Pram decisions for a 2 and 1/2 year old and newborn!

[RoosterRed1]

I guess I’m posting for traffic (sorry!). As above, will have a newborn and a 2.5 year old. I have an uppababy vista so could use that with bassinet and seat then get another seat but it looks so big/heavy and cumbersome although it’s good quality for going over different surfaces etc.

I’ve seen out and about double buggies and they are wide looking but look lighter/easier to manage?

or do I just get a buggy board for the toddler? For context, they don’t really like the pram at the minute and we rarely use it instead using a kind of trike scooter thing I can push them in which won’t be possible with a pram too. But I’ve heard some children want in the buggy all the time when they see the new sibling in it!

what did anyone else do with a similar age gap?

Buggy board. DS was 2 years 8 months when DD was born. He's stopped sitting in the buggy from about 2.5 years and was quite happy for DD to be in the buggy instead.

Mine have an age gap of almost exactly 2y. I use a bugaboo bee with buggy board. Don’t love the pram as it is, so I’d never have coped with a double! Mainly used the sling for baby when they were little. So sling + pram (toddler napping) or sling + scooter, then pram + buggy board more often as baby got past 1y.

We just used a buggy board. There were a few times where they were both tired or we'd been out longer than planned etc where I thought 'urgh a double pram would be so handy right now' but nowhere near enough times to have been bothered with the hassle of lugging an enormous pram around all the time when half of it would be mostly empty

@Parforthe that sounds like a good idea! Could easily have the sling in the basket if toddler got tired. It’s only be the first six months when baby is in bassinet toddler would have to make do with the buggy board. ive just googled and found one with a fold down seat though so that could work well.

the double buggy seems to cumbersome.

@NoItsStillNighttimeDarling lugging an enormous pram around is exactly how I feel it’ll be!!! Ideally I don’t want to do it but thought maybe it would be needing.

@RoosterRed1 I would recommend the one with the seat, on the occasions I didn't use that bit I found my little boy struggled more. I think it can be quite tiring for their little arms to hold on if you are walking quite a way and so being able to sit alleviates that somewhat

I got a double with that age gap and it was handy, and I think it was the right choice for us, but we haven't had very many times where we actually really needed it. We have to drive to nursery because of where it is - I think if I'd been walking every day it would have been different. Also our main buggy doesn't take a buggy board. In your place OP I'd probably get the extra seat for the Vista if needing to walk to lots of places regularly - one of DS's friends has two sisters and her mum said it was amazing and she'd been able to get all three children on it with no issues. If doing less walking, just get the buggy board and see how it goes.

By the way, I know they are all different, but DS1 has only once wanted to get in the buggy when his brother was already in there, and it was aged 3.5 when he was tired towards the end of a long day out.

Following as will be in the same position soon! I think we are going to wing it with a carrier and our existing single pram for the first 4-6 months or so and then probably re-assess, but tbh I think we will likely go for a double buggy then. Maybe the out and about one but also maybe just a cheapy one. Can't imagine my almost 2YO will want to be walking all the time by then but obviously things could change.

If you have the Vista I’d just get the buggy board for that and see how you go. You could also get the snug seat insert so you don’t need to use the bassinet for the newborn and that would allow the toddler and newborn to take turns using the seat and baby could go in the sling whilst toddler is in the pram. I’ve also seen many a toddler travelling in the basket of the Vista since it’s so big! Don’t think you need a double unless they’re likely to want to nap at the same time on a day out.

We got a phil and Ted's double buggy. Was contemplating a buggy board but in the end the double buggy was the right choice for us as DD1 was still taking naps at that age and especially on weekends when we would be out for longer, she would nap in it.

With that age gap we originally planned to use a sling/buggy board and our existing pram. At 8 months pregnant our 2.5 year old was still napping in the pram on every outing and needed the pram to sit in for a break on long trips. We bought a second hand double With the idea that even if we only used it for 6 months we hadn't spent a fortune and could resell for the same amount. So far, it has been the right decision as the toddler is still using the pram daily.

Joie Aire double buggy. Cheap, light, folds down small, does lie flat for newborn, easy to wash the padding, nice for the kids to be close and socialise in the pushchair. We've just got rid of ours as we've realised we don't need it. Buggy boards are great until the 2.5 year old needs a nap or is having a tantrum and throws themselves backwards or tries to pull your fingers off the pushchair handle or their legs are very tired. Also, if you've got long legs (like me) then you'll be constantly kicking it or standing in a very bent over position which isn't great for your back.

It's also really bloody convenient when DC1 is in childcare and DC2 is napping in the pushchair to be able to fill up the empty seat with shopping at the supermarket instead of waking DC2 to put them in a trolley.

Plus you can get more shopping under the Joie Aire double than a single pushchair, and it still fits through all standard doors fitted per building regs, and it handled better than the cheap single Hauck Stroller we now have for DD because DS doesn't need a pushchair anymore.

We had ours from birth with DC2 and it was my favourite pushchair out of all 4 we've had so far (the most expensive £700 one broke after 18 months and I have ADHD and drove off from a car park an hour from home without the £20 one 😬).

I was the exact same with my age gap and was worried but by the time mine was 2.5 he didn’t fit in the buggy. Buggy board all the way.

Also, mine had a push trike which was good to put him in and then wear the baby in a sling for the first couple of months too.

My sister has a bugaboo donkey and raves about it. It's a double that converts into a single.

We didn't use a double but my eldest liked to nap on days out, so we continued using separate buggies for both of them as it was easier to manoeuvre than a huge double. Obviously that only worked because we had DH with me because he had a long paternity leave and then we would be out together at weekends when we'd do days out. When I took them out oon my own I'd usually use a Bugaboo Bee with the buggy board, but we would just go out for shorter trips so eldest didn't need to nap.

I will have a similar age gap soon and found a bugaboo donkey in excellent condition at a good price on market place. It converts from single to double depending on what you need. My 2 year old is a runner and will leg it for fun any chance he gets so I wanted the second seat as an option for safety really. I'm hoping he grows out of it soon and there was also a buggy board that came with it so there are options. For longer walks and days out I think he will still need the option of the seat but little ones are all so different so yours might not. I think I could sell it for what I bought it for so this was my justification and it will save some sanity when I'm sleep deprived and anxious as a new mum again. Market place is definitely worth checking out

To add to my earlier post, the nap thing is a good point! I have only wished for a double buggy on a couple of occasions when out and about and both need to nap at the same time! Eldest hasn’t used the pram whilst awake since they were 2 - but I don’t drive, so have done some verrrry long walks pushing a 3.5yo and carrying a 1.5yo whilst they both snooze! I must look mad! BUT this only became a bit tricky after baby turned one, plus my eldest is probably the oldest toddler I know to not want to stop napping, plus my age gap is a bit smaller than yours. And it’s definitely not enough to make me want to haul around a wagon all the time! 😂

I had similar gap and have the vista. If you already have it then it’s the simplest choice, especially for first 6 months when all you need is the adapters to make it into the double.

After that we got the extra seat: could probably have managed just with buddy board if we didn’t walk a mile to nursery. Mine are now 18 months and nearly 4 and we still use it in different configurations all the time. I love how easy it is to sometimes have as the single, sometimes the double, sometimes with buggy board on. The basket is unrivalled and any other option means buying another buggy and finding space for it so I would suggest you stick with what you’ve got!

2yrs 2 month gap and I just kept my single pushchair. Newborn was in sling/carrier a lot or 2yr walked. Also used a buggy board, stand up one a lot. When he was about 2.5yr started using scooter for longer journeys with a strap tied on so no chance of veering into road.

I don't drive so use my pushchair a lot, did all food shops like this too. Did look at doubles but all were huge or had a newborn on the bottom which I hated.

With 2.5yrs gap no chance would I bother with a double unless your toddler was a very late walker. The younger you get them to walk the better in my eyes. My eldest can now go for miles without any issue, walked to nursery and back from about 3- 1.5miles each way.

I have an uppababy vista and had this exact dilemma with a v similar age gap. I bought the piggyback buggy board and the lower adapters. We live in London and don't have a car so do lots of walking but DD1 didnt walk until 19months so she was very slow for a long time. Whilst DD2 was in the bassinet, I had it in double mode, but had DD1 go on the buggy board as much as possible for practice. Once DD2 moved into into the seat, DD1 has almost solely used the buggy board (she's now 3yrs 3months). I keep a carrier in the basket and only once has DD1 been so tired she has needed the seat, so I put DD2 in the carrier instead. That was after a trip to ikea 😂 Luckily they are on opposite nap schedules so can take turns napping in the buggy!

The rumbleseat for the vista is £300 new and only has a 15kg weight limit so if your eldest gets too big, they need to go in the top seat and the little one in the bottom seat. But there is a UK Uppababy preloved FB group where rumbleseats come up for sale second hand.

Be careful when buying a double buggy if you go down that route - check the weight limit as lots of them are max 15kg per seat. My 3yr old has just hit 16kg so we'd have maxed out a lot of these. Uppababy are launching a side by side double next year (for 6months +) - the minu duo and it's 22kg per seat but we will be past buggy stage by then I think.

There's also a good out and about FB resale group if you want a second hand one.

Thanks everyone loads of options here and doubles to check out. The point about tantrums on a buggy board is a relevant one 😂

I didn’t know there was a snug seat for the uppabany seat - that could work for a bit. I guess I don’t have to make one decision. Could start with the cheaper buggy board and snug insert then see if it’s not working and need to buy a second seat or a different double! I hate that the baby goes on bottom in the uppababy! Seems the wrong way round to me!

I think it really depends. DS1 was 20m when DS2 was born and has always been a reluctant walker and continued to nap until... Well he still would if we gave him the chance 😂

Also we don't have a car and get public transport everywhere, often involving quite long walks. It would have been impossible for us without a double buggy, even with a buggy board (we do use one now but it comes with its own stresses).

We chose the Mountain Buggy Duet and absolutely loved it. It's honestly easier to handle than our previous single buggy. It is very heavy but you only feel that when lifting it, not when pushing it. So that could get annoying if you're getting it in and out of a car often.

Out n about nipper double here with a similar age gap. Was a godsend, and so easy to push. We had a long walk to nursery and DD wasn’t a good walker and tired easily, also needed to nap sometimes.

I tried a Phil & Teds Navigator first, which had the upper seat/lower seat set up like the Vista with second seat, and couldn’t get on with it at all. It was so hard to steer or get up kerbs plus getting the lower child in or out was not easy. Maybe the Vista is better, I don’t know but I do think a side by side set up is a lot easier and nicer for the kids too.

Out n abouts are very tough so second hand would be fine, no need to shell out for new. Mountain buggy duet is similar I think.

There are multiple threads on this subject and I read them all as I'll be in a similar position to you come Feb! 🤣 Everyone raved about the out and about double nipper and having given it a test run I love it.

Got it 2nd hand in great condition for £300 and have got the bassinet attachment for £70 off eBay again 2nd hand and great condition.

My son absolutely still loves a pram nap and we live on a busy main road so didn't want to chance the buggy board or seat.

A note on slings: I had quite a bad crash section with DC1 and couldn't use a sling with him as it was too painful until he was about 6 months old. Just something to bear in mind as we got given a sling and a baby carrier and neither got used. They are great when you can use them though, and I did like using the sling with DC2 while DC1 was tootling around our street on his ride-on car.