Buggy advice for newborn and toddler

[Babytale1]

Hello!

I’m looking for advice/opinions on buggies for a newborn and toddler. When DC2 is born DC1 will be around 32/33 months old. I’m assuming I will need a double buggy for some of the time. I already have a silver cross wayfarer pram and a baby jogger city mini 2 buggy. I will probably get some type of buggy board for DC1 for short journeys.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a double buggy for this type of age group? I would ideally like to get the double baby jogger but it’s pricy so looking for cheaper options.

Thanks in advance 🙂

I had a second hand out n about nipper (bought from a friend) and it was fab. It's not the lightest but it was so easy to steer - I sold it on for £40 so you can probably pick them up fairly cheaply on eBay/FB market place.

Out n about nipper for sure. Really light for what it is and easy to push and suitable from newborn. Also takes up to over 20Kg weight each side (you may want to double check that though as it's been a while since I bought mine and could be wrong).

How much will you need a buggy for a nearly three year old? We rarely use DS's now, he's pretty good with walking or scooting. (we did about 4 miles the other day and he was on DHs shoulders for no more than the five minutes it takes to walk up our street) and he was two in December. Would a buggy board or one of those ride on seats do for longer walks? There will also be times you can wear the baby in a sling and older DC can get in the buggy.

I have a 2 and a half year gap and haven't bothered with a double. In hindsight a second hand Out and About might have been useful but it's definitely possible to manage without and I doubt we'd get more than a month or twos more use out of it so I'm not bothering to get one now. I either use a sling for the baby and a stroller or I use the pram and expect the toddler to walk. She is well behaved though and used to being expected to walk places.

2 years between my two and never had anything other than the one single pram for both. Double buggies looked (and still look) like a cumbersome nightmare to me. Never had a buggy board either.

Toddler went in the pram, newborn went in a sling. Nappy bag was a rucksack or in the basket under the pram. Once DS1 was walking longer distances, DS2 went in the pram, with a larger sling stowed on the buggy in case DS1 got tired - then he got in the pram and DS2 went on my back.

The wheels fell off the pram just before DS2’s fourth birthday. Certainly got our money’s worth!

It depends how much you walk tbh. I used to walk miles with mine when they were tiny. The groups I used to go to were in the next village, so it was about a 3-4 mile round trip. I bought a Double buggy while Pg with dc2, but bf who lived round the corner (And had children pretty much exactly the same time as I did) didn’t get one and struggled for a couple of months With having two dc before getting a double which really helped. Neither of us needed them for long, maybe 6 months ish, (And that maybe coincided with the better weather coming in to) but during that time they were Invaluable.
We moved to the other village by the time I had dc3 and mainly used a buggy board and sling, as the walking was less by this point.

Similar age gap - eldest walks or scoots, baby in buggy. I spend the last few months of my pregnancy just making him walk places to get him used to it!

I had a 23 month age gap and didn't bother with a double. For the first few months I had the baby in a wrap/sling/carrier and the toddler in the pram. Then we got a buggy board for the toddler.

I had a two-year gap then 22 months, no need for double, used sling and buggy board (sometimes both!).

It does depend tho on how much you walk and whether you have access to a car. If you have to walk three miles to get toddler to playgroup with no car or closer option then you may need a double, but otherwise, no. They are a pain, cumbersome and expensive.

I had that gap with my two and never bought a double. I was happy with newborn in a Moby wrap though. She was a clingy baby and liked it. When baby got bigger DD1 was on a buggy board then a scooter. We walk a lot. My oldest gave up napping at 2 1/2, napping in the pushchair at just over a year, so we didn't need to factor that in to the decision.

There’s 30 months between my two and we didn’t bother with a double, my iCandy pushchair could’ve been converted to one but I just didn’t think it would be worth it. We bought a buggy board instead which was very well received by DC1. Most of the time my eldest is on her bike or scooter, tbh I actively avoid taking both of them out unless completely necessary but I appreciate sometimes this can’t be avoided!

I don't know if it's any good but this one is "only" £126 from John Lewis at the moment (10% discount). Which is much cheaper than your mountain buggy duets and double buggaboos.

www.johnlewis.com/joie-baby-aire-twin-stroller-rosy-and-sea/p5061102

If you want a baby jogger just get it second hand. Ours cost £75 of eBay with the carrycot and adapters.

19 months between mine & even though son is now 3, he is not trustworthy enough to walk beside me as he just loves to run. I have to use reins on him if not in buggy. Trying to get him to understand the dangers but he just loves to run. Buggy board didn't work either. A day trip out was ruined as he wouldn't stay beside us or on the board hence why we always take double out now.

Anyway, I got a second hand double City mini jogger with carrycot for newborn. Brilliant buggy. Actually selling mine now as I have a smaller double stroller. The prices second hand range from £50-300 so check out the selling pages & you might find a bargain. I think it's good to have the option of a double as not all kids are okay walking

With your age gap, I would have thought a buggy board should be fine. I had 2 under 2 so had a Baby Jogger City Mini Double second hand which was absolutely fantastic but we barely used it after oldest was 2.5yrs old. Was useful for day trips at that stage but could just as easily manage with 2 singles as you will both be out with them

Thanks everyone for your feedback, it’s definitely given me different scenarios to think about.

DC1 is good at walking distances however is at a very testing time just now and likes to run off hand. I’ll maybe looks at getting something second hand and leave my decision until nearer the time to see what DC1 behaviour is like then 🙂