Thoughts on getting around with a 2.8 age gap - double buggy or not?

[Belle]

Realise the main answer to this is probably 'wait and see' as I don't need to do anything for six months, but curious to know others' experiences with a similar age gap. My thinking at the moment is to try to get by with a combo of maclaren and sling/lie-flat pram (had for first baby) and buggy board. I'm hoping those two configurations can cover most situations. Am I being a bit naive though? At the moment - though this may change - there is no way son will hold my hand/buggy when walking along the street, so for most trips out the buggy is still essential, though not something he complies with happily. He's more than capable of walking everywhere, just v unruly. Naps are on their way out so having somewhere he can sleep when out and about less important now.

Am reluctant to invest even in a second hand phil and teds as it's a big expense for possibly not a lot of use. Had half though might get a second hand double maclaren for situations where it's essential to have the two in a buggy. Anyone with a similar gap able to advise?

[Pickle]

Congrats Belle, I didn't realise you were expecting :)

I would wait and see - chances are you'll be fine with a sling, especially for the first 6 weeks or so.

I had a double MacLaren for a while (it was our "boot of the car" buggy) and it was a nightmare, very hard to push with two kids of different weights in it. I wouldn't spend money on one unless you feel it's absolutely essential.

A lot will change with your little boy in 6 months, I'm sure by the time baby arrives he will be fine holding on to a buggy to cross roads etc.

P x

[Dorothy]

I had exactly this age gap. We didn't go down the double buggy route. So it was sling for littl'un for several months, then biggun on buggy board or walking. I didn't particularly like the buggy board because I am very short, but we got through.

However, I would probably double buggy it if you don't have a car and thus walk everywhere. My excursions were always fairly local.

[ClareC]

My sister has a 25 mth age gap between her 2 boys, she had a Phil and Teds but only used it for around 6 mths. I think you should be fine without a double based on her experience :-)

[Belle]

We do have a car but I'm a v nervous driver (esp in London) - but given second baby I know i have to tackle that, so am planning refresher lessons to boost my confidence. I do walk a lot but not long walks as toddler complains about being in buggy after 15 mins or so.

Pickle - thankyou :) - due end of Sept but already showing quite a bit, as my mum helpfully pointed out 'all your muscles are much looser now'. Hmm, yes...

[gwod]

I recommend a buggy and a sling, preferably a buggy that either child could ride in so that you can swap them around if the older one gets tired and needs a rest (tricky with Newborn but easy after 3 months or so)...I did this with the two year gap, but felt I needed the Phil and Teds for the 15 month gap. Also I advise against the side by side maclaren. A real pain with different weight children, and a doouble pain when one of them gets out to walk...!

[Fuschia]

Our twins were 2y8m when the baby arrived and almost 3 now. We DO use the double buggy with one twin on the front for most trips, though sometimes I take the baby in the sdingle and the twins walk. depends what the journey is. Buggy very useful if they need to be transported home when tired (or they want to nap)

A single with a sling and a buggy board would probably cover your options though.

[cuppa tea]

I had a 2.9 age gap and tried to do sling and micralite buggy for a while, but we don't have a car and I had to walk 15 minutes to and from nursery 4 times a day mon/thur/fri. The sling killed my back in the end and I have lots of comfy slings! My son was not yet at the stage where he could walk next to me safely on a busy road so I relented and bought a phil & teds. I have to say it's been great. A real life saver. I would have loved to avoid buying one, as now he's 4 and the baby 14 months and we don't use it anymore. Probably for about a year it was really vital for me. Carrying a baby and pushing a heavy toddler with all their stuff is hard work and I couldn't be out all day like that. The double buggy is really good for doing long trips and you can take so much with you. I would say if you have a strong back and your eldest will use a buggy board I would go for that as you will probably only use the double buggy for a year and they are pretty expensive and cumbersome. On the upside at least they hold their value if you want to re-sell them afterwards.

[Moi23]

You could try between now and baby's arrival getting him used to walking without the buggy. Try a few short trips. It'll be hard to start off with, particularly if he's running into the road. But hopefully without a little baby in tow you can spend a bit of time on out and about walking and road discipline. The age gap for mine is a bit bigger (3 and a bit years). I bought a massive double buggy and it was a real hassle. Also tried the buggy board and that was quite uncomfortable to use. Now he tends to either walk or use his scooter. I tried to instill the attitude that buggy's are for babies...

[Huggers]

we had an emmajunga top and bottom thing. it's a swedish make and absoltuely brilliant. Lie down bottom and clip on seat on top. we had 19month age gap.

[tallgirl]

Sling and buggy, you wouldn't get much use from double buggy, as the few months until you have your second bundle of joy will make a big difference in your older childs ability to walk. If you are tired, toddler walks ( could use reins/wrist strap if they like to run off!) and baby goes in the buggy, if toddler is tired, the baby goes in a sling and toddler in the buggy. From experience this works very well (most of the time!)

[melbourne groover]

If you do walk loads then I would definately get a double. It makes like so much easier if you can fling the older one in the buggy when necessary, we had a longish walk home(for a 3yr old) after nursery and it made the whole thing so much easier (I am obviously all about the easy...). We had an Adventure buggy which was fab - the top seat meant it didn't feel too much like a pram for the older one, you could have nice chit chats while walking along and it was great for fitting all the shopping in! They do crop up on ebay, so worth keeping an eye out. Think they are a bit prohibitive price wise new but brilliant if you can get a second hand one. They are the landrover of prams, not much to break so even an old one would do the job! The air filled tyres are so much more comfy to push also with two.

[Moi23]

I would wait until you are only a couple of months away from the new arrival and assess the situation then. Double buggies are expensive, very annoying if you don't use it, but a total life saver if you need it.

[Fuschia]

Double buggies aren't expensive if you buy secondhand

[JessB]

I have a 26month old and a 6 week old. I was reluctant to buy a double as had maclaren and sling and bugaboo with buggy board. 2 weeks after having the new baby I got a Phil and Teds second hand through this forum. It cost 80 quid so was a bargain

I didn't want to spend a lot as 2/3 days a week my toddler is in childcare and on the other days I wanted to encourgr walking. I would say the sling / buggy board work well for most short trips but on occasion the double is fab e.g. longer walk, tired toddler, heavy baby etc etc. However i probably use it only about twice a week at the moment so glad I got a cheap second hand one. It is a bit of a squeeze having 3 buggies knockimg around but theyre all useful in their own way!

I would say wait until baby is here, you dont really go out too much im first couple of weeks and you should be able to find what works and if you need a double you could probably find one cheap through here, use for a few months and then sell on again.

Sorry for typos, feeding baby and typing with clumsy left hand!

[clux]

I have a 2.7 age gap between my two. The eldest walked or scooted everywhere once I had the new baby in the pram. I did put a buggy board on my pram which came in very handy and she used that until she was about 3.5.

[katgod]

buggy board and scooter. 2.8 gap. fine. scooter can be slung over buggy when not in use.

[Smiler]

Congratulations!

I have a 2.5 age gap, have got away with a buggy board (lascale), eldest hasn't been in a buggy since the birth!

[Belle]

Very helpful feedback, thanks all. I think I'll see how we go over the spring/summer but initially stick to the buggy board/sling options, and then can always invest in a double if I'm finding a real need for it once the baby is here. Thing is I can't see myself pushing two kids in a double for any great distance, so not sure would get the use out of it. He's not quite ready yet, but am thinking of introducing a star chart at some point so will maybe include a line for holding my hand when out walking or something.

[tommy]

Double buggy width can be tricky to negotiate through doorways and shop doors, busses, etc.

[EmilyE]

Reckon it really depends on how much you use a car. If you walk everywhere, get a double buggy. We had a 25 month gap, and I thought we'd use buggy board/sling, and then someone gave us a (well-loved) phil and teds when the youngest was 7 months and I couldn't believe I hadn't done it sooner. But it's true that you can wait and see, as you could probably get one pretty quickly if you needed.

[Pasta]

Just wanted to add, Belle you mentioned you couldn't imagine pushing 2 kids in a double. I had a double stroller which was a breeze to push,it only weighed about 9 or 10 kilos (much lighter than even some single buggies)it had pneumatic tyres and a light aluminium frame and it was so easy to push i would push it with one hand while having a coffee in the other and that was when my kids were toddlers! It was easier and more comfortable than my single buggies! It's the out and about nipper 360, best purchase i ever made. I too didn't want to spend a lot on yet another buggy but i used it so much (did tons of walking, took it on holiday and they both used to nap in it!) that it def paid for itself.

[Belle]

Were your kids different ages Pasta? Just wondering if a side by side would be imbalanced with 2 kids of diff ages.

Do love the look of the nipper t hough!

[Fuschia]

Nipper is great. Is fine with a toddler and a baby in.

[Pasta]

They were 18 months apart. Yes fine with toddler and baby :-)