Best pram for newborn and 13 month old toddler???

Hello

I am not due til January but i would like to start looking at double prams now so i make the right choice. I am also hoping to grab a bargain off eBay or similar!

We had a look at the Mountain Buggy Duo and we both liked it alot. I suppose the only thing i didn't like about it was how narrow the seats are. I suppose to keep the pram compact though, this is necessary. The wheel base on the Duo is only about 1.5 inches wider than my single pram now so i was very impressed with that! I liked how it has a large basket too.
I never really liked the look of the Phil and Teds prams as i kinda feel sorry for the bub in the back! I mean, they dont really get a great view!! I also dont know where you would hang your nappy bag? However, i was just looking on their website and i can see why one of these prams may be more favourable over the MB (Lighter, thinner etc).
I need a pram that will go over rough terrain as we live on six acres of bush, gravel etc.
If i went for the P&T i could sell my current pram now (while it is in almost new condition) and use the P&T as a single until the new bub comes along, or i am thinking of selling mine anyway and just buying a stroller that lays back to use in the meantime (as my bub is 6 months old now) but this will mean i won't be able to walk around home with the pram. I just don't know what to do! I wish DH was as happy to splash out on new prams as he is to splash out on new motorbikes :ROFL: !!

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

xx

I have p&t sport and love it. i have a hook on the side where i hang the nappy bag off :)

I have phil and Ted dash and love it.

I have a mummy hook to hang a bag on and tend to put nappy bag under pram

I admit I had the same opinion as you about the phil n teds but ended up getting one because I found they were the best for my circumstances, I will have a new born and a 19 month old. I find them compact (well more so then my strider :) ), and as narrow as a single as well. I got my sport off ebay for $510 ($610 once I had it couried here), but it came with both covers, the toddler seat and sheepskin liners for both seats. Definately go and check them out, you might be pleasantly suprised.

I have a valco runabout and put the toddler seat on the front. It's now up to child number 3 and my 3.5yr old still fits in the toddler seat. Handy as you can fold the toddler down when not in use. Only thing is, it doesn't fit through a normal aisle at the supermarket, you have to use the diabled aisle. OUr pram goes outback and DH also runs with it with the kids in it.

I have the Valco runabout too, most of the supermarkets are starting to make the aisles wider for the big prams. It feels sturdier than the Phil and teds, and mine is purple!

I have the new Strider plus and love it. :clap:

Yes it is a bit bulkier than most prams but I love the fact the top seat is reversible so I can have my DD facing me.
DS is happy to sit in the bottom seat as it is spaced further back than the P&T so he has loads of room and can see just fine. The basket is also massive and can be accessed from both sides and the front.
I can take DD out of the front and not have to take DS out because it is so sturdy (it has four wheels) and all the extras are included (shadecover,raincover,boot and bottle key holder thingee) they dont have to be purchased seperately.

Both seats can be completely removed for ease of folding so it can be folded relatively flat.
I was torn between P&T Vibe and this one and im glad we went this way in the end.
It was much cheaper brand new than what some of the P&T's were going for on ebay as well so thats always a good thing.

if you are using for a pram to use outdoors- walking, on bush tracks etc. then i would definitely go for the mountain buggy. it is a very high quality pram- very sturdy and reliable.

if you are looking for a pram to use in shopping centres, at restaurants etc. then i would go for the phil n teds as they are more compact and lightweight. i don't believe the quality is as good as the mb though.

i guess it really depends what your main usage will be.

Thanks for taking the time to reply ladies..

My sister has the Valco Runabout. I wonder though how my older baby will go, as he will only be 13 months, as he will still need to sleep occasionally in the pram.

We looked at the Strider Plus and i liked it but boy is it MASSIVE! The wheelbase is 70cm, the MB duo is only 73cm! I also found that when i tried it out in the shop that the lower seat was too close to my legs and i kicked my shins on it!

I guess i will be needing the pram for both shopping/ restaurants and walking and i really want a pram that will be verastile enough to do both.

A bonus about the P&T (and the Strider) is that if you happen to leave one baby at home you can just remove the toddler seat and use it as a single. With the MB you can't do that. Although i am about to buy a Silver Cross stroller which i can use for these times too.

Decisions Decisions!!! I suppose the best thing to do is to go into the baby shop again and really give all options a try!

Thanks once again ladies!
x

Or you could be like me and stock up on slings instead so you can keep the pram you have now and have some really pretty carriers to choose from ;)

I mainly carry Eden, and push Kelti - Aricyn walks. On the rare occasions that he doesn't, I'll carry him, and take the girls in an old twin pram that I got given from my aunty. it does the job but its sooo hard to push, and steer and so bulky!!

If I just have the two girls, the majority of the time I will carry one and push the other. So thats another option for you ;)

To be honest Mel, i never had much luck with Archie in the sling.. Looking back it was obviously because of his broken collarbone being pressed on while he was snuggled up in there :( so i guess i'm not really a big advocate for babywearing yet as i haven't really had a baby who is happy to be worn! I also have a brand new sling in a box that i have only ever tried on because i got really claustrophobic wearing it!! Also, being a summer baby, won't he/she get too hot in a sling? Excuse my ignorance!

Dd1 loved the sling and we used it a lot, dd2 would get into odd positions and didn't seem safe so I stopped using it.

Depends which sling you get mate - which one did you have for Archie? My kids all hated ones that made them lie down, but were fine with ones that kept them upright (like the close carrier, ergo when they are older, mei tai's etc etc etc)

The one that made me claustrophobic was a ring sling "parent's of invention" brand. I also borrowed a 'sleepy wrap' and i found this VERY comfy to use but it was hot and Archie didn't like being in it when he was awake. I could never swaddle him as a newborn and i think he just felt too squished... he was also a very hot baby and would sweat alot.

Blackrose: I also found the ring sling didn't feel "safe", like baby would tip out the side if you weren't careful! Maybe i wasn't using it right......

Hmm well you could always carry Archie on your back in a mei tai or something and push the newborn in the pram? I have no issues with any of the kids on my back - even when I lived in qld.

I LOVE my P&T sports. I have used it as a solo before I had Cary and now she's here I LOVE that I can lay her down under the toddler seat and she sleeps really well.

She is now sitting up in it so we've put the toddler seat down below - Coops LOVE it there. He can actually see everything - it looks deceiving.

Nappy bag I usually put over the bars or over my shoulder.

It is such a versatile pram because I can set it for sleeping or strolling - I wouldn't have any other!

interesting thread, i thought about getting a twin pram as i will have a almost 3yr old and a newborn....

i thought about making Zak walk but am scared he'll run off all the time....

Stoked sorry to hijack ur thread, but what are the children leads like?? (e.g the monkey leads e.g like a dog lead sorta thing)

or would i be better to use a sling? Zak hasnt been in a pram pretty much since he started walked at 16 months, so maybe i would be asking a big thing to put him in a pram now but i also dont go shopping much.

once again sorry stoked!

as someone who has looked at and road tested a LOT of twin prams, I would say absolutely and unequivocally do NOT NOT NOT get a side by side.

My DD was 22 months when my twins were born so I had a HUGE pram - a valco runabout twin (side by side) with a toddler seat out front for DD. It was a great pram for my purposes as I could put all 3 girls in and gave me the freedom to get out and stopped me from going stir crazy in the house. However, if you don't have twins and don't have a need for 3 seats, I would never recommend a side-by side. Not only can you not go through cash registers, but you can't even fit in half the stores. You have to stand at the entry and look longingly in at the things you want but can't buy because your pram is too big... plus even large stores like big W etc don't make their aisles wide enough for a side by side. And my valco is one of the narrowest side-by-side prams on the market - it's long but very narrow - and I still couldn't fit down the toy aisles etc at big w. And you can forget trying to do christmas shopping in those $2 discount stores that have crap stacked all over the floors.


now my oldest DD is nearly 4 and my twins have just turned 2 so I have a Marco Sky L stroller which I love - it is a tandem stroller with a reclining rear seat. You can hang a nappy bag over the handles no problem and still recline the rear seat. It is umbrella fold too which is great. It has a much shorter wheel base than your average tandem pram so is much much easier to push. It's far lighter than my big valco pram for lifting in and out of the car. It is a stroller though - so smallish wheels no good for rough terrain. But worth checking out if you want a 'shopping' stroller. My valco now lives on the patio and only gets used if I am walking to the park or DH is taking the girls for a run.

That is one option I would definitely consider - a small stroller that you keep in the car that is easy to fold/unfold, light and compact for shopping and a second pram with big, pneumatic wheels for rough terrain that you keep in the garage or something so you aren't always getting your pram in and out of the car. You could buy a really cheap one off ebay or out of your local paper since it won't be seen in public, doesn't matter if it looks a bit well-loved.

anyway, my top twin pram pics right now if money was no option and I could convince DH to buy yet another pram would be:
Baby jogger city select - awesome pram that is newly available in Australia. has a travel system for your newborn car seat and toddler seat. 2 chilren can face each other or face back or forward and you can buy a bassinet fitting for baby if you want (although I doubt you'd use it if you were using the travel system). Big wheels for easy pushing on rough terrain. An accessible basket underneath which valco and p&t don't have. Plus you can use it as a single pram without an additional seat down the track. fits 2 newborns or 2 toddlers or any combination in between. I would buy this tomorrow if DH would let me!! :) I have serious pram envy over this one!! LOL. When the Aussie dollar was a little stronger, you could order baby jogger prams from the US at half the price you can get them here (including shipping). If you wait a little, the dollar might come back up and would be worth ordering online from US.
Adventure buggy single with top-mounted toddler seat. (google adventure buggy company. well worth checking out - 'the' phil and ted who originally designed the famous p&t pram actually make this one. They sold their P&T business and now they run adventure buggy company. This pram has a seat mounted up by the handle bars. you can choose a static toddler seat or a reclining seat suitable for a newborn. So it fits 2 children in an in-line design but one faces out and the other sits up high and faces you. It has the big, pneumatic wheels as well so easy for grass etc. they also have variations suitable for 3 and 4 (!!) children. awesome pram!
marco sky L (if you're after a stroller)

Also, check out 'think twins' website. They are an online store but they publish a twin pram guide each year which is a really good starting point with lots of info about what prams are available - including a comparison of their width etc so you can compare.

Anyway, now I have exposed a little too much of my pram obsession in a public forum... DH is always telling me I should open a baby shop since I love this stuff so much! :)

i have a mountain buggy side by side and have never had any problem getting it through cash registers or doors. it is 65cm wide so fits through a standard doorway.
if you are going to be doing a lot of outdoor walking, thephil n ted can cause problems for your back as you are sort of leaning across the lower child itms?

Hi,

My 2 eldest sons were 16 months apart, back then there weren't quite as many options as today but I ended up going for the twim valco side by side. My reasons for this was that I didn't want a Phil and Teds as my eldest child still regularly slept in the pram and I didn't want him to not be able to be laid back. Whilst it was a pain on occasion not being able to go down some aisles I got over it. Most of the bigger dept stores have a disabled aisle that is wider. I live on a farm, and a day shopping for me meant a good few hours in town, hence why both kids would end up sleeping as they would be out for several hours. I couldn't have coped with the sling as I would have going to the toilet etc, too difficult wearing a baby.

I would suggest looking at your circumstances, where you live and what type of usage the pram will have.

Good luck,.

Wow thanks for your replies!

Ginger: I was thinking the same thing about reaching over the lower child. I tried out the Strider and found that i did have to reach over quiet a bit. I am quite small and short!

Hannahfroodoo: Thanks for such a long and detailed post! I think it is a great idea about having a small stroller in the car and a bigger one for at home. I will defiantely consider that! I also just had a look at the Baby Jogger City Select and DH and i both like the look of it, although it wouldn't be much good for using around here in the sticks! Where would you look at ordering this pram from the US?
I really like the look of the Adventure Buggy too... Gosh, can you imagine how heavy it would be to push FOUR kids!! haha! I will let my friend know about the stroller you mentioned too as this is exactly what she is looking for! Thankyou so much for all the info! Your obsession comes in handy! (to me anyway, your DH- not so much!)

MummytoZak: I personally don't really like the idea of those lead things. Although in saying that, i've never had a child that likes to run away! So if it is a safetly thing then i guess i would consider one. I always remember seeing this poor little autistic boy attached to one of those things and his mum was HORRIBLE and was literally dragging the poor kid behind her :( I think it has scarred me! And no worries for the thread crash! I don't mind at all! x

Mumma to 2: I hardly take a nappy bag with me anymore anyway! I leave the nappy bag in the car and just take a smaller bag (about the size of a wet bag ITMS) with a couple of nappies, some wipes, my phone, keys, purse etc. Then if there is a dire emergency i can just head back to the car.. it hasn't happened yet!

Arimeh: After you mentioned the 'Oh Snap' i had a look at it and i wanted one badly! I love the look of it! Its a shame it is only from 6 months and up cos it is quite expensive isn't it?

Thanks once again for all your replies! More options to consider now!!
Kym x

Yeah I have the Oh Snap (even though I'm selling it cos its definitely not the most comfortable carrier out there) but I'm sure the Babyhawk mei tai would be more comfortable if you were looking at them, they are just as pretty and go from birth. Or the Catbirdbaby pikkolo goes from birth (i think?), and thats really pretty. My newest love is my Kleinsmekker though - thats the MOST comfortable carrier I have ever tried.

But I do have my eye on the Beco Butterfly II - and thats from birth and up :)

Oh my goodness Mel.... Obsessed much!!!??? hahaha! Will google all of them and check em out ;)

xx

Me obsessed? Nah, there are people out there MUCH more obsessed than me.. I'm just a newbie..

lol
I am always envious of people having a baby who get to buy new prams. My DH has made it clear that there will be no more prams here though. To be fair, I have currently got 4 so don't need a new one!
I had a cheapie 3-wheel jogging pram I got off ebay (was a valco I think) it had quite a lot of fading on the fabric and one of the handle padding bits was broken so I got it for about $50 and that's what I used to take my DD running in. It was nice not to have to drag the 'nice' pram out of the car all the time and also didn't have to worry about grass and mud etc getting stuck to the wheels of my pram and then having to put it b ack in the car dirty so worked well for me.
My sister ordered her baby jogger online from New york (I think) last year so I will check with her which store she ordered from and get back to you. I would guess there are not too many that will ship here but prams are much cheaper over there so it's worth checking out.

good luck and happy pram shopping *sigh* wish it was me!! :)

Thanks Hannahfroodoo, that would be great. I just bought the Silver Cross Pop Stroller in Wasabi! I'm so excited that I don't have to lugg the big pram around anymore!