help choosing pram/pushchair

[happyfeet]

Hope someone out there can help me decide!!!

I'm due my baby mid june and will be returning to work beginning September.

I will have my baby, a 23month old mindee, and a 3yr old mindee by then.

The 23month old will attend two days and the 3 yr old the other three days.

The 3 yr old is fine walking but the other (who is 16 month now) has only just become steady on his feet.

He goes in the pushchair for school runs as the 5min walking distance to school took me an hr to get there and back when we walked!!

I need a travel system.
Car seat, pram and pushchair.

Ideally something that I can put a seat onto or a buggyboard for the youngest one.

I don't want a big bulky tandem type thing (def not a 3 wheeler) because there is only two days of the week that I need to be able to put two children in it. So I want one that is nice and easy to use, easy compact fold for the boot, nice to look at when used on it's own but can adapt when I need to carry an extra child.

I had thought of getting a pram/pushchair that is the one that I want for my own child (an icandy!!!) and buy a double pushchair suitable from birth to use on the days that I have two but then it's going to work out really expensive plus I haven't really got the storage space for a pram plus a double!!

I've searched and searched and would really like some advice.
I went looking for one at the weekend and even a normal single pram looks big!!
I didn't have this much trouble (or choice) first time round with my first child.

I like the look of the mutsy4rider and has loads of practical pros.
A huge shopping basket for all the school bags for my school runs and it has it's own suitable buggy board plus you can get a duo seat but I don't know what they are like to push/fold etc, or on public transport as no shop locally stocks them where I could go and try.

To order off internet without seeing it first would be costly to return if unsuitable.

Please help!!

[onceinabluemoon]

How about an icandy pear if you like the icandy?

I have one and i have to say i like it. Its a bit on the heavier side to push with two years old in it but for a baby and a 16 month old should be fine.

[happyfeet]

out of icandy the one I like would be the peach because on it's own it's a lot more compact.
Our walk to school is along a very narrow path and would need to have room for a child to be able to hold the side of the pram amd the peach would allow this.
It would work out mega bucks as would have to buy a converter to attach toddler seat and would then have to buy 2 carrycots (top and bottom are different size) so that I could use the pram part whilst toddler in seat and also be able to use the pram on it's own then buy another seat when baby outgrows pram part!!

I know they are bringing out a generation 2 peach where the seats and carrycots are equal size so you can use the same one for top and bottom which would save having to buy two but they haven't got a release date yet and I could have my baby before they are out or before I'd be able to get one (I imagine they'll have a waiting list once they are released!)

[happyfeet]

How about an icandy pear if you like the icandy?

I have one and i have to say i like it. Its a bit on the heavier side to push with two years old in it but for a baby and a 16 month old should be fine.

Not necessarily!! The 16 month old is bigger and heavier than the 3yr old and he'll be 23month old by then!! lol

[onceinabluemoon]

Not necessarily!! The 16 month old is bigger and heavier than the 3yr old and he'll be 23month old by then!! lol

lol that was a bit judgemental of me wasn't it, i have a 21 month old who's heavier than a 4 year old so shouldn't have second guessed.

The only thing i would say about the peach is that the back seat doesn't sit up properly which i would have found annoying, shame as I preferred the peach as a single, which is why i went for the pear, but it is heavy with a good weight in it.

you are always seeing peach blossoms on ebay (which actually suggests they may not be much cop, but it could be a way to try and re-sell if you didn't like?)

I would suggest a b dual but they don't fold particularly compact and look a bit daft as a forwards facer. PLus you have the baby in the basket effect which some don't like...

ummmmm, i'm still thinking on this one!

[Monkey26]

I have the B-dual and i love it as both a single and a double - it is bulky but that to me just makes it feel sturdier than the phil and teds - the big selling point for me was that both seats lie totally flat on the B-dual x

[happyfeet]

I actually quite like that one but is the second seat unit suitable for toddler or would they need to be in the main???

I don't like the idea of or the look of the carrycot on the bottom but it look's ok with carrycot on top and seat on bottom (if this was suitable for toddler as normally the older child gets the front and baby gets the bottom/back)

Also I've noticed it says birth to 15kg's (birth to 4 yrs)
He's just over 12kg's now and he's just over 1 yr!!

Will it be strong enough!!!!!

[Monkey26]

B-dual: I've had mindee's in it who weigh more than 15kg and have never had any problems don't use a carrycot so can't say which way it works best but the plus side is a lot of retailers (big, mothercare etc or small) usually stock them so could go have a walk about with one! x

[Mel_Johnson]

If you don't like a double why not use a sling for the baby and pushchair for the toddler. When your LO is bigger the toddler may be happy walking everywhere. (I couldn't get my 2year old in a pushchair he loved to walk)

[happyfeet]

I would def need the pram function (with rain cover!!).

(It can be the driest of days but if we gonna get a bit rain you can bet it will happen at 3 when you're on a school run waiting for 4 diff classes to come out!!!!)

Sling might be ok for odd time with just baby, but I know I wouldn't be able to have the sling on whilst pushing the pushchair.
I had a carrier for my first child and only used it twice.
I couldn't bring myself to 'let go' of child even though they were securely fastened to me. I'd end up trying to push with one hand to 'hold baby'.
Plus I need my hands free to lift the other mindees into the swings etc at the park and wouldn't be able to do that with a sling on.

Would need the pram so that baby could 'sleep peacefully undisturbed' (fingers crossed) while the others run round, (plus I like to run round with them and get involved in their play!!!)

It's got to be suited to my needs foremost. I'll be using it 7 days a week.

For 5 days of the week it will be solely for baby then two days with toddler.
So I do definitely need to have a pram (with basket for my shopping)

There is just so many shapes and sizes and brands (which ones are worthy??)
out there now that I'm struggling to draw up even a short list!!
Everything looks so big and bulky.


I know the toddler won't be up to walking far even by then so would need to accomodate him on pram.
My other mindee is almost 3 and I've just managed to encourage him to walk so that I only need to have single stroller for toddler at min.
(3 yr old still has buggy when at home).