Double Buggy?

[jlh276]

Hi,

I'm currently pregnant (early stages) with my second. My DD will be 2 years 8 months when baby is due. I'm wondering if we will need to get a double buggy when baby arrives? My DD does like to walk but if there's nothing that interests her she does want to be carried. Iv still got a good 7/8 months until due date so I understand a lot can change before then.

Thank you 😊

I think it really varies. Our daughter is just under that age and I think we would get one if we were having a second now. We manage without one a lot with just her, but that is reliant on us being able to carry her and all the crap we've got with us eg scooter etc. She's not yet consistent enough to reliably cover any distance. Some days she can walk 1-2 miles, other days we can barely make it to the corner of the road 😂 so personally I would have one.

We had a buggy board for the older one to stand on when they got tired. I believe that you can get ones with a seat now.

We had that age gap. What we went for was primarily baby in sling, 2 year old in buggy.

Once baby was 6 months, we would swap them in and out of the buggy. It broadly worked.

No. There are a lot of other options. You can use a sling for the baby when DD needs a turn in the pram. That's the easiest, DD can ride a scooter, various pram attachments etc.

Definitely don't go rushing into buying a double pram.

2 of my 3 dc didn't have a pushchair at that age as they were great walkers, the other probably till 3years. In your situation I'd probably use a sling with toddler in pushchair and/or a buggy board.
I had a double buggy (had twins) and they are big, heavy and not suitable for some places (like the village shops and cafes where we lived).

For us it was essential - over a mile walk over busy Central London walks. Not so much when the baby was little - I used a sling then. But DC2 grew fast and got heavy and now at 1 it would do my back in. others near us use the buggy board, but I preferred the option of a seat.

Thank you all for your replies 😁

@spriots

Thank you 😊 how did you find the age gap? Second pregnancy was planned I'm just anxious about having 2 😃

I would get a double. Even if it’s just a year. My son is 3 year and 9 months, and he walks now 95% of the time, but only one of him so if he gets time tired I can carry him, which you couldn’t with two. Also I still take pram on long days out, or on holiday etc. 2.8 years he definitely needed it and could be persuaded to nap in it on long days out, when rainy or away.

Some Single prams have option to add an add on pram also or a seat that’s removed. Ie babyzen yoyo can use as single, add buggy board later but can also add the babyzen additional pram attachment. Phil and teds do an in-line single/ add extra also.
Or bugaboo donkey/ mountain buggy duet are side by side you can remove side seat and add basket after a year

Overall, it's great.

I think it's the perfect balance - older one is somewhat more independent and sensible but close enough in age that they have stuff in common.

I will say that it was very tough when they were 3 and 1 - harder than having a toddler and a newborn in my opinion because sometimes they both run off in different directions etc. But DS2 was a very early walker (7 months! What?! Why?!) which I think was part of it

https://www.pramworld.co.uk/phil-teds-go-inline-double-buggy-inc-double-kit-choose-your-colour/

This kind of double could be handy. It’s A pretty good price. And can be divided into two singles if your with someone else. Handy as travel options

I’d wait. I’d see what she is like closer to your due date. If we had had a 2 y 8 month gap I would have needed a double. We walk a lot, DS wasn’t a particularly keen walker and he wouldn’t have managed with just a buggy board at this stage. If you don’t walk much and/or your DD is a keen walker and/or she’s fine on a buggy board you might be fine without. We were fine with just a buggy board with a 3 year gap.

It’s also whether you have help. Ie if you need to take baby to somewhere like vaccinations in the rain, would 2 year old happily walk at snail pace? Or is it easier to just put both in pram under rain over and get it done quickly. Plus 2 year old contained in pram if your distracted with baby. If you can always leave one of them with grandma then it’s different

I wouldn't have been without our double. So useful on long days out, especially to the park or seaside or theme parks. The eldest needed to rest after busy days like that even when they were a preschooler. Sling and buggy is fine for shorter errands, and buggy board, really useful for public transport when you don't want to be hogging the whole buggy area or have to wait for 3 buses because there's no room. If you drive everywhere and the dc are just walking from the car park into a building then you don't really need it.