As a Britax Ambassador, I thought hard about what tips I would offer my own sister for choosing their first pushchair. In fact, earlier this year she and her husband specifically asked for my advice on how on earth to negotiate the enormous level of choice when it comes to pushchairs. So what did I recommend?
Well...choosing a pushchair is a tricky business. Britax have a list of ideas to help you go through the thought process:
Think comfort. If you have a newborn baby, your pushchair should have a full lie-back seat unit. Not only is this the most comfortable position for your new arrival, it is also much safer and will help protect the soft bones in their neck whilst you’re on the move.
Think practically. Don’t forget, the needs of a baby and toddler are very different and they soon grow so think hard about whether you need or want to invest in a model that specifically caters for a younger baby.
Think quality. A boisterous toddler (and tired mum) can be heavy handed and you need to look for a pushchair that has good quality features that can stand a good deal of wear and tear. Will the pushchair be handed down to a new sibling in a couple of year’s time? If so, you should look for a hardwearing fabric that will work for both boys and girls.
Think about your lifestyle. Do you need something lightweight that you can easily get on and off buses? fold up quickly to put in the boot of your car? Carry up a flight of stairs? Do you need a heavy weight pram that you can pound the pavements with? with a large shopping basket for all your food shopping? Everyone's exact combinations of parenting needs different.
Think budget. Can you afford to buy a new buggy as your baby gets older? Or do you need to make sure you buy a good all-rounder? If you are planning on passing it down to siblings then you may want to spend a little more the first time to make sure it lasts.
Think storage. My NUMBER one tip for new parents is to make sure before you buy that the pushchair you choose with fit through your front door (if you want it to!) and fit into the boot of your car with ease.
Earlier this autumn my sister came over from France for a visit and I gave her a whirlwind tour of the main features of a pushchair. I showed her the Britax B-Motion 4.and told her all the reasons why it suits my lifestyle. More recently we've had a chance to try the Britax B-Motion 3 which will be going to live with her and lovely Luna when I go to visit them. I just KNOW the B-Motion 3 is going to be perfect for her too as it is suitable from birth, practical, hard-wearing and compact.
