For first time parents, buying a buggy can be a nightmare. You've got very little experience with them so rely entirely on reviews on the internet, the recommendations of friends or, worst of all, advice from sales assistants.

After going through loads of different buggies with my first child - from a 3-wheeled jogging buggy that didn't have a reclining seat to the most rickety umbrella stroller that wasn't remotely robust enough for daily use - this time around I've spent months during my pregnancy looking for what I hope will be the only buggy I need for the next couple year for my soon-to-arrive newborn.

I made a list of all my requirements based on the mistakes I made with buggy purchases last time.

  1. My newborn needs to lie flat for the first few months. They can't be propped up in a semi-reclining seat, they need something flat. I will not, however, waste my money on a traditional pram because, not only are they huge, heavy and expensive, but by the time they are 6 months old, they'll be sitting up anyway. Ideally, I'd like a detachable carrycot which can also be used instead of a Moses basket for the first couple months.

  2. It needs to be easy to fold and unfold, ideally with one hand. Getting in and out of cars, shops, on public transport is a massive hassle if the buggy you choose needs several hands and a foot to open or close.

  3. When it's folded, it needs to be as small as possible. I don't live in a huge Victorian 5 bed house with a massive entrance hall with loads of space for a buggy. I don't have an entrance hall at all, I need the buggy to take up as little room as possible as it will be stored either in my livingroom or kitchen, neither of which has a lot of free space. I will be taking it on public transport and in my car. It can't be huge. Also, it'd be nice if it wasn't terribly heavy as one often has to carry one's buggy up and down stairs.

  4. I will be walking with it a lot so want it to have big tires. I don't need a jogging buggy, but something I can take 'off-road'. I plan on walking a lot again as, along with breastfeeding, it's one of the best ways of easily shedding pregnancy weight.

  5. A bonus would be the ability to attach a car seat to the frame. Not having to disturb your little one by getting him out of the car seat for a quick trip to the shops would be ideal.
The best buggy
Obviously, I need a travel system. After looking on the web and visiting endless shops where shop assistants tried to sell me something (expensive) that I didn't want, I stumbled upon the Micralite Toro.

You can get a carrycot with it, which comes with a proper sleeping mattress in it - so it can be used in place of a Moses basket in the home.

It folds up easily with one hand - though you need two hands to open it up. The best thing about it is that it stands upright on its own which means that it's ideal on public transport and won't take up loads of floor space in your home.

It's got an aluminium frame, which means it's one of the lightest buggies around.

It has big, inflatable rear tires and you can get an all-terrain kit which replaces the small tires at the front with another set of inflatable tires on the front.

It comes with a sun visor, a shopping basket, a rain cover and a footmuff. Extra accessories available are a sun and bug shield and washable seat liners in different colours, including animal prints.

The adapters for the carrycot can also be used to clip on a Maxi-Cosi car seat.

It fulfilled every requirement, so I bought one from a local shop that sells them (I like to support local shops when I can!). I walked in and asked to see the Toro and the sales assistant got excited and asked me how I'd heard of them. I said I'd been researching a lot online and these ones sounded good. She said that when people come in asking about other makes of buggies she always tries to steer them towards the Toro as she thinks it's one of the very best and most reasonably priced on the market. And it's made in the UK.

If you're in the market for a buggy, I'd highly recommend having a look at the Micralites. Their website can be found here.