I don't really want to fork out for a bugaboo, but it does seem to be light, solidly built etc. Is it worth it?

Also looking at a Micralite and Cybex Callisto. I need something quite lightweight as MrsP has a bad back and can't carry anything too heavy

I know it is a difficult question, but what are best? Needs to be a from birth one

We got a Mamas and Papas something-or-other on Freecycle. Check that out would be my advice as the things cost a fortune.

Bought a bugaboo (horrified at the price) and have not regretted it at all. It has done 2 kids and a lot of miles, on and off planes, in and out of the car without a great deal of care and it is still going strong. I had to buy a new set of wheels for £50 at some point, but now it looks like new and I think I'll be able to sell it on as well.
If you are planning on having another kid later, I think it would be a good investment.
BTW the wheels died because they did a lot of miles in salty scandinavian winter walking, not just the odd trip out. I would guess it had covered a few hundred miles when they gave up.

I might be stating the obvious, but MrsP should be pushing a buggy you don't carry them? If she has a bad back, the weight of the buggy will be the last of her worries when she has a baby which rapidly becomes a wriggling toddler to cart about.

We bought a Phil&Teds sport a year ago and its the best we've had

Ziko Frankie, I thouught it was too heavy, wheels squeak and get jammed by grit. but my wife loved it after she had had a caesarean.
Quinny Buzz, lightweight but feels it. struggled onced our daughter was over 15kg.
Quinny Zapp, heavy to lift out the boot and setup but really easy to push once its up.

Quinny customer service is excellent we had problems with the gas sping on our Buzz which we had bought second hand and they fixed it for free.

When our second child was born we got a whole travel system from Mothercare I think it was. It was comfy for him, but a massive buggy which took up most of hte boot. After about 6 months we bought a wee fold up buggy (umbrella do they call them?) that we've had far more use out of. The best thing about the travel system was being able to put the car seat straight onto the buggy without waking the baby up. Now there is another one on the way, I have my eye on a Maclaren XTR I think it is, folds up very small but you can fix a car seat to it so best of both worlds.

It is the lugging around, putting in the back of the car, carrying up stairs that she is worried about, but it may just be she is allergic to heavy things and makes me carry everything. I hope she will be less allergic to our child!

We have a Maclaren XLR which you can indeed attach a Recaro car seat to. It does fold up but still takes up quite a bit of space in the boot of the car.

We also have a Chariot which is my preferred means of transporting the nipper around now that she doesn't kick up a fuss when being transferred too and from the car seat.

?

😉

Mountain buggy terrain. Great but of kit. Walked all of the Malverns / Forest of Dean etc.
Not the smallest or lightist of buggies but strong as boots stable & kids loved it which what really counts.

Something by Jané or similar got our vote as it includes a car bed rather than just the back crippling for the baby on long journey's maxi cosy.

The car bed can also be used in an upright position like a maxi cosy and doubles up as the pram bit that goes onto the wheels. Wheels are good…3. disc brake etc.

Now used in pushchair mode now and again but we mostly use the backpack. When E was a baby we didn't use the pram mode much either just used a baba sling. Car bed works great. Means weekends away with long drives no problemo.

Happy lifes.

Which bit is the "car bed"?

The Loola from Bebe Confort is worth checking out. Folds smaller than probably anything else, carry-cot for when they're under 3 months is good but a pricey add-on for a couple of months use. It has car mounts so they can travel in it also, far more comfortable for them. The car seat clicks onto the frame.

Failing that I can recommend the Phil & Ted, not just because it can carry two (should you need it), but because the coccoon thing it comes with is spot on for babies from birth.

We've had both the above & given the choice it would be the Phil & Ted every time. You'll soon get pee'd off with a buggy with tiny wheels should you go off-road, but the McLaren's are very well made..

We have a M&P Pliko P3 from freecycle so didn't cost a penny.

It's not the lightest thing in the world, but I can lift it one handed into and out of the boot, it doesn't have a seperate pram unit, but the base reclines fully so you can use it as a flat pram, great for from birth, you can also replace the pushchair part with the P3 car seat should you wish.

I have not used it yet as baby is not yet due, but have tested that I can collapse and expand it with one hand – which I figured was a useful test

We have also got a Jane matrix carseat (also from freecycle) which is a lay falt car seat so for longer journey's is better for the babies back, it is quite heavy, but can be used as a moses basket style bed if you are staying over and don't want to take a travel cot. The Jane also can form part of a travel system.

Hope that helps

The Jané matrix that tinkerbelle mentions is what we have but with the wheels. We bought it 2nd hand off ebay.

Etienne used to sleep in it when we were camping as well. Great multipurpose piece of kit.

We've got one of the original Bugaboos and are onto our second child with it. Never really regretted it despite the price. Bought some snow wheels for it last year and it really is quite good off road as well.

Our second pram is a baby jogger

Still well made and pretty light. There is an adaptor kit so you can use it with the Maxi Cosi carry cot/ car seat things when they are small. Best thing about it though is there is a fabric handle at the back of the seat. Pick it up with this one handed and it automatically folds up if you lift it. It's pretty flat for throwing in the boot and the wheels come off easily (easier than the Bugaboo) to make it smaller or for dog muck removal duties. It also reclines to nearly flat which is good if they go to sleep.

Good video thing here which shows it being folded up one handed so you can fold it and carry your child, not many out there let you do that. It is as easy as the women makes out.

Maclaren Techno XT
Has done us right for nearly 5 years, light and packs down well.

Our Qunny Buzz dropped to bits pretty easily, heavy too

BMX pushchairs, we call them in the shop.

Watch out for non-standard sized wheels if they have inner tubes. We had a buggy the other day where the ONLY source for tyresa or tubes was the manufacturer in New Zealand. (ISTR it being a Phil and Ted's chair… PITA if you go for country walks and get thorn punctures.)

I've heard the Quinnys are style over substance, in fact we were all set to buy one but the woman in the shop steered us towards the baby jogger and so far she's been spot on.