Buggy boards

[Chocolateanddiamonds]

Still trying to work out what I'm doing about a pushchair when dc2 comes along giving me an 18-19m age gap.
Had picked one but sadly after a run of bad luck I think a new pushchair is out of the window.
I'm thinking a buggy board with a seat for when baby is in pram / baby wearing with older on buggy.

Has anyone done this / have recommendations on buggy boards/seats?

I have got a buggy board and it's great but have got a bigger age gap. It was 2 years and 10 months when baby arrived. So can't say how well it would work for you but think you would be fine. And saves you buying a double which are expensive and bulky.
Also not used a seat on a buggy board but if you are not going too far just the board might be ok. As they just have to stand there, suppose depends on the child.

I have a 20 month gap and my eldest would only really be ok on a buggy board now (the youngest just turned one). That said, he was a late walker and so wasn't very steady on his feet and tired easily at 20 months.

We bought a double buggy (baby jogger, can't recommend it enough) instead. We got it second hand and I love it. I still use it a lot now and although DS1 mainly walks, I quite like that I can threaten him with the buggy if he starts wandering and he can go in it when he gets tired etc.

Btw the baby jogger is surprisingly un-bulky for a double. It fits through normal doors and things, I really rate it.

Yeh I think I'd prefer a double but not sure I can stretch to it just now so trying to come up with alternative. I reckon I'd eventually use a buggy board with eldest so hoping getting one with an added seat would work, can use the seat now and when older just stand. Although if I need to go out in the rain I might feel really guilty for older child sat on the seat

I had a 20 month gap. I kept my normal pram and wore the baby for a few months. Then eldest on buggy board (no seat). Worked fine. I hated the big bulky double I tried.

That's a shame for you. Depending on hiw good a walker your toddler is, I would scour second hand websites for a double, or possibly use a sling for the baby and have the toddler in the pushchair.

I used a buggy board but my gap was 2.5 years. I would have hated giving up those precious naps in the pushchair any earlier.

I have a 23 month age gap. We started with older one in buggy and baby in a wrap or carrier. Then switched to baby in pram and toddler on buggy board. But my older one didn't nap past age 2. I think a double buggy would be easier if you need both to nap when out and about. Is second hand an option or selling the one you've got to trade up?

Get a second hand double. I only got £20 for mine on eBay.
My buggy board was great. But only fit the oyster. I tried a Pascal one and hated it

Well depending on my outing I could wear littlest one but if it's a coffee, lunch trip I'd like baby to go in for a nap and older one be in a seat.
Lo has one nap a day and usually time my outings on being home for it. Baby will sleep on the go to start with and I have a second (little holiday buggy) which dh can push if we have family days out.
I guess a buggy board with seat could make a quick trip to supermarket/toddler groups easier for me.
Ah I don't know.
My plan was to sell current one and out difference to get a double but in likely event my situation doesn't change before baby is here I need another solution.

@toominty & @DorotheaHomeAlone did either of your baby wear throughout winter? Thinking ahead to bad weather, mainly rain. How did you get newborn dry?

Yes, my DS2 was born at the end of October so wore him in a wrap during winter. I just zipped him inside my jacket (not covering his face). You can get special baby wearing jackets but I just have an old Berghaus one which is too big for me. My friend used to wear one of her husband's coats. I couldn't because I'm a shortarse and my husband is quite tall. Your body heat keeps the baby warm, plus the wrap itself is like an extra layer and covers most of the baby when they are tiny.

@toominty did you put him in a snowsuit or that?

No, I didn't use a snow suit with a wrap. I think I did vest, sleepsuit, cardigan and possibly hat. Search for some images of newborns in wraps, it is really just the face that is exposed. You don't want to overheat the baby either.

When he was bigger and in the structured carrier then I did use a snow suit or rain suit - by then more of his body was sticking out and he didn't fit under my jacket.

I had a buggy board and seat for when ds2 arrived and ds1 was 22m. I think it's great and I'm glad I went with it instead of a double buggy. It's not as bulky as a double and easier than a sling (which I could never get on with when I also had a toddler in tow).

Ds1 still uses it now and I like that I can decide to just use the board for some trips to encourage ds to walk as much as possible.

I have a 26 month gap and just used a wrap with baby for a few months and then got a small standing only universal buggy board. It worked really well and is still in use over 2 years later! Glad I didn't shell out for what was ultimately a temporary situation.

A 22 month gap here. We had a double for the first 8 months and then a single with buggy board when we knew my eldest wouldn’t insist on a carry! We had very long journeys to/from nursery when the eldest had just turned 3, and she couldn’t have managed on the buggy board initially. We had a mountain buggy duet- luckily both my kids are long and skinny as there isn’t much room is the seats, but anything wider wouldn’t have got through my front door.

@iwantedtrianglesnotsquares is the seats really narrow? I had initially picked that pushchair out, was just looking for deals on a decent second hand one.

Thanks @toominty I think that's ultimately what I will do. Will keep an eye out for deals on second hand but more confident in babywearing during the winter then once baby is around 6months and oldest is 24-25m I will add a buggy board.

A sling is also useful when you have two. You can pop the baby in it in the house when you are chasing after the bigger one! Quicker to get them in and out of than a wrap.

My DS2 hated every type of sling and we tried like loads. That's partly why I bought a double buggy. It's worth remembering that not all babies will tolerate being 'worn' and that removes that option, it was a bummer because I used a sling with DS1 all the time.