Buggy solution for toddler/newborn?

[Dani64]

Hi everyone,

My eldest will be two months shy of 3 years old when number 2 is born. We currently don't depend on a car at all and all appointments/outings are by foot and within a 15-30 min walk. We have also just moved to ED so are unfamiliar with the area and how difficult it is to manage the pavements etc. We are wondering if we should just cut out the fuss of a buggy board and get a double buggy? I am also quite short so can imagine hunching over a buggy board and walking a bit like a penguin?!

What would you recommend?

Thank you very much

Farah

[Convex]

Hi, depends on your situation really.

Does your 3yo need to nap in the pram, and which single buggy do you have?

Do you have steps up to your house or can you just wheel straight in?

If in doubt i would say buy a double second hand, then you have it for when you need it and can sell it on when you are done. Also look for a buggy board which will suit your stride, eg i had the lascal maxi which is a bit higher off the ground which my feet kind of went under, having said that i always wore shoes in case of accidental toe stubs.

phil and teds are popular but i found it didnt suit me in the very early days, the city select was the one for me.

do a search on the board, there are loads of threads, and also check out best buggy website for reviews.

[Dani64]

Thank you for the advice.

She doesn't sleep in the pram. We have a light umbrella-style stroller (Joie) that was more for efficiency to get from A to B. We don't have steps so that's a bonus! Will do a little more research.

[omagem]

Yeah I think it depends on your circumstances as to what's going to suit you best. My first was only 15months when the second arrived so we went for a double and preferring a side-by-side style, went for a mountain buggy duet as it's nice and narrow - the only side by side we could get through the front door. Even now my eldest (now 3) is horrifically lazy and loves to nap at times so I'm glad to have the double.

I know others who got on very well with just a buggy board and sling as their eldest was happy to walk/board and on occasions they would swap and the baby could go in the sling.

Also, depending whether your eldest is at nursery/playgroup you might not want a double if you are only pushing one around the majority of the time.

[SLad]

Our daughter was 3yr 1mth when our second arrived and our microlite twofold with bassinet and travel system has been amazing. Integrated buggy board and optional toddler seat mean you have loads of options and it folds so easy to transport and take on holiday.

[Convex]

ok so i that case i do recommend you get at least a really sturdy single with an extending handle. and if you are doing that you may as well buy the double and just switch it for something else once you know what suits you. buy second hand - yo0u can strip the fabric from most prams and wash in the machine or hand wash or steam clean - and then you don't lose much money, if any, on resale.

also buggy boards work better with rear facing i find - e.g. bugaboo chameleon, bugaboo bee, baby jogger city select (i used as a single and loved it) um bugaboo city premier looks really good. with two i found it easier when i had a big basket and a strong frame so i could hang the bike, the scooter, blah blah.

i had a micralite and they are lovely to use, they have quite wide front wheels though so take a little bit of getting used to.

and i don't know anyone who didn't like their mountain buggy duet!

basically there are so many options out there, don't overthink it, just get something you think will work. i spent hours trying to sort the perfect buggy and was convinced that if i just got the right pram my life would be easier. looking back i think i was just struggling in general and thats what i fixated on.

fwiw i am expecting my third and have gone for a chameleon with buggy board. i was looking for either the chameleon or the city select and thats what came up first.

[Specklemum]

We have just under 2 years between our two, and I also do a lot of walking. I've found having a double buggy pretty indispensable (we already had the iCandy Peach for our first, so converted that to a double, which has been just right for us). That said, for the early days, I was very happy using a stroller/sling combo most of the time (it's a personal thing, but I loved my Becco Gemini for the first few months). It made hopping on even a busy bus a doddle, and was also handy when going to one of the cafes round here, many of which are on the petite side.

Our eldest is now 3.5 and the double is still regularly used, particularly for longer distances - he hops in and out as need be. For shorter trips or where space may be an issue, my youngest now goes in the Maclaren, and the eldest walks or scoots. If the worst come to the worst and he gets too tired, we just jump on a bus.

I did try a buggy board (Lascal Maxi), but have hardly used it. I personally couldn't get on with it, and it won't fold up very far on our particular stroller. Plenty of people do seem to use them quite happily though!

Good luck with your new arrival!

[sylviamaria]

When my second arrived my first was 2 years 11 months. We stopped using buggies altogether for the first few months - I had baby in the sling and eldest would scoot or walk. Meant I had two free hands and my eldest got used to walking longer distances. Once baby was 5 months old and got heavier, I started using a single buggy for her - the eldest just kept walking/scooting.

[Dani64]

Thank you everyone for your advice.

It seems like a very personal decision depending on the temperament (and energy/patience levels) of your eldest and mum in terms of walking and using a buggy board. We've decided to go for a second hand double buggy that can convert back to a single with the option of buying a buggy board if needed.

Who knew we would agonize over such seemingly mundane decisions :)

Thanks again

Farah

[Sonners]

I would wait until the baby is here before buying a double as it depends on the temperament of the baby too! My second was born the day before my eldest's third birthday and I ummed and ahhed about a double buggy for ages whilst pregnant. I decided to wait in the end which was good as my baby screamed her head off every time I tried the buggy until she was 5 months... (I think because of reflux). I therefore used to sling her everywhere (which she loved) and kept the 3 year old in the buggy for 6 months.

Second hand doubles come up pretty frequently on here and the SE23 mums Facebook group so I think you can get one pretty quickly as and when the need arises!