Hi Shibani

 I have had about 12 different pushchairs and buggies - not that I want to instill fear in you- but it may take a while to find what you're after!  I have finally settled on a Phil & Teds Sport for my two boys (Jake, 2 and a half, and Benji who is 1 year) but along the way I have found that having an interchangable pram like the ones Mamas and Papas offer the best ones. It's only because I rely so heavily on public transport that I have experimented with so many!

When both Jacob and Benji were newborns, I used the Mamas and Papas carrycot for them to sleep in with the mattress and appropriate bedding at night, it also meant for baby number 2 (Benji) that he could sleep in the carrycot in the living room during the day and we didn't have to wedge the cot in our room at night.

Also when we were out and about they could lie flat and were snug and cosy in the carrycot on the M&P chassis. Versatility at it's best!

You can use the carrycot with your baby until they can sit up really- or, like my two giant babies when they get to big to fit!

We were bought a gorgeous cotbed for Jacob while I was pregnant with him, and if it wasn't for the arrival of his baby brother we would have used it as his junior bed now.

As it is we are moving soon, and when Benji grows out of the cot because the boys share a bedroom we are buying them bunkbeds so we will never use it in 'bed' mode, but it's definately worth the investment.  Cotbeds are invariably more well made (thicker bars more sturdy mattress support) because they need to last through baby and toddler and preschool age!

Jacob was fond of kicking the bars on his cot when he was about 11 months old, and he was a big strong baby- I really would've worried with spindle bars on a regular size cot that he would've broken them!

I have had 3 pushchairs from M&P - one with a classic fixed wheel chassis and carrycot that was given to us when I was pregnant with Jacob that I intend to keep for use with all my newborn babies because the carrycot is so fantastic - we later bought a M&P Aria in the sale that was fabulous and lightweight and great when we went on holiday, and I also picked up a M&P Freestyler cheap on ebay and all of them I have found well made and generally good all rounder pushchairs.

I hope some of that rambling helps!!

hi mummy goth,

your advice has sure helped me much more.i was confused between getting a detachealbe carry cot which can be used as a pram on the move as well as a sleep well at night with the correct matt.

i thnk it hels for starters to get a carrycot and then take it from there.have you any problems with the car seats from m & p?did your baby fit in well with gettin a crank or stuck on one side neck ache?

yes the cot bed is the most ideal as the baby can grow in it and suits the best purposes.and the carry cot on the chasis is ideal.

now im .Phew thats ones relief!!!

would you know a min of wat tog blanket is good for a new born since mine has decided to enter this world in jan 08?

thanx so much.

shibani

Hi Shibani - glad some of it helped!

I didn't like the carseat from M&P - I don't think it lays back enough for a little baby - they're too upright and do indeed slump with their neck at a strange angle so personally I wouldn't recommend the primo viaggio one.

We got given a carseat that was by M&P but it was about 2 years old, a very simple lightweight design but it has been by far my favourite.  It's almost identical to the Fisher Price infant car seat or the Maxi Cosi infant seat in design.  (Fisher price car seat in Argos catalogue for £39.99 - bargain!)

I have really never got on with the fiddley car seats with in car bases and hoods and wotnot - especially since I don't drive so have to be able to take my children's seats in and out of different vehicles easily.
I also HATE seeing babies in their carseats in a 'travel system' - it's not recommended that young babies are in their car seats all hunched over for naps and long lengths of time.

With sleeping bags- I never used one for my eldest son - he was born in March and was an incredibly warm baby - as was his brother - born in September so really a winter baby but we only used a 1 tog sleeping bag with him.

I think 2.5 tog is recommended for night-time all year round use except high summer - but only for babies over 10lb.  Newborns don't generally wriggle enough to kick off blankets if you tuck them in around their mattress so sleeping bags are only really needed when they start moving about in their sleep!