Best tandem pram for newborn and toddler

[Lauren83]

I will have a newborn in June and DS will be 17 months so need to start thinking about prams, I feel clueless about doubles/tandems and don't want to make a bad decision buying one, can anyone offer advice? Do I want one that takes a car seat? Tandem or double? Converts between a double and a single? Ideally we would like to spend £300-£400 although could spend more if needed and I don't mind getting a second hand one. We do have baby and toddler car seats already so not bothered about a travel system and it will be to fit in the boot of a Kia Sportage

I can't really help with recommendations as I only have the one, but I've briefly looked into what other people say about them as I wasn't sure how big a gap I wanted between babies and considered convertible options originally. These were the main things that stuck with me:

Will you really need a double? How often will you actually be taking them both out and about in a pushchair?

Could you just get a buggy board for the older one? You can get some that have a seat.

How active is your little one? Would it be easier if you wore your newborn?

Thanks for the reply I really appreciate it, DP mentioned about the buggy board but I initially dismissed it as was worried about him not being able to have a nap when out and about and he is a handful at the moment but I didn't know they had ones with seats so will definitely check them out, I guess I can't imagine him not being in a pram but I know he will change a lot between 11 months and 17 months when the new baby is here, we used a sling for him when he was smaller so definitely could with new baby although my mum helps with childcare once or twice a week when DS isn't at nursery and I don't think she would get on with the sling option. I guess it might be worth seeing if it's doable with a single and can always buy one at a later date

I had a 21 month gap and there's no way my DD would have managed a buggy board. We didn't try it until about 2.5. We already had an Uppababy Vista so bought the extra attachments for that.

I'm currently 26 weeks with DD2 but DD1 will only 15 months when she's born, so we've had to get a double. I ended up getting a second hand bugaboo donkey of FB marketplace, but after doing some research, these (in my opinion) seem to be the best

Bugaboo donkey
Egg tandem
The iCandy Orange
mountain buggy nano duo
Hauck Duett III Tandem
mima kobi double

I hope this helps.

I’d say you’d definitely need a double buggy if your DS will be 17 months when the baby is born. I’d go and try a few out, John Lewis has those weighted babies you can put in. I found the ones that sit one child on top of the other (like the uppababy vista) ended up fairly difficult to manoeuvre. There was so much weight over the front wheels going up and down curbs was very difficult. I had the uppababy already so just get the adaptors, but I wouldn’t have wanted to use it loads.

I’d probably look at the side by side ones because of that. The mountain buggy is a very narrow double, but as a result the seats are tiny! The out n about nipper always has excellent reviews and my friends who have them say they are excellent. Also maybe look at the Phil and Ted doubles for an in-line one. They seem like they’ll be better balanced, although I’ve never used one so this is purely hypothesis.

We've had both the egg tandem and the bugaboo donkey. I've got a 16 month gap.

Ended up selling the egg as although I loved it in single, in double I felt like I couldn't see or interact with either child and the basket was unusable.

Love the donkey but it is big. In single the extra basket is fab. We now use the buggy board for shirt trips for DD.

I had the vista for my twins and loved it!!

It did get heavy once they reached 15 months or so, but I think that will be true of any tandem.

It works well as a single and a double - you just need the correct adapters for all seats/bassinets/car seats.

Colds relatively small for the car, although you do have to remove the seats before folding (at least I never managed to fold it with them on!)

I have a 22 month old and there's no way I would have her on a buggy board with a seat. It actually would be quite dangerous I think, they would want to get off all the time, they still need containing at that age. I think with a 17 month age gap you will definitely need a double!

Reading with interest as I will also have 17 month gap. I have done a lot of research into this and we have gone with the mountain buggy as converts back to single

Thankyou all so much for taking the time to reply with some good advice, I have made notes of all the suggestions and starting looking into them all I just didn't have a clue where to start as there's so many and don't want to make a bad decision. Thanks again