Do I *have* to buy a double stroller for 2 year old and a baby?

[Chocolateismyvice]

Currently have a young toddler, and are likely to start TTC #2 next month. If I get pregnant straight away (1st month trying with DS) then my son will be a little over 2 years old when a new baby is born. We have a Silver cross travel system that is still is great condition so would like to carry on using it with our second.

My plan is to use a sling for a new baby and DS could use the pram, and get one of those buggy boards for DS if a baby is in the pram as well. DS is a very active boy and walks/runs a lot so tires easily.

Just wondering how feasible it is to get away with a single pram with a newly 2 year old and new baby? I want to avoid buying a double buggy if possible.

I think a buggy board should work well at that age.

Totally depends on how much walking around you do. My sister had your exact dilemma and she resisted buying a double buggy for ages. Her baby went in the sling a lot for the first few months and it was fine.

However, she found it became difficult when her baby was around 8 months (and getting heavy!) and the older one (then nearly 3) still needed a buggy for longer walks.
So she reluctantly bought a double buggy, knowing she might only use it for 6-9 months.
I had a slightly bigger age gap and got by with a buggy board. You might be able to do that, but my DD was 3 when she had the stamina for a buggy board.

In the end my sister has loved her double buggy and has now been using it for about 6 months - it was definitely worth it for her because she does quite a bit of walking.

I had similar age gap and got the buggy board. It was awkward enough to push with the toddler on it and for any days out she used to get carried by DH.

Looking back I should have gotten a double, it just would have been easier and I felt guilty having turfed DD out of it at just over 2 her younger sister stayed in it till near 4!

In my opinion yes you will need one. I've got four kids. My 2 year old and 9 month old are in the pram and my 4 year old still uses the buggy board. She needed a buggy till after she had turned three.

I had a double buggy when my second was born. My oldest was 18 months though, so younger.

Ditched it within a couple of months and went for single and sling. Definitely worth trying first before going to the expense of a double (and they're so unwieldy that I found it far more hassle than quickly popping one of the kids in the sling! Toddler on back or newborn on front, very easy and very flexible)

I had a Phil & teds 3 wheeler double decker pram which was amazing - newborn in top or bottom and 18month old could hop in and out as he pleased .
I've seen them on eBay fairly cheap

Side by side double pram absolute no no -too big and difficult to get around in. I understand if you have twins but honestly the Phil and teds was like a single buggy x

I didn't bother. I had an umbrella fold, a sling and a buggy board. By the time the baby was too big for the sling the older one was using a balance bike.

I had a side by side, I bloody loved that thing, it was so useful. But I hate slings, hot and I've got narrow hips so the baby sort of slipped down and my neck ached. I also travel loads on public transport.

Get pregnant before worrying about these things.

My eldest was 23 months when his brother was born. We bought a buggy board but it turned out not to fit on the model of pram we had... (duhh!)
What I did was put a little cushion at the bottom of the bassinet in the gap between the baby's feet and the end of the pram and my older boy perched there when he wasn't walking. When the baby started using the sitting position buggy the older one could still perch between his feet for a rest, although by then he mostly preferred a balance bike.
This worked really well for us and I never regretted not getting a double buggy..... and now I'm crossing my fingers it'll work again, because we'll soon be in a very similar postion with dc 3 & 4....

Honestly, if your 2 yr old is still likely to be napping then a double buggy will be worth it's weight in gold! I bought a reconditioned Phil & Teds and for those times when they both fell asleep at the same time it was worth every penny!

I thought i could get away with it with my two. It was a mistake. Even if I actually used the double buggy at the weekends when we did more ‘walking’, it was still invaluable and I made my life much harder by trying to avoid it.

I had a similar age gap & didn’t get a double stroller.
DS2 was in the Caboo for 3 months & is still in the Ergo at 16 Months.

I haven’t got a buggy board either, DS1 walks or takes his scooter & if he gets really tired then DS2 goes in Ergo.

No idea how DC3 is going to fit by but we’ll see.

I had a double pushchair and there is 18 months difference between my two. I walked loads with them so never regretted the investment. It depends how much you walk with them, for how long, and their sleeping habits - I absolutely loved, loved taking them both out for a walk in the afternoon, they would both sleep in the pushchair, I would park them in my living room and have a half hour nap on the sofa. Bliss.

It also depends how much whinging you are prepared to put up with...

Also, I am not good with slings as I had a bad back to start off with which got worst in both pregnancies.

IMO you're likely to need one. If your first child is about 15 months now then you have no idea what it's like yet to deal with serious tantrums during which they refuse to walk let alone stand on a buggy board. You might also end up with a bolter, which again you wouldn't know yet. If you get stuck in that situation then you'll definitely wish for the ability to strap both of them down! And you might not be able to safely wrangle a flailing toddler into a pushchair with a baby in a sling on your front.

If your first is quite laid back and compliant then it could work absolutely fine but IME this is really difficult to predict as a lot of DC go through quite a drastic change with the terrible twos/threes, and the big change of a new sibling can prompt behaviour changes as well.

You could always research both doubles and buggy boards, and wait and see closer to the time what the temperament of your first is like when he's a toddler and buy one if and when you need it. Or keep an eye out for cheap doubles on second hand sites/in sales etc and a buggy board, then you have the option of both based on what's going on on the day.

I had exactly 2 years and used a double buggy for a year. I walk everywhere and needed a big basket for shopping. Also hate slings
Please dont rely on scooters for littles especially on tubes and trains and busy streets, they are just a nuisance to everyone else.

We had a two year gap and got a phil and ted’s double decker. Fabulous buggy.

I have a 2yo and a 11mo. The double is my greatest ever purchase because sometimes the 2yo wants to have a sit down. However for shorts trips we have a single and a buggy board too.

You could get a hippychick hip seat which are suitable for babies between 6 months and 3 years.

a child in a hippychick seat still needs to be held. Unless you hold a toddler with one arm and push the pushchair with the other hand. Seems like a bit of a pain to me.

I would (And did).
You'll get form a to b faster and with fewer tantrums if you have a double. Your eldest can still walk when it's practical and go up have extra buggy space for coats and bags on days out.

I did, it’s easier and less stressful.