How did I miss this bit of the forums before?
DH and I are getting ready for our first bub, and there are so many choices of stroller, we are totally lost. Initially we thought it would be good to get a three-wheeler with a toddler seat option so we don't have to get a new one when we have #2. But I'm worried that these prams all seem quite wide, and I might not be able to get one around shops and on trams (we're in Melbourne). Also if I'm going to be getting it in and out of the car by myself I want something as light as possible. So now I'm wondering if we can get away with carrying the baby in slings (a friend gave us 4 different types of carrier!) until it's big enough for one of the lighter, narrower umbrella strollers.
What are your experiences with strollers? Are they still useful if baby is worn most of the time? Is it worth living with a wide, heavy toddler-seat-compatible stroller now, or should we just get a smaller stroller and wait until we need the double option before buying one?
Thanks in advance for your advice
with ds1, i never really had a baby pram- i bought a mclaren vogue stroller. when he was really little we always had him in a sling or even just in our arms. then we started using the mclaren and it's been fantastic. he's so comfy in it now that he's a toddler and it's a very convenient, light stroller.
now that ds2 has come along, we have got a double mountain buggy pram which we use for going walking, going to the park etc. and we use the sling for the newborn and the mclaren for the toddler when we go to the shops/cafes etc.
You can get layback umbrella strollers that are quite leightweight, easy to fold and suitable for newborns - so long as they lay all the way down. You would probably be looking at a price tag between $100-200 for something like this. We have an ESPRIT one, I got with DD to make it easier to catch buses.
i bought a stroller when DS was 7 months old as it was lighter and took up less boot space.. We have Mclaren vogue that can be used from a newborn, it lies flat. I love it when out and about but if on bumpy road or footpath cant be very comfy for him as wheels feel everyting, also when lieing flat you cant access basket easily (small gap at side) . My phil and ted dash however yes it is big and takes up boot space its a more comfy ride for DS as air in tyers and easy to access basket.
I also live in Melbourne and the number 70 stops right outside more door, plus have a small car so size of pram/stroller very important. I chose just to use slings with my DD, now six weeks and the plan is to get a pram/stroller when she is three months, Maclaren do one which is suitable for from 3 months but is 1.5kg lighter than the new born ones and looks to be a reasonable size to get on trams occasionally.
Here is a link to a thread I started about prams on trams
So we are getting on ok with just the slings and will be fine till three months, the only issue I have really is if out at cafe etc is more difficult to eat and crumbs tend to drop on the baby!
The best thing would be to have a good think about what you will be using it for. My plan was to do a lot of walking and so I wanted something with bigger wheels for a smoother ride. I ended up with a Swallow Beema Q that Babyco sell, and I really like this pram. Its a three wheeler, has a great sized shopping basket which is great for walking to the shops with and its easy to steer. DD still has her day sleeps in it so it must be comfy. It folds down easy enough and isn't too bad to get in and out of the car. I've not had a problem with its width either. However, it doesn't come with a toddler seat attachment, and tbh, I don't think three-wheelers suit a traditional style toddler seat - it makes them too unstable imo. Our plan for number 2 (we're ttc now) is to sell the beema q, get a moutnain buggy urban double as a walking pram, and a maclaren vogue stroller as a pram for the back of the car and the shoping centre along with slings for the bub. The maclarens are a bit more expensive than other strollers (mind you, same goes for the mountain buggy) but I've managed to grab a 2nd hand one online, plus I think its worth buying a better quality pram that will last through 2-3 kids rather than have to buy a new pram each time.
I think a sling is a great option for a while, DH and I bought DD a Smart Trike when she turned 11months at the recommendation of a friend. It starts as a stroller and as she has grown we have altered the tike to pull down peddles and it becomes a tricycle which is able to be controlled by us, in a couple of months we are hoping to remove the steering handles all together as she is getting quite confident with the peddles. For $180ish it has already lasted over 18 months, and we will be definitely keeping for baby 2! Good luck! Hope this helped.
Thanks for all the suggestions folks! In the end we gave up on the double stroller idea and got a Maclaren Vogue, which she is quite comfy in (will happily sleep in it), has a simple packup/setup mechanism, and is light enough for me to lift in and out of the car and on and off trains by myself.
Though if I'm just going for a short walk to the shops etc I will put her in the ring sling instead - she goes to sleep in a couple of minutes, and it's been a good way to make sure she's warm enough in the bitter Melbourne winter weather!
Strollers - so confused!
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