Which stroller and car seat is best?

Perambulator, pram, push chair, stroller, carrycot, child carrier, buggy … there might be a multitude of names for a wheeled baby carrier, but there are even more brands of these essential items on the market! We asked 6 mums from our Kid’s Guide Panel to name some of their favourite strollers and car seats too!

Caroline: “I have the Bugaboo Chameleon, which I chose in Australia. Some people think you have to only have a small pram for Singapore (like the Bee) but I’m glad I chose such a solid pram that provides a more comfortable ride for the child. And we do a lot of walking with it, too. That being said, I wouldn’t suggest it as your only pram as it’s too cumbersome to get in and out of cars. So, my favourite pram is actually my Babyzen YoYo. It’s expensive but, for us, worth every cent as far as cost-per-use goes. It fits into an overhead on the plane, and it’s easy to get into a taxi and then clip in your Maxi-Cosi capsule. Plus, it actually can seat a large older child really well – my four-and-a-half-year-old is still very comfortable in it. We also have the buggy board adapter, which both kids are happy riding on.

We spent our first four years in Singapore without a car, so we only travelled in taxis. Apart from the Maxi-Cosi capsules, which are great for newborn and smaller babies, I can’t say there is a perfect portable car seat for toddlers out there. Unfortunately, you either have to focus on safety or convenience to carry about; you can’t get anything that is really great for both.” 

Joanna: “I love our Britax B-Agile double stroller. It’s strong, fits through most doors, is easy to push with one hand and isn’t too heavy. The spacious seats can be reclined individually, too. For car seats, after they outgrew the Maxi-Cosi capsule seats, we loved the rear-facing Axkid Minikids, which we shipped in from Sweden. Besides being one of the safest in the market, they are extremely user-friendly, with self adjusting head-rest height. Of course, we’re lucky enough to own a car so the car seats are permanently installed; these are not suitable for using in taxis.” 

Typhaine: “The YoYo stroller and Maxi-Cosi worked well for us.”

“For an infant car seat, I’d recommend the Graco SnugRide with memory foam. There are about three different versions of this seat and the higher end one (Diono Radian) was once available at Right Start in the US. We had the one with all the bells and whistles. My husband and I drive a lot and we are often out exploring and road tripping, so a car seat with memory foam padding was really important as it made for a happy baby. When we moved to Singapore, I bought with me our Mini Fold; I love it as it fits in my purse and I can use it in a taxi or a Grab.” – Shimaali

Rebecca: “I love the Baby Jogger City Mini and have used mine with both kids. It’s also compatible with most car seats. For car seats, we used the Maxi-Cosi for a while; when the kids outgrew them, they were into the Cosco Scenera NEXT, which is great and can remain rear-facing for longer. It’s also easy to get in and out of cabs (we don’t have a car).” 

Gail: “I had a Maclaren Techno, but it seems like such a long time ago now! I think my car seats were from Maxi-Cosi. We hardly used the buggy as Hong Kong wasn’t an easy place to push one around.”

Trivia Time

The prototype for the modern stroller was created in the 1733 by an English and scape gardener , William Kent. Designed so that a Duke could amuse his children, the baby carriage wasn’t pushed by a human but rather pulled by a pony, dog or goat. The first reversible carriage was produced in America in 1889, allowing parents to gaze at their children (and vice versa!) as they pushed them.

This article first appeared in the Kids Guide 2019/20 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!