Parenting

 by: Mark T Hartshorne

Should a pushchair by practical or pretty? How about easily collapsable or extremely cheap? With hundreds of pushchairs/strollers/buggies available the only way to know what is most important is to ask the parents?

There is a myriad of pushchairs and strollers on the market. Wonderful sounding names such as Bugaboo and Cosatto. Most parents will know of Mamas and Papas - but what are the most important aspects to choosing the right pushchair for your child or children?

Is a pushchair or stroller a fashion statement? You could be forgiven for believing that it is. Many new pushchairs boast ultra-modern designs, colour changing abilities and they come with a price tag to match.

I first became interested in pushchairs when I became a father - obviously! - and like many parents fell into the marketing trap, choosing a pushchair for all the wrong reasons. The right reasons for choosing a pushchair are weight - it should be light, mobility - it should be easy to push, price - it should be affordable and sensibly-priced, it must meet safety standards and it should be a manageable size.

In terms of size this was our first mistake. There are some wonderfully attractive three-wheeler pushchairs/strollers available (the sort you see in glossy magazines, being pushed by celebrities out jogging) but wait, they are not practical on a day-to-day basis unless you intend to go jogging. Try getting through a shop doorway - many are as wide as twin pushchairs.

What if you have twins? Tandem strollers have one seat in front of the other, but if you have ever tried to push one you will realise that trying to wheelie up a kerb-stone is like doing it will a full supermarket trolley.

Then there are tandem buggies that are no longer than a single buggy - but they have really high handles so if you are 5 foot or just a little taller they will be impossible to push.

There are lots of things to consider when buying a pushchair or buggy. I created a pushchair review site so parents could post honestly about their experience to ensure fewer people fall into the huge marketing trap surrounding pushchairs.

There are lots of really positive, good points and there are some wonderful pushchairs with clever designs, good looks and low prices.

For more information visit www.mypushchair.co.uk.