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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you take buggy for 3.5 year old - london trip

43 replies

starlightin · 17/10/2023 21:18

Super random question. I have a little one as well ( one and a half ) and I basically never take just my three and a half year old ( 4 in January ) out without her little brother.

In the summer when we went on holiday and for long walks, I took the big double buggy and put them both in it if required. When just wizzing around shops and around locally, I take the buggy for the little one and she just walks.

Tomorrow I need to take her to a hospital appointment in london ( without the little one ) , which will involve rush hour train and tube and then a bit of a walk. Hospital appointment and then the journey back.

Would you take the buggy or not ? I feel like she's too old for it. My first instinct was not to take it, but some of the walks will be quite long, so I'm not sure..

OP posts:
Forgottenmypasswordagain · 17/10/2023 21:39

I would for a day of more walking than would be ok for my dc, who was a great walker back then. I had a bad back and often had to call a cab after a full day out carrying them for too far would not be good. They were a great walker though, and it was often only filled with shopping.

AfterWeights · 17/10/2023 21:39

Yes to a scooter or balance bike. Neither of mine would have been seen dead in a buggy at 3.5, they would have scooted.

If we had somewhere to be we would never have had time to walk for more than 30 mins or so, so for a longer non leisure walk we'd have used transport or a scooter.

Fink · 17/10/2023 21:46

I don't know. The last few times I've been out with our 2 year old she's not been in the pushchair at all (except for 2 stops on the tube when there were no seats) but she does still want to be carried sometimes. So I end up having to hold her and push the buggy with the other hand. And then when she's walking I've only got one hand to hold her on escalators etc. And I have to leave the buggy and run after her at various moments.

Really it's only useful to carry bags and coats.

If yours is not too bulky and heavy I'd probably bring it. But it can be more trouble than it's worth.

mynameiscalypso · 17/10/2023 21:46

I wouldn't take a scooter or balance bike personally. If you're on public transport/in hospitals, you're going to end up carrying it most of the time (or annoying everyone else). Often streets around hospitals are busy too and not very practical for scootering.

CatLoaf · 17/10/2023 21:56

Man, I hate scooters. Will be quite sad when DD gives up the buggy tbh - it's quite restful with her in there

Itwasamemoment · 17/10/2023 21:59

I would definitely take my 3.5 year old grandchild in a buggy . It’s a no brainer !

Mummumgem · 17/10/2023 22:00

Take from one who’s been there done that, and yes absolutely yes. It’s not to bad on the train with one, and you really will be glad you took it. I liked the fact I could strap my son in and was safe. I also found at the hospital you can have long waits and the safe security of a pushchair they know is a comfort to them rather than the chairs.

which hospital are you going to, I use to take my son from King’s Cross to the bolsover street national orthopaedics, I found it easier to strap him into the pushchair and walk rather than the underground.

Spinet · 17/10/2023 22:02

It depends how tiring the appointment is likely to be and what the walk back from the station to your house is like. Rush hour is a pain with the buggy but possibly less of a pain than not having it since she'll have to hold on probably and is unlikely to get a seat.

On balance I think you'll be glad you took it if you do.

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 17/10/2023 22:13

I would take the carrier and put it in a bag so it’s there if needed but not being bulky or taking up space like the buggy. But I get panicked in crowds and can’t use lifts so the tube isn’t my favourite.

Original poster
starlightin · 17/10/2023 22:22

I'm glad I asked ! I'll take it. Better safe than sorry...

OP posts:
missylissy9 · 17/10/2023 22:25

I say no. A three year old should definitely be able to cope with walking around London. Plus lugging it on/off the tube will be horrible.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 17/10/2023 22:50

missylissy9 · 17/10/2023 22:25

I say no. A three year old should definitely be able to cope with walking around London. Plus lugging it on/off the tube will be horrible.

My 3 yr old definitely couldn't but my 2 yr old probably could. It really depends on the child.
But, whenever we have taken our kids to a new, busy place they need naps a lot more often and definitely seem much more tired.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 17/10/2023 23:02

Yes I would

fulawitt · 18/10/2023 00:17

Yes. I did not take it with a 3 years old. It ended up badly.

ladykale · 18/10/2023 00:25

Yes!! Their little feet get tidy and then they understandably get grumpy and in a bad mood & then the day will be spoiled for everyone

hopsalong · 18/10/2023 00:30

No, I wouldn't. I still owned my buggy when DC2 was three and a half but used it only once that winter (when he had Covid and I wanted to take him out for a walk in the fresh air without exposing other people to him). Neither of my children was especially agile or an early walker but from 3 they were both fine getting around London on the tube and walking distances of half a mile or so between places in town.

It's a massive pain to take a buggy on the tube if you have a child who can walk.

Lookingatthesunset · 18/10/2023 00:37

Better to have a thing and not need it, than need a thing and not have it.

London is a lot of walking.

sashh · 18/10/2023 00:54

afrikat · 17/10/2023 21:20

It depends if your tube stop has a lift and if not how easy is it to fold down and manoeuvre on the escalator?

It's been a long tradition in London that a parent with a buggy turns their back on the stairs and by the time they have got up one step 'bumping' a couple of Londoners have grabbed the bottom of the buggy to carry it upstairs.

OP take the buggy it will keep your little one safe on a crowded tube and if they want to walk they can.

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