3 in 1 or 2 in 1 push chairs?

H

Harsha

Registered User
Hi

I'm expecting my first child in June and starting to slowly start thinking about equipment..

Can anyone advise the what they think the most practical solution is for getting around HKG with baby? There are loads of push chairs/ strollers on the market and its very confusing to decide what to get.

I live in mid-levels and will be walking and using taxis quite a bit. With this in mind, how useful is a new born carrier (ie Maxi cosi) to attach to the stroller? They seem quite heavy (with the baby in them of course) - is it easier to use a sling when getting in and out of cabs?

I have a bad back so am keen to get a light push chair and carrier - but have been warned that when walking up hills the light models do not seem sturdy enough.. I would prefer not to have to buy too many push chairs either (some of my friends have 3!)

Any comments/ suggestions/ ideas on what I should invest in?
 
My advice is buy the lightest stroller you can, and make sure you can collapse it with one hand.
Every bit of weight makes a difference, especially by the time your baby is 10kg!

I've used the Graco EDT since birth, and my son is now 17 mths and it's still great.
I love the fact that I can still pick it up, 12 kg child still strapped in it and navigate the multitude of stairs that you constantly come across, living in the midlevels.
I've always found it sturdy enough for anything in HK.
Also easy to collapse and carry with the shoulder strap, while you carry your baby up the stairs when you find yourself stuck on a section of the escalator during maintenance.

It is always a surprise how rarely people will help you in this town by simply picking up the front of a stroller to help you up or down stairs.

Used to push it up the morning trail to the peak, and it was fine.
If anything it was better than the heavy jogging strollers other friends were having to push up!
 
We find a sling (ours is a Mayawrap) to be easier than a stroller. I think someone on this forum uses the Mayawrap with a bad back, so hopefully they will chime in.
But we do have a stroller and we looked for light-weight, one-hand collapse and the ability to squeeze through the MTR turnstiles.
 
I would say a sling is probably best getting around, especially in the beginning. my only suggestion is you could also look into using the car seat with a snap and go stroller which is a really nice option for when you are taking taxis as you already have the newborn in the car seat and can just use it with the seat belt. I used the graco snug ride (a seat belt works without the base) with a snap and go frame (very very light weight, fold easily with one hand). I found it very helpful when we took taxis in NYC and you can use this until they are anywhere from 6-9 months.
 
harsha,
My daughter is turning 18 mths and i totally agree with Matty. you will regard once your child grows older cause I'm a owner of 3 strollers. I brought a A3 Italian peg-perego when my daughter was born cause my husband & I wanted a stroller suitable from birth which is big, comfortable and most importantly SAFE. Weight wasn't own concern at that time. I enjoy going out alone with my daughter and taxi was our mean of transportation. Not many taxi driver liked us cause they always waited long time for me to get on/off. Some even mentioned that i shouldn't buy such a BIG stroller. And i always needed someone to carry the bb when i fold the stroller. So my family/ friends had to wait for me at the shopping mall or home. The good thing is you could go shopping and have everything inside the large net under the stroller. Now i sold it and bought a lightweight Maclaren.
my mother babysits my daughter during the day and she uses the japanese brand "combi" (approx. 4kg) cause there are also staircases where we live. And european brands (range from 7-10kg) are too heavy for her to carry. My mum also have a bad back. However there's basically no storage capacity. btw, the model i own have small wheels so I suggest you look for models with bigger wheels.
 
Getting around HK with a pushchair is very difficult....not least because many people are reluctant to help you up stairs, in and out of public transport.

Taxi drivers are the worst and are not above tutting as you struggle with baby, pushchair, shopping etc.

We have the bug cameleon which I love but my husband hates it because it is a pain on public transport and does not fold easily or into something small.
However when my son was small we used it for the maxi cosi because I personally refused to take him in a taxi in a car seat....there are no laws in HK requiring infants/children to be in a car seat, but that does not mean it is safe.
Plus we live in db where the bug is great.

Sometimes if we are out and about with public transport we use a maclaren volo which my son hates, he won't sleep in it, and it's uncomfortable to push, and he can feel every bump in the road- whereas the bug glides over everything.

I would suggest going for a maclaren, anything but the volo. They are easily folded and relavtively lightweight.
 
Thanks for all you suggestions everyone! I still feel a little lost (especially when I went stroller shopping the other day!).

I may have to pick your brains some more in the future..

Harsha
 
I second the Graco EDT! It's very light and managable in hk, we live in midlevels in a chinese walk-up and find that its ok for even 1 person by themselves + baby, I am now almost 6mth pregnant and can still manage alone. I also have the bugaboo cameleon but definately can't manage it up and down stairs or around central by myself. haha i think your best bet would be to shop for a stroller with a 25lbs bag of rice so you get a really good idea about how much the stroller + baby will eventually weigh!! lol it's really heavy!!! good luck!
 
sorry forgot to metion that I used a sling for the first 6mths until my son was too heavy for me to carry for extended periods of time. after getting the EDT i was kicking myself for not getting it sooner! We had bought the bugaboo before our son was born and still love this stroller but use it only when we travel to canada, australia or more baby/stroller friendly countries :)
 
Thanks for the tip MilkMonster! I have been wondering if I could do that myself.. but am sure I'd get loads of strange looks in Bumps to Babes!

Can you attach a car seat the Graco ECT? I was hoping to get a whole travel system, so that its easier to transport the baby when its asleep. (& to use the car seat as a normal seat in the flat).

I'm actually going to the US in April and hoping to buy the stroller from there - has anyone got any suggestions where to go baby shopping in NYC?

I'm 6 months pregnant myself (due end of June) - have you joined a due date club for lunch?

Harsha
 
There are plenty of places. Buy Buy baby on 7th and 26th - http://www.buybuybaby.com/default.asp?order_num=-1&. Planet Kids (103rd and Broadway - they also have a location on the east side in the 80's and Lex I believe - http://www.planetkidsny.com/). Babies r Us in Union Square. Albee's 95th and Amsterdam - http://www.albeebaby.com/. You may also want to check out a new swing they have now that lets you put the car seat in the swing holder and just use that as the swing. a friend has it in nyc and it's saves a lot of space.
 
Hi Harsha, no haven't joined the due date club yet! I have been meaning to...maybe I'll come a long for tea!

"Can you attach a car seat the Graco ECT? I was hoping to get a whole travel system, so that its easier to transport the baby when its asleep. (& to use the car seat as a normal seat in the flat)."

No, you can't attach the car seat to the EDT. I found I only used the carseat (with the bugaboo) until my son was 6mths because it was just too heavy. I think the travel system is nice if you live in the states/canada but too large for hk (IMHO).
 
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