best double for first floor flat

[cleverbit]

I have been debating for a while which double pushchair to get for dd1 (22 months) and dd2 (1 week) but now that dd2 has arrived I think I'm going to have to take the plunge and pick one. My main requirement is that I be able to get it up and down the stairs to our first floor flat (assuming I'll make one trip with pram and one with kids) with minimum difficulty. The bjcm seems an obvious choice because of the fold but I can't fit it through the front door unfolded which I would like to be able to do. I'm considering the nipper 360 (newer narrow version) but there is no carrycot so will be trickier navigating the stairs with two kids. I'm also considering the oyster max but when I tried it out in a shop the fold was a bit of a struggle - although perhaps I could just bump it up the stairs empty and unfolded?
Surely I'm not the only person who lives in a first floor flat with no lift/downstairs storage. What do you other upstairs dwellers do?

I just bought a moubtain buggy duet and LOVE it. It's narrower than say a BJSC and not too heavy especially when going up and down kerbs.

I can even go up and down short flights of stairs (most I've tried is 5 steps) with both dc in the pram.

It is heavy to put in a boot and isn't the worlds smallest folded pram but I didn't need it for either of those things.

I tried the icandy peach 2 and didn't like it tbh. Dd "bounced" in the top seat and I worried about banging into Ds on the lower seat when going up hill.

There are far more knowledgable pushchair people about but I wanted to share my duet love!

ComradeJing do you happen to have the new 'automatic frame lock' when you fold it? The model I saw in John Lewis was older and still had the strap lock. I'm just wondering if the new lock actually works as that might help with getting it up the stairs.

I would not fancy carrying a folded or open duet up and down stairs every time i left the house, it's big and heavy folded. If you could bump it maybe that would be okay but even so despite being narrow it's pretty chunky and not light.

Am thinking about what I would do if I was upstairs though and not getting very far in terms of doubles. In reality if I was doing it I would sling the baby and use a light fold up buggy for the toddler, probably one with a lie flat function so the baby could also be laid in it as and when i needed to put it down (at park, in cafe etc.)

If the nipper goes through your door open then imho that would be bumpable empty and I would get a clip in soft cot or cocoon of some sort which you can carry the baby in up the stairs.. I assume that's what you mean, that with no carrycot you would have the baby in your arms and a young toddler to guide on the stairs and carrying the baby in a cot would be easier?

The only tandem i have ever had where I can lift the whole thing empty with relative ease is the smyths dimples mobi but they're not suitable from birth without using a maxi cosi for the baby.

You're right though, someone must have done it and have some first hand experience.

I have considered wearing dd2 and using a single for dd1 but I was trying to work out what to do with dd2 when we are at the playground and I'm trying to help dd1 climb the slide or get into a swing etc. At the moment we have a m&p urbo which does lie flat but which I can't manage down the stairs with toddler and baby so I'm still stuck making two trips. We also have an embarrassingly pink mothercare jive which we bought recently when dd1 started walking down the stairs which is light enough to carry one handed but doesn't lie flat. Maybe I should consider replacing both of them with a lightweight lie flat pram. I wore dd1 for nearly a year so possibly this is the best plan.

And yes my interest in having a carrycot for use with a double is so I can help dd1 down the stairs with one hand and carry dd2 with the other hand so a soft carrycot/cocoon could serve the same purpose.

Just on the offchance - Do you have any storage at all at the bottom on the stairs?

I don't have a double but i do bump the pram upstairs every time as i am also upstairs with no lift or storage. It has big back wheels and I've got the hang of doing it slowly so it doesn't bump the baby around.

Unfortunately no car boot/downstairs storage. There is enough space to leave the pram out of the way inside the security door while I go up and down with babies/shopping but nothing long term.

I'd probably recommend a bjcm4. Its suitable from birth so you can swap your children round at the swings and has the one handed fold for when you are slinging the baby and toddler is walking up the stairs. I can't fold the bjcmd with one hand so that wouldn't work. You have my sympathy. I had one child in a second floor flat so know what a pain it is.

Clearly I'm recommending a single pram - I'm not sure a double would work for you unless you can keep it in the car (and the car is near your front door)

Hmm....I think I would be steering you towards a Micralite Twofold because I think that could be reasonable to pull up behind you whilst carrying the carrycot or second seat? That or the Peach Blossom 2. The chassis is easy to sling over your shoulder and then its perfectly possible to carry the 2 seats and adaptor bars in your hands (you may need an extra trip when using the carrycot and it also depends how wide your stairs are). The Bugaboo Donkey in theory I guess could be pulled up the stairs in 2 wheel mode ( I would remove the children first) but it depends how wide your stair case is. The other option is a cheaper umbrella fold eg a My Child Sienta Duo which could be folded and pulled up behind you.
There's no way you could bump the Oyster Max upstairs. I managed a few stairs, but the handle I dont think could take the strain day in and day out.

Having dealt with something similar (but with one child), I def think a lay flat lightweight buggy would be good. That way you could sling the baby and then pop the baby in the pram if you need to attend to the toddler. It also won't be long until your toddler is able to cope with a buggy board so that would work then too.

You would have to have the baby in the sling for the bit up the stairs I suppose.

I would say the BJCM would be ideal, however thinking ahead, it doesn't work well with a buggy board, so I might say the Maclaren Quest or Techno would be the best.

I have been known to sit a toddler on the hood of the BJCM (straddling it) but of course this is not safety approved or recommended for longer trips!

Thanks for all your replies. I had another look at prams in John Lewis today but all of the doubles that seemed almost manageable when I was 9 months pregnant now seem huge and unweildy. Even the 6kg single maclaren seemed heavy. Fortunately I still have some help at home for the next few weeks so perhaps I can put off deciding a bit longer. I am a bit concerned about dd1 coping with me wearing dd2 if we go with the lightweight/layflat single pram option as she had a bit of a tantrum today when I picked up dd2 to feed her but I suppose we have to push through the jealousy tantrums at one time or another.
The woman at JL who was helping us mentioned that her daughter lived up a flight of stairs and had twins so we asked her which pram she had and she said "she had five different prams none of which worked so she moved." Hardly encouraging.

Ooh that wasn't a good answer

Your dd1 is young, it's hard to share parents with siblings, I kind of agree if that does happen though then just having a single and wearing dd2 might be more problematic. Doubles are huge and often heavy unfortunately.

Putting aside the one single concept for a moment asssuming you accepted making two journeys one with dcs, one with pushchair, was there anything you saw that you found more appealling than others? Or more managable? As would it be possible for you to bump something on the stairs, are they wide enough etc.

My only other idea is not helpful in terms of still having to make two trips but quite a cool thing for toddlers - an easy x rider buggyboard with seat. I wonder if one might attach to your urbo? I used one for a few months last year with an almost 2y gap and it was great for short journeys where no napping was required.

Yes, the automatic frame lock is on my model. It works!

If you go for a single I would be tempted to say get the bugaboo bee , then add bugaboo board with/ without twoo seat. The board clips off in seconds and fits under pram in basket for when you go up and down stairs and if eldest goes in pram and baby in sling then you can pop it out the way.

I would be v tempted to do this and just make sure you hae home for naps in general. If not then pop toddler in pram to sleep and baby on sling.

We did this with cameleon pram ( as have lift so weight wasn't issue) with a 16 month gap. At first I wasn't sure but so glad we did as he never rode in pram from around 2 just walked or board so would have been a waste.

Also look at a sling that takes both. Ie beco Gemini can take a newborn on front or toddler on back

I was assuming that dd1 is too young for a buggy board but perhaps before I buy another pram we should give one a try. I didn't realize you could get them with a little seat - how cute! We are generally home for naps and most of the journeys we go on are to the park/library/nearby toddler groups so perhaps that could work.

Ihateparties - to respond to your question about what I saw that I liked: I liked the maneuverability of the nipper (although I'm not sure if we really need anything quite that offroad worthy in central London). I'm drawn to the easy fold of the bjcm - although I'm not entirely confident that it would fit through all the doorways we need to get through. We had a look at an eyecandy at JL the other day but it was hard to get excited about going through all those steps to fold it every time - although perhaps with enough practice I could get sufficiently fast.

I just measured the downstairs security door and the stairwell up to our flat and I think the narrowest point is about 90 cm. There are several curves to go around so something super long might cause a problem I suppose.

I think for a buggy board to work best a parent facing buggy is used. As otherwise when you lay baby down that will stick in the way of board ( if that makes sense). Hence the bee recommendation.

We are also central lond

I think for a buggy board to work best a parent facing buggy is used. As otherwise when you lay baby down that will stick in the way of board ( if that makes sense). Hence the bee recommendation.

We are also central london and I think that's key to finding the board easy. As makes getting on a bus or in a taxi easy if needed as just pops off and nothing is too far away ( if it is grab a bus)

Did you have a look at the Twofold BTW because the more I think about it, the more I think it could be useful for you....

90cm is loads,the bjcm double is a shade under 76cm

I would be going as narrow as poss in central london, esp of you have the facility to be home for naps etc. That in itself widens your choices.

Tiggy - yes, the twofold does look great - any idea when/where they will actually be available? Even dh was impresed when I showed him the demonstration video and he long since lost interest in my search for a double buggy.

When I initially started my search my instinct was to go as narrow as possible until I discovered how heavy/PITA doubles are to fold and now I'm considering everything. Both children being able to recline is not a requirement - dd1 rarely sleeps in the pram and when she does she's quite happy to be nearly upright. Should I be giving something like p&t another chance? I initially ruled them out because of needing to remove the second seat to fold but perhaps I was hasty.

forever - our urbo does go parent facing and the calf rest bit does fold under so I'm hopefult that a buggyboard might fit although I am tall with long legs so am a bit concerned about kicking it constantly. A bee would certainly be lighter to get down the steps than the urbo but I think I would probably still need to make two trips.

Yes I would try. Ps I found the p and t very heavy even on single mode so wouldn't personally recommend.

The Twofold I believe is here soon. I think its June - so any day now.....

Well dh's paternity leave ended on Monday and I made a brief attempt at wearing dd2 and taking our single pram but decided I need a double so we got a bjcm double. It doesn't fit through the front door of our flat as predicted but the fold decided it in the end. Bumping an empty pram up the stairs is just too slow for everyday use and although dh was voting for the nipper I didnt think the fold was quite easy enough. I am keen to hear about the twofold when it finally comes out. I think once dd1 is a bit older and can be trusted on a buggy board it will certainly be worth considering a switch!