There's too much choice (How to choose a pram, pushchair or buggy)

Member Name: arleek

Product:	How to choose a pram, pushchair or buggy
Date:	25/08/09 (300 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's quite good fun looking at prams

Disadvantages: Prices and styles vary too much

Choosing a pram for your baby is one of the toughest decisions you will probably ever have to make! There are that many different types available and different brands that your head will be swimming and you just won't know which one to choose.

Cost is the first thing you'll need to consider, prices vary massively and some prams are (in my opinion) way over priced, but some people like to pay for a trendy name; and some are priced very reasonably. People don't seem interested in buying second hand when it comes to prams but there are a lot available on Ebay (mine included - I have a bright red Bebecar flat bed pram which converts into a pushchair and also has the carseat with it, as well as various accessories and it hasn't had a sniff!)

When you have yourself a price margin, then you will be able to narrow down what's available straight away and will then be looking at a smaller choice.

The next thing you need to consider is what the pram is going to be used for (obviously to transport your baby). Are you going to be putting the pram in and out of the car all the time, in which case you should consider how small and easy you want your pram to fold up, or consider a travel system (one where the carseat can be placed on the chassis so the baby doesn't have to be disturbed when transferring from pram to car and back from car to pram again). Or will you be like me and mainly be on foot when using the pram, in which case you may want to go for a more traditional, larger pram which allows the baby to lie flat and have a more comfortable ride. Another thing to consider in this category is what ground is the pram going to be travelling on - pavements or cross country - here you will need to consider the wheels. Our pram has chunky wheels and is fine on both pavements and all terrain...but I know some prams are not cut out for the countryside.

Colour is another thing. I know colour doesn't matter to some people, but it did to me and I wanted a brightly coloured pram, I didn't want black, or brown or navy blue; I wanted bright. But because we didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl we had to go for a colour that would suit both, so we opted for a bright red one. You will probably find that most prams come in a variety of colours so you should be able to get the colour you want. But please think before diving straight for that bright pink flowery one (one I so much wanted to buy even though I didn't know I was having a girl) because if you then go on to having another child and it turns out to be a boy...well you'll have to start all over again on the pram hunt.

The main thing I was considering when buying our pram (apart from the colour) was how comfortable it was going to be for my baby. I was aware that babies should be laid flat from birth until about six months (depending on their strength) so I wanted a nice large flat based pram for my baby to lie in, and surprisingly enough there doesn't seem to be that many available in this modern market.

The one we finally went for was an end of line item; Bebecar weren't making anymore of this particular design. The base of the pram is slightly longer than most so I was pleased with this because my husband and I are both tall and we expected to have a long baby who would probably outgrow the other smaller prams before I was ready to convert to buggy status.

It seems that Travel Systems are the main thing on the market at the moment and I don't know what anyone else thinks but when I have looked at them I always wonder where you actually put your baby and how you actually find them when they are in there, there's that many hoods and canopies that I just cannot seen how a baby could be comfortable in there all scrunched up and surround by a whole manner of flaps and plastic.

But I do know that many of my friends have opted for this style of pram, mainly because they use the car to get about a lot more than they do on foot, so a travel system is a good choice for these types of people because they fold up and will fit in most boots and as I said earlier it is easier to move the baby in and out of the car. So if you are someone who uses the car to get about a lot, then a travel system may be something for you to consider.

Something else which I took into consideration was how long the pram was actually going to last my child before I had to buy the next stage (buggy). If you just buy a flat bed pram that doesn't convert into anything else then you will get a maximum of 6 months use out of it, but if you buy a pram that converts into a pushchair or a pramette or a pram that also has a pushchair attachment, then it's going to last you a lot longer. When your baby reaches that stage where they aren't always asleep when you go out and they want to see what's going on you are either going to have to buy a pushchair, or convert the pram you bought originally into pushchair status.

I converted ours in to the pushchair when my daughter was about 6 or 7 months and I think I used it for about a month before I persuaded my husband that we needed a lightweight buggy because I was just so fed up of trying to manoeuvre the massive wheels around tiny shops, so then this is when it became redundant...until second baby girl came along.

So you also need to consider the actual size of the pram and what tight spots you are going to try and squeeze through with it, not many places cater for full size prams. There are actually many lightweight buggies on the market which are suitable from birth (I have a couple in my possession) because the backrests recline into a horizontal position. Now I personally wouldn't buy one of these for a newborn, but for someone who is on a tight budget and who perhaps doesn't take their child out in the pram very often, then one of these would be ideal. I bought one for £45 a while back (see my Meribel review) and it's great for both my girls but like I said I wouldn't have used it for them when they were newborns.

One last thing I will say is that it is more than likely that whatever pram you opt for in the beginning, you will probably end up buying a couple more different versions as your children grow. I now have Bebecar 2 in 1 pram with carseat (completely redundant and my youngest is only 9 months), a Mamas and Papas Pulse pushchair (still using on my 9 month old) and a pink Meribal pushchair (for my 2 ½ year old when we go out for the day with her Dad).

When we bought the Bebecar, I convinced myself that this was all I would need until my child was toddling, but as I said earlier on, we replaced it with a smaller buggy before we'd even had it a year.

It's really hard to predict what will suit your requirements before you even know how your life with your child will pan out, and as circumstances change and children grow, and more children come along, needs change and different types of transport are required!

Good luck and thanks for reading, I probably haven't given any useful advice, just caused more confusion!

Summary: Every child needs a pram