Please talk to me about buggy boards vs getting a double buggy!

[KitKat1985]

Hello. So am expecting DC2 in November. DD is currently 21 months. We already have a complete Joie travel system (car seat, pram cot and buggy which all inter-connects; plus we have all the isofix kits for the car seats) which we have been very happy with. DD will be about 26 months when DC2 arrives and whilst she can walk reasonable distances right now, she obviously can't walk long distances so may well need to be transported still at times (plus sometimes if I'm in a bit of a rush I don't have time for her to dawdle and / or sometimes I'd like her to have a nap in her buggy). I was thinking about getting a double buggy for a toddler and a newborn (I.E, the ones that has a toddler seat in one and a pram cot in the other). However DH thinks it's a shame that this would mean our current travel system is essentially going to be wasted (at least until DD is old enough to not need a buggy anymore) and that putting a buggy board on the back of our current buggy for DD may be a better idea. I can see the logic (and frankly we could do with not having to spend ££s on a new buggy system), plus I'm not even sure if a bigger buggy would fit in our cars (and there's definitely no chance we afford to change cars right now). It's also been suggested that if I get a baby carrier as well that I can still put DD in the buggy if she needs a nap / starts running off etc and I can just carry the baby in the carrier. However re: buggy boards do you not trip over them the whole time as surely they will be right under your feet when you are walking? Also are they easy to connect and disconnect when having to fold the buggy down to put in the boot of the car? Can I ask what you did re: transporting a toddler and a new baby and what you found easiest?

It seems like you've already decided but I just wanted to say a lot of how 'bad' the buggy board is, is the buggy.

My friend has a foldaway buggy and the board is awful on it. I think it's a mamas and papas one. It makes the buggy unsteerable. But we've got an uppababy vista and I can still steer it easily with one hand with a 14 month old in the buggy and a three year old on the board.

So it's as much to do with that as the board itself.

Sorry I've not made that clear. The buggy was a mamas and papas. On both it was a genuine Buggy Board.

I agree. We used a bugaboo cameleon with the bugaboo board and it was great. Only had one wheel so easy to walk behind also.

Dd1 was 2.5 when Dd2 arrived. We got a buggy board which she loved as she always wanted to walk but she did sometimes get tired and she was (is) a bolter. So a double would have been pointless for us. However I chose a board plus buggy instead of a sling as my back couldn't cope with a sling once she got past about four months. The board did render the buggy with non existent steering though, I'll be glad once this one is walking tbh. Although it's handy to put shopping in...

I can recommend tandem as a budget tandem. It's easy to steer and you can normally pick up second hand for £40-£50

18 months between my two DSs and I couldn't not have lived without a double. I didn't drive at the time and walked everywhere, great basket for shopping, and both DDs would fall asleep at the same time. Bliss.

21 month gap and we've managed with buggyboard/ sling.

I bought a cheap, second hand babyjogger which was amazing, I used it for my 2.5yr old and my newborn for about 5 months and then sold it on. Then we used the buggy board on the travel system, we made good use of both and although the buggy board was great it made the pram heavy and for longer journeys DS just wanted to sit down. I'd get both and then sell on. Babyjoggers are great because all of the fabric comes off and can go in the washing machine.

In your situation I put the baby in a carrier and kept the toddler in the single buggy.
As the baby got heavier and the toddler better at walking we gradually moved to baby in buggy and toddler walking as the default. I still used to bring a carrier with me and if toddler got tired I would shuffle them around.
It worked really well for us

I've got a 21 month gap and my husband was the same as he said we'll manage without a double. We got one in the end as I couldn't go shopping, go for walks otherwise. I found that older one would suddenly get tired and grumpy and needed to have a good sit down. When baby was in the sling shed sometimes get cross and wouldn't always go in it for longer periods of time. I'm a few months in now and love how I can strap them both in and go.

Sorry only just saw this thread has new replies on it. I really do appreciate all the advice. I think I'll get a baby carrier regardless (I've been told they are very handy at home anyway for carrying baby when you have a toddler) but maybe also a budget or second-hand double as I do want to be able to get out and about easily. Thank you for all of your replies.

I have a 23 month gap between mine and I've managed without a double buggy or a buggy board. Dd1 was a fairly good walker so I started without her using the buggy on short walks,walking to visit my grandparents for example which is less than 10 minutes away, then building up from that. By the time dd2 arrived she was almost never in the buggy. We then bought an umbrella fold stroller for Dd1 if we were going into the nearest 'big town' for shopping. She also wears reigns.

I admit though,i live in a small town and can walk with the toddler and baby in the buggy easily,might not be the case id I was in a city. But don't automatically assume you need a new buggy or a buggy board.