Double buggy or buggy board

[lilachaze]

I am pregnant with no2 due in July.
No1 will be 18 months at that stage so I will need a double buggy or buggy board.
Any advice would be gratefully received!

My initial thoughts were to use our existing buggy and add a buggy board/seat. Would an 18 month old be comfortable/able to use the buggy board?

Then I thought about a double buggy- but is this cumbersome for around the shops? (I sometimes struggle getting in and round with a single!).

Or perhaps a buggy with underneath seat (like a Phil & Teds).

Does anyone have any experience/suggestions pros and cons - or a better idea even! I'm concerned about the weight and storage space as I don't want a heavy buggy to lug in and out of the car.

Thanks in advance!

I'm pretty sure you'll still need a double by then. DD will be just over 2 when I have my second and I'll be getting her a double as I don't think she'll be able to walk or stand for long enough by then.

DS1 was 22m when DS2 arrived and no way would we have managed with a buggy board. The double was a godsend as DS1 wasn't at the stage where he could walk for long without a rest and he occasionally still slept while we were out. I had a Cosatto Supa Dupa, which I loved. It felt less cumbersome than our big single Silver Cross pram.

Ime a double buggy =sanity saver.
Bit of dedication and you can get them napping at the same time by regular long walks!!

When our DD2 arrived, DD1 was 24 months old. We bought a Phil&Ted pushchair, which was great, I would highly recommend it. The best buggy we ever bought!

Could you do single pram + buggy board + sling?

Double buggy. I did single and a buggy board with 1and 2. Got a Phil and teds for 2 and 3. Loved it!

I had a 21 month gap and planned on using a sling/buggy board depending on where we were going. It was an absolute nightmare and bought a second hand Phil and Ted after 3 terrible months. Absolutely loved it and when I had ds3 he loved sleeping in the bottom part and ds1 and 2 took it in turns to sit ‘on top’

17 months between mine. Wasted £400 on a double buggy to discover that my second child hates prams. We do a single buggy with buggy board and w sling then alternate two children between the three options (they're now 2 and 8 months). I wish I'd left it til number two had arrived to decide!

Thanks everyone!

I have been considering getting a lightweight stroller for the spring/summer for my son so when heavily pregnant it is light to lift into the car... then thought it might be more cost effective in the long run to go for a Phil & Ted now.
But then wondered about a double buggy side by side.
Is the side by side tricky to manoeuvre due to the width?
Sounds like the buggy board idea is not a good one from your replies.

I have the Mountain Buggy side by side which is the narrowest one I believe. It's the same width as awheelchair so fits through standard doors, is easy to manoeuvre and doesn't take up obscene amounts of room in coffee shops. It's really heavy though so lifting it in and out of the boot is a bit of a killer. It's actually lighter to push than my single Mamas and Papas buggy though!

Similar age gap, now 2y and 6m. We’ve got a expensive bigger push chair (uppababy) with a buggy board and a cheaper small double buggy suitable from birth (joie).

For me to leave the house by myself for any distance I need the double buggy. I can just about do smaller distances (10min max) with big buggy and carry sling and buggy board used in combination. Anything longer than 10 and really for most short journeys too I use the double because it’s so nice to be able to strap them both in and move relatively freely for a bit.

Plus we had from older children a small single fold up (maclaren) and often we’ll take it out with big buggy if there’s two adults going as although the double fits through most doors and is light it’s still a double buggy.

How about getting a pram that converts from double to single, for example an icandy peach.

I was against the idea of double with a 21 month age gap, and DD hated the pushchair anyway until she was 6 months old. I continued to manage with a sling until she was 8 months - she just got too heavy. I bought a buggy board for our existing single but it just didn't work well enough - he couldn't use the board when the pushchair was reclined and DD was napping and just wasn't old enough to walk for longer stretches. He also wasn't sensible enough around roads.

We then got a side by side double which has been amazing. They like sitting side by side, so will happily both sit in it even at nearly 4 and 2. We still have the single plus board but only use it for short trips - problem is the younger one wants to do whatever her brother is doing ie be on the board or walk.....

Thanks for all of the advice.
Certainly seems a double buggy will have longevity and prob suit them both. I like the comment re the younger one wanting to do what the older one does... I think that's a good point too. And being able to strap them both in will prob save the older one 'escaping' from time to time in the shops!

Now... which double buggy to buy??!!

If you want longevity, you'll need 2 decent sized seats. Best thing to do is go to somewhere with a good selection (we went to John Lewis), put your older DC in and try pushing it to see what it feels like. Just be aware they grow a lot between 1.5 and 2.5 - we loved the Mountain Buggy Duet when we tried it pre birth DC2 with a 20 month old. When we looked again with a 29 month old and an 8 month old, it was obvious DC1 had grown too big for it. If you are happy to buy 2nd hand, doubles are really good value 2nd hand as people tend not to use them for too long so they are in good condition.

I had a side by side three wheeler for mine (23 month gap) and I loved it. It was important for me to be able to get out of the house & walk. My sister had a double with one seat in front & I found it difficult to steer with the oldest child in the front seat. Some friends of ours had a Phil & Teds which seemed great for the newborn/toddler stage (20 month gap) but I think they were less pleased with it afterwards.

My friend has a buggy board with a little seat on it for her DD to sit at the back.

Id have a double with an 18 month gap definitely.

Expecting dc5, dc4 will be 2 years 10 months when 5 is born and i am on the fence about if i can manage with buggy board / sling and a single. Or do i need a cheap double as well. We dont drive and i am imagining school run being hard.

I got a buggy board when I had ds2 and ds1 was just 2, he loved it. But we didn't do much walking, more in and out car and around shops so could rest (stop for coffee and cake). And he had dropped his nap by then. When eldest was 4 I had dd and got a double buggy as we were walking longer distances for school run. But double buggies aren't easy in shops.
Depends what your average week is like, where you go and how much walking

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B006UAQ5BW/ref=mp_s_a_1_5_a_it?ref=plSrch&keywords=double+buggy&dpPl=1&dpID=41rlrLb88cL&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1547816597&sr=8-5

We have this, it’s one of the best things we bought it’s not mega fancy but one of the cheap easy double buggies but the back seat does lie back for newborns so does the job and we never had any problems with it. It’s pretty lightweight considering a d really simple to get up and down. Dd is now in the back as soon as ds could manage it he started grabbing her hair.

I had both options. Buggy board was used for short trips like to the park or family members house and double was used for longer walks/trips.
This was before I was able to drive so the double was used more for bus trips etc.

I would just get a double buggy to be honest. I have an 18 month age gap and my 2.5yr old is still in the buggy a lot. I definitely wouldn't have coped without it for the past year. It's hard work juggling two and easier if they are strapped in safe and means you can get on with things. Buggy board sounds great but in reality your little one and just step off at any point which I found stressful on the high street etc. Fine in the park.

Ps there is no perfect double buggy lo
I have the ups baby vista with two seats and a buggy board to give me options. It's sturdy and durable with amazing basket but it's bloody heavy to push and hard work up kerbs.

I also have the mountain buggy nano duo which was £400 I think so much cheaper. It's soooo light and easy to push. It's a side by side which the kids love. But it's much more flimsy if you know what I mean so I wouldn't have wanted to put a newborn in there.

Have heard good things about Phil and teds but I wanted both of mine to have a nice view hence going for the vista

I think im going to attempt to manage with buggy board and sling. If doesnt go to plan i can get a cheapish double