Whether you are a first-time mum or it's your second or third child one of your biggest purchases will be a buggy or pushchair. As we are a very busy and active family I found in the early months I combined babywearing for shorter days out with my colourful and stylish Cosatto pram for longer days spent in the city. I still do a lot of babywearing now although he is a very solid child and when we are travelling a small and stylish buggy is essential, especially when navigating airport terminals or walking long distances while exploring new places. It of course is extremely handy to have at home too as we are consciously trying to use the car less and walking more places and with a buggy board on the back that means I can transport both my sons with ease (and no whining about how long it's taking to walk). The thing about strollers it is all comes down to personal requirements and what works for you, there's an excellent article to baby gear with some great advice and tips on what will work best for you and sometimes it can be trial and error.
The thing is personally we have already gone through 5 different buggies (passed them on to others so they didn't go to landfill) and strollers because when it comes to something like this that you are going to be using every day you need to get one fit for purpose, some are better for off-road adventures and if you like going for forest walks or to a countryside park you want something robust with good suspension. For others, you may want something cool and colourful and perfect for the fashion conscious or if you travel a lot you will need one that is light and easy to fold. Our first buggy was too cumbersome and hard to steer, the second was a fantastic 3 wheeler which was very forgiving on rough terrain but quite big, our third was a little unstable and our forth broke while our 5th has been our favourite to day as it combines a smaller size and quick fold with ease of use and stylish design but that's just our personal experience.
So I have put my top tips together on how to find the perfect buggy for you.
1. Decided on budget, this is very important as having a child can be very expensive so once you know a price you are willing to go up to research what is available within that.
2. Have a clear idea of what you want the buggy for. Will you be using it every day? Do you live in the city and need something nippy and easy to steer or do you want something more forgiving and robust?
3. Are you going to be using the buggy just for quick outings or do you want something that can recline back fully and has a comfortable sleeping position for your child?
4. Is colour and design important to you? If so I would recommend checking out Cosatto's and McClarens range of buggies.
5. Do you travel a lot and need something that can be carried on an airplane or is super light and folds down very small? Why not have a look at the new ABC Design Takeoff stroller which is ultra small and compact fold
6. Research before buying - once you know what stroller you want I would advise reading as many reviews about that type as possible. Of course, each review is personal but reading as many as possible will give you a good overview as well as pointing out any flaws that the stroller may have as well as things you may not have considered.
It can at times feel overwhelming with all the choices and buying a stroller can be a bit of trial and error but with so much choice, designs and styles there is going to be one that suits your lifestyle and personal tastes. I think as long as you have a clear idea of what style and design you like and if it suits your lifestyle needs you have done half the work of narrowing down your choices to finding something that works for you.
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