Do I need a double buggy?!

[Rach03006]

Hi All
I am expecting baby number 2 at Xmas and have a little boys who has just turned 2. Been looking at double buggies but them seem so expensive and not sure how much use we would get out of it. What are other people experiences with this age gap and buggies?
Thanks :-)

DD liked walking - so think about that first

I also added a buggy board when it was cold she’d stand on it and snuggle in.

I'm expecting but my second, but managed to pick a double buggy off freecycle. Certainly, I'd look at 2nd hand options (gumtree, ebay etc) as you'll save a fortune.
I'm planning on carrying my baby for the first few months anyway, so probably won't be using a double buggy immediately. Is that an option/something you'd prefer anyway?

My second child arrived just as my first turned two, but first child had only been walking a couple of months by that point.
I was given a second hand double buggy which did us for the first 3/4 months but never got used again once my first really cracked walking. I then got a buggy board but we barely used it.

What's your life style like? Do you go for lots of walks, walk around town loads?

Depends on your lifestyle.
I wouldnt have been without ours for the first year - 2 year age gap.
But then we walked miles most days, and the 2 yr old couldnt have done that. If I took the car, I had the youngest in a sling, and oldest walked or went the buggy.

I used ours every day with a 2y gap because I walked everywhere. I could have managed with a single / carrier / buggy board but frankly life is hard enough with two small children, why make it harder by just 'managing'?! Definitely worth looking for a 2nd hand one.

Having said that if you drive everywhere you probably won't get a huge amount of use out of it.

I couldn't have managed without one with a 16 month age gap. I had a double and a buggy board on the back of it. We also used a single with the buggy board and a sling but that was only for leisurely walks.

SIL has 2 and a bit year gap and just used a single but she also drives everywhere and rarely goes far on her own with the DC.

I walked everywhere with my 1st so hoping to do the same with number 2. I have a baby carrier and will use that too.
Will get searching on the 2nd hand sites. Then we are all good. Thanks for your help guys x

I managed without. Had a 3.5 year old, almost 2 year old and newborn. I got a sling which enabled me to manage without a double buggy. Used a buggy board for a short time but oldest was great at walking.

Yes I would get one, if you walk everywhere your 2 year old would get tired. IT doesn’t have to be new, plenty of cheap ones second hand

My ds fell asleep standing up on the buggy board…. I wouldn’t have been without mine and he was 2y 9months. I got it second hand.

From 2+ we didn't use the double buggy loads, mainly just for nursery drop off and then o was left pushing a half empty buggy home with the 6 month old in. We swapped to a single and buggy board around 2 and a half.
I would maybe consider a sling for the newborn days when the 2 year old can use the buggy. Then a buggy board for the 2 year old and the baby can go in the buggy.
Double buggys are very expensive to only be useful for a pretty short period of time.
The one time we continued to use the full double pram was for long walks. Due to covid, we spent a lot of time going to parks for picnics and a play and a walk and found the double had great storage for all the stuff to take in the bottom seat. And then when the old one got too tired on the way home, he could climb in and be surrounded by picnic things and blankets etc! Also useful for big days out like the zoo for example where you take quite a lot of stuff and little legs might get tired. So depends how often you do that sort of trip I guess.

Does your older one still nap? That was the main point for us with a 22 month gap. DC1 napped for 2 hours at least every day and we were out and about all the day so we needed a double they could both sleep in.

Got a 2nd hand Mountain Buggy Duet and used it loads for a year. Probably would have been longer if it wasn't for lockdown happening.

I have a 3.3 yr gap and really could have used a double for 6 months.

I hated the sling I’m surprised people rave about them so much, for a quick trip to the shop or something fine but no way would I want to wear one all day, I like the option of putting baby down and yes people will say you can swap the baby and toddler but what if the toddler gets tried? Mine definitely still napped at 2! You can get doubles for less than £100 second hand and can always sell it on again after

Hello, I have a 22 month age gap. DC2 is turning one next week and I’ve used my double buggy EVERY DAY. It’s a godsend.
I live in central London though so either walk everywhere/use trains and buses. DC1 loves to walk but he’s so bloody slow and has to stop and examine everything that a 10 min journey with the buggy takes about 45 mins. It’s also handy if the eldest is having a tantrum as you can just strap them in. I imagine DC1 would just get off the buggy board if he wanted to do something.
My eldest still needs a nap so it’s been great on days out as they both can have a nap together.
I have the out n about nipper double. Was £400 new so not crazy expensive and it’s bloody brilliant.

I needed one with a two year gap. Dealing with tantrums, over tiredness etc sometimes I just needed to strap them both in the pram and go. I used it for about a year. Out n about nipper absolutely worth the money and they have a great resale value too.

I have two under two. Oldest in buggy youngest in baby carrier.

First one was two years and two months and out of a buggy. Soon after he was able to walk a mile without interruption, and the soon after he was able to go faster using his balance bike

Meant 2 years and 2 months when second was born and we used the buggy for newborn