Buying a pushchair for Grandparent's Use

Some let you turn the child from backwards to forward facing once they are inquisitive. I think they like to see where they are going and you can chat to them about things you see as you go.

Ask the parents. No doubt they’re up to date on what’s available and what they’re comfortable being used for their child.

It depends how much you’ll use it. We looked after the grandsons a lot, but mainly at theirs, so just used their carefully chosen travel systems. When the boys came to us, the travel systems generally came with them. There was no need to spend loads on something that would take up lots of space while gathering dust, but we did get a basic fold up type for emergencies from Amazon, based on its good reviews. I can’t even remember the make - it went to the charity shop last year. It got very little use here but was borrowed regularly by the family whenever they went on holiday.

Many of my doula clients favour the Yoyo Zen (there are several models) for compact packability. One of the models can actually go into the overhead lockers on a plane.
But if you plan to go cross-country you need to check out the all-terrain three-wheeler models with large wheels. They are wonderful!
Bugaboos are notoriously hard to fold. One of my clients found herself standing next to her car on a busy pavement one day shouting into the air, "Is there anyone here who knows how to fold a Bugaboo?"
Fortunately, she was in Chiswick so was surrounded by helpful yummy mummies in minutes.

sarahcyn

My preference has always been Silver Cross had them when own kids were babies and toddlers bought one for our 1st DGD, Sold on gumtree when she grew out of it. And am currently looking a them again for newest DGD

When my first grandchild was born I went out and spent a fortune on everything brand new but I soon learned that lesson. My grandson buggy I actually bought off a lovely gran on facebook that she had only used for her granddaughter and after that if she was selling stuff she would inbox me and ask if I needed it before she put them up for others. If it’s only for once twice a week it’s not worth buying brand new. When my youngest granddaughter was born her parents bought one of those that did everything buggy/pram car seat etc so they bought the frame with them as the car seat was the pram too. Before you go out and get these things speak to the parents to see what they buying for

The one I hit for my grandson was a bugaboo. Marvellous thing. Very expensive but worth every penny. The miles I walked pushing him in that pushchair. Very happy memories. He’s 13 soon! 😍

Seadragon, I’m so pleased I’m not alone in hating to see children in forward facing buggies, whilst the parents are on their phones not engaging with the child.

The one brand I would avoid is the Quinny brand my DS bought one of their travel systems at his partners request and the only thing in its favour was that the child was facing you. The buggy itself was complicated and horrible to push.

Like others, I suggest that you try to find one that is easy to fold. If you're on a bus and need to fold it in a hurry it has to be simple. It also needs to be light to carry and narrow enough to push easily through doors, bus corridors and gaps
I used to like the ones that folded down to the size of a fat umbrella like MacLaren rather than the ones that have trays underneath as they make the folded size too wide and need to be emptied to fold it.
I had a quick look at the John Lewis site and they have several inexpensive, simple ones with good reviews that fold into a stick shape:
Joie Baby Nitro Pushchair
John Lewis ANYDAY Everyday Stroller

I should add that my DiL bought one of those those insanely expensive buggy "systems" that had different uses and it was fiddly and time cosuming to dismantle or fold. The only good aspect was being able to use the same seat in the car, but the main buggy was much too big to use on public transport.
In the end she bought a straightforward second hand Maclaren as it was easier to use when taking her daughter to nursery by bus.

You might like this at John Lewis:
www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-anyday-everyday-stroller/p110235472?s_share=jlappdroid
I got this abd used it since my grandaughter was born as it fully reclines and goes easily in car. She's now 2.5 and wants to walk or run everywhere but handy to put in car. You don't need to spend a fortune....

I am a childminder as well as being a grandparent. As you are in a village/countryside and walk a dog I would definitely get one with bigger wheels that can cope with bumpy ground/footpaths. Buy 2nd hand and get one that can be both forward and parent facing. Either Bugaboo, Silver Cross or Joie are good makes, the latter being more towards the budget end but well made, they also do good car seats. As a setting (we have 6 young children here each day as I work with my DH as my assistant) we have a Bugaboo Donkey & a Mountain Buggy Duet as our double pushchairs, with the versatility of the donkey being able to made into a single pushchair. As single pushchairs we currently have two Bugaboo Bee’s, a 6 & a 5 model, they are more of a town/city buggy although can cope with gravel path surfaces.

You’ve had plenty of great advice here, OP, but the only other suggestion I would make, is that the height of the handles suits your DH if he’s tall. My DH found the buggies we had when our own kids were small too low for his long back. But a lot of modern buggies have height adjustable handles which is great. Enjoy your new DGC!!

I have a fairly modern silver cross one which I got for £20 on FB marketplace

Wait till you have to buy 5 baby car seats ( new) average price of £200 as well as push chairs - costly being a grandparent it seems !

Personally, I would go to a shopping outlet and ask to try various models in the boot of the car........I know Mothercare used to allow this........And do consult the parents, after all, it is their baby that you'll be putting in the pushchair.

The modern pushchairs seem much smaller than those of old, and infinitely more complicated!

When I was due to start looking after my now 7 year old DGS, I was in a lovely charity shop when someone brought a Graco pushchair in to donate, saying it had served all her GC well. I asked about it, waited while the store did a safety check, and bought it for £19.99 including full rain covers and a footmuff. It’s the 3-wheel off-road type and brilliant for dog walks, much better than the little swivel wheels on DD’s £800 iCandy buggy! Only thing I’d change is that I need two hands to fold it, so I’d have had to put DGS on the ground if I needed to get through a kissing-gate or over a stile. I just planned walks that avoided such obstacles. It’s also wider than modern buggies so DGS was very comfortable in it until he was four, when really long muddy walks were just too much and he could rest on the way home. It’s still in use when the now one-year-old comes to my house.

And at under £20 I’ve never had to worry about it getting muddy!

First GC arrived and all was fine and visited regularly apart from the totally heavy/ bloody stupid / SilverCross! I am not a Norland Nanny , I have no wish to walk around with a pram that still somehow has reinvented itself but still is not fit for purpose. Yes, it will last but how many children do you want ?

As others, simply asked around in my local area and bought a non trendy one for £30. Both have used it and still fit for purpose.

The parents may have been seduced by contraptions that promise everything but are too complicated for easy use. Get something simple via local buy/ sell groups online.

Hello we bought a Hauck 3 wheeler, best buy ever, off road, in town and on the beach. We often see other grandparents and parents with the same model and we always have a chat and say how good they are. Easy to fold down too. We bought it when our grandson graduated from a pram.

Whatever you decide, in consultation with babies parents, make sure you can lift it and that it fits your car boot. Some modern pushchairs are very heavy and hard to push. I remember my old silver cross coach built pram that held 3 children and a weeks shopping and you could push it with one finger!

As long as my grandbabies were tiny they were delivered on my doorstep including their own carriages 😉 but once they were a bit older I used my own durable sturdy McLaren buggy to pick them up from daycare or go for walks and other outings. It's greet to have your own reliable wheels whenever you need them, but of course for newborns you probably will prefer to use what their parents have chosen.

"As long as my grandbabies were tiny they were delivered on my doorstep including their own carriages"...........ooh Sennelier1.....tiny babies delivered on your doorstep

I’d suggest you consult with the parents first . They probably have more experience in the different types of buggy’s and new parents are obviously very safety conscious and may not want second hand.
My brother lives in the Channel Islands and when his kids were tiny gave my mum recommendations of buggy’s and car seats for when they came over to the uk .