifes recomended the bugaboo bee, but it doesn't look very prammy to me.

Anyway, what do I actually need for a newborn - considering it will be mostly used in an urban environment, high street, shopping centre etc.

[abirdinthehand]

Whatever you need for a newborn, it will only be useful for 3 months - and by 1 yr you need something for a toddler. So I second the bugaboo bee - it works for all ages, fits on a bus, folds up easily, and means you won't be buying another buggy in 8 months.

[XboxWidow30]

ditto the Bee. We had a HUGE mamas and papas ultima pram and within weeks we were stressed with getting it in and out of the car, how much space all the parts took up. The carrycot was lovely but soon outgrown and we ended up selling secondhand for less than half of what we paid.

I have the Bee now. My son has just turned 9 months and we needed something smaller. As said previously you will soon be buying something smaller once they get to about 6 months old.

You can buy the footmuff for the Bee to make it cosier and it can have a Maxi Cosi car seat attached to it too.

[lazysod]

thanks for the input.

when they say the baby needs to flat, how flat exactly are we talking? The bee has a slight kink to even when in the "flat" position.

[abirdinthehand]

Bee is fine for newborn - flatter than a car seat, isn't it?!

Assume baby won't sleep at night in pram, but for daytime it's absolutly fine.

[mamatomany]

I have to say I didn't get on with the bee, have you looked at the bugaboo chameleon, twice the price but baby can sleep overnight in the carrycot part so you don't need a moses basket and if it's your first baby and you carefully plan the next one two and a half years later you can buy a buggy board and need never buy another pram, where as the bee would be no good at all for two children.

[lazysod]

briefy looked at the cameleon - but over £700 is getting a bit silly.

I'm not set on a bugaboo, I'll consider any make/brand that fulfills the brief.

[mamatomany]

We bought a 2nd hand loola off ebay for £100 with the carrycot, maxi cosy car seat adapters and footmuff and i'm really pleased with it. The seat faces both ways which most buggy's don't and is nice when they've outgrown the carrycot but are still little and you want to keep an eye on them.
That would be my 2nd choice after the chameleon, btw you can get 20% with the mothercare code if that makes any difference.

[YorkshireTeaDrinker]

I'm considering the UPPAbaby Vista. Similar functionality to the Chameleon, but quite a bit cheaper. Has a carrycot for use from birth (can be used for occasionaly overnights as well) then a seat from 3 - 6 months onwards. You can get adapters for use with maxi cosi car seats. It also compares well with the iCandy Apple.

If you are going to be doing almost exclusive pavement mileage, then the iCandy Cherry might be a good option. It's very light, good for around town, but does struggle with uneven surfaces. I briefly toyed with the Bee, but would rather have something that starts as a proper pram

It is a bit of a minefield. My baby is due in November, so I've started researching properly for the past couple of weeks. I think you need to have an idea of what you want and get something that best supports your lifestyle / budget. What is really good for one family might not neccessarily work for yours.

[shitforbrains]

I have a maclaren xlr.
Before that I had a M&P Ariel, an O'baby, a bugaboo cameleon, a quinny zapp and a P&T (which I still have).

Wish I'd just saved myself the money and bought a maclaren to begin with.

I LOVED the bugaboo cameleon but it was just so bloody huge.

[abirdinthehand]

bee is absolutly FINE for 2 kids. Ds's are 2yrs 1 month apart, use bee for baby with lascal buggy board, works a dream. Other bugaboos r nice but not for urban environment imo. Bee was only one i've tried that can do everything i want - face both ways, good for newborn-3yrs, folds tiny, fits on bus, big basket, adjustable height handlebars, light, corners beautifully. Worth every penny, and very few (any?) others tick all those boxes.

[moonbells]

I got a Graco-made travel system from Mothercare. It was a fantastic buy. I know many mums who have gone through 3+ pushchairs or prams, and we still have the same old. It had a base unit which we belted into the car, and the rear-facing baby seat just clicked into this. One click and you could get the seat out, put into the chair and you had a pram. Or we could take a sleeping baby back to the house!

Given we only had a VW polo when DS arrived, and the pushchair fitted it, it's not exactly the biggest about, either. At my buggyfit classes I was out of the car, pushchair up and car seat plus baby locked in place before half of the other mums had assembled their buggies...

I sometimes wish I'd a small stroller but these days, DS wants to walk most of the time so I just let him!

[Daisypod]

Personally I would not use a Bee for a newborn as I prefer my babies to all have a proper carrycot so that they can lie flat as often as possible. It is for the same reason that I have never used a travel system, sorry but it is very unhealthy for a baby to be in them all the time being taken from house to car, car onto pushchair, back into car etc.

Try going to an independant pushchair retailer as they are usually much better at giving advice, Mothercare staff on the whole do not know much about pushchairs.

What about a Pliko Swith, this is quite small, easy to fold, faces both ways and you can use a carrycot or the seat which are both very flat.

[Clither]

I'm usually more of a lurker, but always feel compelled to comment on pushchairs. After much feedback from mummy-friends, I bought a Maclaren from birth (xt) and it is brilliant. Has been since day one. As I think someone else has mentioned already, you WILL end up with a Maclaren at some point, so may as well save yourself hundreds of £s and hassle - get one now!
As far as carseats go, I'm a Maxi Cosi girl....best safety record on Which, so that wins for me every time. Hope that helps

[lazysod]

we went mothercare in reading today, and have come away liking the Spin and the MyChoice.

[eeyore2]

have you looked at teh iCandy Cherry? Not as expensive as some, proper lie-flat carrycot, quite lightweight.

[onadietcokebreak]

Sorry I disagree with all the raving reviews of the Bee...I hate mine.

To be honest you are best getting one that umbrella folds like the Maclaren XT or one that is very compact like the Baby jogger city mini.

The BJCM has excellent reviews and on the new model you can get a soft cot option and a car seat adapter for the maxi cosi. It may not look like a traditional pram and if you really want this it is worth borrowing one. Within a couple of months anything heavy like the ones you have been looking at will be annoying you and just taking up space!

[comtessa]

if you go to John Lewis to check out the buggies and prams, their staff are usually trained and very helpful about each product. My mum was asking the woman there about a particular brand which my sister had had for her DC 1, saying that it had been a real hassle, and the JL woman said they no longer stocked it as they had had so many complaints but that other stores did still stock it.
I went for a Bugaboo Chameleon as it will (hopefully!) last from birth until no longer needed, and has option to have buggy facing parent.

[comtessa]

PS Meant JL very good for advice but needn't buy there. However if you do, they do a good long warranty.

[BigAngryRedThing]

Bugaboo Chameleon. It's fantastic and I wish I'd forked out the extra and got it for DC1. We got a package that included the pram, footmuff, maxi cosi car seat, car seat base and attachments for £900. IMO it's really worth the money. I have no desire for a Maclaren, DC2 is 18mths now and I still love it.

[missytequila]

The bugaboo bee plus is the best! It does lie flat if you get the cocoon, which is cosy and makes a flat bed for the newborn. It faces both ways, folds tiny and easily, and you can push it with one hand. Its super light, I can pick it up alone (I have no arm strength)....I cant speak highly enough of it! And the seat for when you have a toddler, is now the same size as a maclaren. I debated over the buggy for my entire pregnancy... for city people who walk the dog, use a bus and taxi, shop, etc... the bugaboo bee plus (new model) is the absolute best decision I made.

[lazysod]

i hang out on a car website mostly (being a chap, and all...) and they all seem to be saying either the cameleon (from the guys with loadsa money!) or get the cheapest you can as after six months you'll be wanting to use a simple fold up maclaren.

It certainly isn't easy, and I'm beginning to see that the baby industry is much the same as the wedding one - designed to alleviate you of your folding at every opportunity, and there seems to be an absolute ton of emotional skullduggery suggesting that unless you spend top dollar your kid will be stunted.

I'm currently predicting that we'll end up buying something expensive that only gets used for a year. :)

[Daisypod]

Personally I never liked Maclaren or other stroller types and I used my cameleon until DD was 2 1/2 so it is not everyone who buckles at 6 months and gets a small fold pushchair. Personally I really hate seeing young babies (under 18 months) in them as they always look so uncomfrtable

[moonbells]

If you go to Mothercare and look closely, you can often find out who made the buggies for them. We knew ours was a Graco because the wheel caps had it written on!

That way you can get something which is reasonably-priced but still made by a well-known firm.