Need a nan pushchair

Marisco

Nicki wrote: »

My mum wouldn't know how to check if a pram had been recalled and is not very Internet savvy. And when I was a child I don't think there was a distinction between pushchairs suitable from
6 months and above and more general ones from birth. So personally if I were in this situation my mum would need some support to buy something suitable without this meaning she wasn't otherwise fit to have her grandchild without supervision

And why is there now?? My kids had one pram until they were toddlers and a pushchair when they got bigger, so what has suddenly changed? You are assuming that your mam - who brought you, and any siblings up - hasn't got the common sense to know which pram to use. Makes you wonder how the human race has survived at all!!

dizziblonde

No one suggested a filthy scummy evil evil perish the thought of anything second-hand touching precious baby skin... pushchair. People suggested what was asked for, reasonably priced secondary use pushchairs that were easy to fold and took up minimal space - and I can understand the use of such things - particularly when grandparents live quite a way away, indeed my MIL has such a pushchair at hers to save us and BIL/SIL having to transport bulky travel systems along with everything else in the car when we travel to see her. She also has such things as a cot we didn't personally select and approve as well - and we trust her to have made sure they're safe, appropriate and basically not to be a total idiot - and if we didn't have that trust - why would we be letting her loose with our kids anyway?!

And yes, personally I think the whole travel system thing's got ridiculous, some of them are stupidly sized and this whole status "label" pram thing is just crap and the very start of the whole competitive parenting rubbish I refuse to get into - especially when people start flipping out about the fact that someone dares admit bugaboos and whatever else have flaws and features that are less than awesome about them.

But then one of the things we looked at when we picked ours was how easy it was going to be to explain to grandparents (mainly my side's) etc when they took the baby out for an afternoon or whatever - anything requiring more than a 2 second "push these buttons" explanation got ruled out because basically - I can't be bothered with having to do some lengthy explanation of how to get the thing up and down and some of them ARE pretty flipping ridiculously complicated (or appear to require more arms and legs than the average human's got and resemble a game of Twister - foot on this pedal here, flick this switch, this lever and this button at the same time and then fold)

Gillyx

I don't think that the fact your parents brought you up means they know best.

My father thinks it's great fun to throw my baby about and over stimulate him before bed, despite many warnings from me that it makes bedtime a nightmare for me and him! If he doesn't sleep he gets more cranky, would that prevent me from allowing my dad to watch him if I was heading out for a few hours at bedtime? Yes it would, the thought of heading back at 10 o clock, to a baby that still hasn't slept, I'd rather not go.

My MIL is similar. Told her today that we've finally got our LO sleeping 14 hours at night with 1 wake up and she STILL had something bad to say about it, and how we're letting him "rule the roost" despite it working for us and her boys not sleeping through the night until they were 3.

In saying that, if any of the grandparents were looking after my son, I'd trust that they'd have the judgement to know a pushchair was safe and clean, and if it was easier for them to use, go ahead! Luckily our pram is one handed fold, and a lever type system for everything else so super easy

fluffnutter

There's always going to be conflict isn't there? I fully expect to disagree with my parents and MIL about some things to do with my baby and the way it should be brought up.

But... I hope I have the grace to at least listen to them before deciding that only I know best. I also think that there are some things I wouldn't do, like overstimulate a child just before bedtime, that they might do, simply because they're excited to spend time with their grandchild. I agree it's frustrating but it's also nice to relax the rules occasionally and I hope I'll be chilled enough to not flinch every time I see my parents do something I wouldn't necessarily do myself.

Babies are pretty resilient and more so children. They get that mummy and daddy have rules and grandparents have different rules; it's nice that they can be a little bit spoilt now and then. That's what grandparents are for, isn't it?

Gillyx

I do agree, but until you have your baby, you just don't appreciate how good "bedtime is" I love my son to bits, but after a whole day of it, I look forward to bedtime and for someone to come along and upset that, it makes me annoyed. Especially when I've spoke to the person about it, and explained my reasoning and that I'm not just being a stick in the mud. Also at this time I was visiting my Dad for 2 whole weeks, so he had all day to play with him, but chose to go and do other things some days and then come home and expect me just to take my son out of routine so he could see him? I think that's unfair. Especially when babies are so young they don't under that parents and grandparents have different rules they just think "Oh I'm tired, I'll scream"

I do take on board what people with experience can tell me, but all babies are different and different things work for different babies. The worst of it is my MIL tells me all her 4 were different and different things worked, so why she can't see that what we're doing is working for us, is beyond me.

Not a dig at what you've said btw, because I agree completely with what you're saying I just think some grandparents can take it too far and think they are having children again.

koalamummy

This is not meant as a criticism of your daughter MrsE but on thinking further about your question one thing did occur to me. As you will be regularly minding your grandchild would it not actually be the parents responsibility to ensure that you have a pushchair available that is suitable and safe for your needs? You are already helping out greatly with childcare and really should not be put in a position where you are out of pocket to enable you to do this safely.

anguk

I must admit I find the price of some pushchairs and buggies quite staggering, I've just had a look at a Bugaboo Bee, it costs over £400 (over £500 if you want the limited edition denim one :eek:) and I'm sorry but I've seen similar buggies with similar styling, build quality, functionality and accessories for under £100. I can only come to the conclusion that sometimes you are just paying for the name and "status".

My niece has spent hundreds on buggies, she always had to have the latest "must-haves", she's had a three wheeler (a nightmare to push, the blooming thing felt like it was going to topple going round a corner or down a kerb), she's had a bugaboo, she's had a travel system with all the gubbins (weighed a ton) and what did she finally end up with? A simple stroller that got more use than all the rest put together.

Gillyx

We spend a good whack on our pushchair and travel system, but we looked around for weeks and weeks and couldn't find one we liked as much that felt as sturdy. We walk almost everywhere and I wanted something that felt secure. It also pushes like a dream and turns on a pinhead.

Even after all the use I truly love it, and I'm glad we went with it rather than some of the alternatives we looked at. I can change from carrycot, to car seat to pushchair so easily and quickly. I know when it comes to baby #2 I'll definitely want to use it again, which to me makes it worth the money. Plus when babies are born it's better they're laid flat, which a lot of strollers don't do. (although with my son we didn't have that option because of reflux )

cte1111

Nicki wrote: »

Wow, this thread has slipped into profound nastiness pretty quickly.

Whilst it makes no odds to a baby whether it is being pushed around in a £20 pram or a £500 one, I take issue to the suggestion that a parent should not be entitled to know if granny is using a second hand pushchair rather than the one they have chosen. If you google pushchair recalls you will see that a lot of UK pushchairs in their time have been subject to safety recalls for situations such as children having fingers cut off in the mechanisms, being strangled on straps, etc. These range from high end makes like Phil and Teds to cheap ones from Argos.

As a parent, if granny bought a second hand pushchair and put my child in it, I am afraid I would want to see it to check it was clean and safe (eg straps not frayed, seat back secure, brakes working, mechanism operating smoothly) and also to make sure it wasn't one which had been the subject of a recall. And I would not consider that to be an unreasonable request. Assuming the pushchair was OK, then granny could use it at will, whether it had blue and white value stripes or not. (though if granny is kind enough to have my baby one day a week, perhaps I should go with her to help choose the stroller and pay for it myself )

TBH I trust my parents to be able to take a good look and work out for themselves whether a buggy is safe or not. I don't have any special health and safety powers, so can trust them to use their own common sense. Like I trust them not to let my children play with knives, drink bleach or use the lawn mower.

barbiedoll

Pram envy....lol!! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I work in a clinic which is based in a very deprived area. And loads of the new mums spend their hard-earned £500 maternity grant on a Bugaboo or similar. :mad:

They're really not particularly exclusive!