In tears over buying a bloody buggy

[setsoma]

I know this is ridiculous, but I'm overwhelmed with a toddler, young baby and lockdown. I need a buggy urgently, as the baby hates the sling I was planning to use for now, but I am clueless and never have a moment to do any research.

There is too much confusing and outdated information online and no shops to go check in person. In particular it seems impossible to tell whether a buggy will fit a tall toddler without going to a shop.

Please can you help me out with some suggestions, so I have a place to start?

It is mostly for my baby, but I'd like to be able to fit my tall toddler in it too. Plus I don't want to have to buy a second one once the baby grows. The pram needs to be:

• parent facing and forward facing
• usable for a 3-6 month old, maybe with an insert or such
• enough headroom for a tall toddler
• weight limit 17kg+

Not necessary, but ideally it would also be:

• usable off road (on footpaths through fields etc.)
• not super wide, as the pavements here can be very narrow
• fold in one piece
• easy to fit a buggybord without making difficult for the parent to push
• easy to push

Do you want a twin pram? In that both children can in it at same time.

Or a single pram?

I know the iCandy Lime is a one hand fold, inbuilt buggy board and is suitable birth to toddler.

The iCandy Peach can have a toddler seat and a bassinet seat or car seat clipped on, and you can buy a buggy board to attach.

Sorry my only experience is with iCandy, I’ve found them to be very reliable and lovely to push. Hope you find the buggy that works for you

Oh, definitely a single. Knew there was something I forgot to mention!

I've heard that toddlers often grow out of the icandy peach pretty quickly, can anyone else comment? I'll have another look at them though, thanks!

Have a look at best buggy

There is a lot of information on weights, sizes and general usability of the most popular buggies

Cybex Balios S, Joie Chrome DLX. Do you have a budget?

Mountain Buggy is massive, but doesn'ty go parent facing.

Have a look at the upper baby. You can buy an attachment so both bassinet and seat fit on it. It's an excellent buggy.

Not a Mutsy Evo. We have this and I like it but DS2 is only 21 months and already nearly too tall. I can't see it lasting him until 3.

My DD is 2 and fairly tall and still fits comfortably in the iCandy Peach seat.

The carrycot though was outgrown by 4.5 months.

Armadillo flip xt3

Have a look at an Icandy Orange. They look robust and with plenty of space for your toddler.

I have an icandy peach, 2 year old is fine in it! However She isn’t especially tall and she doesn’t like the cover over her anyway. it has to have the seat removed to be folded down so maybe doesn’t fit your criteria. I have heard good things about the Lime but never used it!

We use a babystyle oyster have used since birth (had a carry cot insert for few weeks) but think it covers all your points apart from it comes apart into 2 peices. Never used a buggy board but my sil has on her oyster max.

We still use it now for my almost 2 year old not sure re weight though he is heavy!

Bugaboo has done all my 3 it's brilliant

I candy peach isn’t really suitable for toddlers. I tried one with my 2 year old and it looked uncomfortable. What about mamas and papas sola? Defo fits a buggy board coz I used it with one. It was super easy to push. Not sure on width. Folds one one piece. Not necessarily amazing off road but ok. I found swapping between baby and toddler annoying because you have to adjust straps each time. So ended up having a separate stroller for the times when I was just out with toddler. Then mamas and papas sola with buggy board for baby and toddler

I had a Quinny Buzz (I think, definitely Quinny, not sure re Buzz...) that fit all your requirements except folding in to one piece.

Out n about is perfect for two children as it fits older ones in nicely, and it fits through most standard doors.

Only problem, it doesn’t parent face beyond a bassinet

The silver cross pop fits a large toddler and is pretty good over rough ground, its an umbrella fold and robust.
Ive not tried it with a buggy board as I'm going to get a clip on the side extra seat buggy pod thing. Its also out ward facing, its from newborn but its better from about 3 months in my experience.

Cosatto woosh is birth-25kg.
I haven't had this specific model but did have 2 other Cosatto prams and found them both to be great quality and lovely to push.

Another one for the Bugaboo!

Mountain buggy duet. My 3.5 year old twins still fit in mine and if you have the carrycot plus option then the baby can have a lie flat or parent facing option. Great for off road and bumpy pavements, the only side by side guaranteed to fit through any doorway.!if you’re local to St. Helens/Liverpool you can have our carrycot plus fittings for free if you can pick them up?

Both the iCandy Orange and Lime have a one-piece fold and an integrated buggy board so you don't have to buy one separately. They both come with a carrycoat and a seat unit as well so you can put the baby (or toddler!) in the seat unit once they've outgrown the carrycot. They're both cheaper than the Peach too!

Uppababy vista. Sometimes I will start a walk with my baby in the buggy and 4 year old walking and can very quickly switch it round to 4 year old in buggy and baby in sling (only on super long walks). They fit most carseata, are good offroad and I lock the wheels and use it as a jogging buggy. Fits toddler steps too

Shops will be opening a week tomorrow. Why not wait and have a look then?

@setsomaI have just bought the uppababy vista double got it from ebay and its brilliant! I have a 16 month old and a 2 week old. The bassinet goes on the bottom and then the vista seat goes on the top then when the baby is bigger you change the bassinet for the rumble seat and they can face any way (parent, world or each other) pretty sure it goes up to about 30kg. I think there is a way to fold it with both seats attached but I haven't tried it yet as I'm using the bassinet. It can also be used as a single pram.

We have a Maxi Cosi Zelia - it's narrow enough to get on a double decker bus, it goes off road quite well, and you can swap from parent to forward facing. It also has a massive shopping basket and folds up quite well!