Double pushchair for a giant toddler - I'm lost

[Tinks177]

Could really do with some advice because I'm losing the will to live.

I am due our second baby in January. My daughter will have just turned two. We're unable to avoid getting a double pushchair because she isn't great at walking out and about. I do walk a lot - can do 4 or 5 miles with the pushchair quite easily, which would be way too much for her little legs. We walk alongside busy roads and given my daughter is slightly feral, a buggy board isn't an option either. I seem to have big babies and a bit of a weak back so baby carrying and having toddler in a pushchair isn't an option long term.

We went to look at double prams this weekend and it was much more stressful than I was expecting. When she was last measured she was on 91st centile for height and similar for weight too. We tried her in the Bugaboo Donkey - which I was expecting to be too small anyway as I had heard it was very narrow - and she looked ridiculous so that was straight off the list. She was too long for the Mountain Buggy Duet, iCandy and the Egg. I didn't try the Silvercross Wave as I've heard nothing but negative things about it.

She seemed okay in the Uppababy Vista and Nuna Demi Grow. I'm not keen on the configurations with the Demi Grow (second seat seems to sit in the storage basket). I was pretty set on the Vista as I liked the way the seats stacked but I've just read about the 15kg weight limit. DD was getting of for 12kg 8 months ago so I imagine by January she will be 15kg if not more, so that seems to rule that one out.

I was relying on the Baby Jogger City Select as my final option but that also seems to have a 15kg weight limit

Are there any other options for a giant toddler?

I need something that at least gives me the option to have baby parent facing. A carry cot to begin with is a must. My DD is still parent facing at 19 months in her current pushchair as she likes to chat to me so ideally I would like to have them both parent facing.

Any suggestions would be great! Thanks!

Phil and Teds can take up to age 5 so that might suit you. Be careful which model you go for because some are easier to turn than others.

Have you looked at the out n about nipper double? The weight limit per seat is 22kg.

TBH I would ignore the weight limit on the babyjogger, as in the US the exact same model has a much higher weight limit (up to 45kg I think) because they test at higher weights than the UK.
I have a babyjogger versa which my 4.5 year old is still very comfortable in (He has SN).

Thanks all! Will look at Phil & Teds. Have heard brilliant things about Out N About but as far as I can see it doesn't parent face?

That's good to know about the Baby Jogger! Will do a bit more research, thanks!

I have a city select for my twins - it weighs a ton, is impossible to get up kerbs etc and they’re only 11kg each.

Have you looked at the Joolz Geo? It’s quite a large buggy so it might work, the second seat is smaller but could be used for the baby. Mothercare have an in-line double that looked quite a good size and Joie have some new ones.

You couldn’t use a nipper double as far as I know - the seats aren’t suitable for newborns, maybe you can add a carry cot but I don’t see how.

Following with interest

How about the Emmeljunga?

Gutted to read that about the City Select! I had read really good things about the Baby Joggers too. It seems with all doubles there's something you have to sacrifice, whether that be parent facing, struggling to push etc. Crazy when they all come with such a massive price tag!

I hadn't tried the Joolz Geo. I've just had a quick look at it looks lovely but has a 15kg max weight again.

I think with the Nipper the carry cots seem to sit inside the actual seats. Looks a bit odd to me!

Never heard of the Emmaljunga, will investigate, thanks!

This one: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Emmaljunga-Double-Pram-Pushchair-Buggy/123253667913?hash=item1cb27db849:g:3tQAAOSwf15aZNQk

The Nipper needs a newborn insert, but you don't necessarily need the carrycot.

Have you looked at the side-by-side Baby Joggers?

All doubles suck in one way or another, you just have to pick which issues are most important to you. The city select is very comfortable for the boys and they like being in it and I like the configurations but it’s like a bloody tank

I have the baby jogger city double (side by side) and apart from the basket being a bit small and harder to access, it's a very good double pram. However, to close it you have to pull the handles in the 2 seats at the same time and it's fairly heavy, so if your back isn't great then it might not be the best option.

The nipper can have a newborn insert but I have the adapters for maxi Cosi car seat, so baby can parent face that way.

I had a Phil and teds sport. I loved it.

Out and about is the best for this. Avoid Phil and ted, they aren’t good for bigger babies as the second seat quickly becomes too short.

Also bending down with a bad back is likely not to be great..

I had a couple of Emmeljunga years ago (not a double one thougj). Brilliant for long walks. Lovely and stable.

Older versions of mountain buggy (duo rather than duet) are bigger and have higher weight limit and are also very cheap on eBay.

The world facing is a compromise worth having on the out n about

I would ignore the weight limit on the vista. My 75th centile 3.5yr DD still has loads of room in it. However she has outgrown the rumble seat so she has to go in the top and DS in the lower seat (not really an issue though!)

The vista also has a 50lb weight limit in the US so 22kg. I think it's 15kg for legal/licensing reasons rather than because there's any difference in the pram.