Creative Solutions for Toddler/Newborn - Non-driver! - Help please!

[thunksheadontable]

The P&T or BJCMD is just not going to work for us, I think. I get the bus everyday, commuting up to 2 hours each way somedays, and I have NEVER seen any double on a bus round these parts. This fills me with dread. Four failed driving tests later, I think it's safe to say that driving is not on the cards anytime soon and I feel quite panicked at the idea of another maternity where I am isolated and bound to my own neighbourhood, as I live near a motorway and though I'm a keen walker, getting on the bus really makes a HUGE difference to mobility and options.

Last time, I had an M&P Skate (HUGE) and I didn't really travel often or confidently on the bus until my ds turned 6 months and I switched to the BJCM.

Ds will be 2;7, nearly 2;8 when this dc arrives and will be in nursery 2-3 days a week, so I need a range of things really. I think:

1. - a lightweight, simple pram/buggy that is suitable from birth that I can use on the days it is just me and baby to go into town etc. Probably with a car-seat option too.

2: - the best sling I can get to use with my toddler in the BJCM for short bus trips 3: - a double for ease in the neighbourhood e.g. nursery drop off/pick up and going to local groups etc. ?4 - anything else?

I think I am about to go with the Joovy Ultralight Caboose as the initial double to see if I can get by without one of the more expensive options - a friend will sell it to me for £100 so I can't go too far wrong with that although I suspect it wouldn't be great for long walking trips.

I would really value feedback on the other options though if anyone would like to share?

The Joovy Ultralight won't work as the front seat is only suitable from 6 months.

I'd get a tandem that you can use as a single or double. I would go for a Peach Blossom 2, Jane Twone or Oyster Max depending on your due date. However, they're pretty expensive compared to the £100 you planned on spending on the Joovy. Unless of course, you bought a second hand Peach Blossom and managed to get the eldest to walk before the youngest is about 10 months-the current lower seat is fairly reclined.

You can use it from birth with a carseat, it would be literally to nursery and back and local groups, it wouldn't be my bus option. I've literally never seen a double of any description on any of the routes I go on (about six in total) so I am concerned there's a reason for that.

I will look into a peach blossom..

You shouldn't use a carseat for more than 30 minutes really for the first two months, and up to 2 hours until about 6 months. The front seat would be too upright for a baby under about 15 months oprobably even older) to nap in so it would only be useful for a few hours between naps. I just don't think it'll be the ideal solution.

The reason I've suggested the ones I have is that they all have the footprint of a single pushchair so will be fine on a bus. They're actually all narrower than a BJCM which I assume you've been using on buses.

Nursery is 10 minutes away, I know the recommendations, it's £100. It might not be ideal but I think it will be useful to help my son learn how to be a bit more independent/use a buggy board in those first few months.

Besides, what I am REALLY looking for is the other options, the double was the one I felt was most covered even if it's not going to be perfect. So, a small pram or a suggestion for a suitable sling, not an expensive tandem. I can't really afford the options you are suggesting right now, so it may be that I need to keep the Skate for the first few months. All would be well if I had a grand or so to throw at it but I don't.

Also, to be fair, if dh were to do nursery and school drop off for our kids in a car, the baby would be in the carseat longer than it would if I walk!

Sorry! If you've already got a BJCM then surely you've got the light one sorted? And you've already sorted your double. There's a sling section on here, you could ask for advice from them. They're very knowledgeable.

what's you main criteria for the bus, small foot print as you will mostly be able to leave it up, or easy fold as you'll be putting it down asap?

I'd be tempted by a second hand bee and buggy board, small foot print, easy fold. Or Maclaren andbuggy board.

Get a second hand connecta two, then if your eldest is too tired for the board its quick and easy for the baby to go in the connecta.

For what you are needing spec wise £100 isn't going to easy to fufill all your ideals.

Is there really a need for the ? I personally found your comment about newborns and carseats a little bit given that I had stated that I was going with the Joovy for the purpose of nursery drop off and local groups (none of which would really exceed the limit, but even if they did, that would really be my business). However, I wouldn't use that emoticon on this type of forum as I think it's really OTT.

No, as stated in the OP I was interested in a pram, the BJCM requires a carrycot from birth which will remove the advantage of the single fold and is not truly parent-facing from what I can see, but never mind, I will ask the people on the sling forum as you suggest and hopefully they will come up with a workable solution. Thanks very much for your feedback.

Honeydragon, I can spend more than £100, I just can't spend £7-800 and I am aware it will have to be a mish mash of less-than-ideal options, but I can see that's just how it goes if you don't have a lot of money to spend on it, which I don't. I suppose I will have to look at a carrycot for the BJCM as the cheapest option there. I will have a look at your suggestions too, thanks. I think it's going to have to be a matter of waiting until dc is a bit older to be able to walk before we can really travel on the bus, and confining my trips out of the local neighbourhood to times I am with the little one only. It's a shame that so many buggies are the price I would pay for a small car but I guess it's the way it goes... I would try to pay more for a really functional double but they all seem unwieldy and awkward for the price they are given that ds will be 2;8 and walking more and more.

I don't have a car there is no ideal for the bus other than a sling and small push chair as you never no if/when you need to fold.

Anything with a fabric carry cot like P&Ts have is good, asyou can lift out the cot and sit it on your knee. If your toddler is a bolter and needs holding onto than a one hand fold is a good idea too.

The Joovys can be a bit miserable to push for a walking pushchair. TBH if your toddler is shattered they'll want a proper seat. If they are struggling to keep up a buggy board or scooter and strap is best.

Its not recommended....but worked really well for us in emergencies and I know a few twin + toddler mums who do it. Recline your BJCM, put your baby right at the rear of the pushchair, maybe in something like a Bugaboo cocoon and strap them in. There should be plenty of room for your toddler to sit on the seat pad at the front and then add some normal reins to the D rings. We did this on and off until my son was around 10 months old - as he got older his legs went down the sides of the toddler. When he wanted to sit up, then my toddler walked.

The Joovy is good but is also longer than you think. After 6 months the recline is very good on the Ultralight. I did find it very exposed though and the hood is a "through" one so the wind blows straight through between the children. It feels like a trolley to push. The iCandy Pear is probably the shortest tandem I know - although the Jane Twone is short too but thats expensive which from what I am reading you dont want. I second the cheap Peach Blossom option.

Yes, this was my worry about the BJCM bassinet, as it seems to remove all the advantages of the BJCM in terms of folding and what would I do with the bassinet? Also wonder if ds would be a bit jealous of it. I think I am just going to have give up on the idea of a walking pushchair for both of them really, as that's where the money really comes into it. I suppose the appeal of the Caboose was that it would speed up the necessary stuff around the neighbourhood as I think ds will be too scared for a buggyboard initially, but it might help him gain some confidence as the Caboose is very sturdy for those short trips and the buggyboard is built in. I hoped it would be good for the first few months to make that transition to walking. We had been trying over this pregnancy but as I get larger and larger he is testing the limits and I can't keep up now so well (32 weeks now).

Are there any other built in buggyboards? He was very reluctant with the Lascal in the shop yet quite keen on the Caboose as he thinks it is like a train. It is long! The stupid handlebar on the BJCM is a pain for slinging too.. grrr... maybe I just need to get an umbrella fold. The bee looks great though apparently not fully lie flat either.. never straightforward.

It all really worries me. I had quite bad PND after ds and getting out and about was really important for recovery. I am being seen again by the perinatal mental health team and they predict it will recur - woohoo. So am feeling very panicky about the idea of being unable to get out and feeling strongly I will need to be able to see the baby too. Just wish it didn't seem to add up to a grand no matter how I work it.

Thanks Tiggywunkle. The Peach Blossoms on ebay are all in the region of 600 plus unfortunately... or else I am just rubbish at ebaying.

I wish I had bought something more sensible first time around! That Skate was the worst thing I ever bought!

Regarding a sling, I'd go with an ergo, a beco butterfly, a boba 3g or a tula. These are all soft structured buckle carriers and are pretty simple to use. The tula and boba can be used up until the 45lbs mark. Personally I wouldn't go with an ergo if you have tall babies as the rise in the seat is pretty small. I back carry my toddler in a boba and I find it fabulous.

What about an uppababy vista with a rumble seat? Or a britax b duel?

I have been using a maclaren quest and manduca sling since dd was born 4 months ago and ds is now 2.6. The manduca has an inbuilt newborn insert and expands for taller babies. All weight is on your hips provided you get the straps right. I had a close carrier too but only good for when they're tiny and indoor use. If it rains, offers little protection. Neither does the manduca but it would last a little longer in the rain!

I'd not give up on driving though. Bit late now but perhaps when baby is older you can try again with a new instructor.

The Vista is a good option but it still feels long plus you have to work out how you will get through the baby stage (probably car seat) until the baby can go in the main seat.

I think the price of Peach Blossoms will drop as the new stock rolls in and people swap over. Try the Facebook iCandyBuySell - they are good at sniffing out bargains!

Have you seen the Micralite Twofold? I dont know when you are due. There's also more 'sit n stand' pushchairs like the Chipolinio Euphorio and the brand 'Sit n Stand' too.

Why is the BJCM difficult for slinging? (I don't have one so don't know what it's like). I also have a Phil and teds which I only use for the toddler until dd is bigger and it's easier to push one handed as ds likes to walk sometimes too. Maclaren is trickier in that respect.

I was going to reassure you that I've been using the bjcm since, well nearly, birth with no carrycot and dd's been fine. It goes so flat that I just tuck her up right under the hood so I can see her through the flap. I'd snowsuit her so that baby can just be lifted out on the bus (if you need to fold) saving having to juggle a bassinet.

As an emergency sling, we use a babasling. Not sure how good they are from birth but I find it so much easier to chuck that over myself and stick her in, rather than fiddling with buckles and straps etc.

I adore eBay for pram buying and have some interesting now discontinued numbers - I shall have a browse! I don't have experience of an unruly toddler but I do have an over enthusiastic sheep pooch who I walk with every day...

My children are long past the need for prams etc, but when they were small I mostly used a babybyorn sling for dd and a Maclaren umbrella fold for ds (he was 16 months when she was born), and then when she got too heavy she went in the buggy and ds had a buggy board. He was probably a bit young for it, but it made public transport do-able (this was in the days before there were pushchair spaces on the bus). Sometimes I just stuffed his legs in the luggage carrying bit as the buggy board bumped my feet a bit when walking (I am tall and have a long stride). Which killed the buggy a bit, but ds seemed fine with the arrangement. We did have a side by side double that we were lent, but I found it very heavy and awkward and then dd stared to pull ds's hair (he had lovely ringlets back then ) so we gave it back. Personally I'd use a double as little as possible, but I'm sure they are better designed now.

Peach Blossoms with one carrycot in eBay are about £450 and dropping. The Twone will be £490 and you can buy a sevond hand carrycot, but I'm not sure of the release date. I think investing in a decent tandem is better than spending a similar amount on a Joovy, a single, a buggyboard and a sling.

I was only trying to help with the getting out and about on the bus, because I thought that's what you wanted creative solutions to. I couldn't cope with a single and sling and I've never seen anyone on a bus with that combination. The idea of having a baby in a sling, pushing a pushchair and holding a toddler's hand sounds much worse than using a double. But if you're likely to need to fold the pushchair then I can understand going down the sling route. I've never seen anyone fold a pushchair on the bus so it wouldn't be an issue here (Birmingham, not a tiny village).