Thread: double buggy - yes or no?

With number 2 on the way (due May) I'm starting to contemplate the logistics of going out and about with 2 children instead of 1.

Lous will be about 2yrs 4mths when the Bean arrives and although he is a good little walker, he's still not that fast (unless he's going where we don't want him to of course). He does also get tired and will often have an afternoon nap in the buggy if we're out all day.

We already have a proper single pram and Maclaren buggy, either of which we could put a buggy-board on.

Its the decision about whether to get a double pram/buggy which I can't make up my mind on. Finance isn't a problem so it doesn't matter if its new/2nd hand - I just don't want to be wasting whatever money we do spend if we get one.

What are your experiences with kids with (roughly) this age gap? Did you go for the buggy board and regret it? Or vice-versa?

All input greatly received! BTW, I do a lot of travelling on buses/trams but fortunately the public transport system over here is a lot more buggy friendly than in the UK

Phil and Ted fantastic system for all weather, all road types and not so wide as to exclude public travel.

Beebs x

I had a buggy with a skateboardy thingy for toddler to stand on, it was fab, also had a emmaljunga buggy with seat up front. Both of them were great when older one was awake but useless when they fell asleep.
I also had a side by side buggy that was shite!

I've got an 18mth gap between my 2 so went for a bebekin's double buggy which sat the oldest child in front of the other and was suprisingly compact. No complaints with it at all in weight or moving it about but i found the eldest to be walking quite happily at around 26/27mnths so then no longer used it. I also found as the youngest got a bit older she would relish pulling the older one's hair as she sat behind him! hehehe Good fun until the screaming starts!

Originally Posted by blessed_baby_cakes

Phil and Ted fantastic system for all weather, all road types and not so wide as to exclude public travel.

Beebs x

I have to say that, although I have never really known anyone with a Phil & Ted "double decker" buggy, I have an instinctual aversion to them! It could just be the fact that I have dodgy lungs myself or that I know (due to my job) how susceptible baby lungs are to infections, etc but I really don't like the idea of having my newborn baby at exhaust-pipe height (I don't like Bugaboo prams for the same reason).

Although I do quite like the look of the Phil & Ted twin (the fact that it goes upto 5 years also a bonus - buggy works great as mobile naughty-step)!!

Why oh why do baby shops not have lifesize and weightsize mannequins so Mums to be can try pushchairs out properly? Because it would show all the pushchairs disadvantages and we would never buy any :lol: I got through 12 different pushchairs in five years (lost one, brought home wrong one from Centerparcs ops: , broke six and sold the rest).

Ok, well if the eldest is 2 years and four months, then I think you need to be careful if you get a tandem (one in front and baby at back). He might be slightly too heavy to sit at the front and it might tip forward once baby is not in the back.

I had the Graco tandem and the Graco Autobaby car seat would click on to create a travel system for the baby which was fab. Only downside is that the front seat could not then recline for the toddler who would have to stay upright all day long.

Once baby was old enough to sit up (about six months or so) I used to put todder in the back and lay it down for him to sleep and the baby used to love sitting at the front.

Beware though that the raincovers on the tandem are so close fitting that they are usually on the toddlers face once pulled down and their feet ALWAYS stick out under the cover. To be continued ...

sorry .. where was I? Their feet always get wet.

The tandems also take up enormous about of your boot space, even the phil and ted ones dont fold down properly.

Side by side buggies, well, I paid £120 for a mclaren double buggy and it was brill, although nine years on I am sure there are more double buggies out there. It folded down to nothing, could get shopping on the bottom and I could still steer if toddler wanted to walk. I paid extra to get the footmuff things and the raincover actually covered both of them.

I had one buggy board, but it really depends how tall your toddler is. Some handle heights and top of the buggies are 104-107cm, so if your toddler is smaller than that he is not going to see anything other than the back of the pushchair. Really dangerous when going on bumpy pavement, little ones have bitten lips, inside of mouth etc when going over bumps, pavements etc., Saying that, some people love them.

Just my thoughts,

HP
x

A friend has one of these, Sit and Ride but regardless of how great an idea there's always a flaw.... sleeping children don't hang on!

Phil and Teds baby and toddler mode isn't as low as it looks if you go for the top of the range model.

Beebs x

had countless arguements in shops over this ( used to love asking them to demonstrate how to fold/unfold, when they do it I used to ask them to do it again using only ONE hand as the other is holding a baby, have a go its real fun when they get all flustered)
theres one year 11 months and 3 weeks between my two although it was a long time ago :lol: i tried tandem and side by side, they were all a disaster, ended up cheating a little and bought a buggy that would lie flat if needed put the toddler in that and baby in a carrier, if we went to the park he walked (ran) and she sat. on the way home when he was tired he sat and I carried her, this also made getting on and off buses easier, in and out of shops etc

good luck

PS when toddler comes to visit the new baby in hospital DO NOT say shall we take baby home now ? the OH did and my son said no she cant come mummy can but the baby has to stay here

i went down the single buggy and baby sling route....then made the lazy bugger walk when the little one got too heavy for the sling! But i'm an absolute witch!!

I had the same gap with my first two. Oldest walked and I managed with a single buggy/pram. I did take a sling (moby wrap) with me just in case but never used it.

He was and still is a good walker, I'm sure he did complain occassionally but is a double buggy worth the case when they should be out of it in a few months anyway. With rising rates of childhood obesity this is one step to fight against it.

I had the exact same age gap with my two. I bought one of those prams with a toddler seat on the front and it was a bugger to move about. I used it all of twice then chucked baby in a sling and went back to the push chair for toddler thing. Eventually progressed to pram and buggy board. Perfect!

I personally hate the double decker buggy things- never seem quite safe to me. We found the buggy board impossible to use when number 2 grandson came. My daughter has a double buggy one behind other- side by side can cause problems with doors. Though I find the biggest problem is the weight.

Not quite sure how were going to manage now with 3 under 3? Thankfully the snow means we haven't tried to get all 3 out at once yet.

Are thinking sling and double buggy for now. or double buggy and pram.

Ideas on a post card please :roll:

I have two children and have mostly managed without a pram/buggy, double or otherwise. Find them such a PITA and gave up when my eldest was about 6 months. My youngest (now 21 months) has never been in one at all. Life is much easier without!

There is 2yrs between my 2 and had same issue buy a double buggy or not.

Decided not to as we have a really good normal buggy that the car seat fits onto and when the oldest is 3 in a yrs time the doule wouldn't be required.

Bought a buggy board, he loved it at first but soon lost interest.

So we decided to buy a cheap sigle fold away buggy and reins for when he is walking.

It depends on what you are looking for but think it through carefully before buying.

Good luck