Twin Mums - can you help me with pram question.

[TheScenicRoute]

Just trying to choose a pram for twins-to-be, ideally I would like them to be sat next to each other in the pram rather that front and back/up or down.

The issues I'm struggling with are:

Can you leave a newborn in a car seat all the time, or should I really be getting the flat pram bed accessories (I had hoped to just have them in the car seats attached to the pram)

REALLY important- how important is it to have a car seat compatible pram? Is it a pain taking Them out of car seats and putting them in a pram and vice versa?

What is the widest pram you would consider, I already feel overwhelmed about taking trips out with twin newborns, I can imagine getting the pram stuck in doorways and just bursting In to tears!!!

I've found great car seat compatible prams that are wide, or really slim prams that aren't compatible with car seats. Grrr

My girls are 3 I couldn't find a car seat compatible pram at the time that I liked.
I Went for the city mini jogger as it was light and easily folded the seats reclined right back so suitable from birth. I never really like keeping them in car seats (4 older kids) as it's nice for them to be able to stretch and recline. I have never had a problem with doorways and they still use it occasionally now. I think all the advice is that it's not good for babies to be in car seats for too long.
I found it was more important to have ISO fix bases for the car seats to speed that bit up.

Do not have twins but think the recomendation is that babies should not be in a car seat for longer than 2 hours at a time.

My car seat attaches to my pram and it is really handy especially if dd is asleep and I need to pop to the shops. But I use the flat carrycot as much as I can.

Good luck with twins. It will be hard but worth it. I am a twin myself.

Hi, if you haven't already done so, maybe try posting on the Pushchairs discussion board as there will be more people who can help you there: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pushchair_chat

Also, there are handy reviews on double buggies here: www.mumsnet.com/reviews/pushchairs/double-buggies

Re the Baby Jogger City Mini Double (which Rockethorse mentioned) - it's weird because online I've seen pictures of that buggy with a car seat attached, but on the official Baby Jogger UK site it says the buggy is incompatible with car seat converters. Might be worth doing some investigation?

I've gone for a baby jogger city mini double gt for my twins with the carrycots. Car seats can't attach to it. I also managed to pick up a britax bdual quite cheap, it is inline and both seats are suitable from birth where a lot of inline double pushchairs the 2nd seat is suitable from 6 months.

I was going to get britax car seats but have gone for cybex ones as they fit better in my car.

I wouldn't say that using a car seat with pushchair is that important. I done it with ds1 but not with ds2 and coped fine, the most important thing is safety to me so go for a car seat that fits in your car rather than if it is compatible with a pushchair.

Maybe the baby jogger city select would be best for you as it is inline and can take two car seats if that is what you want? I'm not sure how i'm going to get about with the babyjogger city mini double as it is quite heavy and will not fit through my front door so will have to mess about with folding it all the time.

I have newborn twins and use the nipper double. Nice and slim so no issues with getting through doors or on buses and my toddler can perch on the front. Can't use car seats with it but tend to walk or bus as it's easier than driving. You can get pram type inserts but it does lie flat from birth so we just do that with a head hugged to keep 'em feeling snug.

The Nipper will fit through doors, even front doors.

I had an iCandy until mine were 14 months, I sold it and now we use a Silver Cross Pop Duo which is cheap and cheerful.

Good luck.

Ivegot the city select as I really wanted the car seat option for them but hated the traditional 2nd seat underneath bit. I have 3 other dcs so car seats were a must for when we just need to go out for a bit like shops, Drs, school run. The bjcs also gives you the option of having the seats facing each other so they can see each other when older.

Have you looked at the mountain buggy duet? Really slim side by side, same width as single mb, I've never found a door we couldn't get through, or s bus we couldn't get on Also takes car seats, one or two, carrycots, or just lie them in the seats flat (which is what I'll be doing with dc4 - I've bought a Phil and teds cocoon which fits in perfectly). I don't have twins, mine are just close together, but i've seen lots of people using them with twins as they are very popular here in NZ.

Good luck with the pregnancy and your newborns, very exciting!

I'm pregnant with twins and I'm opting for the mountain buggy duet as well. We need it to be narrow and I don't like the idea of 1 basically sitting in the basket. It's the narrowest on the market and I've had other twin mums recommend it. It takes maxi cosi car seats with an adapter as well carrycots for lie flat. As far as price goes you can get everything inc car seats, rain covers, pushchair etc for around the £1000 mark brand new. Pricey but still cheaper than the likes of icandy. Though there are second hand options on ebay etc.
only downside is apparently its a little on the hefty side when putting it in the boot, but I figure with twins ill have to develop some mummy muscles.