Do you suffer from Buggy Envy?

A parent’s relationship with their buggy can be an emotional one. First the dilemma of choosing the right one for your first born, then lusting after a more practical or fashionable contraption or downright loathing the fact you have to drag it around like a ball and chain. I’ve swapped my cravings for leather boots or spectacular winter coats for the latest streamlined three wheel off-roading buggy in lime green. I asked fellow bloggers and my Twitter community about their buggy experiences.

Dan Thompson is an artist and father from Worthing. Their pushchair became so battered, he began customising it with skateboard stickers and even installed iPod speakers for a portable sound system. The sound of that made me drool, the idea of using the stroller to express their individuality as a family. The most we had managed was an Amoeba Records sticker wrapped around the frame, so we could identify easily on a luggage carousel. Even Dan was seduced by the latest buggy buzz and bought a Quinny from a charity shop but the buggy was a disaster, "It didn't have any of the useful bits, came with a far too clever by half wobbly front wheel and fell apart too quickly.".

Buying new buggies can be a bit of a lottery. Michelle ‘Mamma’ McCann, fellow Brighton blogger and Buggy Envy sufferer has been through six buggies and their daughter hasn’t even turned one yet! They classically bought a buggy for their new arrival then changed their mind about the style they wanted, realising they wanted the baby facing them. After that it was a series of faults or ‘the next best thing’ came their way. "I wish I’d bought a Bugaboo Chameleon but couldn’t justify the money." said Michelle, obviously realising her six buggies added up may have been a false economy. It’s not always the case that the top brands are the most durable. Dan’s Graco travel system/ skateboard-mobile went up mountains, over moorland and across beaches, “all our buggies died honourable worn-out deaths” he says.

Yvonne Carnie is a 25 year old mum from another city, Edinburgh, proving that it’s not just the Sussex coastal set that enthuse about their buggies. She has a total of two, both chosen for practicality - one to fit in the boot of the car and the other so she can use the car seat that came with the Quinny. “I think to a certain extent people are judged on their buggy. For example I always think people with Juicy Couture buggies are a bit common (sorry if you have one) as where I live, all the council estate mums have one, trying to look like Jordan“ says Yvonne. She could have a point. Try as we might, maybe Buggy Envy is a form of social judgement, rather than an obsessive disorder. In the same way women eye each other’s dress sense up and down, I confess I catch myself doing the same with buggies.

I once bought a whole set of holiday clothes to match our Silvercross Pop for a long weekend in New York. I can even admit to being as crass as buying our latest purchase to fit in with our new neighbourhood after moving. Although now the Phil and Teds is most justified to negotiate the hilly layout of the Elm Grove and Tenantry streets. It’s ironic the red version that we managed to nab off eBay for a steal, is the most common, almost like a uniform around here.

Connect with these guys on Twitter: @artistmakers Dan @VonCarnie24 Yvonne @mammamcann Michelle