How many strollers does one need??

H

hkfooeyboy

Registered User
Hi all

My wife and I are expecting in February 2014 and I have been doing some research on strollers/ car seats/ cots ie big items.

Given the weight of some of the strollers, do you need more than one? I was thinking of a bugaboo chameleon as it has the cocoon/ lie flat cot and can be a seat for a child as they grow. But it's nearly 14kg which, when carrying a baby and it being modular, cannot be easy to pack. So, I assume you keep this in car for when husband can help. So, do you then need a lightweight stroller for mum when she is out by herself? What lie flat stroller is lightweight? I can't see any which will fold with carry cot or do people just use car seat/ baby carrier?

Many thanks

hkfooeyboy
 
I have the quinny zapp which can take a car seat. Both the seat and the car seat can take a new born. But it's bulky and I can't carry it + baby, so now that baby is nearly at walking stage we just bought the insanely light weight and portable babyzen yoyo which I can carry one handed whilst holding baby in the other arm. Not as good for long walks but better for buses and a toddling toddler.

We use both depending on where we' re going.
 
Aquarian, I couldn't see any combis which lie flat for newborn without using a cot/ cocoon. Any suggestions? Am about to head to bumps to bankruptcy to check though!!
 
Aquarian, no you are right. Having been to some baby shops today, the mclarens and britax's do lie flat but to be honest, they have very little protection for a new born (or am I being too precious already!!).

Bugaboo Bee looks like way to go for us. Especially as someone is giving us the cocoon and maxi cosi!

Thanks
 
I bought a very expensive Phil & Teds pram before baby arrived, it matched all my needs on paper, however my baby decided otherwise and hated it, infact all prams. If it hadn't been for the Boba carrier I was given I'm not sure what I would have done. It is only now at 6 months that he will sit in a pushchair without screaming, I gave in and bought a cheap mclaren and he's happy in that. I would wait until your baby arrives before spending big bucks.
 
hkfooeyboy said:
Aquarian, no you are right. Having been to some baby shops today, the mclarens and britax's do lie flat but to be honest, they have very little protection for a new born (or am I being too precious already!!).

Bugaboo Bee looks like way to go for us. Especially as someone is giving us the cocoon and maxi cosi!

Thanks
Click to expand...

Ah I meant the brand Combi- they're very popular here. B2b don't stock them though.
 
I have a mcclarin that lies flat and is pretty darn lightweight for a stroller that works well for newborns and toddlers. I've never felt like the baby wasn't protected in it when he has ridden in it. I also babywear a lot since it's more convenient than a stroller. Ergo baby carriers last a very long time (from newborn until somewhere between 3-4 years old when the seat is just too little to be comfortable for the child even tho they still technically fit weight wise). I have 4 kids and have owned quite a few different strollers but by far my favorite has been the mcclarin since it is on the little/light side and lays flat and collapses compactly. Babies aren't nearly as fragile as you're imagining so you don't really need a bassinet to protect them. In all honesty that's a short lived phase where they need to lay flat and isn't worth the money when reality is baby will be happier in your arms.
 
I agree with Riley. After 3 kids and a variety of carriers, strollers etc I would go for the Mcclaren quest (the latest model lies flat) and the ergo. This combo will also easily allow mum out on her own, plus very adaptable should you end up having another little darling. My 3 year old can use quest comfortably when out for the whole day and needs a rest, while my 6month old can move from quest to ergo.
 
I find Maclaren Quest OK. Its difficult when I need to open or close it when I have to carry my baby without Ergo and to use by public transport (bus and taxi). I choose Aprica lightweight if Im out by myself. It's easy to open and very very light.
 
We have the ergo but I prefer the iangel. It's loads easier to get on and off, there's less of it, so it's not so hot and the front zips off leaving just mesh.
 
Oh, I've had so many!

I bought a mamas and papas one before my son was born. There was a deal and it seemed like it matched all I wanted. It was rubbish. We were living in London then so I walked a lot so I got another one, a mamas and papas urbo. It looked nice but still rubbish to push and sold it not long after and I finally bought the expensive bugaboo bee when my son was 1 1/2.

It was a great buggy. Lightweight(ish) and very easy to manoeuvre, faces both ways and has a large-ish basket. It doesn't tips over when my son jumps out of the buggy, even when I had bags of things on the handle. The hood is not very big but I bought the summer hood and it was excellent.
I thought it was going to be last buggy until I saw a deal online on the Maclaren Volo. We were going on holiday and I don't fancy taking my ?450 on the aeroplane.

We had the Volo when we go on the underground and on holidays and used the bugaboo otherwise. It worked out fine until my son got nearer to 3. He is a very heavy baby and it was getting hard to push him in the volo for long periods. It was around that time I found out I was pregnant with my 2nd. We didn't want to get a double buggy, the bugaboo is great. It's suitable from birth without any additional parts so my 2 monkeys can share the buggy. We also found out we were relocating to HK. Knowing HK's houses are on the small size, we decided to get rid of the volo. Big mistake!

I didn't realised buggies had to be folded to board a bus and it was impossible to fold the bugaboo while holding onto my baby. HK's weather is not ideal for walking, there's just too much dust and the heat is quite unbearable in the summer. I ended up only using the buggy in shopping centres, and really there's not much point using a bugaboo in a shopping centre.

I finally sold the bugaboo and bought an Aprica. It's suitable from birth and it's only 4.2kg. It can opened and closed with one hand in 1 sec and I can carry the buggy with one hand and my baby in the other. It's for children up to 15kg but my son still sleeps in it and he's 18kg. Of cos it doesn't push as nicely as the bugaboo, and it does look like it's about to break. I think it is stronger than it looks tho.

Overall I'm pretty happy with my flimsy looking Japanese buggy. There are days I really miss my bugaboo, especially when I'm pushing my heavy son around. However, with the Aprica, I can easily get in and out of taxi/buses/up and down the staris with my 2 children.
 
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