To pram, or not to pram

Hi!
Well the nesting has begun!! =D I'm becoming obsessed with the nursery, I'm quickly trying to finish the mural so I can get to the funiture rearranging and cloth sorting and all that other fun stuff!!!

Now I have 3 slings, (yes.. I did get them before I was pregnant...) anyway, I haven't even thought of a pram, infact I'm still not really thinking of getting one, cause I'm thinking I have the slings (I'm the type of person who if I have one thing that works and does the job I don't need another thing, to go with it)

I was talking with mum the other day and she was saying a pram would come in handy if say it's really hot and bub would be too hot against me, or handy to lay them in and rock them if they are sleeping all that sort of thing.

So my question is, those who baby wear, do you ONLY baby wear, or do you have a pram? and in what circumstances do you use it?? because obviously what circumstances it gets used/doesn't get used would innfluence what type of pram I get.

Thanks everyone!!

I did BW but also needed a pram... especially handy whenn you need to carry lots of stuff. It is lovely, but not always practical, to carry your baby.

We didnt have a pram for a few weeks after DD was born and i was glad to finally have one. Although she was tiny she killed my back and doing errands by myself was a hassle without the pram.

Plus we do ALOT of walking, we walk to and from the shops so having a pram is really handy for that. Also those moments when the baby doesn't stop crying you can just stick them in and go for a walk, DD loved going for walks as a newborn.

Yep we BW here but still need a pram for some things especially long walks

With DD didn't buy pram till about 10 weeks just BW until then. One thing find pram useful for is when you are out and want to sit down have coffee and eat, you can do it easy enough when BW but I was a bit paranoid about coffee on head, and they always get crumbs all over them - so I prefer to put down in pram etc to eat - some places you can put them somewhere while you eat but some places you can't. My advice would be just wait and see - you can buy when bubs is born easy enough and then you will probably have more ideas about what you do and don't want.

BW here. Only use pram for exercise :)

We got by without a pram for the first 4ish months of DD's life. They're not 100% necessary IMO. Nowadays it's very convenient for certain things, like going to dinner or eat, and when DD just wants her own space or when it's too hot to wear her (DD is a hot baby!). For the first 4 months carrying DD was a total breeze and we didn't even think about a pram.

I always took the pram and the ergo shopping, walking etc. With DD1 especially I usually found myself wearing her and pushing the pram more than 50% of the time. Sounds silly, but having an empty pram was great because I could put my shopping in it, rather than juggling arms fulls of stuff.

I certainly found around the 3 month mark when they were so much more interested in what was going on around them and sitting up that a pram was useful.

I stopped BWing mainly because of the heat whe they hit the 5 month mark. Both my kids are hot little bods, and even just nappies and tshirts they were both sweating in a sling by November.

Shopping. DS in a sling, the shopping beneath and atop the pram. It's genius.

I was ill when DS was little - when I found it hard to walk, I could put DS in the pram and push it and still get about. Sorta like a mamma-zimmer. Great for getting me to see the GP!

Also sometimes either DS or I were just over-touched and needed time apart - when we were out and about, the pram helped there.

I've worn two and have always had a pram. Especially for times other people might be helping you out. My DH is only happy to BW to a certain extent, my mum can't at all so I found the pram helpful for those times.
Exercising.
Some babies just like their own space too.

Also helpful when you are out and about and need to eat or go to the loo ;) as without a pram you have nowhere to put bub.

I plan to BW this time, at least for the first few months. At least by then DD will be definately old enough to walk short distances.

I use both (for obvious reasons). If you plan on being a mainly BWing mama I would just get a cheaper pram and have a large carrier stash :lol:

Just out of curiosity what slings do you have?

both. one of each. worked for us :)

pram was good when doing a fair bit of shopping, or eating somewhere in the middle, or when it was v warm.

carrier fine most of the rest of the time.

DH much preferred pram, and was the at home parent from DS being 9 weeks. He hardly used the carrier at all, so it was good we got both!

Also, had always planned on heaving #2 v soon after #1, so slings for 2 not workable here ... :)

I do both. Dd was worn exclusively until about 9 months old. But jut recently it is so hot at home that she has no interest in the carrier, she gets to hot and very cranky, very quickly. I still use the carrier for grocery shopping, kindy drop offs and quick trips but she prefers to be in the pram now. Ds2 was only 16 months when she was born so I used to carry her and put him in the stroller. I now have a double pram as dd is using the pram more. Dd hated the carriers until about 4/5 months old. I still used to carry her because I didn't have a pram at the time but she would scream and scream everytime we went out. She loved being in the carrier once a bit bigger though and we never needed a pram until it go hotter.

I had a pram I got before DS was born and a Bjorn carrier I got given and I bought a sling. TBH in the first 4months I mostly BW, I also hated getting the pram in and out after my c/s and found BW a lot easier. I agree with others though that it's harder to sit down and eat out with a baby strapped to your front, so the pram comes in handy then, and also as Tegam said, for exercising. In regards to buying a pram though, I would hold off till you think you need it, if I could do it again I'd save my money and BW the first 4-6months and then just get a light weight stroller. I'm currently considering selling my pram and just getting a stroller instead. Been using a cheap umbrella stroller from big w while on holidays with my parents and been pretty happy with it, DS still sleeps in it fine!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk pls excuse spelling mistakes!

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I use both (for obvious reasons). If you plan on being a mainly BWing mama I would just get a cheaper pram and have a large carrier stash :lol:

Just out of curiosity what slings do you have?

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I have a hug a bub (wrap), bubbalugga (ring), and a baby bjorn. all 2nd hand

I would strongly recommend ditching the Bjorn and getting an ergo or similar. They are incredible. I didn't use it for DD when she was little, I used a close carrier (pretty much the same as a HAB) or kleinsmekker, but the ergo now is insanely comfortable, as well as keeping bub all aligned. Bjorne are really not great for bubs hips, pelvis and spine.

I'm another that does both - putting DS in the ergo and loading up the pram with stuff during christmas shopping expeditions was gold! The drawback to exclusive wearing I found was nowhere to stash stuff other than carrying the nappy bag which quickly got heavier than DS. When we're grocery shopping I use the sling/ergo and a trolley.

Plus it's really hot at the moment so wearing him is only tolerable in places that have good airconditioning. Otherwise I end up with a grumbly cranky baby and hot and sticky myself. Will probably wear him more when it cools down a bit. This of course, will most likely be less of a problem if your bub is due mid-year.

The baby bjorn was the free one =) i cant see me using it at all actually, the wrap is my favourite, the ring I'll have to wait to try because for some reason I cant see it being secure and stable (but must be...) but yea, even though I have it i cant see me actually using the bjorn


Thanks everyone for your tips. I'd say we will need to get one...but I might wait to see what we actually need it for, and when we would be using it. I don't want to go spend hundreds of dollars on something I'm not even sure I'll use..

The HAB sounds great! I'm horrible with ring slings so I have a mei tai, a manduca and a beetlebums (on the way). I've also had a Bamberoo and Dream Carrier. There are so many options out there with carriers and prams! I have a secondhand Love n Care Europa which I use for DS (he's a runner) and DD3 while I tandem wear DD1 and DD2.

We have a couple of HABs, two ring slings, an Ergo, two prams (we only use one, the other was cheap off eBay and sucks), and two strollers :lol:

I use the slings for hip carries most of the time these days. Amelia's a bit too big for the HABs now, but tries to stand up in her pram ALL THE TIME. The strollers she's okay with, but most times she prefers to be held. I need help with the Ergo now I've worked out the back carry - I hated the front carry, but once I could back carry I was golden. Only problem is, it's difficult to get her in and out.

My perfect babywearing schedule would be:
- HAB exclusively until about 5/6 months
- Combination HAB and ring sling until bub is too big for HAB
- Ring sling until bub can go in a back carry in Ergo
- Ergo back carry once bub becomes kid ;)

ETA: Forgot to say, Amelia goes in a trolley if I need to put her down for whatever reason these days :) I just have to make sure I always have change to release the damn things!

good idea with the trolley TB! and I have a token so don't have to worry about change ;)

At DD's birth we had 5 carriers and 2 prams. Wouldn't change it!

One pram was a foldup job for the car. We didn't use it heaps, bought cheaply off ebay.
The other pram was our monster all-terrain walking pram. It was bought because of its 5kg+ cargo basket. We used it for walking to the market. In theory. In practice, baby was worn while the vegies got pushed in the pram because she hated not being attached to one of us. So a granny trolley would have done the trick. Nowadays, though, the big pram is great for market shops and long walks. The foldup job is great because it has a one-handed fold and is really easy.

We had a HAB, Close, MT, Ergo and a ring sling. DD was born in Brissie in December, and yes, she was really hot against us, but there really was no other option, as unless she was worn she was just really unsettled.

I say hold off buying and see how you go. There will still be prams for sale when Spock is earthside...

I used a hug a bub til dd was 4ish months, then an ergo. I usually will still take the pram to carry my bag or nappy bag or assorted stuff lol. Dd is 9mths now and had her first sleep ever in the pram! She has always only ever been happy being in the pram wide awake and slept in carrier. Now she's not liking the ergo as much :( don't know if its a phase, or she wants a back carry or she's just too bloody hot (she's a reality sweaty bub)

Dont forget that you know a cool person who has a pram sitting there that she doesnt need anymore that you can have so you dont have to spend money on one, and if you dont use it its doesnt matter ;)

That does sound pretty good SB, at least to test drive when we use/dont use it =P

This cool person is pretty awesome, I think most of my stuff is from her =P


ps. I hope you are having a good day and get some chilling time out. xoxoxox

oooooo, Rb you got a beetlebums? i sooooo want a HB with wings :lol:

anyway, we didn't wear DS much, but DD I have mostly worn and actually don't have a pram, only a stroller. She loves riding in it now :doh: it is handy to have as an alternative to carry things (although those pull along granny shopping trolley things are good for that too) or if it's very hot or if your child is on a wrapping strike.
And if you can get one for free.... (a layback stroller is also a good alternative if you're not going to use it much).

I didn't use the pram much early on but as she got older, we used it frequently as we walked to get groceries every few days so even if I was carrying her then I would use it to cart stuff back. So it really depends on your lifestyle a little too, as we walk almost everywhere, I wouldn't know what to do without my pram now (being 39w pregnant and having a toddler) but for the first 6months, she lived in her close carrier (had an Ergo for when she was bigger). The other upside of a pram early on is if they are asleep at someone's house or restaurant, we have set up our pram again mostly for this reason, so I can walk DD to the park etc even if baby is having a sleep or have her asleep out the backyard with us, although I guess we will see how keen this one is to sleep in the pram when she arrives!

I have a beetlebums as well to use this time, I can't waitttttttttt. We have used it a bit with DD but she is miss independent and mostly keen to walk now so rarely gives me a chance lol. So pretttttty.

At any rate, you definitely have time after bubs to assess how things are before buying one!

Yup MadB, I have traded my Bamberoo SV FB and Dream Carrier FB for a HB Beetlebums (I'm not too sure on the print but I figure it's a Beetlebums, I can trade/sell if it bothers me that much) and paypal funds :)

I needed both for sure, even though I mostly did babywearing. The thing I found with using the HAB was that when I needed to BF I would take baby out and then I needed to sit him somewhere while I retied the HAB. The pram was a lifesaver for that!

And carrying the nappy bag plus baby can get a bit much... I would do that for short trips but if I wanted to go into the city for 1/2 the day then I always took the pram. That way I could carry more nappies and water & snacks etc without worrying about the bag being heavy. Usually the bag was in the seat of the pram while I was carrying baby!

I had a granny trolley that I thought I'd use for carrying stuff but it was really difficult. I found it hard to bend right down to get at the stuff in the trolley, with baby attached. Plus there was none of the perks of having somewhere to lie baby down so the pram one over that.

Finally, going to the toilet while babywearing is difficult. Having the pram while out meant I could put baby down in there and go to the loo. Again, a lifesaver!

I bought a cheap full recline stroller because I figured I wasn't into the pram thing and I was happy enough with it in the start but then we moved further from the shops and baby was older so I bought a mountain buggy and I LOVE it. I think a good pram still goes well with babywearing.

I'd suggest finding a baby wearing group in your local area where you can try on different types of carriers before buying and have others show you safe and correct positioning of bubs in the sling.

Slings are invaluable and you'll find it useful for a long time not just the early weeks/months.

If you don't know of any groups in your area you could have a look at an aussie baby wearing forum called Kanga Collective. They have local groups listed there, you could ask if there are any in your area. I've found it really useful.

There is also a baby wearing facebook group as well.

ETA forgot to say I bought a very expensive pram for DD2 and only ever used it a handful of times, living in QLD, I don't find the heat too much of a hassle. I would much rather have spent the cash on wraps or SSC's than the pram looking back. Def go the carriers and forget about the pram unless you find you really need it.