Stroller Questions

I will be having my second baby and almost immediately be moving to London. I have no idea what to expect from the UK or from having 2 kids. Do people there use double strollers? Would it be a good idea to take one with me? What about car seats--should I buy it in the US before arriving? If we aren't planning on owning a car, do we even need a carseat  (i.e do people install carseats into Taxis?/?_) Please all the info you have woul be appreciated.

I've only had a baby in the UK.  Yes, you need a car seat for young babies in taxis - some are equipped with booster seats but those only work for older children.  As for double buggies (strollers are called buggies here), I've seen them about, but I always feel sorry for those pushing them b/c the pavements are a lot narrower here - well, a lot of things are narrower - and they're harder to manouver.  You can get a 'buggy board' to clip onto your single buggy - an older child then stands on the buggy board and rides along in between the handles. 

I see double strollers here everywhere, and also the little board on the back that the olderchild stands on, that is really cool.  I have also seen 2 moms with baby joggers that let their older one sit on the 'awning' (what do you call that head covering part?) with the legs over the handle bars--I talked to one of the moms  and she said she just did it accidentally and it worked so well, she has used it for 1.5 years like that.  A lot of the sidewalks and doorways are very narrow, so you may consider a double stroller that is one behind the other instead of side by side.  (I have a friend with a side by side, and they have to take one child out and fold it part way to get through some of the doors)

About taxi's, I have ridden about 10 times total in Taxis here (twice in Scotland and they just put my car seat as though it was luggage and I carried my daughter on my lap.

I know a lady that just had twins. She has a very compact double (side by side) stroller that doesnt look much wider than my single stroller.
My youngest kids are 7 months and 3 years. I considered buying a board for the stroller but when I went to Mothercare to buy one they told me they dont carry them because they havent been proven safe so I never got one.
Anyway if youre in the market for strollers or carseats. Toys/Babies R Us and Mothercare have a nice selection.
Best of luck!
Ricki

I have a double pushchair for my kids.  I can fit through any door but sometimes can't squeeze through a checkout line.

Since you are going to be in London I would get the pushchair here unless you can find urban style ones in the US.  The urban pushchairs and small and easy to fold up which is necessary if you are going to use public transportation.

I see lots of double strollers around where I live in London. I have also noticed quite a few people just use a stroller for the older baby and carry the younger baby in a baby carrier/harness thing.  I saw someon the other day with on where the kids sit one behind the other rather than side by side which seemed more manouverable than some of the other double buggies.  It is the law than any baby/child be in a car seat so if you plan on using taxis you will need a car seat - as far as I know most taxi firms don't provide them.

When we bought our pram we went to Mothercare where they were very helpful at showing us all the pram features and demonstrating evcerything.  They didn't  try and push us into buying any of their prams either. In fact we ended up getting one from Babies R Us.

I saw someon the other day with on where the kids sit one behind the other rather than side by side which seemed more manouverable than some of the other double buggies. 

I have one of those. It's a Graco and is easy to manoeuvre and get through narrow aisles, though getting through doorways can be difficult unless someone holds the door for me  . Bought it here.

I miss my stroller.

If you are going to be using a lot of taxis then investing in a stroller here that doubles as a car seat is wise (MacLaren make great prams). Taxis are supposed to carry car seats in their boots but rarely do.

We have twin boys (16 mths old) and a 4 year old - we use a 'Maclaren' double stroller (where they sit side by side) and have a 'Buggy Board' attached for when our 4 year old is tired.  It works very well, but as we now live in hilly Yorkshire, my wife and I have Popeye style upper arms!!!

As for whether to buy a stroller here or not, I'd guess it'd be cheaper to buy in the US, but it may be a hassle to bring it over.  We have always found Mothercare (specialist baby store) and John Lewis (department store) to be good places to test out strollers as they display a wide range, but as for actually buying the stroller, go to a local independent store, where they can order it for you and you will get much better service and often a cheaper price.  Our local store actually lent us a stroller for free while the old one was being repaired - the big stores would NEVER do that!

Getting a double stroller onto buses/trains can be a pain, as not all vehicles are properly equipped and are often overcrowded.  We managed in the London suburbs for 1 year with a young baby and no car, but I must say that life became very much easier with a car.  See how it goes and try to live within walking distance of shops/services if you don't want to rely on a car.

Good luck with the move and the second baby!

This is the stroller that I used when my kids were little...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000VSGXW/102-6496069-8079308?v=glance

I took it on a couple of trips to Scotland with me, and it held up quite well.  It was easier to maneuver than a 'side by side' tandem and not quite as long as a double 'one behind the other' stroller.  Elder dd liked the option of either standing or sitting.  On the whole, I quite liked it.

However....it is relatively heavy and bulky.  It was great when I was either walking to my destination or we got a lift in the car and I used it at our destination.  I found it difficult to fold up and take on public transport, however.  And it was quite heavy pushing up the hills (Edinburgh is NOT flat!), but pushing two kids up hills in a stroller is going to be a bit of work regardless!



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BUY YOUR CAR SEATS IN AMERICA (if you want a 5 point harness)!  (yes, I did shout that)!  The car seats made for the UK do not contain the chest clip.  Personally, I feel more comfortable WITH the chest strap.  I don't find the car seats to be any more narrow over here either -- buy them before you come.

I bought what I thought was a narrow side/side stroller (24" - inglesina "twin jet") -- easily fit thru all US doorways; but was useless in London.  Since you will have a newborn -- highly suggest a front/back stroller or sit-n-stand stroller.  By age 3 most kids are walking like troopers; although you will have the occassional "I'm tired"  BTW - I found most front/back strollers in the UK to be junk -- buy in the US; but think LIGHT!

I used my "peg prego - plinkomatic" - 2 yo would stand on the back and younger one would ride in the seat -- no buggy board needed.  Although not recommended by manufacturer.  This stroller has lasted me over 5 years, 8 countries and 3 kids.  In the UK peg prego is called "mamas and papas".

Saw a really cool stroller on another site - http://www.quinny.nl/zapp/  -- folds up really small and there is an attachment for a car seat.

Good luck with the move -- We justed moved over with an 8 week old (#3), 3 yo and almost 5 yo.  Although we had lived in Central London 3 year ago - for 1 year.

Saw a really cool stroller on another site - http://www.quinny.nl/zapp/  -- folds up really small and there is an attachment for a car seat.

That's a nice buggy, but heavens!  it is dear!!  Can't imagine spending that much on a buggy  !

Wanted to add that my Graco in-line double stroller is still quite bulky when folded. If you have a lack of storage, it's something to consider. It is rarely in the boot of the car, but when it is, we can't fit much else. I imagine the side-by-sides would be more compact when folded??

I have both a tandem and a side by side and they are just bulky and awkward when folded.  I live for the day when I can get rid of the pushchair.

I loved the tandem when my son was a baby since the one I have wasn't too big and I could fit on the bus.  I had to go to a side to side when he got older and decided that pulling his sister's hair was all the entertainment he needed.  The tandem ones don't  have much of a shopping basket either.

The smallest side by sides are umbrellla folding but aren't really up using for anything except shopping in the town.


I live for the day that I can not use the pushchair!!!