Carseats, Pushchairs, Strollers etc

Destination

Destination

Destination

Soldato
Joined
31 May 2009
Posts
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Guy looking for some advice from the wealth of real life experiecne that exists here. Myself and my wife are expecting our first child in December, and we're looking at the various pieces of equipment one will need for when the baby is born.
One area that has vast amounts of range and choice is the baby carseat chair stroller area, and frankly, having been thru severla baby forums and kids forums I am left somewhat bewildered first at the range and then at the cost of said items.

I've worked out that car seats come for different ages groups/weights and are attached in different manners. My car is a 207, and has isofix.

From what I can tell if we get a group 0+ seat first, to do the child its first year, and then switch to a group 1-2-3 the seat should be able to take the child right up from ba to booster seat age.
Ideally we would like the first seat to be easily fitted and removed and have a carry handle so we can carry the ba round in it.

Anyone with experience of these, models they would advise, ones to totally avoid?

The second area is the pushchair stoller travel system stuff, and this is where I get more confused, there does not appear to be an easy to check group system, and I don't really want to buy something costing hundreds of pounds and then realise at 15 months I need an entirely new one.

In general, what do people use, what have you used? Did you switch to a different seat when the child got older, and how much older?

Any advise would be great.
 
Hikari Kisugi said:
The second area is the pushchair stoller travel system stuff, and this is where I get more confused, there does not appear to be an easy to check group system, and I don't really want to buy something costing hundreds of pounds and then realise at 15 months I need an entirely new one.
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You are going to ignore the following advice. I know this already as pretty much everyone does. :)

As far as pushchair/stroller/travel system goes, you really only need one until they can sit upright. Once they can sit upright then all you really need is one of the cheap foldable Mclaren jobs. So buy a second hand buggy that will do you until they can sit upright and then get a cheap foldable pushchair when they are big enough. You will save yourself quite a bit of cash.
 
We bought a Graco all in one travel system. So this had the buggy (solid 4 wheel buggy) which can lie flat, tilted, and also for when they are newborn to about 6 months I recall it has a carry seat which mounts to the buggy AND to the car docker thingy. I can't emphasize enough to buy a car docker thingymabob station. You open car door, pick seat mounted to buggy up and then literally drop it into the docker and it clicks in instantly as if you put it down on the seat. All done. Probably cost hundreds. Can't remember. Still have it in the garage today. Despite scuffs and being well used, it all works fine apart from the hoods of the buggy and carry seat are stiff and or don't work fully. You can buy it off me if you want :)
Just go to mothercare and toys r us and try them all out. Don't think too hard about it. Buy it all in one go so you know it all works together and won't change with newer models and incompatabilitys for more of your £££. Pick a brand that simply works well. Don't buy into designer but don't buy cheap as you WILL buy twice if you intend it to last for more than one child.
 
Yeah, also agree there will be times when you just want to use the cheap foldable around town as they are so much more nimble and easy to take out in the car. We still used the big strong buggy a lot till they were 1.5 years old, but yeah, cheap foldable for £20 does the job great most of the time when they get above 1 years old. So weigh that into the equation as to whether you will keep it or just use for one child.
 
RDM said:
You are going to ignore the following advice. I know this already as pretty much everyone does. :)

As far as pushchair/stroller/travel system goes, you really only need one until they can sit upright. Once they can sit upright then all you really need is one of the cheap foldable Mclaren jobs. So buy a second hand buggy that will do you until they can sit upright and then get a cheap foldable pushchair when they are big enough. You will save yourself quite a bit of cash.
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^^^^^^^ Wise words here!

There is more marketing hype and nonsense surrounding baby kit than just about anything else. People become brand loyal and aspirational as they do with cars, watches etc.

The intial lying down/pram period doesn't last very long. Try to borrow a pram for that (or as said get a used one). After that a McLaren is brilliant - and the slightly more expensive mclarens actually let them go flat (or near to it.) No you won't be the envy of the yummy mummies at play group but you will not have wasted £700+ on a an extremely dull and little used purchase.

As for car seats I have had good experience with the maxi-cosi range but I'm sure they are all ok. When you need a double buggy come back for more advice as that is a whole different ball game!;)
 
Hikari Kisugi said:
The second area is the pushchair stoller travel system stuff, and this is where I get more confused, there does not appear to be an easy to check group system, and I don't really want to buy something costing hundreds of pounds and then realise at 15 months I need an entirely new one.
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Travel systems are a complete waste of money. I bought one, chicco trio for me £399. Pram was never used, buggy was far too bulky as they all are because they have to work in multi configs and the seat lasts until they are around 12-16 months ish depending on weight.

I sold it on ebay and got £100 for it. 12 months later.

Now the trouble with babies is women and it's your first one. They listen to any old **** they hear about what you have got to have and everyone else has a travel system, oh and it's got to be new because of the precious new baby.

My advice would be if she absolutely has to have a travel system go to a 2nd hand baby sale or ebay because come 12 months you will be thinking about a new forward facing car seat and lighter smaller buggy like a maclaren.
 
Go to a pram center, staff will advice and even try the seats etc in your car to see how well they fit. We got ours at Glasgow Pram Center and staff were great, especially recommending the pram we ended up getting which can fit in the boot of an Aygo with room to spare! It's amazing how clever these things are now.
 
We comprimised, and went for a large dollop of convenience, but didn't got full on travel system..

A Mamma's and Pappa's Pliko Stroller, which is lightish, umbrella fold, accomodates all ages, and is very robust, with the matching M&P Car seat + bases.. The car seat clips into the stroller, so in the first stage you get all that nice convenience of keeping the baby in the car seat, not disturbing them when transitioning from the car to the stroller/pram, and a nice simple clip in car seat that was the easiest I've ever used to this day.
The stroller then took us right until they where out of a pram at 3 years old, it lays flat, and really accomodates them very well at all ages, it's well made, is light enough to not warrant ever needing a cheapo stroller, isn't that much bigger, and lasted well.

We got it in the sale at Kiddicare, £320 for absolutely everything, including cosy-toes and other paraphernalia , and sold it 3 years later for £160 (easy to keep in good nick).

By contrast, my brother did the other route, he got a cheap car seat, and first stage buggy, which wasn't even umbrella fold, so ended up getting a quinny zapp as soon as their baby was old enough, but that proved too compromised for their use (very unbalanced, no good for putting shopping in etc), so got a McLaren stroller. In total he spent over £400, everything but the Quinny Zapp was pretty much knackered, he had to start all over again on his second.

We sold the M&P because stupidly, we occasionally we had all 7 seats up in the zafira, although it was umbrella fold, it wouldn't quite fit in the tiny remaining boot. Since we had a 4 month old still, we went with the Bebeconfort Loola, another umbrella fold, all stages buggy/car seat combo etc. The difference being the actual seat unit unclips, and you put the car seat in it's place, this meant it only had the frame to fold up, and subsequently would fit in the boot, no matter what. This is quite a good system, the only comment was that it was a bit heavier then the M&P, but looked much more sturdy, however in the last 6+ months our boy was in it, you kind of thought a cheap stroller would be a little more conventient.. we never felt like that with the M&P Pliko.. But again, keeping it all in good nick, we sold that for a good price too!

All hourses for courses..
To sum up, my advice that worked for us, and cost us less in the long run, and gave us much more convenience then any other solution with virtually zero compromise...
1. Get a Car Seat/ Buggy combo where the car seat clips into the buggy, (very convenient taking baby in/out and not disturbing them)
2. Make sure the buggy is an umbrella fold type, and ideally not too heavy (will then last until they are fully walking and no longer need a pram). Make sure it' does all stages (can lie flat etc)..

I wouldn't buy RRP, we got superb deals on the M&P and Bebeconfort, look online etc, buy last years colours and save £100-£150! which is what we did.. And buy the matching changing bag, and keep it in good condition, when we sold both ours, this was a key factor to getting a good price, women like it all matching...
 
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We had a bebe confort loola system for my boy 5 years ago, it was great.
We bought a car sear from the same system for our girl that has just been born. Didn't like the graco stuff. The maxi cosy gear is ok also.

For our girl we have bought a new silver cross surf system (minus car seat) that cost some wedge but is fantastic. Very light and compacts nicely.
 
With our first we got a second hand pram and then a new car seat with an adapter to go on the pram base. Going second hand is a good option. For our second girl, we had to get a new base and car seat, but we borrowed a pram top to go with it rather than buying one.

You're right to shop around and look early - you can spend silly money on baby stuff, and a lot wi only get minimal use anyway.

Ooh, gotta go, daughter woken up and yelling. Fun times ahead for you!
 
Thnak you for all the very helpful advice. Luckily my wife is thinking upon similar lines to myself, and money saved on a pushchair that will only do to a couple of years old can be spent on other things.

I've been looking through sme stuff today, and we shall have visit to toy-r-us and mothercare again sometime in the next week, even if i don't buy from them I would feel happier trying out stuff instore first.

For a travel system type thing, we spotted the
Graco Quattro Tour Sport http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Babies-R-U...ur-Sport-Travel-System-in-Black-Mist(0076980)
which seems to have a baby sized car seat included, and this clicks directly onto the pram initially, it also has a fixed base for the car, so click out of one, clik into the other.
The car seat is a group 0+, so only does the inital 15months or so, thats fine in my mine, as we'd then though in a year swapping to a proper car seat, such as the
Cybex Pallas http://www.mamasandpapas.com/product-cybex-pallas-2-in-1-raven/119428100/type-i/
This seems to do groups 1 2 3 and looks to be adjustable in every way possible, converst to cybex solution X as child grows.
Then it would be a case of buying a big buggy when the child grows out of the Graco one, which could be a cheap maclaren job when we eventually get there.

Anyone have experience with the stuff I've mentioned, or similar stuff? Any pitfalls?

I do plan to look and try before buying, but seems that £220 + £180 or so and all is sorted buggy to age 3 and car seat to age 15mths and then swap to age 12mths to 11 years, or basically for good as far as the car seat goes. I will take the advice and spend a bit more and get matching footmuff and change bag and stuff for the initial buggy too, they will be needed but maintaining sell on price is a good idea.

Want to try to avoid £700 on a buggy alone.
Thanks for all the info so far, all very useful in helping me try to make a decision.
 
We got given a car seat which we have used for both our kids, wifes Dad bought us a Silver Cross pram (not the big wheel one) which we are now using again, good quality no fancy stuff and has lasted now for two, I can see it lasting for another 2, very well built.

We have an ISOfix Silver Cross car seat which is solid as a rock and has removable covers for washing which is a must, we now have a explorer for our eldest which should see her till 11/12

I wouldn't recomend a travel system as they are complicated and a comprimise of all the uses.

Stuff your missus will buy which are a waste of money

Baby monitor - don't flatter yourself your house isn't that big
Baby bath - they don't like them as they are out of the water and cold

Stuff to buy

Babysense movement monitor - been such a comfort for us as a close friend lost a child to cot death
Stair gate for kitchen door - don't buy all the guards just keep them out the kitchen
Nice chair in babies room for breast feeding, encourage your missus to breast feed it's better for the baby and for the wife, milk is on tap, no need for all the gumf bottles sterilisers etc and you can both get some sleep rather than baby waking your missus up then she wakes you to get the bottles etc. Both of ours have been and no problems
Teething granules the natural ones, really good
 
Get yourself down to toys r us and give them all a try, the buggy has to suit your situation not someone else's :)
Make use of there services were they allow you to try the car seats in your car first, not forgetting to make sure the buggy fits in your boot as well.
 
As above they should let you try in your car, also think about if you stay away and need a travel cot, they are quite bulky, if they both fit together
 
LizardKing said:
Get yourself down to toys r us and give them all a try, the buggy has to suit your situation not someone else's :)
Make use of there services were they allow you to try the car seats in your car first, not forgetting to make sure the buggy fits in your boot as well.
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hehe yup thx, we're planning this for a night during the week.
I will need to see it in my car, as it is only a 207, and the boot is a lot smaller when you actually measure it.

maccapacca, that monitor does it gives beeps occasionally and then an alarm if it detects no breathing? Just stick under the matress and leave it well enough alone?
I am seeing it online for about £75 is that right? Had not even thought about this, knew we'd get something but a recommendation is exactly what I want on items now.
 
Doesn't beep it just flashes, it's never gone off on us it's brilliant, NHS give them to all couples / mums who have had cot death or a risk (smokers). It does go off when you take them out of the cot and boy do you know it, it's like a smoke alarm.

There's two mats, one for a moses basket and when they don't move around and another for when they start wriggling round the cot

I didn't see myself as a paranoid parent but after we got it we never regretted it, the flashing green light at night is worth the all the money
 
Completely. Most have temp gauges on them also.
And yes, they beep like mad when they go off!
 
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