Pram, pushchair or buggy? How to choose the best mode of transport for you, your baby and your lifestyle

The shops are stuffed with bewildering ranks of prams and pushchairs, and sooner or later a new set of wheels for your baby is bound to come top of the shopping list. Don't be tempted to decide purely on looks and price, as there's so much more to take into account.

Your lifestyle
Where and how you live counts for a lot:

• How wide is your doorway and how big is the boot of your car? Measure up to make sure the pram fits
• If you live in a town or city and travel by car or bus, a lightweight buggy that folds easily is the most useful
• If you live in the country, air-filled - rather than solid - tyres handle better over rough ground
• You'll sometimes be caught in the rain and cold, so check your chosen pushchair comes complete with a hood, rain cover and apron, or budget for them as an additional accessory

Check that the pushchair is light to push and easily manoeuvrable. Swivelling wheels make a huge difference - it is very tiring pushing a stiff pushchair with fixed wheels for any length of time.

Your baby's comfort
The needs of a small baby and an active toddler are very different, but many prams are designed to last your child through several stages. In the first few months of your baby's life you'll need a pram that she can lie flat in, with enough padding to keep her well protected. As your baby grows, she'll enjoy being propped up to face forwards and take in the view. When she can sit by herself, she won't need as much support.

What's available?
There are many different models available, at a price to suit most budgets:

Travel system
Suitable from birth, this is an alternative to buying a pram and a car seat separately. Costing between £200-£400, a travel system enables you to lift the car seat from the car and attach it either onto the frame or on top of the pushchair itself.

This is the ultimate convenience for mums who spend a lot of time taking the baby in and out of the car. Not all car seats fit all cars, so check with your retailer first if the system is suitable for you.

Best Buy
Graco MetroSport Travel System
Price £229.99
What you get - car seat from birth to 9kg (nine months), sun canopy, head hugger, level indicator, weighs 3.4kg. The pushchair has lockable front swivel wheels, apron, canopy, shopping basket and adjustable handle height.
iVillagers' comments - 'good compact system with clear instructions'; 'the level indicator is useful to show the car seat is at the right angle - assuming you are not parked on a hill'; 'the car seat is easy to fix onto the pushchair.'
Where to buy - call 0870 90 90 510 or visit www.graco.co.uk

Forward facing pushchairs
These have several recline positions and are suitable from birth. Their main advantage is that they are lighter and more compact than a pram. On the downside, they are not as well padded for a newborn. Expect to pay anything between £120-£300.

Best Buy
Bebecar Unica
Price £250
What you get - umbrella fold, hood and apron, shopping basket, rain cover.
iVillagers' comments - 'modern with a well-padded seat in soft fabric'; 'fabulous hood that fits right down the back and sides with no gaps to let in a cold wind'; 'my only problem is the stiff and awkward folding mechanism.'
Where to buy - call 020 8201 0505 or visit www.bebecar.co.uk

3in1 pram
Suitable from birth, the 3in1 comes in three pieces: chassis (frame), carrycot and pushchair seat unit giving you a carrycot, pram and pushchair. The carrycot can be used as a pram during the day and, with the correct mattress, it detaches to become your baby's first bed.

The separate pushchair seat unit can be attached to the chassis when your baby is older. These are made to last (which is great if you plan to have more than one child) and can be excellent value as long as you use the pushchair unit when your baby is older. However they are costly - anything between £300-£600 - and because they are bulky and heavy after six months, mum usually invests in a more transportable pushchair and the gorgeous 3in1 pram ends up in the loft.

Best buy
Teutonia Delta Country
Price £541.45
What you get - carrycot with hood, air-filled wheels, shopping basket, adjustable handle height, snap on hood, rain cover, seat extension, foam mattress (£16.75), down duvet (£29.10), anti-allergic duvet (£21.60)
iVillagers' comments - 'fantastic quality: excellent fabric, smooth mechanisms and no wobbly bits'; 'to fold down you simply press the release buttons at the sides and it automatically collapses. Extremely heavy when folded and we had to take the wheels off to get it in the boot of our car.'
Where to buy - call 07768 345180 or visit www.teutonia.de

All terrain or not?
Several years ago, pushchairs designed for jogging and outdoor life, with three air-filled wheels, came on to the market and were called 'all terrains.'

However, like their motoring equivalents they have become very fashionable and many manufacturers have copied the style, but not the substance - a strong frame that make a pushchair sturdy enough to cope with rough ground.

This isn't an issue for mums whose usual terrain is the pavement, and simply want three wheels for fashion's sake. Really robust ones, suitable for Ben Nevis, cost more than £300. If you are not sure whether what you are buying is suitable for your needs, ask your retailer.

Best Buy
Teutonia Y2K2
Price £369
What you get - hand-operated disc brake, shopping basket, hood with pocket, adjustable handle height up to 110cm, raincover, carry bag (£24.90), air pump (£9.90)
iVillagers' comments - 'great for a young baby with all the luxury features of a proper pram'; 'you can adjust the handle height and the folding mechanism is incredibly smooth'; 'excellent over rougher ground and sand and, because it is has two front wheels, it's really stable.'Where to buy 07768 345180 or visit www.teutonia.de

Umbrella buggy
Suitable from six months, this buggy is lightweight, reasonably priced and easy to fold for use on public transport. It is usually purchased in addition to a heavier and more comfortable pushchair, suitable for extended walks.

Best Buy
Maclaren Volo
Price £49.99
What you get - lockable front swivel wheels, carry strap, shopping basket, umbrella fold, weight 4.4kg, handle height 104cm, accessory kit (£29.99, includes sun canopy, rain cover, seat liner and carry bag)
iVillagers' comments - 'wow. I love this buggy. The mesh seat is a new idea, it looks groovy, is easy to wipe clean and brilliant in the summer, plus you can buy a seat liner for colder days'; 'handles have a squishy cover and are shaped inwards making it easy to push using one hand'; 'folding mechanism requires minimal effort and it locks automatically'; 'useful carry strap for getting on and off the bus.'
Where to buy - call 01327 842662 for details

Double buggy
These come in two styles: the tandem is for a baby and a toddler, with a backseat that can lie flat, and the twin/side-by-side style suits twins or children at a similar development stage.

The tandem is the same width as a normal pushchair and the back seat is great for a new baby, but an older, sitting-up baby can't see as much as the one in the front. The side-by-side models are lighter and more comfortable for older babies and toddlers, but are almost double the width of a normal pushchair.

Best buy
Graco DuoSport Sport Rider
Price £179.99
What you get - side-by-side buggy with lockable front swivel, freestanding when folded, two padded hoods with detachable rain covers, weight 7.8kg/handle height 103cm/width 75cm.
iVillagers' comments - 'modern, neat buggy with good quality fabric'; 'easy to open and close'; 'fits into the boot of my car but doesn't go through my front door'; 'seats don't lie completely flat so not great for a newborn'; 'great value.'
Where to buy - call 0870 909 0510 or visit www.graco.co.uk

Try before you buyAlthough you pay extra for big branded names and less for home store products, there is usually a difference in quality. The more expensive pushchairs have better quality fabric and easier to operate mechanisms.

The differences are not always obvious if you're not familiar with pushchairs. Have a good look at your chosen model in the shop, or buy it and practise using it in the house before your baby is born. If you keep the receipt you can always take it back.

Safety

• Young babies should not be pushed over rough terrain until at least 15 weeks, as their necks are not strong enough to support a bouncing head.
• Midwives and doctors have recently voiced their concerns about travel systems. Their main worry is that because young babies have little head control and a soft developing spine, they shouldn't spend long periods slumped in a semi-upright position in the car seat. This can prevent them from breathing properly. Keep the length of time your baby spends in a car seat to a minimum - at least for the first few months. Don't use it as a baby seat around the house, and make sure your baby usually lies flat to sleep both day and night.