To panic slightly at how I am going to get about with 2 DC?

[raininginbaltimore]

Ok, maybe panic is a but strong. I am due in August. DS will be a week or so off being 3.

I won't have a car on ML, I work full time now so only have to do this in school holidays (I'm a teacher). I walk or get bus. I have a BJCM pushchair, only use when walking to toddler groups (45min walk)

DS will be at CM two days a week, but I am worried about other days. I have a sling, but what if DS does his "refuse to walk and lie down" act? I can't carry him, baby and changing bag?

Not sure a buggyboard will fit on pushchair when it is lying flat.

Tell me what other people do!

Get a double second hand. I have the same dialemma and have scoured the pushchair board on here. This is what most folk recommend. I will be doing this too. Congatulations on no. 2!

I don't drive at all, and used double buggy to begin with [Phil & Teds - fantastic buggy recommend it 100%]. I then used a buggy board with the Maclaren buggy - great for when we were getting the bus too. Buggy boards fit the vast majority of buggies as far as I know.

It'll be fine, don't worry

mine all walked by that age.

Get a double.

Also you become quite good at hooking under your arm with baby in sling

I use a sling and a single mostly. Have a double but not used it much. I drive but hate driving the two so rarely do.

You'll be fine!

Al - OP says it's a 45 minute walk to toddler groups with a buggy [so presumably at adult pace]. Not sure she's going to want to do that walk with a three year old on foot - at toddler pace, it's going to take twice as long. So, potentially 1.5 hours each way. In the rain? When 3 year old is exhausted? When 3 year old has just had a tantrum? She'll have to push a buggy for the newborn anyway [unless she slings it on every outing for at least a year], so why not make it a double buggy and make life about a million times easier for herself?

ok, but she asked what other people did, and thats what I did. We had some pretty long walks.
Are only certain answers allowed?

All our mums coped fine and our grandmothers. You will find a way 44

Can't you get a bus to toddler group?

If not, just leave taking him until he's able to walk there.

If you're going to be walking lots of places, make it as easy for yourself as you can. Get a double pushchair with the biggest "luggage space" you can find. I had a Graco Tandem and loved it. There was so much space underneath, and I could get all 3 DCs in it at a pinch in an tantrum or exhaustion induced emergency. It would hold all the baby crap stuff, everything we needed for days at the beach or a park, loads of shopping, made us a "base camp" on days out, everything
Whichever of my DCs was the current "supposed to be walking" one could walk when they wanted and ride when they were tired and "the baby" could sit up or lie flat as they wanted.
I cried when I finally parted with it, it was like part of the family, and just made my life (as a non driver) so much easier.

Well I'm only off for 6 months, so wanted to make most of it.

I realise other people manage, that is why I asked. Most of my friends have a car. Walk to town where all shops/groups/cafes are takes two hours with ds. We do it sometimes and bus it back. I have to get out of house every day, ds doesn't take well to staying in house all day.

I can get bus, was just thinking of keeping costs down. It is 3 miles, but costs £4.50 return.

I would love a Phil and teds, but can't convince dh on the necessity of the expense! I will look at some cheap second hand doubles.

We didn't have a pram for DS1 - he went in the sling full-time. I was worried about this exact thing when pregnant as while he is a good walker, if we are out for very long stretches of time he does get tired and cranky.

I got a cheap second-hand Quinny Zapp off ebay (£55 I think?) for occasional use. It folds tiny and is easy to carry so you can go on bus/train etc easily.

DS2 is in the sling full-time - I personally think it makes life a million times easier. If I am going somewhere I want to put him down then I have a couple of roll-up padded changing mats I made and I can put him down on those.

The bag thing is easy to deal with - there are a couple of different bags made for use with slings, but if you get used to not carrying a vast amount around with you, you can get away with a cheap mini-rucksack. DS2 is in cloth nappies and I still manage with a tiny bag.

It is do-able!

We got our Phil & Ted second hand (£250 with the carrycot and doubles kit] and it's still going strong, 2.5 years later. This means it's cost us £100 a year on average, which to my mind is a total bargain when I think about how much easier it's made my life since we got it.

Sorry i'm a bit of a P&T evangelist but it's basically the best thing we've ever bought for the children.

BTDT (although I had a car, we did walk too).

"Either you stand up and walk or I will put you in the baby's pushchair" (and carry your brother)

about 50% of the time he threw a wobbly and I buckled him in, the other 50% he stopped pitching a fit and walked.

I have a slightly smaller age gap and don't drive. Use a buggy board when getting the bus and also have an out and about double for long walks. Maybe a buggy board and a cheap second hand double too?

baby in sling, 3 year old in pram, walk there, get bus back

Buy a monthly bus pass? Will be a lot less than £4.50 a day, and means you will definitely go out every day to get your money' worth!

Get a 2nd hand double...it''s all very well for people to say "Mine walked" when so many people drive EVERYWHERE and have NO idea what it's like to have no car at all...you will have days when the older child is off colour...or it's raining....or he just won't walk and you're tired...get the double!

Well because I don't drive, mine did walk everywhere

Phil and ted is the way to go. I don't drive either, can cover 5 miles easily each day and have a 3 year old who still naps when out and about. We got ours last month from ebay (look at those within a certain distance from you, ones that aren't offered with postage go much cheaper ime) for £100, barely used with cocoon for the baby and footmuff for the older one. Absolute bargain and sanity saver all in one. I can't recommend them enough. I was going to go for the sling and a single until I actually tried it and realised it just wouldn't work with the distances we cover every day (not to mention with the drenching rain we were having every day too. Don't underestimate how much you'll all appreciate being able to bung them both under the raincover).

Baby in sling/baby carrier, older child in push chair? That's what I did until my older child could consistently walk long distances. You could keep an eye on freecyle too and see if anyone is giving away an old double stroller.

Another P&t evangelist here. The way it goes into so many arrangements is so helpful. Baby in flat main seat, toddler up high; toddler napping in main seat; baby up high (after three months); baby in main seat, toddler hopping in and out of back seat as tired (used a lot this way, tho not recommended), and of course toddler on main seat and baby in back seat. My son was a large 2.5 and I figured he should be walking. He just wouldn't walk and it was hell. And the best thing is that unlike most doubles, 2 1/2 yrs later DS at 5 can still fit in easily when forced if he's playing up! So I always say it was the best thing I did.

Is this the P&T fan club then? Is it really ok to put baby in seat from 3mths? Is it true they grow out of the coccoon in weeks? Are they flimsy?

Can you borrow a buggy board to try out?

Other than that or P and T, then scooter could be the answer.