Help - pram suggestions and pram vs carrier

pukkamum

I have been through many a pram, carrier, sling and buggy having had 3 kids and the best combination I found was a sling and a maclaren buggy.
The maclaren buggies for me are the best, they are hard wearing, easy to push and you can get a lie flat one to use from birth.
I bought a big pram for baby no1 and hated it, it was cumbersome, heavy, hard to fold etc.
I then went through 3 cheap buggies.
For dd 2 I had a sling and a maclaren, I used them both for her, the buggy was used til she was 4 and was still in fab condition to be used for dd3.

LJ9982

I am definitely leaning towards getting a sling. have been offered a Graco Symbio B nearly new for £75 from a friend so think i will take that anyway and invest in a sling. for £75, it doesn't matter how much use it may get I am sure i will use both - it was more that i didn't want to waste money on an all singing/dancing pram when i will be encouraging the baby to crawl/walk etc as soon as possible so really just wanted some sort of system that could go from pram to buggy when old enough

fluffnutter

LJ9982 wrote: »

.. i didn't want to waste money on an all singing/dancing pram when i will be encouraging the baby to crawl/walk etc as soon as possible ..

It doesn't matter how much you encourage them - they do things in their own time.

dizziblonde

I wouldn't recommend a Moby if you're looking for a stretchy going into the heat of summer tbh. The fabric on them is fairly thick jersey type fabric - lush for the extra layers of warmth in the winter, but would be unbearable in the summer. I think the Victoria Sling Lady stretchies are a little bit thinner, or a woven one might be a better plan if we're actually going to GET a summer this year. I used to use a connecta with my eldest child (didn't use a carrier with my younger one - she hated them and I've got too many residual physical problems from that pregnancy) which was bearable in the heat... put a muslin across your chest tucked into your bra straps to avoid sweaty chest and having to peel the baby off it syndrome.

Greatest pushchair I've owned is the Out and About Nipper (and I've had a few pushchairs... well... over about 10) - the only double I've found I can push, steer and get up and down kerbs with a heavy change bag on, carrying a tantruming toddler and with another hefty child in the pushchair... I'm going to get the single version in the next couple of months now we've got the distance the eldest one will walk built up a bit more. I have a stroller type buggy (it's a M+P Kato but not my favourite of the ones out there but does the job OK) which lives in the car boot for if we're just running out to a shop quickly, and then the Nipper with its nice big tyres, easy to push and storage pockets everywhere for all sorts of stuff (which saved my bacon today when the eldest decided to experiment with water as a fashion accessory and I had spare clothes squirrelled away in one of them) for if I'm walking anywhere with the kids.

continualdiamond

We went for the trenton travel system from mothercare purely because we couldn't afford a pram that we'd use now and then the cost of buying another one later on.

My daughter is 8 weeks old and we use the car seat in the pram at the moment. Though I have used it so she is laying flat with putting her in the carry cot that fits into it as well.

It then converts into a pushchair and is suitable for babies weighing up to 33lbs. I also like it cos it folds down and goes up really easily. We spent ages in mothercare trying all different prams, hahaha.

I never bothered with a sling, just my choice, it never crossed my mind to get one.

Good luck deciding, as it is very daunting I found deciding what to choose. Even when we did choose I doubted whether we'd made the right choice, but I love it.

Kayalana99

LJ9982 wrote: »

I am definitely leaning towards getting a sling. have been offered a Graco Symbio B nearly new for £75 from a friend so think i will take that anyway and invest in a sling. for £75, it doesn't matter how much use it may get I am sure i will use both - it was more that i didn't want to waste money on an all singing/dancing pram when i will be encouraging the baby to crawl/walk etc as soon as possible so really just wanted some sort of system that could go from pram to buggy when old enough

That sounds like a high price for something your not going to use *for long - and as above poster said using a sling isn't going to encourage them to walk(or avoiding a pram). Mine has just started walking now at 15months but still isnt ready to go walking down street - despite the fact I have been encouraging him since 9months old... :T you really can't plan what a baby is going to do.

You will find that most people who use slings - change them per babies age (as a few above have said they 'moved on to') and personally think that your money would be well spent on a decent pram (even if its a cheap one as long as its got all the little things that make a difference i.e forward facing, lying flat, cosy toes, decent size basket) it won't cost a fortunate. We got a graco for under £150 from Toys r us..but thats something we are going to be able to use for the next 3 years (if needed ofc!)

Personally though I do love my baby carrier, cost me £3 of facebook and admittedly the best thing i ever brought second hand

I guess what I'm trying to say is even if you want to use a sling 99% time Id still get that pram for when you do need it with all the bells (but without the label) and just minimize your spend on slings/carriers as you will find they will outgrow / need changing.

Its fine taking a 1 year old round the corner in a baby carrier but if you want to go out for the day even fittest person would struggle I would of thought?

dizziblonde

You can try to encourage them to walk and crawl all you want - they won't do it till they decide they're ready to... I used to spend ages carefully putting toys just out of range to encourage my eldest to try to crawl... little cherub just pulled the floor rug to get the toy over to her anyway!

There's no way my 19 month old could cope with walking down to our shops or children's centre yet - she can do about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way and that's a fair walk compared to what lots of kids her age are doing locally since we live a fair way out... plus - sometimes you want the pushchair to contain a stropping toddler - it ain't fun doing the screaming, stropping walk of shame back to the house carrying an almost-2 year old-ball of fury and indignation!

tiny_courageous

I had an emergency C Section so there's no way a sling would have been any good for me in the first few weeks. I do have one now but mostly use it for nipping to the local shops/going on busy public transport.
My pram is an absolute godsend and I wouldn't be without it. I have an Oyster which we got second hand off ebay (although it's like new), it folds small (without the carrycot) and is very light. If you can, try out lots of prams and then try to pick up the one you want second hand, to avoid a massive outlay. Ebay/facebook groups/gumtree are all worth checking regularly.

Gillyx

I loved our pram, but from around 18 months we weren't using it frequently and in the past 6-8 weeks not at all, and it's now being packed away for baby #2 as my LO walks everywhere, we took him into a major city last weekend for 6 hours plus on public transport too and we didn't take the pram, the more he walks the more his legs seem to strengthen and he can walk further and further but that could just be an age thing?

That being said I didn't know much about baby wearing when I was pregnant, and I think next time I will definitely invest in a decent stretchy wrap and a structured carrier. Iv borrowed a few and loved them and could easily carry my boy on my back now and he'l be 2 in January. If you're going for a sling I'd definitely research research research, the high street carriers don't tend to be great for babies hips (brands like baby Bjorn) and can be quite uncomfortable for mum once baby is over a certain weight, but there are loads of different options out there.

Congratulations

fluffnutter

I think it's best to view a pram/pushchair as an essential and a sling as a nice-to-have, not the other way round.