How to choose a pushchair

Your pushchair will be your everyday companion from the very first weeks: walks in the park, shopping, visits to family. In the shop most pushchairs look much the same, but the differences show up in the first few days — when you have to fold it, carry it up the stairs or push it along a bumpy pavement. Here are the questions that will help you choose the right model for your family.

Start with your daily routine

Before comparing models, answer a few simple questions:

• Do you walk a lot, or mostly get around by car?
• Is there a lift in your building, or will you carry the pushchair up the stairs?
• How much space do you have at home or in the entrance to keep it?
• How big is your car boot?

Your answers decide what matters more to you: stability and big wheels, or low weight and a compact fold.

Carrycot or seat unit

In the first months a newborn needs to lie flat, so a pushchair used from birth needs either a carrycot or a seat that reclines fully flat.

• A carrycot is a separate unit that clips onto the frame. Your baby lies completely flat, sheltered from the wind, and it is easy to settle them for a nap on a walk. It is made for the first months: the Ocarro 2 carrycot, for example, is for babies from birth to 6 months.
• A seat unit lasts longer. As your baby grows and starts looking around with interest, you raise the seat back.

In our shop the Ocarro 2, Strada and Flip XT2 pushchairs are sold together with a carrycot, so you have both options from day one.

Parent-facing or world-facing

In the first months many parents prefer their baby to face them: it is easier to keep an eye on them and talk to them, and babies are often calmer when they can see their parent. Older babies usually enjoy watching the world go by. That is why a seat that can face both ways is so useful. The Flip XT2 seat, for example, can face you or the world, and the pushchair folds with one hand in either position.

Fold and weight

You will fold and unfold the pushchair several times a day, often with your baby in one arm. In the shop, be sure to check:

• whether it folds with one hand or needs two;
• how much space it takes up when folded;
• whether it fits in your car boot (measure it beforehand);
• how much it weighs: if you will often carry it up stairs or lift it into the boot, every kilogram counts.

For comparison, according to the manufacturer the Ocarro 2 weighs 13.9 kg, the Flip XT2 10 kg and the lightweight Cruise buggy 8.3 kg. A heavier pushchair is usually more stable and gives a smoother ride; a lighter one is easier to carry.

Wheels for city pavements

Pavements are not always smooth: kerbs, tiles, potholes, slopes up and down. In these conditions it helps to have:

• large, wide wheels that roll over bumps more easily;
• good suspension, so your baby is jolted less;
• a reliable brake that is easy to put on with your foot.

Lightweight buggies with small wheels are great for travel and short trips, but for long daily walks a sturdier model is more comfortable.

Basket, hood and handle

• Basket: the space under the seat holds the changing bag, shopping and a rain cover. Check not just the size but how easy it is to get things out when the seat is reclined.
• Hood: a large hood shades your baby from sun and wind. The Ocarro 2 and Cruise hoods, for example, are made with UPF 50+ fabric.
• Adjustable handle: important if parents are different heights. The Strada and Flip XT2 have height-adjustable handles.
• Bag: baby essentials are easy to keep in a separate bag or organiser that clips onto the pushchair.

A buggy as a second pushchair

Once your baby is bigger and sitting up confidently, many families add a lightweight buggy for travel and quick trips out. The Cruise buggy has an umbrella fold and front suspension. When choosing a buggy, check the age it is designed for.

In short

• Suitable from birth — with a carrycot or a fully flat seat
• The seat can face you and the world
• Folds easily and fits in the car boot
• Its weight is comfortable for you to lift
• The wheels and suspension suit your pavements
• The basket is big enough and easy to reach
• The handle height suits both parents

You can browse Mamas & Papas pushchairs and buggies in our online shop, and try and compare them in our stores in Yerevan Mall and Dalma Garden Mall, open daily from 10:00 to 22:00.