Double Buggy or Board?

[OnNaturesCourse]

We are expecting our 2nd child in Feb next year. Our DC1 will be 3 and a few months by that point.

We are wondering what to do in terms of buggies. We currently have a Ocarro and have read online that buggy boards can be quite hard to attach plus we are both tall so feel the board might be in the way of our feet. We have looked at double buggies but they are expensive considering we have a buggy already, and DC1 will probably only be in it now and then for a year at most.

DC1 walks well but tires quickly, and wonders at hr own pace so if we need to get anywhere quickly it's a nightmare. Currently she walks to nursery but takes three times the time it should, and she buggies it home as she's exhausted. When we go out on our walks she walks half way and buggies it back, or sits in the buggy to have a drink or snack.

She is a big girl for her age at over 3ft tall and 19kg so carrying her even for a while is out for the question for me.

Just wondering what you would do? We would maybe consider a secondhand double buggy for when we are out walks, but then use the Ocarro when at shops etc or DC1 isnt with us. But is it worth it, or do we keep searching for another solution?

May be pregnancy brain but I can't decide what's best.

Hi, this worried me too when pregnant with second! My son was 2.9 when new baby was born and got a buggy board. Normally take his scooter or balance bike when out so he can go at same pace as an adult walking. Then if he's tired I balance that over the buggy handles and he's on the board. We're tall too and yes sometimes board is a bit in the way, eg when going downhill, but it's a lot less tricky than trying to carry my son at same time or cajole a tired child to walk quickly!

If your buggy is a seat not a carrycot then you could put baby in a carrier and your daughter in the buggy when needed? Or if it's a flat walk back from nursery then a scooter is a good option as it's less effort for a quicker pace. Also depends on existing buggy - mine has a bar at front between wheels which my son likes to stand on, so perhaps there's some part of the frame where your daughter could stand on and hold on (hope makes sense) ?

I think just all depends on whether your daughter really will still need to go in buggy - if so get a cheap double. But if not perhaps a buggy board/scooter or similar can fill the gap.

I am 5ft 7 with a 6ft husband and we have a lascal maxi attached to an ocarro. It was easy to attach and has a clip thing so that it can be lifted up and you don’t have to be dragging it about when there isn’t anyone on it. With the handle extended there’s plenty of room for the child. My 2 year old refuses to go on it mostly though!

My toddler was just 2 when my baby was born and we have a dog that I needed to walk so I also have a tandem double buggy (Phil&teds voyager). This is great for what I need it for and pretty slimline for a double but it’s heavy and I wouldn’t fancy lugging it in and out of the car or around shops If I’m honest.

I got the buggyboard on FB marketplace for £20, they seem to come up quite a lot. If you decide on this option I would recommend getting one before the baby is born and letting the older child play about with it-they don’t all like it. I’m persevering with mine as it’s sooooo useful when he will go on it, but I’d be really frustrated if I’d spent the full £80 on a new one!

Thank you for the replies and input!

With the Ocarro and the board - so you use the board with the carrycot on the frame? Is there still plenty room? My partner is 6ft 4 so already occasionally hits the basket underneath the Ocarro but I guess he could just learn to be mindful of the board.

In terms of scooters and balance bikes our DD has no interest in either of them. She just wants to walk or go on her proper bike...which unfortunately she can't peddle herself just yet...plus it's through woodland to get to nursery and playgroups.

Can you use a sling for the baby for the first few months and keep existing buggy for DC1? That’s my plan. DS will be 2.5 when baby is born. He’s happy to walk but is slow so we’re going to do a buggy board and sling combo. No way am I investing in a bulky second buggy for the sake of realistically a few months.

DC1 was 2yrs 7 months when we had DC2. We bought 2 second hand doubles (one was from charity shop, the other was bugaboo donkey). Reason being is that we walk pretty much everywhere, regularly have to walk dogs on trails and DC1 wasn’t and still isn’t an amazing walker (she’s now 4 and we still use the Donkey in duo mode for long walks).
The lightweight double was bought for holidays and has been a super help for those but we did get it phenomenally cheap (£30 for a baby jogger city mini).

I think it really depends on how much walking you do, whether your little one would stay on a buggy board and how much you’d realistically have to fork out for a double.

As a comparison to our situation, friend gave birth to DC2 when her DC1 was 22 months, they don’t own and won’t buy a double but they don’t walk as far (we will often walk 5/6miles) and her DC1 is a good enough walker and placid/ happy to stay on buggy board.

There's a huge change between now and 3 and a bit.

By 3 they shouldn't be in the buggy much at all. Use a buggy board for longer walks but they should be encouraged to walk.

I use the buggy board with the carry cot yes. I was sceptical but it’s fine. I love that my bigger one engages with the little one while he’s on it!

@Zooforhouse that's a little bonus I never thought of!

I won't be slinging it, I did it with DD and wasn't physically able to do it too long to start with, and then she got too big and flared up a old shoulder injury with me.

We walk a good few miles most days, and a lot of it is through woodland and on uneven ground with hills.

We will have another look at the boards definitely.

Uneven ground and a buggy board don't mix brilliantly in my experience. Fine for slightly bumpy paths but anything off road is tricky. However will a 3yo really sit happily in a buggy for miles of walking?

I don't think I'd go for a double buggy. DD will be 2.25 years when DC2 arrives. We've got a single that comes with what you need to make it hold a bassinet and a seat at the same time, so we'll use that function until DC2 needs a seat, at which point DD is going to have to walk unless we put DC2 in a sling. I'm not paying £250 for the tandem seat because DD hardly uses the buggy as it is.

My son is 2y 2m & DD is 6w. I have bought a v cheap (£100) double stroller, for when I really need it then do a mix of:

• Pushchair with carrycot + DS walking (short distances only or when I have help to carry him)
• Pushchair with carrycot + cheap single stroller (we had this already) for longer distances if there are two of us and we are walking
• Cheap single stroller for DS + sling for DD

I ruled out a buggy board because we are short and when I tried one, I kept bashing my shins on it and it was uncomfortable to raise the handle height. When DS is older I'm hoping to get him to use a scooter or his balance bike but he's too young to be safe at the moment

No she definitely won't sit in it for miles on end, but she also won't walk for miles either. She'll happily sit in the buggy once she's had her fill of walking, or she is tired from whatever we have been doing that day.

I never even considered how the buggy board would do on uneven ground - bit daft of me! Id say at least 50% of our overall walking is woodland etc so prehaps the board won't work for us I wonder?

We have a cheap stroller that DC1 currently uses when her little legs have had enough or we need to be somewhere quickly - good point that we could use that when DP and I are both out walking with them. Shame I can't just tie the buggy and stroller together haha 😂

One problem I have found with, very limited research, is most second hand double buggies I find are more like strollers. I prefer little babies in carrycot type buggies as I feel they are comfier and more secure - any recommendations on buggies that double, and have a carrycot/seat combination that I could look out for/go try out specifically?

When my DS #2 arrived 20 months after DD #1 we bought a double mountain buggy. DD refuses to use it after 6 months....
I would go for a sling and existing buggy

There’s actually lots of double buggies that take carrycots! Baby higher city Mini, out n about nipper, Uppababy vista, mountain buggy duet and the mountain buggy +one. In your position I think I’d get the +one as it’s very good off road, and when used as a single it has a huge storage area

Seen the duet the other day on eBay for about £150

Unfortunately a sling isn't a option for me, my DP could but that's not much use when it'll most be me out and about with both kids.

I'll keep a eye on ebay for ideas etc but hold off on buying until early next year when I will reassess how much DC1 is going to need the buggy. Until then I'm planning on starting to push how far she walks, build up some stamina a bit.

The mountain duet buggy looks really good, I like that it has the carrycot option.

Tricky OP. My age gap was only 23 months but I used sling for first 6 months. After that I’d got really hot in the summer so I got a mountain buggy duet. It is good (although I didn’t get the carry cot). Only downside is that the siblings can “get to” each other. I’m hoping this won’t be a problem for you! By the time your baby is out of the carry cot your daughter might be grown out of the buggy totally anyway. The duet has good second hand value anyway!

But given your situation I’d get a double buggy. Trust me, there are times you just want them both strapped in!!

I'd get a buggy that can lie flat from birth (we had a baby jogger which was fab) as then either can go in if necessary, and sling that you can use for baby. We had 2.4 years between our eldest and twins and did this (although had double for twins). Our eldest mainly walked or went in connecta sling on my back but had the option that he could also go in buggy if needed (just had to sit it up). We never used a carry cot for any of them. Double buggies are a pain so would avoid wherever necessary. My twins have just turned 3 and rarely use buggy now, just take sling for emergency backup (not been needed yet).

At that age I would have a sling/carrier in the basket and put your newborn in the sling when your older one tires. I did have a double but mine are only 2 years and 1 week apart.

I had a lie back pushchair not a carry cot double, they are very £££.

A thought, single 3 in 1 I had dd1 standing on the axel if I took the basket off, didn't fit with the carrycot (hence sling) but did with the pushchair on it.

I do think by February your elder one may not need anything though

If u love long woodland walks really consider a double out and about nipper. Big and bulky but runs like a dream on rough ground, you can load it up with picnics and balance bikes and kids can hop in and out as needed. They hold value so u could get a second hand one and then sell it on when done (for a single cos you won’t want to part with it!)

Alternatively we got our (4 year age gap) to sit on the front plate /hood for short breaks when she was tired (single out n about nipper). But we were also happy to use sling. And she was a bit bigger, not sure I would trust a tired 3 yr old with that.

Oh that’s right she used to stand on the axle all the time too!

By 3 mine were all out of pushchairs. Because its not for long I'd use a sling with newborn and toddler in pushchair. By the time baby gets too big to easily carry in sling toddler will be walking.

Thank you for all the input.

I'd love to be able to use a sling but unfortunately I can't, or atleast not for very long.