City Mini Double - for newborn and 2 YO?

[LoobyLou33]

Well..having forked out last year for an Oyster it's now dawning on me I'll probably need a double buggy when DC2 arrives in April.

Having used my SIL's city mini on holiday I was very impressed and considering getting a 2nd hand double for ourselves. I'd like any city owners to give me some advice...

1/ Is it really suitable for a newborn baby when reclined? I always feel a tiny baby would be a bit lost in a buggy as opposed to a proper lie-flat pram.
I've seen a few comments about carrycots - I don't think we could afford to buy the mini specific carrycot but if anyone really recommends that I'd consider it. Would it suffice to use a soft carrycot and/or a sheepskin? If so, do you just wedge the carrycot inside the buggy seat?

2/ It says both seats can face both ways - so could I have baby facing me and toddler facing forward? Is it easy to switch direction?

I primarily use the buggy to walk up to playgroups, to the shops, just to get out a bit, so it's all (rather bumpy) pavements and quite a few long hills. Not much off-roading, we use the slings for that.

Thank you!!

Hmm you seem to be describing two different buggies here - the city mini is the side by side double with lie flat forward facing seats and carrycot option on 2011 onwards models.
he seats facing both ways is the City Select, which is a tandem with bucket seats so you need the carrycot fabric for a newborn anyway as the seats don't go flat.

Which one are you after?

Hi Loobyloo! We got the City Mini Double (got one second hand), prior to the arrival of dd2 in July. The age difference is 2 yrs 4 months, but dd1 is tiny, so not such a huge difference in size.

Anyway, we've been really happy with it. I also worried about putting a newborn in a seat like that, but we got one of those sheepskins, and it's made it really cosy for her. I really wouldn't bother with the additional expense of the carry cot. It's another thing to faff about with if you want to get in & out of the car (and one of the best things about this pushchair is the easy fold), it would add a fair amount of extra weight, and I think it would also make steering through narrow gaps more tricky (I know it wouldn't be any wider, but it would be an extra bit sticking out, iyswim).

Now the weather's getting a bit colder, I've got the matching footmuff for dd1, so her feet are enclosed an cosy, and I've also ordered one for dd2, as she's getting longer now.

There are times when we're out and dd1 wants to walk, but she often gets tired, and has nodded off in it numerous times, so I'm certainly glad we went for a double. I suppose we'll keep using it until at least the Spring.

To answer your second question, the seats can only face forwards. I was also a bit worried about this, having had dd1 facing me all the time in our iCandy. However, what's great with the City Mini is that you have 2 large windows in the hoods, so you can easily peer in to see your little ones, without having to go round the front. For a shorty like me, the windows also allow me to see through to the pavement in front!

I'm only small, but I find this pushchair easy to push. The basket underneath is generous, but not that easy to access, so if you go shopping, you'll need to feed the items in a couple at a time! I don't find this a problem though.

A friend gave me one and no probs with my newborn-although I have had the cosy toes from day one for newborn as it seemed cosier. Really easy to push and very light. As you also have a single I wouldn't bother with carry cot.

Ah, Ihateparties I must have got 2 models confused (sure on mumsnet reviews it does say the city mini double can face both ways?) I suppose if I was to add a soft carrycot then baby could face up towards me anyway iyswim.

nuzzle you sound a lot like me! I'm also a shorty so it's good to know it's worked for you. I too was wondering whether my toddler will just want to walk everywhere by that age, but like you said, he's likely to get tired at some point. also sometimes it's just too slow to go for a half hour walk at a toddler's pace! He is fine in buggies at the moment.

Basket space doesn't bother me, I think it's the least important feature of a pushchair!

How big will your gap be? I just ask as I had a 2yo 4m gap, bought a second hand Phil and ted and have used it... Twice! DS prefers walking or on a buggy board of a single buggy, or he goes in the buggy (occasionally) with the baby in the sling.

If you have a bigger gap you might find this too :)

Sell your Oyster and buy an Oyster Max :) Its fab!!

Do the hoods work independently or can you only have both up or down at same time?

Shhh that's a good point, I had been wondering about whether DS will only want to walk by next April. He'll be exactly 2 years old. I don't think a buggy board would work with the oyster + carrycot, but haven't looked into it.

I did notice quite few double buggies on ebay saying they'd hardly been used for that very reason! But I would be hopefully going for walks most days and sometimes half hour distances, so that wouldn't be manageable with DS toddling along (would take hours!) So I might just have to coerce him into the buggy at times whether he likes it or not (ha ha am I kidding myself?)

I will wait til nearer the time to assess his buggy habits before forking out, even 2nd hand they're not cheap!

I had a 2y1w gap with dc2 and 3, 8 months on the double is still indispensable. Whatever people will tell you about needing or not needing a double it very much depends on the child and situation. With DC1 and 2 I had a City Mini Double and liked it but only used it briefly really as DC1 was good with a buggyboard and we had nowhere in particular to be whereas DC2 is hopelessly mental about them and we HAVE to get to school etc at certain times. Personally I prefer a tandem for this age gap, particularly one where the elder child can be in the lower seat if not initially then at least once the baby is sitting up, it makes so much more sense in my head this way around.