opinions please...do I have to get a double buggy??

[mamaesi]

I will have a 20 month gap between my two. The older one has been walking since 9 months and seems to want to ride a scooter despite being so little.

Can I get away with sling/carry the newborn and then a buggy board for an over 2 year old or is that wishful thinking?

What are your experiences? What age did the buggy board work?

i found buggy board did not work till well past 3 years old, but it does depend on the child, my now 2.11 year old still will not stand on a board and is a nightmere out of her pushchair.

I've got a 19 month gap between my first two and a 22 month gap between my 2nd and 3rd, I bought a phil and teds and it has been very useful, both of my older boys walked early and enjoy being on there scooters (although it was when they were over 2 that they could ride confidently. However they both got tired easily so the double cam in useful if I ever had to walk long distances or was out all day, which for me was fairly common. I don't have experience of a buggy board, but I think that if your older one still has a sleep in the day or needs a rest it's probably not ideal. I did think about the sling option, but while that is ok for walking, if you are in the park trying to get your toddler off/on a climbing frame or have a huge baby it won't be so easy.
I think it's doable without a buggy, but it really depends on your lifestyle, if you walk lots and go on lots of days out they a double may be the way forward.

You will need a doubler I'm afraid, sorry.
I hated mine. Bad luck. x

I have a 22 month gap and wouldn't have been without a double, just before baby arrived my daughter started having major strops and being able to strap her in the buggy was invaluable! lol She wasn't ready for the buggy board until she was almost 3....

you could get a p&t, then when baby is 5 months, your dc1 would be able to jump in and out of the back as they pleased [before 5 months they would be sat up front] and so avoiding the buggyboard all together which by the way are not great to walk with.

mamasei DD is due in October and there'll be 22 months between her and DS and I am planning exactly what you are. DD will be in my moby wrap/ssc until about 8/9months and DS in the pushchair, when we will get a buggy board for DS and put DD in the pushchair.

BUT...

I don't use my pushchair that much, DS hated going into it when he was younger than 6 months, so I hardly used the carrycot bit anyway and, the town we live in is awful for doubles (most single pushchairs won't fit through the doorways, so with doubles you have no hope). I have an irrational hate for P&Ts too, so they are not an option.

I think it does depend on your circumstances, and I must say, that if you do your your buggy slot now, you may find that you do need a double with both, but even then, I think that you wouldn't need one initially as a sling/carrier and buggy combo will be fine with a newborn.

I have a 21 month gap and believe me a double was a life saver at times. A single 21 month old is easy peasy to handle. Two year olds have more to say, are experts on dawdling, being helpful unhelpful at picking things off shelves, having temper tantrums, not wanting to go home, running off in the direction you don't wish to go in , saying 'no' lots etc and this is my 99% perfect DD who usually decides to play up when you least expect it. Yesterday hubby thought I was mad taking a double to the park. She walked brilliantly all the way there, miles round the park etc but when it was time to leave the swings she kicked off big time. I simply picked her up, plopped her in her seat and off we went home with her still screaming (believe me negotiation makes things worse at that point). Not only that but it's easy to keep tabs on one walking / riding child. It's harder when you have a pushchair in hand too. Even harder if you shop and need to juggle a Pushchair, child on reins, a shopping basket and getting things that you want (not your toddler wants) off the shelves.
If you simply go from a to b ie from the car into somewhere or do a short walk then you can probably escape a double. But believe me it will make life much simpler for a year than not having one. I would certainly get a double that converts back to a single option. Have a look at www.bestbuggy.co.uk for ideas and information.

Just to add I used a sling tons with my eldest but found that as I leant over even just a small bit to push the pushchair that the baby's head flopped forwards. So I had to try and support their head as a small baby more than I would have walking with no pushchair. I lasted all of about five minutes before my back and arms were hurting and never tried it again. The double was just simple and no faff!

I have a two year gap and mannaged happily without a double buggy - and I had no car. I had a big three wheeler and DS1 would hop on the step for a ride when he needed a break, and for longer trips I used sling and buggy (or backpack when DS2 got older).

I had a 20 month gap and tried to do it without a double but I caved and got one when DD1 was 2 and 2 months. I wish I'd just got one in the first place! I was making things physically hard on myself for no reason other than I hate double buggies (and I still can't wait 'til we don't need it any more). I often ended up giving DD1 shoulder rides; not being able to help DD1 on the playground or sit on those ridiculous playgroup chairs properly because of the baby in the sling; and being really hot and flustered most of the time.

I fing the buggy board more annoying than the pushchair. Of course everyone's different though - you could always wait and see.

p.s. I'm quite fat - I suspect that makes a difference.

I had every option with a slightly bigger age gap and the only one I liked was the double. I love mine and still use it a year later. I do think it depends how much you drive though. I don't drive so I use it a lot. If I drove, I think the other options would work better.

Hate buggy boards though.