Double pram or not?

[SamanthaH92]

I just want to know if its worth buying a double pushchair really? Dd1 will be 2 when baby gets here. I am having a planned c-section. Although Dd1 hates going in the pram she won't walk far without having major melt downs so I'm a bit concerened should we need to go out when i have healed that we won't be able too. Whats everyones opinions? Did you manage with out or not?

Can you get a buggy board for your current pushchair/pram and would she stand on one if you could?

My DD will be 16mo when DC2 arrives and we already very rarely use her pushchair for her these days as she prefers to walk everywhere. I'm planning on using a sling for the baby and our current pushchair for DD when needed to start off with and then make a decision once I know whether we are going to need a double or not or whether DD might manage with a buggy board (which I suspect she will love).

I bought a second hand Phil and teds and have used it a few times when I need DD strapped in. On more relaxed days I have a buggy board. She was 26 months when DS arrived and wasn't up to walking everywhere all the time.

@pastabest i have the Ickle Bubba V2 stomp and i wouldn't be brave enough to put a buggy board on it. It has a dodgey front wheel so when i go up a pavement or go down one or if its uneven the front wheel snaps under the pram.

DS2 was born when DS1 was just 2, I bought a double maclaren stroller and have used it so much over the past few years. There are times, when I go into town or something, that I just needed to be able to strap both kids down and know they couldn't bolt. Or if I'm walking somewhere that's likely to be a bit far, I'll take the double so that they can jump in if they get tired so I don't end up trying to carry them.

I would get a decent new pram that doesn't have a dodgy front wheel and get a buggy board on it. We use ours all the time and have done since ds was born. DD was 2.5 then and is 3.5 now. If you want to walk any distance or at a bit of speed you'll be thankful for it. Also invaluable at the end of a long day.

I had a 21 month gap and tried the buggy board / sling approach. I found it really hard work and eventually bought a second hand Phil and ted. I used a mixture of all three depending on where we were going and how everyone was feeling. It was so much easier. When I had ds 3 he loved the Phil and ted from a new born and life was much easier.

Try a buggypod. I found it very useful!

Double buggy =freedom imo.
Bad day and you can put them in and get you all out!! A bit of tweaking and they can both nap at the same time!!
+for you!!

I’ve only one child but if I had been in the same situation, that is about the same time that DS stopped using his buggy. He would have loved a buggy board though!

I don’t know if they still sell them but when my DC were younger, there was a seated buggy board which was very useful. The bugaboo donkey is good for this because it can be converted to a single. Likewise some of the icandy doubles can be converted into singles.

I used mine daily for the first year, I have a 2y gap almost to the year. Admittedly dd1 is pretty lazy. Sometimes it's easier to have them both contained and in one place! I had carriers too, I carried them both a lot but if I'm sitting down for a quiet coffee and they're both asleep it's much more relaxing if they're not strapped to me.

Thank you ladies. I will look in to one. There's no way she will walk far so a trip in to town with newborn and her would be difficult on my own while OH is at work x

Make sure you get one that will fit through a standard size doorway - read plenty of reviews, they will tell you - most do but there is the odd one that won't.

I think it depends how close to 3 she is. If she's only just 2 then I would probably get a double. An alternative could be to have baby in a carrier and toddler in buggy. Mine was 2 years and 6 months and I just went with buggy board and bought an Ergo 360 too.

She is literally 2 years old a month before the baby gets here. My mum did say to get a carrier for the baby (we do already have one) but i just don't like them. Xx

Sorry I know this is slightly off topic but I had an Ickle Bubba v2 for DD2 and the front wheels where dodgy as you describe, quite dangerous really! Major design flaw. Anyway, if I was you I’d get a double buggy. I only have DD2 (28 months) and I still really need a buggy at times.

@MessyBun247 really? I thought it was maybe just ours! Yes it is fairly dangerous. There has been a lot of times as well that i have gone flying into the bars you hold to push it quite hard as they've just snapped under it out of no where. It seems to get worse each time i use it. It has been sent back 3 times for other issues and i have mentioned it to them before. I also mentioned the rain cover you get with it doesn't fit and was told to "buy a universal one from mother care". Has anyone got any recomendations for doubles? Xx

Babyjogger side by side. Decent basket, seats are big enough for a toddler. You can remove the entire seat cover if you so desire (but it will shrink if you wash it at 90!)

I have Mountain Buggy Diet with a 22 month gap. We are out all day everyday so is essential for napping for me.

It fits through single doorways which is brilliant

Duet not diet obviously!