Suddenly realised there is a flaw in my pushchair plan - help please!

[DuggeeHug]

Please help me work out what to do! I have just realised a major flaw in my pushchair plans and I'm running out of time!

Baby 2 due in two weeks, ds just turned 2. He likes to walk and can walk far (back breakingly slowly) but we do rely on the pushchair for naps. We have a baby jogger versa and a city mini. Ds will be at nursery during the week so only weekends/holidays are an issue where there will almost always be two parents. Original plan was that we would just take a child in a buggy each, but that was before ds decided he wanted to walk everywhere. So I then thought baby in the versa and if son needed buggy, baby could go in the sling (we tend to go out for the whole day so I'd prefer not to use sling all day with a newborn). However I have just realised baby will be in the carrycot at first and ds cannot go in that.

I have been thinking about buggy boards (though they will not solve the sleeping issue) but worried about the non-extending handles and the carrycot - and also not sure ds would like it especially on busy city streets. Does anyone have experience of a buggy board on a versa with carrycot (and tall child and parents)?

Starting to think we will just have to avoid goinging out for the day as a family until ds2 is old enough for the versa seat! I really want to avoid a double as very limited time we need it and we live in a flat. I also love the versa and have a lovely cosy toes for it so would like to keep it.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

[RatOnnaStick]

How about using the city mini instead? Then you can lay it flat for baby and sit it up for the toddler. You'd have to faff about with the straps though.

[CurlsLDN]

We recently got one of these just for the nursery run
Zeta Vooom Stroller (Black) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004YIDZRO/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_qy2Xvb6JFQWYV?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21
It's suitable from birth as it lays completely flat, so could that work for both children in the short term? It's cheap enough that even if you just used it for those occasional full day trips and sold it after six months it would hopefully not cost too much!
I really like it, it's v sturdy and smooth to push

[HappyAsASandboy]

To be honest, if you're only talking about needing somewhere for a two year old to nap on family days out, if let him nap in the carrycot.

But then I put my heavy 4 year old in a carrycot a few months ago, as she was whining and I wanted to go fast to get out of the rain.

But yes, I'd get a buggy board, and put the two year in the carrycot for the occasional nap :)

[annatha]

Would your ds nap in a sling? You could get a toddler tula or connecta, chuck it in the bottom of the pram and when he's getting tired get him on yours or dp's back for a nap. You could always hire one now to see if its something he's like before spending money on one.

[DuggeeHug]

Thanks everyone.

Can the mini be used from newborn? I thought it was 6m+. Would it be possible to get the soft mini carrycot and fold it somehow when toddler needed the buggy or it is that a mad idea??

Also, what buggy board would people recommend for the versa and mini? Would I need two or are they easy to swap about?

I am not sure re a sling being tolerated at all but ds1 does sleep in his backpack so we could take that out with us as an option and it may just about fit under the versa.....

Long days out with the family may be very wishful thinking anyway!!

[RatOnnaStick]

Yes its perfectly fine to use from newborn as it lies near-flat. You can use it with or without carrycot, I used it with just a head hugger for a bit of support and padding. I don't know about the carrycots but if you ask on the pushchair boards here there is always someone with the answer.

[moggle]

I don't think any of the baby jogger carrycots could be folded and fit elsewhere on the buggy. They are soft in that they don't have a hard wall but they do have metal framing which collapses, so not foldable. I don't know if you could possibly balance it collapsed across the basket? If you could then the city mini would be the way to go as you can have the carrycot and the seat fabric on at the same time.
Some people use properly soft carrycots or cocoons made by other manufacturers in the city mini, I don't know if any of those would fold / squish up to go in the basket.

[DunderMiffed]

You can buy a wedge for the versa so your younger son could go in it from younger than six months - the mamas and papas sola city wedge works but I think they've stopped selling it. But I suspect the city mini will be easier for them to "share".

Can the hard carrycot go on both buggies? I think they are the same with different adaptors so you could email kooltrade and ask if it's possible to buy the city mini adaptors. Not sure it's much help in this situation but gives you options!

[DunderMiffed]

I would think the baby jogger vue soft carrycot would attach to the d rings in the city mini (although it's not sold for this) - don't know if it would fit in the basket though.

[DuggeeHug]

Thanks - I have a wedge from a britax car seat I used with ds1 in the versa along with a thick cosy toes after a couple of months as he was very tall, strong and loved standing up from an early age. Not sure I'd trust it with a very little one though esp as this one is predicted to be a small baby. Would also be a faff to take on and off when out the house.

I think I will buy the baby jogger buggy board and also something to allow baby to go in city mini for short spell but hopefully can mainly use sling. Was thinking a Phil and teds cocoon second hand from ebay. Has anyone got one that can let me know if they fold or at least squish please?

[YeOldeTrout]

ALWAYS 2 adults on weekends. ALWAYS? Neither of you never has anything else to do or wants to give the other one a break to get stuff done at home?

Cheap 2nd hand double buggy I suggest far better than these other suggestions. And just because the older one is keen on walking now doesn't mean he will be in a few months time.

[YeOldeTrout]

My big one used to prefer to sleep in the shopping basket, anyway.

[museumum]

Do neither of those biggies take the babies car seat? I'd probably keep the buggy set up for the 2yr old and gave the newborn in a combination of sling and car seat without carrycot. I think most reclining budgies work from about 3mo rather than 6mo.

[Alanna1]

Buggy board.

[RatOnnaStick]

I know you're looking for a cocoon but we used one of these which did the job nicely and they told away nice and small when not in use.

[DuggeeHug]

Yes YeOldTrout - we both work full time during the week and prioritise weekends for family time. We have quite a fixed routine of music/swimming classes, out for lunch, park etc at weekends and we always really enjoy our family time together. Other than very occasional things like one of us being ill or at a hen/stag do during the Saturday. Maybe that is really sad but I didn't think it was that unusual...

[Artandco]

I would also let 2 year old sit/ lay in carrycot if he's napping. We had a 15 month gap, and although I used buggy board and sling between them, I also used to sit eldest in carrycot at babies feet end. Just took shoes off and he had legs either side of baby. Mainly for on and off buses as board had to be up then and I couldn't get buggy off with one hand and lift eldest off at same time so kept him safe.

[moggle]

Just wanted to add that if you've got the city mini lying flat, there really is no room for a child on a buggy board. There's very little room even if the seat is upright.

[addictedtosugar]

We had a BJCM double, and DS2 was in it from newborn. They hadn't brought out the carrycot then, tho some people were attaching the Phil and Ted's cocoon. rat's link looks good. Check the single city mini recs for age.