2 year old and newborn - pram dilemma - advice please!

[mindthegap79]

I may be jumping the gun as I'm very early on in my pregnancy. However I'm excited and just starting to plan ahead a bit... When dc2 is born, dd will be just turning 2. She's currently 15.5 months and is quickly a pretty confident walker. She likes to walk alongside the buggy a lot of the time and obviously we encourage this, although she's not very speedy and her little legs get tired - so we still need the buggy much of the time.

We currently have a MacLaren Techno XT, and also the Silver Cross Wayfarer travel system which we bought for when she was newborn. Both are compatible with buggy boards and the BuggyPod.

My question is, will a just turned 2 year old want to/need to go in a buggy? Should we plan to sell the Silver Cross and buy something like the Baby Jogger double? Or will dd be ok on a buggy board by then?

Sorry, I know I should really wait a while, but I am very excited and would be interested to hear of others' experiences. Thanks!

[mindthegap79]

Sorry for the typos.

[followTheyellowbrickRoad]

It really depends on the child. Some a happy to walk, Others are not. You could always use a sling for the baby if you don't want to buy a double.

[MinesAPintOfTea]

How much walking do you do for day to dday life? DS is just 3 and still needs the buggy to get all the way home from nursery, although I make him walk a lot of it.

If you only need to pop to the corner shop the answer is different to droppung off at nursery at 8am..

[fiveacres]

I will have a 15 month age gap and I don't want a double buggy so am just going with a sling for the baby

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Wait and see. DD gave up her stroller entirely at 18 months and I saw what looked like a 7-8 year old in one yesterday. Very much depends on the child and your life.

[iusedtobecool]

I'm in this dilemma too, although my DS is a bit older at 2.5. Although he can walk ok, he still likes a nap. I have bought a buggy board for my current pushchair, but am going to see what happens. Either use the buggy with the board, but take a sling for new baby if DS falls asleep. Or get a second hand buggy that can be used as a single eg. Phil and Teds.

I have a city mini, so the seat reclines. I'm a bit pram mad though, so secretly itching to get a new double! Just can't justify the cost unless I have to

[iusedtobecool]

• I meant DS will be 2.5 when new baby arrives.

[NickyEds]

Depends completely on how much walking you do/intend to do. I'm 35 weeks and ds is going to be around 18-19 months when the baby's born. We don't drive and love walking so we're getting a double (Phil and Teds we think). We're keeping our current buggies though- we have a Quinny as our "proper" buggy and a cheapy shopper thing for little trips. I'll probably get a sling too.
Leaving all buggy options open!!! Double, single with sling and single with buggy board!! Ds is a good walker but I reckon it will be a while before he can manage a full day out and I think (hope!) he'll still need to nap in the day too.

[JohnCusacksWife]

We've got a 19 mth age gap and i kept my pram from DD1 and added a buggy board for short trips. We also got a cheap 2nd hand double buggy for longer trips. We didn't use the double buggy for long enough to make buying a new one worthwhile.

[SpringtimeSun]

Mine are 4, 3 and 4mths and I still use my BJCS on most days out or long walks but it will also work Fab as a single. I use a sling too but sometimes you just need a pram, lol

[crazykat]

I had a similar gap with my dc3 and dc4 and got a buggy board with a seat for the eldest. I tried a double buggy and it was a pita in shops and the bus, a buggy board was much better though it does trash the back wheels of the pushchair after a while.

[mindthegap79]

We walk a fair bit, although for drop off at the childminder's I drive as it's on my way to work. Hmmm. Yes, I'd say we walk a lot.

I thought about using a sling for the newborn but I never got on with the sling for dd.

Decisions decisions! Maybe we could get a decent double travel system second hand and buy new seats/carrycot.

[MangoBiscuit]

Early on in pregnancy with DD2, DD1 had only just given up her buggy, still needed it for longer trips, wasn't too fast etc. So we invested in a buggy board. She's used it once. Once! I haven't even trimmed down the flipping straps. And after about 1 week we had DD2 in a sling the whole time. (Silent reflux)

I strongly second what others have said about waiting and seeing.

Congratulations!

[poocatcherchampion]

I ended up with 2 doubles for dd1/dd2 with a 17mo age gap, dd1 could only just walk at that age.

Dc3 will come when dd2 is just over 2, I am keeping one buggy but expect she will walk a fair bit, and I will need to also keep dd1 under control.

We have just sold the buggy board as none of dh, the nanny or me can get on with it. If they need a ride the double is easier to push and quicker.

So I'm in the yes camp.

[trilbydoll]

Depends on how much walking you do. DD doesn't need a pushchair for a walk from car to soft play / shop with trolley / play park. She couldn't however be relied on to walk 2
Miles into town, round town and then home.

She also walks on her own terms, if she doesn't fancy it, she won't. So I have a second hand double that probably won't get a huge amount of use, but without it we would be trapped in the house!

[seastargirl]

16 months between mine, we got a baby jogger city select as it can be used as a single or double, I love it and think it's done well, massive basket which is useful. I think with your age gap I'd have maybe gone for decent carrier and pram. We got a buggy board but ds hated it.

[Alambil]

my sister has just got an Obaby Zoom second hand; it comes with 2 seat units, a pram and the seats can go a number of formations. It fits her tall 3yr old, so would be perfect for a newborn/2yr combo.

2 year olds get tired quickly; if she's at nursery, then you want to go out somewhere, she'd need a sit down I imagine, so I'm a "yes" vote

[mindthegap79]

Mumsnet is bloody brilliant! Thanks for all the replies

As we walk a lot I'm thinking double travel system which easily converts into a single. I shall spend time searching for deals and will probably flog the tank which cannot cope with kerbs and I wouldn't recommend to anyone even though it looks pretty Silver Cross, thus helping me justify the expense.

But I shall wait and see for a bit first! Thanks all.

[Purplepoodle]

I found essential for naps for both but I have lazy boys who were rubbish at walking at that age.

[SweetPeaPods]

We converted our iCancy to double but to be honest more often Ds1 is walking and ds2 in pram, or ds2 in sling and ds1 in pram. Thinking about getting a buggy board to try but not sure if ds1 will stand on it.

[ConcreteElephant]

DD had just turned 2 when DS was born and we got a Phil and Ted double (which can be used as a single too).

I didn't get a side-by-side (though I loved the Baby City Jogger) because it seemed harder to handle with different sized children sitting in each side, and also I knew DD wouldn't need it all the time so it seemed unnecessary to have a permanent double.

Buggy boards are a pain going up and down kerbs and we couldn't have fitted one to DD's buggy so we'd be buying a new buggy just to put a board on!

I'm a fan of slings and I used one a lot with DD. However, I found that if we went for a walk or to the park or library, or a class of some sort, it was actually much more liberating to have DS asleep in a buggy rather than strapped to my front. I could play more with DD, sit her on my lap, give her cuddles etc.

DD was, and still is, a great walker, but if you are heading to the park or woods you want to save their little legs for actually playing at your destination and you never know how tired they might be at home time. DD used to pop in and out of the buggy, and she was safer in there when crossing busy roads.

It's impossible to know what's best but hopefully the answers you are getting here will help you work out your likely priorities?

[chocomochi]

I have a similar gap and definitely needed it. We walked every where, but dd1 used to walk sloooowly and only managed to get to the end of the road before declaring she was tired. Like pp, she walked when she wanted to. Now at 5 and 3, we still take the double out in town or city breaks abroad as neither can manage a whole day of walking (9am-6pm), even with lunch and coffee breaks. We tried with just a single before and ended up carrying the other one!

[mindthegap79]

Thanks ConcreteElephant (love your username - all I wanted to do when I was in the early stages of labour with dd was watch Blackadder back to back - that's really helpful. Good point about saving their energy for when you get to places.

Has anyone got a double that they really recommend? I like the look of the Mountain Buggy +1.

[mindthegap79]

I did buy a v cheap second hand side by side, from an almost unknown brand called Jane Be Cool. It's been useful for when I've looked after friends' babies or they've had dd, but I hate it. It's not ridiculously wide, but it's heavy and flimsy all at the same time. And it smelt so awful that I even put the hoods through the wash and scrubbed the frame with Miltons. It was a silly purchase, looking back.

[northerngoldilocks]

I have an almost 2 year gap and have a phil & teds navigator (I think - the new one that came out at the same time as the dot). Its great - it fits through all doorways, goes on busses, trains etc. We still take it on days out (we live in London so tend to go out on public transport with lots of walking) even though my eldest is now 4. He rarely goes in it to be honest - but the bottom seat is good for carrying stuff and on the occasions he is whinging re being tired, just letting him hop in for 5 mins is great - also good for when you're in a rush. At 2 he wouldn't have been trustworthy on a buggy board - ie when leaving a playground that he didn't want to etc. Also he still napped so the buggy was good for that. You could wait until you have the baby, or alternatively just pick up a second hand phil & teds - there are generally lots about - just bear in mind that some of the older models are much heavier