Do we need a double buggy if we have a newborn and a 2yr old

[Horehound]

Currently pregnant with #2 due in November. By then our son will be 2.
Just looking at prams that can hold a carry cot and a toddler and they are coming in at over £1k.

What do other people do? We currently just have one pram that was able to hold rlthe carry cot then turned into a stroller but obviously don't want to push two strollers when #2 is a bit older.

I had the same age gap, we used a buggy board or the baby went in a sling. I don't think you need a double buggy really. Is your 2 year old a happy walker?

Depends how much walking you'll do. We bought a second hand double baby jogger which goes flat and has a huge hood for when we needed two. They are great double buggies. We then sold it again for practically the same price! If we wanted to use the pram you can get an attachment for the toddler to stand on but tbh I found it a bit of a pain. I know it's nice to have a brand new buggy but second hand can be great quality.

You don’t need a carry cot. Most double buggies are fine for newborns.

If you are planning on a lot of walking and your son will only be just 2, I would recommend either a double buggy, or a single with buggy board, but make sure you have a sling in case the toddler gets tired and needs the buggy.

Same gap and as PP. Dd two walks mostly. Once or twice has used buggy board on a very long walk. Sometimes just takes balance bike if park etc. Or I use the sling.

Single buggy and sling, but our RedKite twinni was fine for £189, suitable from birth.

I had under two years between dc1 and 2 and never had a double. Baby went in the sling. I do a lot of walking and use public transport as I don’t drive(and nor did DH back then).

Yes for a while .
Just get a second hand umbrella style one from Facebook or something.

I would say it would be incredibly useful. I am still using the buggy regularly for my 2.9yo.

There are definitely models under £1k. Have you looked at Mountain Buggy Double, Phil & Ted's Sport Double, Britax B-Agile Double, Joie Evalite?

And that's even without looking at second hand models as PP said.

I had my son when my daughter was 20 months.
I couldn’t get on with double buggies. They take up too much room in your car. They are either too wide to comfortably navigate inside spaces or they stack on top of each other so one child gets a lovely view of the back of another seat.

I bought a buggie board for my daughter to stand on when she got tired or we needed to move faster than her usual walking pace.

Im pregnant with number three and plan on using the buggy board for my middle, although he’ll be nearly three rather than nearly two so I doubt think we’ll be using it very often.

We also had a city mini baby jogger, a double for my twins.

I had a single plus buggy board when my third was born, twins were nearly three though. I did often have baby in sling and twins in the double and when they got a bit older they’d walk for longer or use the board.

Sit down type buggy board (had 26 months between mine and the baby was born in winter)

Every family is different.

Best to just wait & see, there's no shortage of them & you can get one overnight if you feel you need one.

Depends on how much walking, do you drive, is baby due before winter ( if walking or using public transport a double is easier in winter as it's cold and wet!) We didn't get on with a buggy board, it hurt my back and I'd look for second hand

I had a similar age gap and bought a second hand tandem pushchair. I only used it about twice and wished I hadn't bothered buying it as it was heavy and unwieldy (though they are probably better now as it was over 20 years ago).

I mainly did what the PP did, and used a buggy board or sling.

I had a city select double. Hardly used it as a double. I used slings and a single. Either of them would go in the sling (older one was 18 months old) and then the other in the pushchair and vice versa. If you do go down the sling option try and visit a sling library and get an idea of what's comfy and a good design. The high street crotch danglers looking at you baby bjorn are rarely either. A ring sling is a good option for a toddler. Doubles are a bugger to navigate round shops as well!

I had 2 under 2 and couldn’t have managed without a double. We had a P&T so it was same width as a single. I didn’t drive, used buses a lot and walked miles - it was in use well until youngest was 2-3, so well worth it. Then we passed it on to friends. We did also have a range of slings and a Maclaren fold-up but for my lifestyle at the time the P&T was essential.

I had a 3 year age gap and the double buggy got a huge amount of use until eldest turned 6 - he was super lazy. Depends in your child. Do they still nap when out and about? If yes definitely get a double. They are big and heavy but worth it if you rely on it a lot for walking. They are too big for public transport. I bought mine second hand and sold it on for the same price.

Depends on how much walking you do, how much walking your DC1 does, how much you use the buggy, how tall you are and how the birth goes, does DC1 nap, day trips, if you need to get both to nursery on time, how much both DC weigh...
We had a second hand double, I didn't have a car so did everything (inc shopping) on foot. We certainly needed it for the first year.

I tried to do without and just use the sling and it was a disaster. It totally depends on your lifestyle but I walked 90% of the time and it was invaluable. We had a mountain buggy duet which could fit through most doors. It was so handy for strapping both kids in place to get ready to go and using the bassinet meant if we got back and the baby was asleep they could safely stay that way. Sometimes they would both nap and it was worth it for that alone. Picking a screaming toddler up with a newborn in a sling on your front in the rain with all your things in a rucksack is hard!
I used it until the youngest was 2.5 and the oldest was four. They both still fitted!
If your main transport is walking from your door then it's worth it. It was expensive to buy but I got a decent chunk back when I sold.

Fully depends on your lifestyle. I had my 2nd within days of my oldest turning 2. We used a boogie board as we didn’t do much day to day walking unless it was recreational and then we just used the baby carrier so the pram was available for the 2yo if needed. Where we lived a car was a must to get around. If you don’t have a car or decent public transport to get around a double may be a practical idea. It also depends on how active your 2 yo is. I couldn’t get my 2yo in a pram unless they were exhausted.

Dd2 was born a moth after dd1 turned 2. I bought a second hand Jane double which the rear seat lay flat. I used it for somewhere between 6-12 months couldn't have done without it. I didn't drive at the time and we walked a lot. When we stopped using it dd1 was a v good walker, didn't bolt and used a buggy board really well otherwise we would have possibly kept it longer - dd2 was a bolter and hated walking so we would have used it much longer if she was the older child.

It's a yes from me, but I'd go second hand and almost treat it like you're hiring it out. As you will probably be able to sell it on close to what you buy it for.

I would, yes. But you don't need to spend £1000 . Check out local selling pages. Most double buggies are outgrown quite quickly and you should be able to get a really nice one for a tenth of that. Even if you want to buy new seat covers / carrycot, you'll save a fortune.

@NeverMetANiceOne

I had the same age gap, we used a buggy board or the baby went in a sling. I don't think you need a double buggy really. Is your 2 year old a happy walker?

Mmm not really he likes to be carried!

2.4 years gap here. Never had a double buggy. DH and I took them out in a pram or stroller each, and if alone with them then DC1 had to walk.

I couldn't have done without the double buggy when I had a 2yo and newborn. I got mine from Facebook marketplace - free to collect! It was in great condition too.