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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Three under 2 and the school run!

28 replies

overmydeadbody · 19/07/2017 12:13

I'll be doing this two days a week from September, was wondering how others managed it?

Currently I have double buggy, thinking the youngest can go in a sling, but would a back pack carrier be better? Or a triple buggy?!

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Looneytune253 · 19/07/2017 12:18

I use a double buggy and buggy board. Mine is a short distance though and wouldn't go far if I had 3 younger ones.

nannynick · 19/07/2017 12:18

Depends how you would get to school... walk, bus, car?

I would use a double buggy, then have sling, if it was walkable and not too far, plus the path was suitable for a double buggy.

Original poster

overmydeadbody · 19/07/2017 12:24

It's an easy short walk on a path (no traffic), they're all too little for a buggy board!

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Original poster

overmydeadbody · 19/07/2017 12:25

My double is a Phil and Ted's sport and I use it regularly with two of them, it's just the third that is new!

Thank you for your help.

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leeloo1 · 19/07/2017 13:23

Can the biggest ones take turns walking? When I had a new baby I had 2 in the buggy and baby in a sling. Then quickly the oldest 2 started taking turns walking. It takes a while to train them up, but it's good exercise for them and they get used to it quickly.

Fwiw I have them wearing a backpack with a lead and wrap the lead round the buggy handle. Then the little ones hold onto the side corner of the back seat of the p&t.

I do also have a triple buggy, but it's a bit of a beast, so is a last resort. The buggy board gives me backache. I've also tried a sidecar type affair for the p&t (buggypod or something?) but it didn't feel that stable.

ferriswheel · 19/07/2017 13:26

One of them has to walk with reins.

tkband3 · 19/07/2017 13:29

When I had my DTs, my eldest was only 20 months old. I had a nipper double buggy and would put DD1 and the bigger DT in that, and have the other DT in a sling. We didn't go far, but it worked until DD1 was happy to walk longer distances.

Once DT1 was too big for the sling, if DD1 got too tired to walk, I'd sit her on top of the buggy hood! (She was tiny for her age.)

Original poster

overmydeadbody · 19/07/2017 13:58

Thank you for all your suggestions. I think as soon as they can I'll get training them to walk, but right now I have 14 month old twins and a 12 month old, so no chance of them walking just yet!

I'll start off with a sling worn on my back and two in the Phil & Teds... At least it's only two days a week!

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Looneytune253 · 19/07/2017 14:02

To be fair, for me I would be reluctant on taking that many very little ones on at the same time? You can't really meet the needs of all the children effectively if you can't get them all out of the house safely.

WaitroseCoffeeCostaCup · 19/07/2017 14:04

Looney What's unsafe about two in a buggy and one in a sling?!

GlitteryFluff · 19/07/2017 14:08

I have no advice on practical stuff but I'm just taking my hat off to you.. I can't cope with one some days, due number two in Jan. There will be 3.5year age gap and I'm worrying how I'll do X, y and z. If you can do it with 3 at those ages, then hopefully I can do it with two!

Looneytune253 · 19/07/2017 14:10

Personally I don't think I'd be able to push the double push chair while carrying one tbh. Don't like slings generally anyway (in case of adult falling) but it may work. It's not for me.

Yukbuck · 19/07/2017 15:22

looneytune don't talk nonsense!! Of course she can meet all of their needs. She's able to get them all out of the house safely (sling, double buggy or a triple buggy or one walking) she was just asking what other people find the easiest. Just because you are against slings, it doesn't make them unsafe. That's just your opinion.

Yukbuck · 19/07/2017 15:23

And to add to that, people give birth to triplets or even quads all the time. Do you think they pop them out and thing 'hmm I can't meet all of these babies needs, so I'd better send one back' no, you don't! Hence the invention of double/triple buggies and even double slings!

Original poster

overmydeadbody · 19/07/2017 17:04

Loony I am perfectly confident I can meet three children's needs and get them out of the house safely, it's just useful hearing other people's experiences.

I love slings and have always used them with my own so am happy to use them with mindees too.

But if everyone replying had said triple buggies were great I'd consider one.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

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2tired2bewitty · 19/07/2017 17:09

There's a cm at dd's school who occasionally uses a triple buggy. It doesn't fit through one of the school gates so if she's going that way (only way to access some parts of the school) she has to wait for someone to help her carry it through sideways! Just to bare in mind

AndNowItIsSeven · 19/07/2017 17:12

I had 11 month old twins a newborn and a 2.4 year old ( all mine) I have a T4 quad buggy its fab, you can also buy a T3 on eBay.

AndNowItIsSeven · 19/07/2017 17:12

It fits through normal doors😀

FreeButtonBee · 19/07/2017 17:41

decent sling and double buggy. I have three under 2.5 so not as full on as you but the baby lived in the sling for the first 6 months. Then I started to use the buggy board more and more for DS1 and he was also very happy to scoot everywhere. In fact by the time DS2 was six months, it was one scooting, one on the buggy board and a single buggy for the baby most of the time. I still kept the double for eg sickness/the depths of winter when DD was not interested in walking. I think I last used it as a double just after DTs turned 4 but that was with some very ill children and on a very miserable February day!

Original poster

overmydeadbody · 19/07/2017 19:51

Wow andnowitisseven total respect for you, your super woman!! Just googled the T4, wow!

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Original poster

overmydeadbody · 19/07/2017 19:52

Thks freebuttonbee

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Phillipa12 · 19/07/2017 20:01

My sister had the connecta sling and a nipper double, the connecta could be used on your front or as a back pack for one of the older ones, oh and you can push a nipper singlehanded if you need an umbrella for when it rains. 😁

Maryann1975 · 19/07/2017 21:22

I would be considering a double buggy in your situation. It will be coming up to winter when you start and I would be happier to have everyone under a rain cover in the bad weather. You are going to be in this situation for 12 months and for me a sling wouldn't be a viable alternative for that long. (Would be different if the eldest was nearly 2 and could feasibly be walking to school within a few months).

Maryann1975 · 19/07/2017 21:25

I have every confidence you will be able to meet everyone's needs though. I minded 3 dc aged 14-16 months and it was relatively easy generally. The hardest bit was getting them anywhere (didn't matter where- the kitchen was as hard to get to as the toddler group) but it was far easier than a 6 month old, 18 month old and 4 year old whose needs are massively different though. (But I still manage to that every day now).

FuzzyOwl · 19/07/2017 21:27

My DD loved the buggy board from around 16 months, so don't rule out not being able to use one come September or shortly afterwards.

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