Mama's & Papa's or an alternative?

Counting_Pennies_2

Katinkka wrote:

What happened to your son?

The cot injured him through a splinter sticking out of the cot, we discovered the cot hadn't been quality checked and one bar hadn't been sanded and varnished. I didn't check each individual bar on the cot, as you naturally assume it comes quality checked and when we put it together it felt ok but I didn't check each spindle (just assumed all would be well)

He went in the cot in grobags and he hadn't started moving around, the first day of hot weather we put him in the cot to have a sleep in his vest and when I checked on him through constant screaming I discovered the splinter in the wood had made him bleed on his foot and leg.

The response we got from M&P was we should have checked it it was our fault for putting him in the cot and get over it! When I said I would like the cot either repaired (ie the spindle not coated properly to be sufficiently coated), or a new cot I was told no to everything when I said it was clearly a fault and it was the first time it was properly tested by him moving about in the cot I was told to get my own carpenter to sort it and foot the bill myself.

It was a shock to see my baby coated in blood and a further shock at the careless attitude of customer services.

On top of that our pram fell apart when he was a few months old (the break failed and the plastic parts on the chassis kept coming unstuck and I lost quite a few screw caps etc) and I asked if they would service the thing and replace the breaks and screw caps. they first of all agreed to the servicing but never got the courier or the box and address labels to me, and I kept phoning to get it sorted, then when it got past the warranty date they said (too late!)

Woby_Tide

with M&P, check out their shops but on paper unless they have a sale on they aren't the cheapest, look in yellow pages or on the M&P website and get your nearest independent stockist. Every single one we visited sold teh M&P goods cheaper than M&P

super41

We bought a Mama's & Papa's pram/travel system 4 years ago- forget what it was called but I'm sure they still do something very similar - and it was absolutely brilliant.

Travel system comprised chassis & swivel wheels, Primo Viaggo car seat, carry cot and pushchair seat. Car seat was great as you just take it out of car and clip it to chasis when you're out and about. Baby slept in carry cot for first month at night and was pushed around town in that for 6 months - it still looks immaculate! Pushchair then was used until child was 3 and 1/2 years old. Chassis had useful shopping basket underneath and folded downwards. I imagine would fit into most car boots as was quite neat. I also invested in a raincover and mattress and the whole lot came to £450 which I think has represented good value considering it is still in very good condition and has been pushed for literally hundreds of miles. I bought mine from an independed baby shop and I think they can maybe offer more discounts (?) It was 'last seasons colours' (so what! you can't go wrong with plain blue and grey!) so reduced as the shopkeeper said everyone wants new colours!

Just my personal opinion but I think it helps if a baby can lie down fully in a pram/pushchair - more comfortable for sleeping etc. Another good thing about this system is that you can have the seat facing to you or away from you. I nearly always had my DD facing me. Again in my personal opinion this is much better for you and the child as they are higher up and can see lots, you get eye contact and can talk to them much more easily. It seems more protective. It's very had to talk to your child with their back to you

I think a lot depends on whether you use the bus/car regularly etc. Buggies are very useful when child is older I got a little McLaren for the bus when she was 18 months old and she still uses that.

I do know a lot of my friends bought expensive Teutonia etc prams and they used then for 6 months before getting a buggy. I feel my M&P travel system represented excellent value for money and suited me perfectly.

I hope you find the right make/model for you and your baby! Good luck!

jellyhead

i have a citisport plus, the website i bought it from said suitable from birth but i had to buy a headhugger. it's really tiny in the boot, so easy to steer in shops etc, it's light etc. my only gripe is my 10 week old already looks like he's growing too big for i and i'd prefer handles rather than one big bar, the bar is comfortable and it adjusts but i'd like to hang a bag or 2 off it lol! i wish i'd bought the techno.

FL

I agree with the lady that said her McClaren is brilliant. Looking back I originally bought a M&P Pliko. Great for no1 as the car seat on the base and it folded down well etc. But it is so heavy compared to the Mcclaren. Mcclaren are great but only when the baby is 3 months or so. I would buy a relatively cheap pram now something from Toysrus and splash on a good McClaren. Baby no 2 uses ours all the time and I even bought a second one for the toddler. Sold the M&P when the second baby was 3 mths. Need a double buggy at that point. That of course is a different discussion.

bobber

We are about to become first time parents, so cant give any first hand advice. But we spent AGES investigating the pram/pushchair dilemma - been to loads of shops and tried, spoke to lots of mums and dads and spent far too long on the internet researching...!!

Anyway, we've gone for the M&P pramette too - and we are still really happy with the decision - not that we've tried it officially yet!

We didnt go with the M&P car seat though as it didnt fit our fiesta as well - didnt really need to have it go on the pramette, as we'd use the pram bit as they cant spend too long in a car seat. We've gone for the Graco autobaby and base, which is brilliant

If you do decide to go for it, do try it in the shops - as others have suggested and have a real fiddle and make sure it fits your boot etc. I suggest trying pramworld.co.uk as they were cheaper than others (including glasgow pram centre - I wasnt entirely happy with gpc customer service over another order actually, but I know others rate them) - think it was 249.99 on special offer.

Hope this helps - havent got the bub in my arms yet to 'test drive' it all, but have spent hideous amount of time researching it all!!

leftieM

I had to post on this to mention the Jane Matrix system. It's a lie-flat car seat that pops onto the chassis as a pram. The car seat then converts to a rear-facing seat when baby is old enough, although it's difficult to adjust the tension in the straps.
My second daughter is 4 months now and it's great having the pram function - if she falls asleep in the car I can lift her out and pop her on the chassis (and her big sis can't get her mitts on her!)

narabanekeater

HI
e have a Pilko p3 for out little girl brought it around 14 months ago. Its the car seat and buggy model. Came with a footmuff etc. It was £200 from Kiddicare. This is a brilliant site they often have p&p stuff really cheap. The exact same was 3450 in my local shop hence why we went to Kiddicare
Worth a look if you so decide to go with a m&p one

Juicy_Tube

Gosh, so much advice!! Thanks, but now I am confused

Baby due end of January..

4 of my friends have recommended Maclaren (friends don't know each other), either XT or techno classic. I am in London so need to consider tube & bus etc as well as car. Both types I believe can be used from birth??


I am off to the Baby show in London weekend of 21-23rd October. Sounds like a good place to start..

Any thoughts on Maclaren for newborn please??

Thanks,
JT XX

sooz

bought maclaren techno xt for friend living in london and using tube/bus.
try through boots...with vouchers, offer and point [triple i think] total cost came to 80 pounds.

can be used from newborn, and has reflective strips to stop you and baby being run over at night [who takes a newborn out at night, but anyway?] viewing window to see baby, basket under for shopping, pockets for bottles and mobiles, and reclines totally flat.

fits in car, on tube, in small cupboard and her small lift to flat.

olympia show looks great, and you will get special offers there on the day, but try boots too...some great maclaren offers on last week...[not sure if they are still on, and triple points has finished, for now]

i think the techno xt is the new version of the techno classic. brake much improved from previous models, and comes with raincover, and carry handle on side of buggy - very useful when climbing up and down the stairs onto the tube [you'll soon find out that the staff are not allowed to help you up or down for health and safety reasons, and other commuters ignore you :mad: ]

good luck with the buggy terrain at olympia, with your choice, and the baby..........