Aggghhhh! I don't understand pushchairs! Help me please - need a chariot for 2!

[NarcolepsyQueen]

Hi! Any help is gratefully received. I am currently 5 months pregnant. DC1 will be 19 months when I give birth. I need a pushchair for both of them. I am just so confused by the different options! P&T have many models which look the same - what are the differences? I want a pushchair which goes through normal shop doorways. Weight doesn't matter. I am looking to get a second hand one, as I think I will be able to revert to my Quinny with a buggy board fairly soon? Any suggestions please?

I don't know much about double pushchairs, but can I suggest looking at a City Mini Jogger, a couple of my friends have them and they are really good and suitable from birth, lightweight, easy to fold and and I've seen a double one in town!

The double city mini is very good but it's 75.5cm wide I think so goes through a standard door but I met many a gap I couldn't go through.

You may get more use out of a double than you think (19 months is a pretty small gap, pushing a pram and handling an excitable toddler even if they are a good walker is not always the simplest way to conduct life but it does depend on what you do day to day).

In short it is worth finding something that really suits you and there are plenty of second hand options. If you have a good nursery shop near to you I would go and look at some things and see what models you get on with the best.

You need to think about what you want from a pushchair.

I have a 16 month age gap and am just getting rid of my Britax B-dual for a baby jogger city mini as an inline just doesn't suit me.
Neither of my DC 21 months and 5 months enjoyed being on the bottom seat, where as DS2 loves peeking round to see DS3 sitting next to him.
There are a few gaps I can't fit through with the baby jogger but there were also tight paces the b-dual wouldn't turn in.

I honestly wouldn't bank on getting back to a buggy board that soon. I suspect you would use a double for a good year if not longer. Buggy boards are awful to walk behind as well and two year olds are harder work than complaint 19 month olds.
I honestly would leave the P&Ts alone especially if your eldest naps at all. Look at the Britax B-Dual, the iCandy Peach Blossom 2, the Babystyle Oyster Max, the Micralite Twofold (not if the eldest naps) or the side by sides - which are easier to find a good one eg Baby Joggers, TFK, Easywalker etc.

Thank you all so much for your advice - I haven't even heard of most of these! I will Google them now!

I had a side by side double nipper. I got it into most shops. There were only a very few places I couldn't get it. It was very light and easy to push.

I've got a b dual (24 month gap). It is heavy and wider than a single but it's lovely to push and my toddler likes both seats - bottom one is cosy, she likes to make a den, and top one is nice and high for a commanding view. I was hoping to ditch it for BJCM & board soon but agree if you walk much you will need a double, toddlers get tired/ill/are in need of restraint sometimes! If we're going more than about a half hour round trip I take the b dual.
I bought mine new as I got excellent price for 2011 model with carrycot, car seat etc but saw lots on eBay, lots of icandys too. Having said that I'm glad I did get new as it had a fault with the suspension & pram shop sent it back to britax for repair, all free & took less than a week.

www.bestbuggy.co.uk/

I have the same age gap and have the mountain buggy duet. I absolutely love it and have no faults with it except that it is quite large when folded, so not great if going in and out of a small car. Thankfully I rarely collapse it and have a large boot.

Its amazing and I thought I would only use it for a short time....one year on and still using it almost daily!

Can I ask?

Those with side by side doubles, how do you get it into the house?

Do you have to empty babies and shopping on doorstep and take it through folded?

(am looking for double pushchair too, I'll have a 2yo and a newborn in jan)

Thanks for letting me hijack Narc

We're using the jumbo Graco double, one seat in front of the other. It is rather long, but is as narrow as a single so I can get into most shops. We like to go for long walks across rather bumpy ground and this has the wheels/base to do it.

babyequipmentcomplete.com/main_site/main/index.php?pge=detail&iid=9730&gclid=CLyBhICvsLICFUdvfAodzVsA4Q for example

It's heavy and big when you collapse it and takes up most of the boot, which is a downer. We have an estate car and it goes in OK, we took it to Spain and were able to pack everything else we wanted.

DD1 now aged 3.5 still sometimes sits in it, especially on long days out at the zoo. It has a HUGE basket underneath which easily takes the packed lunch, coats, change bag etc. You can also fold it up and down with one hand - really useful with toddlers who need a firm grip in car parks.

There's a huge compromise with buggies and the doubles even more so. I'm sure people won't mind you asking them the pros and cons of buggies if you're out and about.

TittyWhistles The BJCM double fits through my doorway if I line it up right. My doorway is 76 cm but the door and mouldings on the door make it a little less than that . I have to fold it up inside as it would block the hall but it takes seconds and will fold with two blankets, a single raincover, allergy kit and assorted child tat underneath.

You are welcome Titty Glad to know that I aren't the only pushchair fool! Most of the shops where I live are not 'new build' shops. They are shops in listed buildings etc. I really need to ensure the buggy gets through a standard doorway. I have a large 4x4 car, so not overly worried about space. I hear what you are saying about needing it for longer. My first child is now 8, so I guess I have forgotten!

I too live in a place with shops in old buildings. The city mini was an issue, any standard width side by side was an issue. To be honest I would prefer to push one but it just didn't work. Plus my front door is a shade under 74cm so few fit in then the inner door is even tighter.
A Mountain Buggy Duet would. If you have the space for 72cm the new out n about nipper v2 would do a sterling job. There is a new britax b agile double that will take a car seat and I think carrycot on one side that is also 72cm, not out yet but could be a great option with the travel system and carrycot options. Dunno what it'd be like to push, I had the single b agile and that was easy to push so I doubt it would be too much different fundamentally.
With dc2 and 3 I know already I will need a double for longer. I keep thinking I can do without then finding out the hard way that it's just not fun!

I pondered the BJCM double but was told that side by sides can be tricky to push, especially on hills, with much of a weight difference and they're better for twins. I don't know if it's true but since my baby is blinking huge I could probably have got away with it!

The compromise with doubles/tandems is always going to be width or weight or both. I have a B Dual and it is lovely apart from the weight and the amount of space it needs in the boot. If I hadn't got used to pushing a single it would be fine though, lovely buggy (it's got suspension and looks so comfy!) and nice to push. The rain cover is really good too but I recommend you get a hamster bag to store and carry it cos it's rather large!

I reckon we're going to go for a phil and teds dot, they're narrower than the other phil and teds and lighter. So, until I'm convinced otherwise.....

I have the Duet. Its a side by side. No need to collapse it. It fits literally everywhere. Its narrower than many of the phil and teds!
Do your measurements. 63cm wide is the duet. trust me it fits everywhere....never had to collapse it

I know this thread is quite old now but I just thought I would add a little info!
I have been having a little play about with the britax b agile double & looking into which carrycot would fit on it. I don't really like the cocoon style carrycot to be honest, I wanted something with a proper mattress & something higher up so baby is in view at all times. I read on other blogs that the Maxi cosi car seats could be used with the b agile double by adding oyster Maxi cosi adapters onto the adapters that come with the britax. It's true, they do fit! I then wondered if a Maxi cosi (Quinny) Dreami carry cot would work with it since they use the same adapters as the car seats. I was right! You can fit a Dreami carry cot with oyster Maxi cosi adapters onto the britax click & go adapters that come with the pushchair so it works as a travel system suitable for a newborn & a toddler. You don't even need to take the seat unit off to fit it on either. All you need to do is take the hood off & lay the seat down a little bit! It's quite secure & sturdy for all it is on 2 lots of adapters! Hope this helps someone :)