Buggy advice/recommendation needed.

[snowboarder]

Heidi what is your perfect buggy??? You have to tell us!!

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Its the new maclaren!! grand tour LX! some of the extras are just plain silly but I love the way it folds and unfold with ease and Maclaren has always been one of my favourite buggy!

BUGGY its SO expensive though:(

[helena handbasket]

Jamma Wrote:

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> I wouldn't worry about a buggy lasting till 3. He

> should be able to walk by then, so he can be made

> to walk. You're going to be using it much less

> past age 2.

> And what's the worry with bumping down stairs?

I have often wondered what people do with three year olds. I assumed my son would be old enough to walk everywhere, but in reality he is not even close to being able to do a long walk somewhere, go to shops etc.., and still have enough steam to get home. We end up taking the buggy everywhere because he is wayyyyyyy to heavy to lug home if things go wrong. Plus in the traffic and with busy sidewalks and all that sometimes it's just easier to pop him in the buggy and get on with it. Safer too. He's pretty big for the buggy though, and my husband and I can't figure out what everyone else does with these giant "babies"?

[snowboarder]

wow - that maclaren sure is fancy! But looks heavy? Mothercare says it's 17kg!

Too late if you love it but was wondering about the bebe confort streety. Kind of cheaper bee. But don't know whether it folds in parent facing mode...

[Belle]

Heh heh Heidi - you are feeding my buggy obsession and I'm sure others' too! Is it wrong to call it buggy porn? Probably. I love that puschair though!

[snowboarder]

ps am sitting looking at my new buggy in the corner of the room. I used to feel this way about shoes.....

[The Nappy Lady]

LOL, thank you, thank you girls for reassuring me that I am not the only one with a buggy obession.

I have been REALLY good though and not bought any new buggy's since having baby C...went through 6 with by first daughter...still have 4 of them, but will be selling off some of the stash soon.

There are some fab buggys around now though. Don't like all the small wheel buggys so never been up for the Mclarens, but do like the look of that new one Heidi.

Has anyone seen the new Mothercare Spin...it is very cool, great if sun is in their eyes and you just want to turn them from one way to the other quickly and easily. I keep wanting to call it the Swivel though LOL.

Molly

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Helena, the maclarens range are quite good for the giant toddlers, my niece who is 4 but wears clothes for 7 years old, gets in her younger sister's maclaren buggy for a break sometimes! It is just not possible for their little legs to keep up with us adults when it comes to walks ( unless you are using a car part of the way) so a buggy is always handy.

Molly, The Streety and Mothercare spin require two hands to put down and the spin does not fold with the seat unit on. 15kgs is pretty heavy but then the Pilko, Loola etc are all about that weigh also, I can cope with lugging the buggy up and down, I just need it to fold, face both ways ( as son likes looking at his mummy for now so I might as well have a buggy that can face both ways for when he does want to go forward facing) my main issue was ensuring the buggy could fold with one hand and with the seat attach so I do not need to rely on anyone to be at home to help me thus restricting me for when I need to get out of the house and my son is so heavy that a sling is just not working ( especially with my back after my eqidural) I would get the Bee if I knew it would last until he is 3/4 but reviews do say that the seat is small so that is out. I was looking at the Loola Up but for some reason the wheels does not allow the buggy to go backwards...bit weird that.

So one hand folding reversible facing buggies are rare and few between, the Maclaren seems to cover it all but as it is new, the price is so expensive...is any buggy worth ?590?!!! It does include all the accessories but still...I could go on holiday for that!!

[Mellors]

?590?!

He will seriously not want to be parent facing very soon Heidi - can't you just make do with what you have for now (or the sling) then put him in your existing Maclaren?

I think parent facing is great when they are teeny, but its something they grow out of so quickly I wouldn't get hung up on it.

[Mellors]

Just seen your comment re sling - not even the Ergo type (which I found comfy even with bad back?)

[Pickle]

My honest opinion is that it's silly money to be spending purely to get parent facing. Both of my kids switched to forward facing at 6 months (in a Bugaboo for #1 and a Phil 'n' Teds for #2) and hated not being able to see the world from that point onwards. Keep your techno XT and go on a nice holiday :)

[Pickle]

Cross posted with Mellors :)

I suffer from ongoing back problems, yet can use a Patapum (like an Ergo) with no problems - I can still carry my daughter now, she's 20 months old and weighs close to 2 stone. Might be worth a try? Once your son is around 7 months or so you'd be able to carry him on your back which is much better than on your front once they get bigger/heavier.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Ahh, I didn't make my post clear. Because of the stairs, I NEED a buggy that has one hand folding with the seat unit attached and as I am getting rid of both buggies ( city elite has to be put together so I can never use that buggy to take my son out on my own, Maclaren does not recline all the way back so my son does not like it and he gets upset it he cannot see me) so it makes sense to find one buggy that covers everything. I have been stuck at home most days because I cannot get out of the house without someone to help me with the buggy. As Mellors knows I have stairs from outside to the front door, and then another whole loads of stairs from the front door to the first floor. That means leaving my son all the way upstairs, whilst I go down two flights of stairs to set up the buggy, then leave the buggy unattended whilst I go and collect my son and bags, its too much and especially upon returning as I normally have more bags and a sleeping son.

As for the sling, I have an ergo and connecta and my son is VERY heavy, he was near to a stone over two months ago and he must be nearer to two now, and I can manage to the local shops but my back does kill me, not to mention my leg ( I have not regain back all my feelings in one of my legs after my epidural) and at 5 months, I don't really want to be putting him on my back, I struggle enough with trying to get him on the front.

So if I sell both buggies, I only need to put a bit more towards the new Maclaren otherwise I need to keep looking for a buggy or stay cooped up at home!

[Mellors]

Sounds like you have convinced yourself ;)

I shall inspect the new snazzy buggy when you get it :)

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

IF I get it:)) I have not sold the City Elite yet, and I am still looking for a cheaper buggy because it IS too expensive and I won't be getting it if I cannot sell both buggies. There are lots of buggies I love but why oh why do the one hand folding ones usually have to have the seat removed?! The Loola UP would have been perfect if the wheels went backwards but for some reason users have said the wheels do not allow the buggy to go backwards, bit rubbish if I take the bus.

I have been spending hours and hours looking at buggies,,,,how sad!

[trinity]

Great looking buggy - are you sure it folds with seat in both directions? The video only shows the folding with seat facing away from you. I know that is key for you.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

On the reviews it said it does fold with the seat in either direction.The Grand Tou LX is also eligible for Maclaren Sovereign Lifetime Warranty, the world's first global lifetime buggy warranty, so it should for that price.

Ironic that I was moaning about the price of the Bee but this is way more.

I thought I would get more buggy recommendations though!

trinity Wrote:

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> Great looking buggy - are you sure it folds with

> seat in both directions? The video only shows the

> folding with seat facing away from you. I know

> that is key for you.

[Pickle]

Just been looking at the new MacLaren - some cool features. Although might be worth bearing these comments from one of the reviews on it (which I'm sure you've seen already):

"The Maclaren Grand Tour LX is a monster of a buggy. It weighs 14.2kg and as a result it is hard to push. It doesn?t roll particularly well and pushing it up kerbs took a lot of effort. It is also wide ? 65cm ? so small doorways and narrow shopping aisles could be a problem"

The weight thing could be an issue combined with your heavy baby... especially the comment about getting it up kerbs - you might need to be careful as this could make your bad back worse? My Phil n Teds Vibe is 64cm wide, and it's a bit of a nightmare when it comes to fitting through shop doors etc (for example, going into John Barnett this morning I had to wrestle both doors open to fit in), and we don't fit round the aisles in the Co-Op!

[trinity]

According to the Maclaren website they are at the baby show at Excel this month. Maybe you could view this buggy and some of its competitors there? (That's if you can get out of the house given your buggy problems!!)

[darlin']

Just to further confuse you....

Do you know that they are releasing an updated and improved model of the Bugaboo Bee in March??

It will have a wider and taller seat plus an adjustable hood height and the seat will recline completely flat (instead of nearly flat.)

It is listed in the new Mothercare catalogue and only seems to be ?50 more than the old model (although I still think that's a lot..but not as much as the Maclaren you have seen!)

It is called the Bee Plus

Worth considering...

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

My City Elite first wheels is about 11/12 kg and I find it amazingly easy to push, I think it is all dependant on the height of buggy, the wheels and the handle bars, I find an all in one bar so much easier to push unlike the Pliko which has two handles. The Phil and Teds are quite hard to push, I tried Mellors one the other day and I was struggling and it didn't even have any children in it!

Darlin' you have confused me! i was straight onto the Bugaboo Bee Plus website and I am very excited now, I think as the Bugaboo Bee Plus is cheaper, I shall go for that...will the extra 2 inches in the seat size make much difference? I need to get some Bugaboo Bee feedbacks from parents with big babies as that Buggy would be much more suited for me ( smaller, compact etc).

I need to work out if it will be cheaper when I buy all the bits such as the footmuff, parasol and so on, as the Maclaren includes all the extras from footmuff, to cup holder , to parasol in the hefty price.

How much is the Bugaboo Bee plus meant to be as I cannot find anything on the mothercare website.

[darlin']

It's retailing at ?459 and is one page 106 of Mothercare catalogue. I'm not sure it's on their online site.

It really does look much better as it is deliberately designed to grow with your child. I think an extra 2 inches would be all you would need. My girl is a year and a half and fits the original Bee just fine (and she is not small.)

You could always buy the extras through Ebay...although lots of them I really don't think you need.

I only wish I was getting the Plus now! But i love my Bee- best pushchair on the market I reckon.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Looks like the Bugaboo Bee Plus it is....Only one more month cooped up in the house until I get my Bugaboo Bee plus and freedom is mine!!!

Thank you Darlin' for passing on that vital piece of information to me, you have saved me some money!

[Mellors]

The width of the Maclaren would defo be an issue round here if its wider than the Vibe (which is already too wide for lots of shop doorways, hallways, and not much fun on buses). It would put me off.

The Bee Plus sounds ideal.

[The Nappy Lady]

Heidi,

Do you HAVE to buy the matching accessories? A suggestion....check out Snunkie for fantastic cosy toes - made in YOUR choice of fabric, with applique if you want etc. - http://www.snunkie.co.uk/

totally unique and personal, I love it and think it makes your buggy a bit different from every other one you see.

Wouldn't bother with an umbrella - they are useless when it comes to bloking the sunshine when mobile, a UV net or similar works much better (was a thread on this last summer).

Glad you've found a potential solution, I remember the stairs and can see why it would be difficult for you.

Molly