Prams and cots

R

Robinson

Registered User
We're just starting to investigate prams and cots and would really appreciate any advice on what to buy/what not to buy... what to look for etc.

Seems that there is a bewildering array of choice out there!
 
Do you want a cot?

If so, how big a space do you have available to put it in? Take measurements. Go from there.


Pram - didn't buy one

Push-chair/stroller- for me, the most important aspects were ergonomic in relation to me and DH and helper

- was it light enough to carry up and down stairs (to MTR, to supermarkets, etc.) easily

- were the handles a suitable height so we did not get back strain from pushing (I've had taller friends who complained that low handles gave them lower back strain)

- does it fold up easily to get in and out of a minibus, bus, or taxi? One handed is best.
 
Getting a cot bed is good value, we have one with number 2 and wish we'd gone down that route with number 1.

Means you can convert to a big girl/boy bed without worrying about space for a new single etc. or what to do with the old cot.
 
Leah,

How big is your cotbed and until what age does it last? I am thinking of buying a small one 125cm long and 70 cm wide but i don't know until what age it will last?
 
This is what I looked for:

COT
- drop down sides
- lockable wheels
- size that is easy to get mattress and sheets
- adjustable heights
- teething rails

STROLLER
- relatively compact and light for use on public transport
- can be used from newborn (reclines flat or close to flat) until few years old
- adjustable handles
- handling and turning is easy
- bottom basket is easy to access, good room for storage
- extendable seat length and height
- easy to open and close
Also nice to have:
- comes with extra accessories
- can be operated with one hand rather than two hands
 
140x70 cm is the size of the cot bed, good til they are 4-5ish perhaps older. A smaller one will do until they are 2 years or so.
 
I've just been through this process- a useful thing to know is that there can be a 2 month lead time for some items as the shops dont hold huge stocks. Also, if they stock the brand but not the exact model, they can normally order in for you.

eg In the Bumps to babes showroom they had only 1 type of Boori cot, but they can get anyone you want. Just show them in the catalogue or online.
 
Re prams: we researched and shopped for ages for a pram that was suitable from birth - i.e. one that could lay flat - and there aren't as many choices for those as compared to prams for babies 3 months up. We finally bought one, but when our baby arrived, he wouldn't sit/lie/sleep in a pram and it ended up sitting in the corner somewhere, unused. When he got to 3 months old, he finally decided it wasn't so scary in a pram after all, so we bought a MacLaren Quest, which is lighter and smaller, which he took to happily.

Just thought I'd add the perspective of a mum who didn't have a 'pram baby' (make that a sleeping baby!) - although many, many newborns sleep very happily in prams :)
 
Thanks so much for all your comments. We've purchased a Boori cot and I'm think about getting a Maclaren XT... any comments about these strollers? It says that there're suitable from birth, but I'd really like to hear some experiences from mums/dads out there...
 
We are now thinking that we might go for one of the Graco travel systems, with the stroller and car seat. Any experience with these?
 
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