The pushchair issue: Finding the right one

Ronita Dutta has a challenge every day with her baby: the stairs to her fourth floor flat. Here, she talks about tackling the problem and seeing if one stroller in particular can solve the modern parent’s problem.

Ever since my darling son was born eight months ago, I’ve been battling a major problem: where to put him down once I’ve come all the way down four flights of stairs and outside to the car, while I open the boot and set up our buggy for a simple trip down the road to the shops. Simple, right?

I end up having to wrestle him into the car seat where he wriggles and moans impatiently while I put together our travel system.

The whole process is exhausting and it actually puts me off going out, knowing that I’ll have do the whole thing again in reverse when we get back. I know from other mums across London and cities in the UK that loads of us face this problem on a daily basis.

When I first heard about the Babyzen YoYo I figured it was just a gimmick. It’s supposed to be a truly one-handed solution; a lightweight stroller you can operate with baby on your hip. Surely no stroller can be that easy to put up and collapse with one hand while holding a baby? And even if it is, it must be very flimsy right? Well, as it happens…

What’s great about it

• Despite its light weight (5.8kg), it’s deceptively sturdy and clicks firmly into place so you know it’s not going to collapse when you place your child in it.
• One-handed opening and closing really does work. It just takes a little practice. People will stop and stare at you in awe once you’ve mastered it. Very nifty.
• Takes up hardly any space at all folded.
• Has a shoulder strap which is invaluable for someone like me who has to store the buggy upstairs.
• Small enough to be stowed as cabin baggage (dependent on how much other luggage you’re carrying of course).
• One-handed steering is smooth and precise.
• The handles are a decent height so that even my partner who is over 6ft didn’t have to stoop to push it.
• The seat is easy to recline to an ample 140 degrees if your child falls asleep.
• Looks very smart. I had lots of comments from fellow mums while out and about with it.
• Narrow enough to fit through small doorways unlike my travel system.
• Super nippy for getting on and off the bus and simple to fold if you need to make room for another buggy or a wheelchair.

Minor niggles

• There’s very little storage space in the basket and a couple of times while I was out and about with it bits and bobs came tumbling out as it’s quite shallow.
• There isn’t really anywhere to hang bags although you could attach buggy clips but I’d be worried about it tipping over.
• The rain cover is a bit flimsy and unless I was attaching it incorrectly, seemed to leave gaps on either side for wind and rain to get in.
• I’m not sure how easy it would be to fold with a footmuff fitted which limits its use to being a summer/occasional travel stroller. You’d need something a bit less open to the elements for UK winters.
• I think the narrow back wheels make it slightly more likely to topple over.
• Given its light weight a wrist strap would be a welcome addition to stop it accidentally rolling / blowing away.
• At £309 it’s very expensive for a lightweight travel stroller. And if you want the accessories too you’re looking at a seriously pricey piece of kit. (YOYO Footmuffs – £84.95, YOYO Umbrella – £29.95, YOYO Cup Holder – £19.95)

Overall

As someone for whom storage space is a premium and trips up and down flights of stairs are part of our daily routine the BabyZen YoYo, though not perfect has been a life changer. Now I can just pick up Arun with one hand, pop the Babyzen YoYo and changing bag on my other shoulder and we’re ready to go. I hope it’s built to last as I’m going to have to invest in one despite the inflated price tag. Now all I need is someone to come up with a way for me to get baby, buggy AND my shopping upstairs when we get home from the shops.

The Babyzen YoYo pushchair is available from http://www.whitestep.co.uk. The pushchair was loaned from Need to Know PR. All opinions are writer’s own.

Ronita Dutta is a journalist who has written for print and online publications.