Mums of two - do I need a double buggy??

[HotMommy]

My little girl will be 2 years and two months when my second arrives. She loves to walk but certainly isn't able to walk all the time. I already have an uppababy and a maclaren, so I'd like to get away without purchasing another buggy. We live in central London, don't have a car and walk everywhere. Do you think I can get away with some combination of sling for the little one and then a rumble seat and buggy board on the uppababy?? Or should i just ebay them both and buy a double?? I love the uppababy and am looking forward to using it again.... Thanks!!

[daisydee43]

oh yes. spesh if dont drive and if youre going out all day. my dd will be 3 when dc2 born and im going to get a second hand ebay one. maybe you could sell one of your other buggys. my dd loves a nap and i hate those baby carry things as my cousins baby used to stop breathing in them.

[Liveinthepresent]

I have exactly the same age gap and my single
Biggest regret is not having a double buggy.
I thought I would try and manage with sling and
Buggy board but I couldn't run after DD or help her in the park properly with a newborn in a sling and she hated the buggy board until about 3.
It would have made life so much easier to be able strap them both in safely and then walk with 1 buggy.

[laurajane89]

My son will be just over 15 months when my new one arrives and I am definately getting a double pushchair :)

[BeginnerSAHM]

If you get one, I recommend the out n about double nipper. It has side by side, fully reclining (newborn suitable) seats) and is great for larger toddlers too. Tried the Phil and Ted's (borrowed) which I hated - I (and our nanny) found the nipper soooo easy and light to push. Bit tricky on crowded buses but that's all. Fits through doorways etc, no problem. You can normally pick them up relatively cheaply second hand. Good luck!!

[lighteningmcmama]

Personally I didn't get a double buggy, and I never regretted it one bit. You do need a proper sling though, not a baby Bjorn type which doesn't support baby's hips properly. They are ok for short periods though not ideal, but if you are going to use a sling a lot then it's not great for baby. I had a stretchy then a ring sling and mei tai. Planning on doing the same for dc3

[SarahWH23]

lascal buggy board plus uppababy vista is an excellent combination - baby could go in pram and toddler could go on board.

[PastaBow]

I'd get a double. I love my Oyster Max. I call it the 'blessed pushchair' as it enables me to go wherever I want with my 2 year old and 5 month old.

DD walks well but it's good to have the option to put her in the chair if she is tired, poorly or it is raining.

You can choose whether to put the second seat on the Oyster so I don't bother for shorter walks.

[hartmel]

We bought a double stroller as the age gab between my kids will be 13 1/2 month if the second one arrives on due date.. And DS is just starting to bum shuffle and only walks when aided

[daisydee43]

talking of buggies has anyone found a good design - im looking for a tandum one where one seat suitable for toddler and other suitable for newborn (dont like the idea of putting newborn in a car seat type seat all day)

[MrsBobDobalina]

I have a Vista and my DC have a 21 month gap. I got along ok for some months with a sling and the piggyback, but it's not ideal - you're less mobile with the baby in the sling (I find it's like being about 6-7 months pregnant) and sometimes the toddler won't stand on the board, so last month I finally persuaded DH that we should get the rumbleseat. Now, it's not perfect, it doesn't turn the Vista into a true double, but it does enable you to strap them both in and get somewhere in good time when you need to. I find it heavy but my nanny took out both DC plus her own 5 year old daughter on the piggyback last week and said it was lighter than some of the regular singles she'd used! They have good resale value on Ebay when you don't need it anymore.

[eggsnbeans]

I had hoped the same but DD2 hates the sling with a passion! So double buggy it is!

[TeaRex]

There will be 18 months between my two if all goes well, I've just got a joovy caboose ultralight and have also got the joovy caboose too seat to turn it into a tandem while my dd isn't walking much. It'll be a bit of a juggling act for the first 6 months as the baby will only be able to use the car seat so I'll have it out for short trips and my dd in her normal buggy and a sling for the baby for slightly longer trips. But I thought it was the best long term buggy for us. The other buggy I considered was the mountain buggy duet (not duo) it's a side by side but v v narrow and both seats can be used from birth I think so could be more suited for you and worth a look op x

[Munxx]

20 months between mine, I have the nipper 360 and still use it loads. My almost 2yo and 3.5yo fit in no bother and it's only just getting hard to push.

Second a proper sling, not a Baby bjorn type thing. I used an ergo until my youngest was 17mo.

I walk everywhere so a double is a must, although my eldest is a confident walker she still gets weary after a long morning out. Bonus now is that if she walks I have lots of room for bags! Not quite like a bugaboo donkey but close ;)

[petalsandstars]

I have a graco double. One in front of the other. Rear seat reclines fully flat. Front seat doesn't recline. Dead easy to fold and push.

Only now DC1 is 3.4 are they more reliable at walking - but still a bolter so goes in the pushchair if I'm on my own with them.

[Honsandrevels]

I had the exact same age gap and planned to use a single and a sling. I tried one outing and bought a second hand Phil and teds!

Only having a sling is hard when you stop for lunch and have no where to put the baby while you wrestle a toddler into a high chair or during nappy changes.

[HotMommy]

Thanks everyone! I did think more people would say the rumble seat would be fine.....hmmm. Yes I will be getting an Ergo for sure - I used one with my first and loved it, but unfortunately it fell apart after a year if use and I suspect it was a fake (bought on amazon) so will be buying a proper one. I think I will buy the rumble seat and buggy board for the uppababy and see how we get on. I can use the rumble seat for my daughter and snap the car seat in for the newborn or put her in the sling instead. I may decide its just not a good idea and go for a double though....

[Ihateparties]

You can use the vista with a toddler and newborn if you switch the main seat forward facing and use a wedge/snug seat to create a flat surface in the main seat. The baby is facing away from you but is flat as oppose to in a car seat.

Seeing as you have and like the vista that would be my first thing to try, all you need to invest in is the rumble seat and a wedge for the main seat. There are several things you can get... The uppababy snug seat doesn't provide a totally flat surface, the mamas and papas sola city newborn liner does (and is a bargain at £20) as does the silver cross surf baby nest. There is also the smart fuff with the inbuilt wedge if you're having a autumn/winter baby.

[fixyourgardengate]

I have 20 months between mine. We bought a second hand p&t tandem as friend of a friend happened to be selling one when I was 7 months pregnant. I didn't use it at all until dd was 6months+ because she is diddy and I love having her in the sling. DH used it though if he was out with both, as did my DM.

In the past couple of months though it has been a godsend. I can stick dd in the front, ds usually tells me he wants to walk so he "helps" me push until he gets bored then climbs in the back and straps himself in.

We also have a buggy board but it is so bloody noisy when he's not on it, and makes our knackered M&P Sola almost impossible to control. (Tbh also got the board second hand and haven't done a brilliant job of fixing it in place so this is probably a user fault rather than anything else).

[WanderingTrolley1]

12 months between mine and I'm very happy with my Oyster Max.

[pootlebug]

16 months between my elder two. I paid £50 2nd hand for an old Instep Nipper and was glad I didn't spend more as only used it about 5 times - single and sling worked much better for me for buses, trains, escalators, stairs etc. By the time number 3 arrived I'd long since given it away and didn't miss it at all (although I had 2.7 years between 2 and 3 so less need)

[onesmallstepforamum]

2.2 month gap here and another vote for oyster max!

[DeputyPecksBentBeak]

22 months between mine. I have the baby jogget mini double which I love but the only problem is now that dd wants to walk everywhere it's too hard to push one handed and hold her hand because it's too bulky. but perfect and light the rest of the time.

The Britax b-duel has a lower seat like a phil and teds but a baby can go in it from newborn as it fully reclines. It also folds with the second seat on which looks good.

[daisydee43]

so apparently a lot of double buggies only go up to 3 years old? is this a myth