Invest in twin travel system or just one?

[Dad2be111]

Expecting a lovely daughter and planning for another asap after.

Travel systems are expensive. I was thinking we'll go for one that can be added onto (into a double system) as we'll likely find ourselves with a newborn and 18month old at the same time and so we don't want to spend £100s on a travel system only to switch later to a double system. Might as well get it right now. And if we don't have 2 then we can just not buy the second seat and keep it as a single.

To my non-parent silly male brain this seems obvious but I thought I'd run it by those who have experience. I'm surprised more people don't do this. Is this a reasonable idea?

The main issue is that the buggies that do this are heavier than singles as obviously they have to take more weight. And of course you have less choice and they are likely to be more expensive. And even with a short age gap you probably won't actually need a double for that long.

On a personal level, as someone who took 2,5 yrs to get pregnant I wouldn't do it myself; I also have friends who planned small age gaps but had a rethink after DC1 actually arrived :-) id personally get the single I felt fitted my needs best at the time; but then I love my relatively lightweight easy to manoeuvre 3 wheeler. we'll have at least a 2 yr gap and I expect we'll get a buggy board or use a carrier for baby, variously; or a cheaper second hand double.

I wouldn't. We have a 15 month gap and never used a double pram.
Also most that convert are more expensive to start with, and heavier. Then they aren't great as doubles anyway unless you have the exact age gap suited for ie some wouldn't take a newborn in double mode

Buy a regular one second hand and then when dc2 is born you should be able to sell it on for a similar amount and buy the double then.

Doubles are heavy and you don't want to be pushing one around if you don't need to.

Icandy peach is the answer

I have twins and I wouldn't choose a double buggy or a double travel system if I didn't have to! I'd love a singleton just so I could have the joys of a teeny tiny lightweight buggy

So much depends on exact age gaps, whether your toddler is big or small, how much you depend on your car (as a non-car owner I never really got the travel system thing) or buses or trains and really how much you are out and about doing various stuff and whether it matters if you need to be on time (e.g. a nursery run where it helps to just shove two toddlers in the pushchair at 7.45am in the morning!) versus an amble through the park at toddler speed.

Get the single buggy or travel system you want for this first one and then figure out for number two when they arrive.

We started ttc DC2 when DC1 had just had his first birthday. Took 6 months to get PG, then had a miscarriage then fell PG again. DC1 will be 2.5yo when DC2 is due, we were planning for an 18 month gap before DC1 was born but in reality were too exhausted to consider getting PG again when DC1 was only 9 months old!! We won't be needing a double . Fell PG straight away with DC1 and had no complications so never expected to take any time at all to fall PG again, let alone to loose a baby along the way.

I have to agree with pp. Either get a travel system which can convert to a double (e.g. iCandy Peach or Joolz Geo) or get a single travel system from a good brand which will hold its value, look after it, and sell it on when the time comes.

The reason 'more people don't do this' is because they understand that even with the best planning in the world, there are lots of reasons why you might not be able to conceive DC2 as quickly as you might hope. If you are dealing with birth injuries, difficulty conceiving or pregnancy loss then you really don't want your double pram reminding you every day that you haven't yet conceived DC2.

Enjoy your DD, do what's right for you as a family now, and adapt for DC2 when s/he comes along.