Baby Travel System is the modern term for Pram and car seat as in how your baby is going to go out and about. Babies are so delicate and soft that they need well supported travel systems. I personally bought one incorrect car seat which was suitable for babies from newborn till the age of 1. It was convenient for me as I was able to carry the baby in the car seat in and out of the car, but my baby hated it. He will be terribly upset in the car seat and wouldn’t sit in there for even 5 minutes. I literally stopped travelling in car for some time.

I had to buy another car seat which was so much better than the old one and it can used till the age of 4. This is the kind of car seat which can’t be carried around, it needs to be in the car all the time. My kid liked it and he would even have his naps in there without any issues. What I want to point out that sometimes we invest in something that we think will be good but you never know. The little boss only knows what he/she wants.

Car seats

Newborn Car Seats:

Newborn babies have incredibly soft head and their neck is not strong to support their little head, their back is delicate too so in short, they need a supportive seat to travel in car.

Typically, parents for the first year of the baby’s life buy one of those car seats that you can easily carry in and out of the car and can be put on the prams with the adapters. If this system works for you then it can be life saving as then you don’t have to wake the baby if the baby has gone for a nap in the car, you can walk around in pram using that car seat and not have to carry the carrycot.

There are some other car seats that can be used from newborn stage till the age of 4. These are bulky car seat that can’t be carried around or taken in and out of car, but they are super cosy (at least I think so). Some of them can swivel 360 degrees and can be reclined as the car seat can be all flat if the baby/toddler wants to nap. This one might not be convenient for parents but the best option for babies. I can say that as when I changed the car seat to this then he was more relaxed and calm but I know every kid is different.

Some examples of car seats are:

Boots – Car seats

Halfords – Baby car seats

Tips for buying a car seat:

• Check if the car seat you intend to buy can fit in your car well. If you intend to buy a swivel one then it should be able to move the full circle comfortably.
• Choose a car seat that will grow with your kid. On a long run it will sav eyou money and the baby is already used to it so no changes for him till he can choose one for himself after toddler years. These car seats need to be in the cars all the time.
• Ensure your car has isofix base installer.
• If you want to buy the infant car seat that is used for the first year where you can bring the car seat in and out of car then make sure that the car seat is compatible with your pram. You may need to buy the adpators to help put it on the pram.
• Always try and invest in a new one if you can as the new ones always follow the latest regulations like isize etc.
• Check all the safety features are incorporated like 5 point harness and how easy it is for you to lock it and unlock it, side impact protection, and so on.
• The seat should mostly be flat to support the newborn head, neck and back.
• Check the guidelines of the car seat manufacturer on how long the baby can sit in the car seat for. E.g. Our car seat manufacturer mentioned that a baby shouldn’t be in a car seat for any longer than one and half hours and should take a break in every 30 minutes. I always followed that guideline but my kid made sure that I did as he hated to be in the car seat.
• Make sure the installation is easy or there are good instructions to follow.
• To ensure if the car seat is suited to your baby or not, follow the below guidelines (rom RSA website)

RSA (Road Safety Authority) – information on types of car seats

See more information in below links:

NHS.uk – child car seats and child car safety

Smyths toys has a good buying tip.

RSA (Road Safety Authority) – guide on buying a child car seat

You can even join a facebook community – car seat advice UK for help.

Independent.ie article on how to choose the right car seat.

Pram and Pushchair

Pram is the term for carrycot on wheels for babies which is suitable from birth to 6 months where they need to lie down.

Pushchair is the term for the chair that can go on the wheels and babies more than 6 months where they can sit in both front facing and rear facing.

There are so many choices for this, my God, I was so confused for so long. There are options for all kinds of parenting requirements, practical parents, fashionable parents, branded parents and so on.

My criteria were a bit on the practical side like:

• if the carrycot was approved for overnight sleep for the baby
• easy to move around and manoeuvre on city road but
• not too heavy so that I can carry it around
• Carrycot was big and suitable if the baby was a big baby
• Big basket underneath so that I can put the nappy bag and other essentials in there

At that time there were so many options and I wanted either Uppababy Vista or Mothercare but I went with Uppababy Cruz as it was on offer (that was the cheap side of me). It is very similar to Uppababy Vista, the big differences were:

• Vista’s wheels are bigger than Cruz’s so easier to manoeuvre and
• it supports double buggy (in case you decide to have another baby soon)

Guidelines to consider when investing in pram:

• If it has both carrycot (where the baby can lie down) and pushchair (where they can sit both rear facing and front facing)
• If the pram with wheels can fit in your car boot
• If you are planning for another kid and if it is going to be soon after the first one, then check if the buggy can be converted into double buggy  
• What terrain you will be using the buggy on – city roads or woodland. City roads are smooth, so small wheels are okay like Cruz but to walk in woodland or grass you need big wheels like Vista or Bugaboo Fox.   
• Check the basket available underneath the chair or carrycot
• Also check if you can fold it all so that it will take up less space unless you have plenty of space at home, so this point is not valid for you  
• If you are planning to let the newborn baby sleep in the carrycot then ensure that it is approved for overnight sleep
• Check if the pram is compatible with the infant car seat and what adapters you need. I didn’t need it as I used the big car seat that stays in the car permanently.
• How easy it is to fold the pushchair.

Check out the reviews of various prams and pushchair in below links:

Madeformums.com

Telegraph.co.uk

Everymum.ie – advices on choosing a buggy by real moms

mumsnet.com – reviews on baby travel system

Sling/Baby Carrier

Stretchy wraps or Slings or Baby Carriers are great way to carry baby around, if you get one that are ergonomically correct that can be used to carry a newborn then it will be easy on your back. Breastfeeding babies can feed from in there too. Parents can have their hands free while babies can chill in slings.

Babies feel safe in slings or stretchy wraps as they remain close to you, can hear your heartbeat and when you move or walk around, it imitates their environment in womb. These are great for keeping your handsfree while you can do house chores or just go for a walk.

There are some safety guidelines that must be followed if you decide to wear your baby:

• Follow ‘TICKS’ checklist: This was developed by the Consortium of UK Sling Manufacturers and Retailers.
  • Your baby should be in a position Tight enough to hug you close
  • Your baby should be In your View at All times – you should be able to see your baby just by glancing down. Face should be tilted a bit upwards.
  • Your baby should be Close enough to Kiss. You should be able to kiss by tipping your head forward.
  • Keep your baby’s chin off your chest. Your baby should never be curled so his chin is pressed on to his chest as this can restrict breathing.
  • Your baby should be held comfortably close to the wearer Supporting their back in its natural position. Ensure their tummy and chest are against you. If a sling is too loose, they can slump which can partially close their airway
• Don’t use loose fabric as babies can slump which can close their airway partially.
• Check the weight guidelines so that you can keep changing the positions based on your baby’s weight or see if it will suit your baby.
• Don’t zip up your coat over your baby as it may suffocate the baby.
• Wear your baby high up as it will be easier on your back. This also ensures that the baby is closer to your face so that you can check on them.
• Ensure that the newborn’s head and neck are always supported. Don’t let your baby slump. Keep their spine as straight as possible but not too tight as they have a natural C shape.
• Make sure baby is wearing the right kind of clothes – not too hot or too cold. As the baby will be closer to you so they will be getting the warmth.  
• Don’t let your baby’s legs dangle, this could risk your baby to develop hip dysplasia. The baby would be in M shape where their bottom and hamstrings are supported by the sling. 
• Baby should be facing you for the first 6 months.
• Don’t keep a newborn in a carrier too long. Keep checking that your baby’s hips, thighs, head, neck, and back are well-supported and that their arms and legs can move freely and their airways are free.

For more details on the safety guidelines read the below links:

Carryingmatters.co.uk – how to use a sling safely

motherandbaby.co.uk – reviews on best baby carriers

You can see some examples of Stretchy wraps in below links:

Jojomamanbebe

Earthmother for stretchy wraps

You can contact any baby wearing group to show you how to put it on with the newborn. One of the tutorials on YouTube is below:

Carryingmatters.co.uk – stretchy wrap photo tutorial guide