top toddler transport

It’s an exciting and stressful time when your little one arrives as there is so much to think about, and getting the right baby pushchair, buggy or stroller is a really important choice you have to make. Where do you start?

There are so many brands and styles of baby pushchairs on the market, from designer buggies to good, old-fashioned pushchairs. Whatever you decide is right for you and your baby you want to get value for money as well as durability and manoeuverability, as you’ll want to be able to go anywhere with your buggy. And bear in mind a buggy or pushchair is the one item that your baby probably won’t outgrow for 3 or 4 years so it is worth getting one that is going to last.

Buying a baby pushchair or buggy is an investment so you’ll need to spend some time researching before you buy, especially if it’s for your first child and you’ve never had any experience of choosing one before. There will be lots of things that you need to consider that you’ve probably never thought of so it can be quite an overwhelming process. That’s why it’s a good idea not to do it alone and to talk to other parents who’ve been through the whole process, or spend time looking for advice online or in books.

Just some of the things you need to think about are your needs, such as when and where you will be using the pushchair and whether you need to travel with it:

• Does it need to fit in your car? - some larger buggies do not fit easily in small cars.
• Will you take it on public transport? - Is it easy to fold? Is it heavy?
• Where will you keep it at home, how much space have you got to store it when you’re not using it?
• Will you be going shopping with it, is it the right size to fit through standard size doorways?
• What terrain will you be using it on – in the city or the countryside?
• Will you have to manoeuvre up and down stairs? Some buggies are heavier than others and some are designed to be very manoeuvrable.

There are lots of other things to consider as well, one of the most obvious and important questions is how many you children you have and whether you need to be able to push them all in one pushchair or buggy? You need to think about your baby’s age as a newborn baby needs to be able to lie flat and therefore baby pushchairs need to have a lie back position.

Alternatively some pushchairs and buggies have the option to attach a carrycot to create a pram. As your baby grows their needs will change so it is a good idea to get a buggy that caters for these changing needs, this way it is more cost effective as you can use the same pushchair for a baby and a toddler.

You also need to decide whether you want to be able to see your baby when you’re pushing the buggy as some face forwards and some face backwards, or some models have the option of facing both directions so you get to choose and vary the seating position. When your baby is younger they may feel happier seeing you and as they get older they can face the other direction to take in their surroundings.

There are many other things to take into consideration when buying baby pushchairs so the best advice is to try some. Different brands will have different operating systems and some that you like the look of might be difficult to use. Weigh up all your requirements and set yourself a budget, then look around and find the best one for you and your baby.