2yrs9months + newborn = double pushchair?

[blueskydrinking]

Hi everyone, I'd really appreciate your advice/experience on this.

We have already managed to accumulate 3 pushchairs with DS (who we thought would be our only child, so no clever advanced planning here).

We have a mutsy which was brilliant when DS was small and I'd love to use this again (easy to push, cosy, great with car seat). However, DS grew out of this last Christmas - looked like he was on a gravity ride and couldn't fasten the foot muff. There was also a Grandma Related Incident so the hood fixing on one side has snapped and we'd need a new raincover.

We bought a m&p buggy but this is hard work to push. It was handy when we were using the mutsy for convenience, but when DS no longer fit into the mutsy, we bought an Out and About buggy, which has been fantastic and still has plenty of room for growth. We'll certainly continue to use this until DC2 arrives.

Essentially, we hardly need to buy anything for DC2 and if buying a new pushchair means that I can continue to get out and be as flexible as I have been with DS, then I'll go for pushchair no 4! That said, DS will be nearly 3 so the thought of paying a grand for it makes me feel a bit queasy.

My friend has a 3 year old and they still rely on the buggy to get out and about, her DS needs to sit down (or be restrained!) or nap sometimes and I imagine that we will be at exactly the same stage.

This is very long - sorry and thanks if you've read this far. I'm just wondering what you think would make sense - practically and economically - based on ages (including a tall nearly 3 year old) and the pushchairs we already have.

TIA!!

Well, LaWeasel, I've found that a variety of tactics works for different children at different times. As a parent, we all employ these tactics to suit us. Often the carrying thing works for us, so we just do it. If it doesn't suit, then you find a way.

So, the things I would do/have done to get a reluctant toddler to walk:
talk to them in advance about what's going to happen;
bribe;
reward;
threaten;
hold hands;
praise;
flatter;
make a habit of it (most successful one in the long run);
make an argument out of something else (like whether to wear a coat or not, when I don't care, and before you know it you've covered half a mile);
walking off an leaving them;
counting to 3;
playing the traffic lights game (this almost always works, tbh, where you say red for stop, amber for walk and green for run. Sometimes we add in purple, blue, yellow, etc for other actions).

At the end of the day, you're the adult and you have to decide how you're all travelling, not the toddler. Do you let them choose what to eat? Why would you let them dictate that they are carried/pushchaired when that does not work for the whole family group?

That's how I've done it with 3 kids, one of whom was challenging, one was a doddle and one was average (at walking, and doing as asked).

And fwiw, I did use a double with the 2nd and 3rd, 16month gap, but only occasionally, mostly used sling and single and sometimes one of those bike things that attach to pushchair like buggy board as she couldn't stand tall enough on buggyboard.

Yes. I've tried all of those.

I think I have produced, quite genuinely, the most stubborn child in the entire world.

I have a pretty strict attitude to DD generally, I don't let her dictate about manners, mealtimes etc.

Walking distances just seems to be the one area where you can't say "tough if you don't like it" and ignore the resulting tantrum because if they don't want to walk you can't leave them sitting in the middle of the pavement indefinately. At some point if they keep refusing a time deadline will loom and you'll have to pick them up... and DD can and has sat on the pavement for more than an hour without moving!

I hear what you're saying... somehow, I'd be trying to circumvent that happening in the first place with serious promises of good things to come followed up by promises of bad things to come/good things not coming if not compliant. and I'd be persevering till it's sorted. And sweet bribes migh even be employed until the hump is gotten over.

I think you sound a wee bit proud of her being stubborn you know. Sometimes this gets in the way of fixing difficult behaviour.

Yes, I might well pick up, but more of a dragging pick up... certainly not an enjoyable experience.

On the bright side, they grow up and stop moaning, everything passes...

I suppose it's something I see myself as having in common with her (I am stubborn also) but it doesn't half cause strife. Have been trying to step back a bit lately and not see it as a DD-being-deliberately-obtuse-thing. She doesn't go for bribes and never has about anything, I'm really not sure why.

We have been having a bit of success lately along the trying to make it a habit route, as long as she is not tired games and cajolling and the odd bit of quick walking with me holding her hand will get us most of the way. So it's not that bad.

But for times when she is tired (like after pre-school) I can't see that there is much option other than to wait until she gets older!

Sorry OP for thread hijack!

I do agree that it might be best to wait and buy after no2 is born, that's what we're going to do.

This is great - thank you :)

It's really given me food for thought - it's SO useful to hear others' experiences. Thanks particularly for the recommendations and discount code.

Just to add a big 'meh' to the PFB theory... like Tiggy said, when you're juggling shopping/baby/pushchair/sleep deprivation and toddler defiance sets in, bugger the big boy pep talk, I want to strap my gorgeous but sadly not perfect and usually flat-out FB in and get moving pronto ;)

Things might be very different in 6 months time - at the moment it would have to be a double buggy but it's great to have some options to consider when it gets nearer the time - I definitely feel less baffled already!

oops sorry missed the second page when I typed that!!! duh...

No worries about the hijack - it's a big part of the decision as I also have a toddler with very definite ideas about which direction we should be going in :)

I am with you bluesky I did twenty years as a top nanny, travelling the world etc and only twice did we ever have a double. But as a parent I have made a choice that at this point in time life is far simpler in some circumstances (eg I have just come back from food shopping) when it's just simpler to take the double. Yes, DD could walk, but I don't need her to!! It's easier for me from A to B and get everything done quickly without the argument about which direction DD wishes to go in, or which cake she wants (!), or worry about her when I had to run down the edge of the road on a busy junction because some thoughtless builder put scaffolding in the middle of the pavement. Shopping is the only time we really use a double. En route today we had lovely conversations, DD helped choose food, she helped load it onto the conveyor belt and more all from the pushchair. I see nothing wrong in having a double pushchair if it makes your life easier. It's hard enough being a parent especially post C-Section. DD was three two weeks ago and I think there's still time for me to enjoy a Donkey yet [hwink]!

We'll have a 2.11 age gap and I am in exactly the same dilemma. We walk everywhere, and dd is a crap walker. She tantrums, walks in the other direction, sits down, is stubborn to rival LaWeasels dd! But the idea of a double fills me with horror. Every one we've tried is heavy and cumbersome or the seats are too small to make it practical for dd.

I wish I had some advice bluesky! We like the obaby zoom and the city select but they both seem a bit ott and are incredibly heavy to push.
Don't really like that in the P&T one baby is on the floor and can imagine baby not fancying looking at the back of the seat 4m or so in.
Like the britax dual but the seats are so small dd appears to "hang" out of it...

On another note, I think if it makes your life easier, DO IT! Honestly, life is way way to short to faff about with what we "should" be doing. If you're having to cajole a stropping toddler having been up all night and are desperate to get home while the babies still asleep - how is it worth making him walk? I don't see many 10 year olds in buggies so it must come with time! :o

I just think its totally worth making it that bit easier for yourself in the short term, even if he theoretically could walk with enough forcing.

Sorry for the hijack though I would appreciate any thing anyone can recommend!

What are you looking for Mushroom? My DD is just three so am used to looking for doubles for an older self willed, knows her own mind DD! Have you had your baby ie is this for a newborn. Do you want a tandem or a side by side? Is money an issue?

Sorry that sounds wrong I meant have you a budget. Is second hand ok or do you want new?