How important / useful is a parent facing puchchair / travel system?

[Romilly70]

I am pg with DC1. Going through the horrors of choosing a travel system.

These are what we have narrowed it down to & why - please bear with me....

We live in the countryside in France, so mainly use the car, so car seat is most important; maxi-cosi seems to come out on top, i am keen on maxi cosi loola up as it takes maxi cosi carseat, seems to fold small and is parent facing - very important to me. Also has adjustable handles as DP is 6'2" and I'm 5'6".

Here's the crux, DP thinks we should buy Hauck rio plus as it is cheaper, lighter and folds small and you do not have to remove the pushchair bit to add the carseat.

I could compromise on all the above (as the Hauck car seat got a good rating in WHICH? But I hate the idea of my baby facing away from me.

DP (who already has 2 DC) says that in the carseat the baby will face me anyway, but I am not keen to leave him in a carseat for ages as I would like him to lie flat so that I he can be comfortable and I can admire see him. DP says that older children get bored and want to face away but I thought it was supposed to be good to be able to chat to them whilst you are walking around...

So my questions are:

How important is it to you / and or your DC to face you (& at what sort of age)?

sub-question if you have the Loola Up; do you find it folds up small enough?

thanks!

[Igglybuff]

I bought a travel system. But the pushchair faced outwards. I thought it would be fine until we started using it at 5 months. I didn't like DS facing outwards as like to see him. He can still see what's going on and if he grizzles I can calm him down.

So we bought a britax b-smart which faces both ways. As DS gets older, I'll face him out (probably about 1 year).

[londonmackem]

My daughter is 10 months and I love my bugaboo (not that I am recommending it for you) because my daughter faces me. I like that she can face away if we are at the zoo, etc but I would feel lonely if I didn't have her to talk to as I walk everywhere, we are always singing when we are out.

[Thandeka]

Facing you is very important IMHO- (and much easier as you don't have to stop the pushchair to check they are breathing every 5 minutes!)

Scientific evidence shows its important for babies to face you too in terms of bonding and development.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4527898.stm is one link but there are others.

[Thandeka]

P.S I have quinny buzz (don't get it it's useless- way too wide wheel base!) but that can have the maxi cozi carseat facing you. Are you sure yours can't?

[eeyore2]

Personal experience here - we have a rear-facing travel system and purchased a cheaper forward-facing buggy for mil who looks after our son one day a week. I much much much prefer using the rear-facing one as it is so nice to be able to interact with baby while out and about.

[KaraTrace]

Definitely get a pushchair where the baby faces you, I had the Loola and loved that my DD could look at me.
I did find that the Loola was heavy, wide and the handlebar too low for me 5'9", I haven't tried the Loola Up. However, my DD was very comfy, and very warm with the footmuff (or whatever that thing is called).
Also, I could not push the Loola one handed because of the weight, again not sure how different the Loola Up is.
I also would not want my baby in the car seat for too long, partly because my DD absolutely HATED it.
Loved that the Loola could fold up small and could stand up folded too, perfect for a small home.

[comixminx]

I am in a similar boat re the stage I'm at of making a decision - so can't give the benefit of experience - but Which? strongly recommend that babies aren't left in car seats for long periods of time, don't they?

[SagacityNell]

I wouldn't recommend the Loola up.

It was my dream buggy (we didn't have a maxi cosi carseat) and a dream to push when it was rear facing and DS3 was small. Its rarely used now. ITs HUGE when folded - it is small if you only fold the chassis. Its rickety, it's a nightmare to get up and down kerbs, the straps are far too small (although i believe that you can get longer ones from mothercare), it's heavy.

[nicm]

hi, i would say it is important. we have a teutonia spirit s3 for ds and he is still facing us at 27 months. when we have him in the stroller we can't hear what he is saying with traffic etc. the teutonia would be good for the countryside and you can get a carrycot and car seat attachment for putting the maxi cosi on. the handle height also adjusts to different heights form very low to very high! good luck i know how hard it can be as it took me months to decide on a pram and have not regreted my decision at all.

[Multimummy]

Well, I think it's really important - not just to me - but to my child too - he at 2y would climb out to be carried in my arms until I got a rear facer! (It's not easy to push the groceries in empty pram home while trying to hang on to your wriggly toddler (who is quite heavy!).
We are using a mutsy 4rider light (for our big pram) and a bee+ for our smaller buggy now - and it's just fantastic to have that rear facing option available - and it is mostly what we use.
I go everywhere on foot as I don't drive.
I also use wrap slings too - but not if it's really hot weather (too sticky/sweaty if you're walking miles - at pace!).

I have do admit - it is a bit unnatural to put a little one facing away from you in a buggy for long periods of time in my opinion. They need to see your face.

[faddle]

its very important to me, and my DD is almost 4. She can see just as much of the world rear facing and she can talk to me too and I can see she is OK.
I wouldnt recommend the loola up, they are heavy, not very sturdy and dont fold particularly small. You say you live in the countryside, but you dont mention if you go offroad walking at all, if you do, you will need a buggy with air tyres, as neither of the ones you have mentioned would be anygood out of town.

[GeekOfTheWeek]

Definately get a parent facing one.

Have heard bad things about the loola up though so I would look at other brands.

[coolkat]

My friend has the Loola up and hates it, her Little one is only 4 months old.

I recommend the Britax Vigour / B-smart for parent facing.

[Romilly70]

I am definitely more keen on trying to find a parent facing travel system now, after everyone's recommendations.

However, we travel more on planes and in cars, rather than off-road (tend to walk along country lanes rather than muddy fields, when I am more likely to put baby in a sling,) so I am keen to find a lighter weight umbrella folding type pushchair rather than the flat folding travel systems which would take up most of the boot space.

The search continues....

[Multimummy]

Hmmm, I am yet to find a light umbrella folding parent facing buggy....

I think the next best thing out there is a bugaboo bee+ - which, if it means you won't be buying a 2nd buggy/pram or buying again for any possible subsequent children might be the best idea all round. Do also consider that a bee+ should have a good selling price after you have used it - provided it's still in usable condition (they are pretty durable!).

I have heard you do not need to remove the seat unit on the bee+ to fit the car seat either - so like the hauck's main advantage - only with parent facing seat option.

The bee plus does fold small - but you can check the dimensions on the bugaboo website to see if it is really small enough for your needs!

[SagacityNell]

I saw a young girl in a Bee today - possibly around 2.5 ish and she looked a bit cramped- knees raised quite high. Could have been the way she was sitting though (facing forwards if that makes a difference))

[elk4baby]

I wouldn't be without my Mutsy 4Rider (light)!
My DS is 14 months now and is still facing me. It was one must-have requirements for me when choosing a travel system, and I don't regret insisting on this one bit!
When he was smaller, I could calm him if he started grizzling; now, we're 'chatting' all the time. He's pointing at things now and I can talk to him about what he's seeing. Couldn't do this with an out-facing buggy! I think being able to keep eye contact with your child is important, regardless of age. If they're curious about something, if something frightens them... you know immediately and can offer comfort/explanation.

[Multimummy]

sagacitynell maybe the bee you saw was a 1st edition, the seat on the bee plus is much bigger. Bigger than the seat on my Mutsy 4rider light. The bee plus seat also extends. I ought to take a pic of my 6y old in it! No need to worry if the bee plus will be large enough anymore.
elk4baby well put, i agree with all your points on why parent facing is important whatever age!

[SagacityNell]

Ahh right, i hadn't realised there was more than one edition. Thought i was being helpful

[Multimummy]

Well, it is worth pointing out that 1st edition bee seats are a fair bit smaller than the bee plus (2010) seat, as the older model is on sale. Looks tempting and smaller seat may not be noticed when shopping for a newborn, but it's worth knowing when deciding which model to buy.

[Romilly70]

Does anyone have the Maxi-cosi streety?

It appears to umbrella fold (without the seat) but I am wondering whehter it is possible to fold with the seat in it?

thanks!

[Gauchita]

Romilly, we have a streety. It folds with or without the seat (when folding it, it must be facing out, not the parent). If you need to know anything else about it, ask away