Probably stupid question about Phil and Ted buggy

[raininginbaltimore]

Got an E3 double off eBay. DS is 3 and DD is 6 months. I put them in it and DS wanted to sit in lower seat, so put DD in front. She looke tiny! Had to move straps right down and the buckle but covered most of her front!

Should she sit in the lower seat? She sits up and has excellent head control, but she is quite small for 6 months.

I think, from a weight distribution POV, the baby should be in the back but I always prefer to carry the older child in the back seat and take extra care to avoid the buggy tipping.

I put DD in the lower seat with cosy toes- she's 5.5 months but large. DS in front seat (same ages).

I have always put my littler one in the front. As said, you are meant to put them in the back, but I found the toddler used to want to get in and out, which would have been very impractical if they were in the front.

Why is that missorinoco? Just wondering if I should try it the other way!

It's usually easier to have the bigger child in the lower seat so they can climb in and out and also I find it easier to push a tandem that way with the heavier child lower over the back wheels (but that's probably not universal).

I too have a memory of P and T suggesting the heavier child should always ride in the main seat in toddler/toddler mode due to the risk of tipping. I kind of suspect the e3, being one of the older p and ts, is less tippy though but I'm only basing this on hearsay, not direct experience.

I think you are meant to put the bigger one in front so it doesn't tip, due to the weight balance, as the others said.
You mention your six monther isn't large; my littlest was quite scrawny and I had him in the front from about five months. He had good head and trunk control as you mention.

You have to counterbalance if you go up a slope, but not excessively. I am not remotely muscley and manage it fine.

Mine tipped when my heavy four year old leant on the handle whilst the other two were in it and I was pushing it. I was holding the handle so pulled it up as it went down.

I think I did try it the other way round one or twice, it didn't seem any easier to push, and it was impractical to get the bigger child out of the front. I was also concerned at that point if the little one was in the toddler seat and there was no weight in the front it would tip before I'd moved him forwards.