In this blog post we're going to shed some light on what all the fuss is about and also try and help you choose the best for your baby while helping you save some money.
TRAVEL SYSTEMS:
The advantages in a travel system are that it comes with a comfortable carry cot for the baby, the seat unit and a car seat, so basically all in one, but they are also expensive, in fact you could easily pay a whooping £1000+ for one. I would suggest if you choose this option to consider the main problems for mum's with a travel system:
Firstly, have a look at the car seat, is it only group 0 or more.Group 0 car seats only go up to 12 months or 13kg, there fore you would need to buy a new one within 1 year, goods car seats cost around the £300. A group 0+/1 would last for about 4 years, so therefore the highest you can go in group size, the better.
Secondly, you need to consider the pushchair, does it fold small? What people don't usually think about is that once your baby goes to nursery or playgroups you might need to leave the pushchair there, making you're life very difficult if you have a pushchair that doesn't fold small, sometimes they might tell you to take it with you because there is no space to park and you might need to buy another one, which is another £200 more or less.
So, let's do the math, within a year you would spend £1500 or more if you don't think about these things, just to move around with your baby.
Also consider this, after 6 months your baby might need to use the pushchair more than the carry cot, therefore, you might be stuck with the carry cot for a couple of years if your intention is to sell the travel system in the future.
Another thing to consider is the wheels, you need to have good non-puncture wheels or gel wheels, otherwise is another thing to spend money on, although is only around £20 for each, but considering this, don't forget to check if the travel system has warranty.
Colour is also an important thing, lighter colours can be hard to wash off stains, darker colour tend to be better or you can choose to buy a cover that you can easily remove and wash.
PUSHCHAIRS:
Pushchairs are usually from 6 months +, but there are those that are from birth. Pushchairs vary in price and they can go from £100 up to £300 depending on the brand. For a pushchair to be used from birth by law it has to lie completely flat so it allows the baby airways to stay open and the baby can breath easily. In terms of money saving this is the best option, has the only thing you need to buy is a pushchair and a car seat, it also allows you to pick one of each brand, so that you can choose the options you think it's best for your baby. Although this looks like it's the best option, we need to consider if you're baby is better off starting with a pushchair straight away or a carry cot, as your baby might prefer to feel snugly to begin with. The first thing to consider when choosing a pushchair is to see if it has inserts and a footmuff to make them feel comfortable and also if it doesn't tip over easily (I know it doesn't seem likely, but lightweight pushchairs can be quite dangerous for newborns), if you're buying online I would consider checking if the pushchair has a counter-weight embedded, what this means is that it will be hard to tip in case your toddler gets hold of it or you put to many bags in the handle.
Also consider the footrest, is it adjustable? While your baby is growing, it will need different support for the feet so it is worth checking if the pushchair offers support for the feet when baby has grown or if the feet just hang there with no support.
