How to choose the right buggy or pushchair

• Perfect for short trips out with a newborn when you're using a car and then walking with the buggy
• If your baby falls asleep in the car you don't have to wake him to bring him into your home or transport him in the buggy
• Can be pricey but offers convenience and flexibility
• Can leave car seat in car for storage

Cons:

• Can be more expensive, although there are some budget travel systems available
• Travel-system compatible buggies tend to be bulkier than standard buggies. You may find that within a couple of months, you long for a lighter pushchair
• You'll need to fit your car seat into your vehicle each time (this can be made easier with an in-car base or easy-to-install car seat choice)
• The buggy you like may not take the car seat you think is the safest
• Unnecessary if you don't travel by car

Our buyer's guide to travel systems will take you step by step to help you find the right one for you.

Does it need to be forward AND rear facing?

Which way your baby faces in the pushchair has become a hot topic in the past few years. Research in late 2008 suggested that parent-facing (rear-facing) buggies could help your baby’s development, as it encouraged increased interaction with your baby.

Of course, if you’re a parent who would naturally interact a lot with your baby, then this is not something you’ll need to worry about. However, if you’re someone who would like to see, smile and talk to your newborn while you’re pushing him, then you may want to consider a rear facing buggy.

Once your baby becomes older, he’ll get nosey and will no doubt want to look at what’s going on around him. So having an option for both is a bonus, and there are now a number of pushchairs on the market that offer two-way facing.

Pros

• It's an opportunity for you to see and interact with your baby while walking along - great if your baby is regularly in a pushchair
• It's good to have the flexibility of changing the way your baby or toddler is facing, according to what you're doing or what your needs are

Cons

• Dual-facing buggies can be more expensive, heavier and bulkier to fold
• For some models, changing the direction can be a bit of a faff. You may have to detach the seat from the chassis, physically turn the seat around and slot it back onto the frame. However, some pushchairs, such as the Graco Symbio and Mothercare Spin, have an easier mechanism, where you simply move the handle.

Do you need swivel wheels?

Swivel wheels constantly change direction depending on the way a buggy is pushed and are great if you live in a town or plan to do a lot of shopping. The alternative is to buy a buggy with fixed wheels that only move in one direction, which is great if you want to take your buggy off road or you plan to travel long stretches on straight roads in one direction.

Pros

• Improve manoeuvrability
• Deal very well with changing direction to avoid obstacles, such as people or shopping aisle displays

Cons

• Need to be constantly steered, so can be hard work
• Can struggle to move the buggy where you want it to go, as the buggy can follow the direction of uneven ground, like a supermarket trolley

Many buggies now feature “lockable swivel front wheels”. This is where you have swivel front wheels that can be locked so they act like fixed wheels when you need.

With lockable swivel wheels, bear in mind the following:

• Fixed wheel buggies are designed with minimal weight distribution over the front wheels for better steering, whereas the weight distribution on a swivel wheel buggy is higher, so when you lock a swivel wheel it is more difficult to steer.
• When you lock a swivel wheel it is never entirely straight, so you will always get some curving.

Do you need a carrycot?

A carrycot is a box-shaped baby bed with handles on either side, which can be positioned flat inside a buggy for a newborn to sleep. There are lots of buggies available that are designed to be suitable from birth. Before you buy a carrycot, check if your buggy has a seat that can recline to a lie-flat position and ample padding, so you don't waste money. If you have a pram/buggy with a pram unit that can be attached to the frame, you won't need a carrycot, because they do the same job.

Pros

• Saves you buying a new model if your buggy doesn’t have a seat that’s suitable from birth
• Cocoons your baby from the elements
• Well padded and cosy warm
• Some carrycots can be used instead of a Moses basket

Cons

• Takes up extra storage space
• Not all carrycots can be collapsed, so can be bulky
• Only needed for a short time
• May cost extra on top of the buggy’s price tag
• Needs a separate firm mattress to use for sleeping (the one it comes with isn't suitable for overnight use)
• Time consuming moving the carrycot on and off the buggy

Do you need a large shopping basket?

The shopping basket is located underneath the buggy and the size of it can vary greatly depending on the model you choose. In days gone by the basket was usually rigid metal and was quite cumbersome, as mums often pushed their baby to the supermarket. Nowadays, most people have access to a car, so the basket under a buggy is generally smaller and made from fabric.

Pros

• Great for storing shopping if you opt for a bar handle, where you can’t get shopping bags over the handles (NB: buggy makers don’t advise you do this!)
• Carries between 2kg-5kg
• Good for carting various baby or toddler kit on outings

Cons

• If most of your shopping makes it home in your car, a big basket isn’t needed and you compromise seat size
• Shopping baskets, regardless of size, can be hard to access under the buggy’s seat
• Not many are big enough to hold more than the food for your evening meal, so don’t hunt for a shopping basket with visions of doing your weekly shop!

If you've chosen the buggy you like and the shopping basket size is too small, you can buy pannier bags, mesh bags or buggy hooks to hold extra shopping, but be careful not to overload your buggy and never leave it unattended with shopping hanging off, as it can tip backward.

Do you need adjustable handle height?

An adjustable handle moves up and out away from the buggy or down and in towards the buggy and is designed to make pushing a buggy easier. There are usually two different height positions as well as fully extended or closed.

Pros

• Easier for people of different heights to push your buggy
• More comfortable to push

Cons

• Constantly needs adjusting
• Handle can rattle because of the constant adjustment

Do you need a one-handed or fast-fold?

A one-handed fold is just that - you shouldn't need to use two hands. A fast-fold does what it says on the tin – lets you fold the buggy fast! A buggy with a fast-fold mechanism often has a button release and then quickly folds flat.

Pros

• Easy to fold while still holding your baby or your toddler's hand
• Folds quickly, so ideal for those using public transport or often getting in and out of car
• Often folds to a very compact size to fit your car boot or on a busy bus

Cons

• There is usually a knack
• The fabric of the buggy is always taut at first, so is harder to easily fold
• Not all buggies marketed as having a “one-handed fold” can be folded with a single hand. Make sure you try it!

Do you need pneumatic (air-filled) tyres?

Pneumatic tyres have an inner tube filled with air, like a bicycle, as opposed to rigid tyres, which are just solid rubber. Usually pneumatic tyres come as standard with ATPs, and are definitely worth considering if you like to push your buggy off-road.

Pros

• Offer a very smooth ride, so your baby won't be woken up going over bumps or cracks in the road
• Pump usually supplied
• Don't take long to inflate

Cons

• Do require pumping up, usually when you first buy the buggy and then as needed
• Can get punctures
• Need to let down tyres if you take your buggy on a plane

Some buggy models offer both pneumatic and rigid tyres, so you get the best of both. It is also worth keeping a puncture-repair kit handy.

Do you need something lightweight?

A lightweight buggy usually is a very basic seat on wheels and shouldn't be heavy to lift. Ideal if you want a second buggy that’s easy to throw in the car, get on public transport or holiday with. It is a great alternative to a cumbersome, all-singing, all-dancing buggy-come-travel-system that a newborn baby requires.

Pros

• Very light to push, lift and carry
• Folds quite compact
• Nothing should need to be removed before folding
• Generally lower in price
• Good if you live in a flat
• Good if you rely on public transport
• Easily fits in a car boot
• Can be taken on holiday, and even on a plane

Cons

• Not always suitable for newborn, as lightweight buggies don’t always feature a seat that reclines fully flat
• Not always hi-spec, so maybe without a shopping basket or recline action
• Not usually suitable for bump roads, as they have hard wheels
• No suspension
• Have short wheel base

Our buyer's guide to lightweight buggies will take you step by step through buying the right one for you.

Do you need suspension?

Suspension is the combination of springs, shock absorbers and links that connect a buggy to its wheels, so that it maximises friction between your tyres and the road to provides better steering ability.

Pros

• Makes for a smoother ride when off-road
• New models allow you to alter the suspension depending on the terrain

Cons

• If you only push your buggy on pavements or flat roads it isn't necessary
• Increases the price of your buggy
• Also depends on the weight of the buggy and the padding on the seat

Do you need adjustable leg/calf support?

Until your baby is sitting in your buggy in an upright position this isn't something you need to worry about. However, if you want to buy a buggy that will last until your baby is a toddler, a leg or calf support, which extends the buggy seat downwards, is something to consider. Most are extended by pulling the material down or pressing a release mechanism. This way your toddler isn't left with their legs and feet dangling mid-air until they’re tall enough to reach the footrest.

Pros

• Helps keep your toddler comfortable
• Calf/leg supports usually have 2-6 positions, so grow with your child

Cons

• Looking for this feature on your baby’s first buggy could be a waste - by the time your child needs this function they may be using another type of buggy