Trying to Find Lightweight Pushchairs
Today’s mother has to be all things at all times: a yummy mummy looking fabulous in her wrap around jersey dress, calf-hugging boots and funky pushchair as accessory; a no-nonsense go-getter battling the high street crowds to bag the best deal in the nappies aisle; a career-orientated super-woman dashing around from work to crèche to work again! It’s no wonder so many mums are looking for lightweight pushchairs to ease the load!
And it’s not only the fact that our lives are so busy, demanding that we can get in and out of places quickly and without too much struggle! Baby paraphernalia weighs a ton – for your average day out on the beach, for example, aside from the towels, parasols, sun-block, picnic basket, food and drinks, you’re also going to need extra nappies, changing stuff – wipes, creams and such, bottles of food and/ or milk, toys, change of clothes, bibs – oh and don’t forget your handbag, camcorder, iphone etc… All of this on top of your bouncing, increasingly heavy (in a good way) baby! The last thing you need is a pushchair that weighs about the same as a small car! Plus, if you’re planning on taking your baby on a flight anywhere, it is going to be imperative that your pushchair is not only lightweight and compact (due to numerous airline restrictions) but also easily replaceable if it doesn’t quite make the trip in one piece.
But even when you’ve come to the conclusion that a lightweight pushchair is an absolute must have, there are so many pushchairs out there on the market, that it is hard to see the wood for the trees! Almost all pushchair manufacturers seem to claim that their products are going to revolutionise you and your baby’s lives; and half of their websites seem to be so obsessed with presenting you with images of all the marvelous future scenarios you will magically find yourself in once you get their product, that you have to spend hours clicking through to get to the basic product specs in order to find out the crucial thing you are looking for: how much does it weigh! And by the way, why are we subjected to so many different terms for the same thing – buggy, stroller, pushchair – it’s all the same thing!
So, I have decided to collate all my research together in an attempt to help other mothers with this seemingly easy decision. I have categorized reviews of the best (in my opinion) lightweight pushchair options for the following: standard pushchairs, 3 wheel pushchairs, double pushchairs and pushchair travel systems. But don’t just take my word for it – have a look at other website reviews and then go to a baby shop and try it out – borrow a baby if you have to – to really compare both the weight, but also all the other functions that are going to make your life easier.
These other functions to consider include whether the pushchair will fold quickly and compactly; whether it has good safety features such as a 5-point seat harness and easy to use brakes; whether it is ergonomically designed with built-in adjustable handles to allow people of different heights to push; and whether the underneath shopping basket is going to big enough to accommodate all your and baby’s stuff!
Make sure also to be clear about the age range for the pushchair, as many are not suitable from birth. These are fine for the holiday scenario, as most are suitable from 6 months which is probably when most first-time parents feel ready to tackle a flight with baby. Also some travel systems will claim to be lightweight, but it can be a bit confusing to compare, because you really need to compare the chassis weight on its own, and then the other additions – the pushchair seat, the carry cot and the car seat. Plus with some travel systems the seat fully unclips for you to then clip on the car seat/carry cot onto the chassis, whilst in others the seat does not unclip but folds out in such a way as to accommodate the car seat! Finally, some manufacturers will quote the weight without the addition of the shopping basket or sun hood – and what use is that to anyone! So, I have tried to make my reviews as reader friendly as possible so read on!
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Filed Under: Pushchair Advice
