what pram

kentred

me and my girlfriend are looking to buy a pram for our baby that is being born in july we have been looking at the jane prams and silver cross does anybody have any advice on the best ones to get as it would be very helpfull also any good sites for prams many thanks

maplegirl2011

it all really depends what car you have first. lots of lovely prams but if you can't fit it in your car or house front door etc then it can be quite a costly mistake. then what do you want. do you want a carrycot pram or a travel system. once you have narrowed that down then you can start searching properly. these are some good sites

http://www.kiddicare.com/

http://www.nurseryandtoys.com/

http://www.glasgowpramcentre.co.uk/shop/index.php

http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Default.aspx?zone=bru

full-time-mum

Congratulations and good luck as you enter the minefield of parenthood.
I do envy you being at the start of the journey - I'm now 11 years in.

Think about what you want from your pram...

Is baby going to be sleeping in it every night? - you'll need a carry cot

Do you want a car seat that will attach to the chassis? If so, will the car seat attachment fit safely into all your cars.
(remember that this is ideal for a quick shop around sainsburys but not a good for baby for an all day shopathon)

How easy are the rain covers/canopy attach?
Do you have to remove the hood to attach the canopy? (not good from my experience as the sun escapes in the side)

Do you want it to become a pushchair?
Do you want the pushchair to recline if baby/toddler falls asleep?

Does it bother you if the pushchair/pram always face away from the handles?
Personally, I liked them facing me otherwise you are less likely to interact with them whilst out. However, it is nice for an older child to see where you are going.

Will it fit into your all your car boots?

What is the suspension like? My sister has one of those 3 wheel things and it won't bounce to rock baby to sleep.

Are you going to use it off road or mainly in the supermarket?
Do you need swivelly wheels or not?
How wide is the chassis? some 3 wheelers are very wide and, whilst ideal for rough terrain, are difficult to move around in everyday situations.

Can it be collapsed one-handed? - can be very useful

Are you wanting to use it on public transport?

Are you tall/short, what about your partner? If the handle isn't adjustable, one of you is going to get back ache.

The best thing is to go in somewhere where they will let you push it around, collapse it, juggle with the accessories.

I know that I have probably given you too much food for thought but prams aren't cheap and you need to get it right.

Don't forget that on-line shops may be listed on cashback sites.

I don't know where you are but we live relatively near to kiddicare and you used to be able to go in and haggle with them. Find the pram you want and find the best price and then see what they will do. If you are buying lots of things then you are in an even better position.

kentred

Dear Charb/full time Mum
Not to much food for thought but good information that all begining parents need. Thank you for taking the trouble and time to response.

natalie1974

kentred wrote:

Dear Charb/full time Mum
Not to much food for thought but good information that all begining parents need. Thank you for taking the trouble and time to response.

You say not too much food for thought but until you can answer those questions we can't even begin to recommend any of the many 100's of prams that there are on the market . If you give us the information then we can point you in the right direction . Until then there is not much more anyone can do to help or recommend a pram to you as it could be totally the wrong one . There are different types of prams for different lifestyles , it is no good me showing you a travel system if you are going to be using the bus as it wont fit on it easily , equally if you do a lot of walking or have a big enough house for one of the lovely 3 in 1 types unless you have an estate car that is no good to you either . So therefore you can see why the other 2 ladies have asked you these questions . When you can tell us roughly what you would like from your pram and what your lifestyle and mode of transport is then we will be able to help you .

kentred

natalie1974
I think you should read letters properly! The reason i said not to much food for thought, is that full time mum said, "I know that I have probably given you too much food for thought but prams aren't cheap and you need to get it right". The reason i first posted my original question was because we as a couple were not sure what we needed or wanted in a pram and this is why we were looking for advice. My second post was to thank charb and full time mum for the advice they gave us.

full-time-mum

Another piece of advice....

You can get lots of good quality second hand equipment at your local National Childbirth Trust Nearly new Sales.

I'd probably go for a new pram and cot but lots of other things can be aquired very cheaply. newborn clothes are often hardly worn as babies grow so fast. Toys are also good buys.

gk172

natalie1974 wrote:

You say not too much food for thought but until you can answer those questions we can't even begin to recommend any of the many 100's of prams that there are on the market . If you give us the information then we can point you in the right direction . Until then there is not much more anyone can do to help or recommend a pram to you as it could be totally the wrong one . There are different types of prams for different lifestyles , it is no good me showing you a travel system if you are going to be using the bus as it wont fit on it easily , equally if you do a lot of walking or have a big enough house for one of the lovely 3 in 1 types unless you have an estate car that is no good to you either . So therefore you can see why the other 2 ladies have asked you these questions . When you can tell us roughly what you would like from your pram and what your lifestyle and mode of transport is then we will be able to help you .

Sorry but ive got to agree with natalie on this one, from personal experience i bought a 3 wheeler buggy which was great at the time till we went to choose a new car and it wouldnt fit in the boot without taking the wheels off and as hubby reminded me how happy would i be taking the wheels off when its raining, also my sister recently bought a travel system - car seat which fits onto buggy and she cant get it in her front door and has to take it in the side door through the kitchen and same buggy system will not fit in her hubbys work car which again she never thought to try and she is a second time mum.

It really does depend on your mobility/lifestyle/car narrow that down and your half way there. Or the quick and easy option is a stage 1&2 carseat that does till age 2 ish and maclaren techno xt which is suitable from birth till age 3 or 4 and both will fit just about any car.

harrysmum03_2

Congratulations xxxx
Now....Do you use public transport more than car? ie does other half have car all day while you have to catch buses etc?
I have 5 children and i don't drive!! i only had a brand new pram for my first born and it was only used for about 9 months which when you think about it isn't very long at all. some companies do buggies that lie flat which you can use from around 3 months if not from birth, their a lot cheaper and a whole lot easier for going into town, shopping, on and off buses etc and you'll use it for years. for a bit more added comfort i used my moses basket mattress to lay the baby on. also i know it might sound way off yet but when r u thinking of having your next child? it could mean you'd end up with a double buggy in 12months time. there are so many things to consider.
i wouldn't suggest getting a 3 wheeler unless it has a swivel front wheel as you have to push down on the handle to lift up the front of pram to manouver round corners. not too practicle for boots of cars either. don't get anything too wide as you'll have trouble getting through shop doors even house!!
one thing i will deffinately recommend to any new mum is get in some ashton and parsons infant powders their herbal and i found them brilliant and everyone i have told about them has always thanked me and swear by them.
xxx good luck xxx any more info required about anythjing baby related don't hessitate to contact me i'll help if i can