Help with choosing a Pram,Car seat & cot

[AmyP]

Hi Guys

I am a first time mum and need some help choosing a pram, car seat and cot.
I really dont want to go by what the shop assistant tells me as they are just trying to make money. I would like first hand advice form you lovely experienced mums out there. I dont want to buy somthing then realise its not practical

My biggest thing I need help with is recommended brands and features I will need but do not know about.
This is what I think I am after so far:

PRAM:
Reverse handle
4 wheeler
from infant to todler
storage
Easy to open and close

Car Seat:
Infant to todler
Easy to place baby in

Cot:
I was thinking about getting one of the cots which go from cot with 2 different hight settings , to single bed, to day bed
I have been asdvised by some people that you wont use it other than a cot and I will have to buy a single bed anyways when we have #2

Any advise will be greatly welcomed :flowerz:

[KaM]

Car seats I would go any of them in the Safe N Sound range. Preferably a taller one as that will last bubs longer and they are the safest ones in Australia.

Pram . .if your just in a car . .you could go the Quinny Range .. which comes with a bassinet and then toddler seat .. steelcraft do a reverse handle called the Enigma I think and they are great quality also. Check out the bubhub pram reviews!!

Cots . .if your going to have a few yrs between bubs then the convertible cot is a great idea. . if not .. then I think your better off with just a plain cot .. because as someone said .. you will need to move the older one out.

[RHJ]

:iagree: Safe and sound seats. Can't go past them in my opinion. Worth every sent. We bought a safe n sound safeguard. It was $149 (on special) and was a fantastic seat! The quality of these seats is fantastic.

Prams... I have always just gone with a mothers choice one. Not too expensive, but reasonable quality. My first lasted my first 2 boys... but i needed a new one for my 3rd.

But to be honest i would recommend getting a really good stroller instead of a pram. Something like a valco or something that can be layed back fully. You will get many more years of use out of a stroller than a pram. And you can put a newborn in most of them now, in wraps and stuff and they are nice and cosy!
Strollers are much better for older children, are more light weight and fit better into cars and things!


Cots, I too would just go for a plain cot. You have to buy them a bed eventually anyway, and if you are planning more than one child within 2-3 years you probably won't use that.

[leebeeag]

Carseat:
Make sure it rear faces till 12 kgs as its much safer, and be sure to keep your dear child rear facing till the maximum weight and not the minimum weight limit, even is your baby has good head control or his/her legs touch the back of the seat.Safe n Sound is the most popular in Australia
not sure on pram or cot it must suit your needs .

good luck in your hunt

[UniMum]

i got a steelcraft mainly because all 8 (double 4's) can rotate, which means you can do a 360 on the spot. it's easy to fold and all that jazz, really easy rotating handle. I think it was around the $300 mark. I have heard strollers are a beter idea tho. The pram was a gift, so i wasn't worried either way, but i would look further in strollers, purely because they are so much lighter.
Our cot has 2 heights and a changing table on top. one of the sides drop down as well. we got it on special at Toys R Us for $199. the mattress was also $100. i thoughts toys R us had a really good range for everything except prams. the prams are 'locked' to the wall so you can't play with them which is silly.

good luck