Pushchair-tastic

A cautionary tale. In the last two years, I have become the proud owner of 4 pushchairs and experienced the use of several others. But thankfully my latest (and hopefully last) is really impressing me.

We started off with a Bugaboo Frog: ideal for the wide streets of New York, and providing Hummer-like security for our newborn. Then we moved - and discovered that it was a pain to get into a car boot. Then we moved again to Paris and found it awkward for manoeuvering around narrow streets.

Next up was a Maclaren Volo. Cheap (-er than the Bugaboo), easy to fold, great for negotiating narrow streets - and it broke after about 4 months of use. It was the most basic model so didn't recline and I felt slightly anxious watching my precious baby's head loll sideways every time she fell asleep. But oh, the joy of being able to travel around relatively easily.

So I kept the faith and bought another Maclaren, the Quest this time so that we could recline it for naps. Again, very happy with this and when I got pregnant for the second time, I decided that I would just buy a buggy board for my daughter to go on the back, and would put the new baby in the Bugaboo pram to start with, then swop over to the Maclaren.

What I hadn't taken into account was the wilfullness of a small under 2. After a couple of months struggling to persuade my daughter to either walk or ride behind her brother (and at one point having to throw her bodily across the pram) I realised that if I didn't get a 2-seater I would be spending all my weekends stuck in our flat, at least until my daughter was old enough to be relied on to walk. The double-wide Maclarens seemed like too much for Paris streets and a complete no-no for public transport. A lot of the assistantes maternelles (childminders) have double-long pushchairs, but these looked even bulkier.

After lots of trawling around the internet I settled on the Phil & Teds Sport. One month in, I can confidently say that I have found my pushchair nirvana. Nobody tells you when you have your first child that if you plan on having a 2nd pretty quickly, you will need a double. So I sound the warning cry now: get a Phil & Teds to start with, and then just buy the double kit when your 2nd bout'chou arrives. NB: I'm not the only Mum who signally failed to forward plan: my friend Emma had her kids at the same times as me, and has also succumbed to the lure of the Phil & Teds.

It's not all plain sailing. The instruction leaflet is RUBBISH - in a world of complicated instruction manuals, this one is miles ahead (behind?). I am still wondering what the 2 little black nubs were for. My other complaint: the front wheel has a tendency to stick, making steering difficult (whereas normally it's a dream). The only solution I've found to this is disconnecting the wheel and reinserting it; fine when I'm at home but not so easy on the go.

The pluses: it doesn't take up much more space than a single pushchair, because of the seat arrangement. So public transport is still a possibility. The handlebar moves, meaning The Husband can also push without subjecting me to moans about backache. And you can squeeze into smaller spaces. Big Sister is thrilled with her seat up on high, watching her brother's wriggling feet beneath. There are loads of different combinations thanks to the zips/buckles etc. I've worked out a way of stowing the double kit underneath in the capacious shopping basket so when Big Sister isn't onboard, Little Brother can see daylight.

All in all, very happy. Kiwi Jane tells me that all the Mums in Wellington have Phil & Teds (it's a New Zealand brand). Sensible girls.