Buying a pram is like buying a car

When preparing for a baby we all have similar priorities, and ultimately is is all about making sure we are prepared (as prepared as we can be!) for our new arrival. Being a first time parent I was thrown into a world of baby equipment and brands, many of which I knew absolutely nothing about. I needed to kit myself out with absolutely everything, and I quite honestly didn't have a clue where to begin. 

I can remember the time I began to think about pushchairs, I left this aspect pretty late in hind sight and the reasoning behind that was because I had no idea what I was looking at. I didn't know what I needed from a pushchair and I didn't know which brands to begin with to narrow down my search. In the end I bought a new pushchair off a friend as she had bought the exact one for herself, and then been gifted the same model by her in-laws resulting in a duplicate purchase. Leo's first pushchair was a Mothercare Spin which at the time I loved, but as time went on I began to pick faults with certain aspects of it. Now 3 years on Leo and I have a diverse knowledge into the different pushchairs on the market and when the time is right for baby number two, I won't feel daunted at the prospect of purchasing the necessities.  

So what do you look for in a pushchair?

This is going to be different for everyone depending on their budget and person needs, but for me these were the top points that I needed to tick off:

- Steering

- Handling

- Parent and world facing

- Appearance

- Fold 

- Fits in my boot

I love the idea of having a full size pushchair that ticks each of these boxes. It's important to me to have an easy to steer pushchair that handles well on a array of different terrains. I want the option to have baby facing me and of course the capability to turn them around to see the world around them as they grow, and I want a pushchair that looks the part. I expect my set of wheels to visually please me, and I love nothing more than being stopped and asked about my pushchair. This is especially true with my Easywalker Mini as it is such a different pattern to anything else on the market. 

A really important aspect to consider when purchasing a new pushchair is whether or not it will fit in the boot of your car. This can be a deal breaker even if it ticks absolutely every box in the other departments... 

Babydino have a great selection of pushchairs from a great selection of different brands such as Bugaboo, Cosatto and Emmaljunga that can really help in your search. They offer travel systems, prams and pushchairs right through to strollers.

I wish I had known what I was looking for and spent the time researching more before making my first pram purchase, 3 years on I definitely have a much better idea than I did. Once we have an idea of what we are looking for, get online and read reviews of other parent's personal experiences with those models, visit Babydino and see what they have on offer to give you an idea and take it from there.

At the end of the day it is one of the biggest purchases when welcoming a new baby into the world, and we want to get it right.

The Easywalker June - An Anticipated Introduction

Easywalker strollers first rolled onto the pushchair scene back in 1989 - 23 years ago, and in this time they have been following basic and effective guidelines in the manufacturing of their strollers:

- Quality, sustainable solutions

- ‘Less is more’

- All-terrain

- Value for money

- Sporty design

Easywalker Strollers invite you outside to take on your next adventure, be it a scenic walk around the sunflower fields or a all terrain adventure in the pouring rain. There is a stroller for every need in both the physical need and of course the cosmetic department.

Easywalker like to keep things simple, the way strollers are meant to be. Their main focus is completely on the essence of the stroller and how practical it is for the parent to use, and how comfortable it is for baby to ride along in.

With that said I would like to introduce you all to the Easywalker June... 

The June is the brand new stroller that will be hitting the high streets for a scheduled release date in August 2012. There is a lot of mystery surrounding this exciting new stroller and for a long time Easywalker have been very secretive about their latest addition. 

What do Easywalker say?

The new Easywalker June stimulates you to go outside and experience the world together with your child. A compact all-rounder which you can easily use on any terrain, both in the city and the woods or beach. 

The Easywalker june is voted most innovative baby product in the market by consumers and jury. In both the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. Next to that we have also recently won the prestigious and well known Red Dot award.

I am pleased to be able to give you a sneaky peak into the stunning new June and it's exciting specification.

The June is compact, weighing in at around 9kg and it even folds up into one unit, no matter what position the seat is in! This is a impressive feature in my eyes, as some strollers can not be folded completely as one piece when in parent facing mode, so this will make so much difference to those, like me who love having baby face you, but detest the thought of taking it apart at the end of the adventure to collapse it.

 The June boats a user friendly one click collapse feature, which is what I always like to hear. Simplicity for me is the only way, and I always seem to struggle with all the controls when learning to put a new stroller up and down. A very clever feature that not many pushchairs can scream and shout about...Is that the June can be conveniently carried in a Mini Cooper's boot, which gives you an idea of just how compactly it folds down. 

The new June comes equipped with Four suspension and shock absorbing all terrain air wheels, which aim to provide the smoothest ride over fields, beaches and even snow. They really make this stroller look complete, and the thought of being able to venture off road with these wheels and the strong frame construction, makes the June experience even more exciting.

A subject very close to my heart is the seat unit position. I am pleased to confirm that the June has both a parent facing option and of course forward facing. I do enjoy having the option to have Leo facing me and to this day, if we are travelling out on our own I love the luxury of being able to see him, and talk to him.

The seat unit is large and well padded, it is equipped with a 5 point harness and chest pads. There is a great colour pallet available, with the option to mix and max the colour's to your required taste. The main seat unit is always in Black but there is an exciting variation available on the sun canopy in either Blue, Natural or Black.

You can even customise the colour of the seat liner and really make the June stand out from the other strollers out on the high street. 

The exciting new June has the potential to be used as a complete travel system. Car seat adapters can be inserted into the framework allowing you to combine a Maxi-Cosi Pebble, Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix a Cybex Aton or one of BeSafe’s infant car seats. This is always a welcome option with a newborn baby and makes transporting your little one from the car into the house a breeze, while allowing baby to continue sleeping with no disturbance.

A very welcome addition is the carry cot, if you are like me a pram is essential in those early days. The carry cot can be purchased at an extra cost but from what I have seen, looks to be a very decent size that will allow baby plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the ride.

There is a range of accessories already in existance for the June from footmuffs, bumper bars, mosquito nets to changing bags.

I am so excited by this beautiful new stroller that seems to tick every box. It looks as good as it sounds and I am very much looking forward to taking the new June for a test drive at the end of August. 

I am going to be putting the June to the test with Leo and sharing all of our findings with you. We will be taking the June on our many adventures, to the beach and on many a walk. 

I will leave you with a great video insight into the June and a very catchy song that is sure to get you into the June spirit!

Keep your eyes peeled for our full review of the June in the on-coming months, embellished with exciting video footage and plenty of photos with the very cheeky Leo taking you along for the ride.


You can view the official Easywalker website right here.


You can follow Easywalker on Twitter for updates and exciting news.

Laura & Leo

xx

Baby boy is growing up!

Leo is a very determined baby, he knows to a certain degree what he wants, and what he most certainly doesn't want.

The latest thing in the long running line of things that he does not want.....is his hatred for the pram, at 18 weeks old he is telling me in his own special way, that he is far to old to be lay down and pushed around like a baby.

Leo tells me that the pram dis-pleases him by screaming all the way to our destination....or just on a stroll around town. He tells me by arching his head and rivalling his shoulders, trying to pull himself up. Upon picking him up....silence...he can see all around and is once again the usual bubby baby I know and love.

This has gone on for a number of weeks but today, I decided enough was enough and it was high time for me to accept that my baby is growing up, and he wants to see the world and no longer stare at the sky.

It only seems five minutes ago that he couldn't move much at all. Now he is so determined to do things, and it is only a matter of time before he is doing all the things he longs to.

So I ask you, where has my tiny newborn baby gone!?

We are the proud owners of the Mothercare Spin, it is such a fab travel systen and continues to do us proud. So now the pram component has made the transition from the travel bed into......the stroller.

Please Leo just slow down, stay small and don't rush. Mummy is not ready to let her baby grow up just yet. Just try to.... never grow up.....it could all stay this simple!