Double buggies

[Luckygirlcharlie]

23 weeks with DS2 and DS1 is 13mths. We have an icandy strawberry which I don't think you can make into a double. Stupid - I should have got the peach. Hey ho! Any recommendations on double buggies that are light and slimmish and not too horrible for whoever sits on the bottom?! Also did anyone use a Boori cot and then turn it into a toddler bed? Thanks!

We have a Phil & Teds and it's been great with ds 22 months and dd 16 weeks. We also have dd in the sling a lot and the way the P&Ts is designed means that we can start out with ds in the smaller top seat and dd in the cocoon then switch to put dd in the sling and ds in the big top seat to nap as it's comfier.

Oh that sounds great. Thanks. Seem to be well priced too. I'm such an idiot with the strawberry! ?? You have the same age gap that we'll have. Is it horrendous to begin with?!

I tried the i candy set up as a double in Mothercare and it is MASSIVE so it might not be such a great loss! Try e bay for the P&Ts- we had a look just when we were all set to buy one new and ours came up for £80!

It's not horrendous to begin with at all-or at least it wasn't for us.....but I had a very quick easy birth so was back on my feet and home a few hours after giving birth and dd bf really well from the start. We introduced a bedtime bottle of f at 3-4 weeks and after a couple of weeks getting her to take it she slept through. Our ds also sleeps well too. It's getting harder now dd is no longer happy to be in her bouncy chair and needs entertaining!

I also have to look into a double buggy! I have a 15m old that won't walk yet and I'm 6m pregnant so will need something to accommodate a newborn, I have no idea where to start looking I don't know whether to look at side by side because I'm worried about one child being underneath looking at a back seat and almost as if they're underneath where you put your shopping! X

Yes that's what I wondered but the Phil and Teds one looks like it's not so bad for that. Some of them look awful for the bottom one! Maybe it'll encourage them to walk anyway! Mine can and won't too! Very comforting words from NickyEds! Praying for a similar experience!

It is a bit of a downside that the smaller dc can't see everything with the P&T, especially when the youngest is still in the cocoon. Dd is in that inbetween stage where she wants to sit up but isn't really old enough-no way is she going to last to 6 months in it though!
My friend has a side by side and it looks like a total pita to me!- they're to wide in shops! I don't drive and the P&Ts is great for getting on and off public transport. It's also really good for long walks and can cope on quite uneven ground. I think if you drive everywhere maybe one of the side by side ones might be ok as I bet they're more light weight and might fold away easier.

I love the mountain buggy - we got one off ebay - with a carry cot so 19 month old could sit in 1 side and the newborn was in a carry cot in the other side. As the baby gets bigger it will be nice for them to see the world around them too rather than being in a "shopping basket"

Mountain buggy duet. Side my side yet fits standard doorway

Have you considered waiting until after baby is born? We have a 15 month gap and didn't use a double. Would have been a waste tbh as second liked sling as newborn, and eldest was happy enough toddling along beside pram, on buggy board, or in pram if tired and baby went in sling. We had a bugaboo chameleon with buggy board

Hmm yes I did wonder but I wasn't keen on using the sling for long periods. I found it hard to sit down / bend down etc. And if both need to sleep at same time (yes I know dream on!) would be hard. Might use the double at first and then stick a board on the back of the strawberry when ds1 decides to walk a bit more. Some lucky friend / charity shop can then inherit both as were so done after this little chap!

I was wondering this too. I'm 25 weeks and have a 13 month old. I've decided to wait until dc 2 is here to decide if I need a double.

Were hoping 1 in the buggy and one in the sling might work. We've already had a few outings with dd where we've not needed the buggy so I might get away with it. Don't want to spend a fortune for it not to be used.

I have a regular tandem. It's not heavy like some of them though. I can't use any P&T type ones as I have mobility issues which make bending difficult. And can't use a sling due to back/hip problems. I didn't want a side by side because of the width of them so my mum found me a lightweight tandem. It's a graco and its been fab for me. The rain cover is shite though, and that cost £40 alone!

Oh mine slept at same time usually, but tbh the first few months withy two little ones I found it easier to go out am, then back for lunch and naps at home, them back out if we went. Meant carrying less, and both children and myself could all nap a few hrs after lunch if lucky. So only needed pram or sling for baby to use

One thing was we put pram into baby mode ie carrycot. So if eldest was tired walking we could also just scoot baby to the top and sit older one at bottom or carrycot with feet either side of baby ( shoes off!). And like I said on the odd occasion eldest was too tired to wait until home I would just carry baby in sling and lay elder in the carrycot wedged up with a small toddler pillow we kept underneath in basket and they curled up inside.

I never bothered with a double buggy. There's 18 months between my DDs, so I either put older one in pushchair and baby in sling, or baby in pram and older one in backpack carrier thing - or we walked if just up to the shops. It worked a treat, and far easier and cheaper than pusing a double buggy IMO.

But if older one won't walk? I'd much rather not drop another 400 quid but can't see way around it. Other snag is I work full time and am going back after 6 mths. I can't expect the nanny to sling it all the time. Especially is he's another 10.5 pounder!

I'm 28 weeks and DS is just 15 months. I've ordered a mountain buggy duet with a carrycot- for the reasons PPs have given.

There's no way I could do without a double buggy, I walk most places and will do extra walks just to get out of the house. I don't see myself bringing it round in the car though, unless I absolutely have to.

Run away very fast from the Maclaren side by side style. They are brutal to steer if one child is heavier than the other / one is off running around

You can get really good P&Ts second hand. Wish I had done that.

Thanks all. Think I'll stick to that idea then. He'll just have to deal with being the shopping for a while! Hopefully he'll be good at holding things as he's taking up all the room!

If the older one won't walk you need a double!! As I said my ds is 2 in December and although he's a reasonably good walker he can't do as much as he'd need to for us to be without the buggy- he still needs to nap and he bolts! I do actually have three buggies , a Quinny from ds, the P&Ts and a fold away. Most of the people I know who haven't bothered with a double use the car quite a lot so don't walk much or have a larger age gap and a more compliant toddler! I do end up having dd in the sling quite often but at least with the double the option is there to put her down. Changing ds's nappy with dd in the sling is a total pita!

Yes tbh I only used the sling about 3 times with DS. Also find it a pita and that's just with one! I'll be philandtedding it. Thanks!

I don't know what current P&Ts are like but I've got a well used Sport and DD1 can't nap in it with DD2 in the cocoon. DD1 is perched on a tiny seat on top!

For both napping, I've got a Babyjogger side by side and I really like it. Haven't found a door I can't get through yet and people are way better at holding doors open / letting you cross the road etc!

Nicky - we don't use a car day to day as live central London. Only if we leave the city to visit family etc. I couldn't have taken a double on buses and tubes most the time as too full.

Remember to get a decent sling not a babybjorn type as they won't be able to carry weight. We have only just stopped using our boba 4g sling on our back with youngest who is 4! So he def weighs more than an average 6 month old. Obviously he walked 99% of the time but we had fo when we landed back from flights near midnight etc which is when we use lots for both of ours between 2-4 years if sleeping. Also as takes newborn - large toddler you can always keep under pram and use for baby in front or toddler on back if needed.
When smaller (15months-2 1/2) it was often used just the last 10 mins home if they were tired or it started to rain and wanted to speed up etc

Phil and Teds - the Navigator is the one you want. We have one and it's good - not perfect, no double is, but good. Our older DD doesn't mind going in the back seat as it's only occasional so has novelty value. Younger DD is pretty laid back (thankgod) and is also fine in the back seat.

She prefers the buggy board to the double buggy (and it's lovely to have the two DC facing each other now the baby is older), but I wouldn't suggest you rely solely on that unless your older child is very compliant and can relied on not to run away.

Re the buggy board - I think it's still an effort for dd1 to stand on it. If she's really tired she just wants to sit down, and you can't use one without their cooperation! She was a fairly early walker but having mastered the skill she has shown little enthusiasm for overdoing it

Yes trilby is right that you can't really have both newborn and toddler napping in a P and T (even the newer ones like the navigator). If you need this then a narrow side by side is probably your best bet or maybe the baby jogger tandem (but it is huge).