Double buggy - side by side?

[chloechloe]

DD2 is due at Xmas when DD1 will be 21 months. We live in town and pretty much walk everywhere so have decided to buy a double, also as DD1 is great at napping in her buggy if we want to be out after lunch.

I'm not too keen on any of the slimmer buggies where the toddler is on top and the baby at the bottom - the poor baby pretty much seems to be lying on the floor! Does anybody have one of these buggies that can promote it to me?

Otherwise I'm wondering about getting the double Bugaboo (though the price is a little eye watering, but I guess the resale value is high). I will be keeping DD1 in nursery so it would be great to leave the toddler seat there then put it into single mode to go out with the baby. I'm not too keen on how low down the bassinet is on the Bugaboo though.

Help me make my mind up!

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Hello!

We've noticed this thread is quite old and some of the product recommendations are a little out of date. We've spent weeks speaking to parents and testing out double buggies. Read our double buggy reviews for a list of the best products on the market - as recommended by you.

Hope this helps!
MNHQ

Baby Jogger city mini. You can put a carry cot on one side. It is also suitable from birth.

Another recommendation for the mountain buggy duet. Very narrow, no problems with doors. We've had used with our twins for nearly five years and still going strong so well worth the money. Now trading in for a single MB as no. 3 on the way, but I saw on their website that you can now get a donkey style basket for the duet that fits in place of one of the seats. Not sure how easy it is to switch between them, but would be tonnes of shopping carrying capacity!

I have an older Uppababy vista and use it with a very similar age gap to you. The new vista would be good for you, the baby can be in the top seat and you can configure it in different ways including bassinet and seat.

I also have a double out n about nipper for dog walks and naps. It's brilliant. Older one naps in it everyday and newborn is happy in there too, laying fiat with a newborn support. You can buy a bassinet to use on it but I didn't feel it was needed. Might have felt differently for a winter baby. It is narrow enough for doors so you could use it in town.

I would recommend both but it depends on how and when you would use it.

Just wanted to add, I got really stressed with this before Ds was born (2yr age gap) but I actually found barely use the double. Was easier to have Ds in stretchy warp when tiny and single buggy, and then pretty soon Dd just wanted to walk everywhere. She also stopped napping so she barely goes in it. We now have a buggy board we mainly use instead. Just meant it all worked out fine and wished hadn't wasted so much time worrying about it!

I've got the donkey & a buggy board that clips onto the back with a seat. I loooove my buggy as I use it as a single on weekends & at least a double or triple in the week.

I only struggle in shops with loads of freestanding clothes iyswim? I haven't been unable to get through a door yet.

My only bug bare is the setting it up & back down & fitting it into my car. I'm actually getting a new car next month so that I can fit it in the boot!

Love how comfortable every child is individually & my baby used to face me but bigger ones out. The car seat can clip on next to a seat. It's magic!

I had a donkey when my twins were born. Pain in the arse - the chassis is just so big when folded and taking the seats on and off to fold also a pain. It fits through doors but not if you have an adapter and a car seat on.

Baby jogger city mini twin was absolutely the best side by side I had, big seats for the older one and nice and small folded.

I've got a nipper 360... It's great. You can steer it with one hand, very easy to push. I can fit all 3 children in it (one on the triangle bit at the front). It doesn't convert to a single but is a great double buggy.

Forgot to say that it was given to me second hand and I've had it for four years...do its lasted a good 8 years already and still going strong!

We had the donkey and loved it. I'm sad my boys are too big now. There is 17 months between my youngest two and it was brilliant. Ideal for when older child decides they don't want to go in the pram in a year or so, you don't need to buy a new pram, or if you are just taking one child out then you don't look like you've lost one of your kids with the empty seat as it just coverts. I found it quite light to push, fitted in my Citroen c4 and then in my new style scenic. I loved how it could all be washed in the machine, so kept it looking so fresh and new all the time. Sold it after 2.5 years to a friend for a bargain of £500. I didn't find the lower carrycot a problem and height did my DH.

*neither not height

Like some others I have the donkey for three kids three and under when youngest born.
I had tried loads of buggies for the older two. My youngest slept so well in the bassinet of the donkey - suspension so great and he seemed to find it really comfortable. Much better than any others we tried. We live in town and walk everywhere so don't take it in and out of car too often.

I ended up with a tandem (just under a year between my 2), but I live in a place with incredibly uneven/narrow pavements so decided that a side-by-side wouldn't work for us (unfortunately), looked at the uppa baby vista, but a friend of mine got it first and she hates it! She finds that when her son is in front in forward facing mode, his legs hang too far out, and she's constantly worrying about bashing him into things. I got an oyster max 2 in the end. Mine are both happy in there, but I'm no longer in love with it like I originally was. Loved the britax b-agile! Basically exactly like the city mini, but half the price! Also heard great things about the nipper, but 3 wheels aren't for everyone... loved the mountain buggy duet also, although when I pushed it it was rather heavy, and I worried that the seats would get too narrow for them quite quickly! Just food for thought!