Double pram help for 3.5 YO and baby

[cherrylola]

This summer I will have my 3rd baby . I'll have a 6 and 3.5 year old already by then with a 1.5 hour walk preschool/school run. I'd really rather avoid driving it to keep fit and get some fresh air but my preschooler isn't a strong enough walker to manage it.

The side by side ones such as baby jogger won't fit through my front door annoyingly so I'd be looking at a Phil and Ted's style. Perhaps the Dot?? I'd like it to be as light as possible as my eldest is heavy and we live on a hill

Is 3.5 too old /big for a double buggy??

I think I'll just need something for the first 6 months or so, so would hope to get second hand.

Can anyone offer me their wisdom please?!?

I should add, I will wear baby in a sling a lot (I do love it!) but I struggled with my second who was in the sling constantly and wanted my own space to breath a bit especially on very long sleepy walks TBH so I think I'd like to be able to put them both in a pram on times like these when rushing from preschool to school for pick ups. I also find it easier and better for my older children to be able to play with them at the park etc without the baby always in the sling so it's nice to have the option to tuck them up sleeping when we have the opportunity!

Would a buggy board work for the 3.5 year old? It would definitely be cheaper and easier to manoeuvre.

Congratulations on expecting baby number three. I don't have any experience of double buggies I'm afraid. But, as an alternative, have you thought about getting a buggy board with a seat rather than going all out with a double buggy? I did this when DD2 arrived, DD1 was 2yrs 8 months. I've got a Bugaboo and their buggy board has a seat which is great. Just a thought x

We have 2.8 yeRs between ours and have a city jogger double. It doesn’t fit in our front door but never been an issue for us as baby transfers well when asleep and older one doesn’t nap much anyway. We used it for days out but also have a buggy board combo as well.

Can’t help much with tandems but my friends have had them and ditched them in favour of side by sides as chips didn’t like being underneath or hoofed the older dunking from underneath, no where to put stuff etc but everyone’s pref is different.

Thanks everyone, hmm good point about the buggy board. I just remember my first being a liability on the board and my second is a bit of a runner It would be really handy to be able to know he is safely strapped in at moments when I have my hands full with the baby and/or oldest child as I have to have eyes in the back of my head with him 🤦‍♀️. But perhaps at by 3.5 it'll be too much to ask for him to be in a buggy much??

A bugaboo bee works well with a buggy board. With the seat parent facing it can be laid fully flat but still allows plenty of standing room for toddler as its babies feet rather than head near them. Also if you use main seat with baby cocoon rather that the baby carrycot then you can easily swap baby out into sling and toddler to the seat if you need toddler contained or to nap.

I agree that a buggy board is your best option. He will not need to be in the pram for much longer so it seems unnecessary to buy a double for such a short amount of time. I understand it will be stressful but surely it is better for him to learn you expect him to hold onto the pushchair or stand on the board than to strap him into a buggy.

Are you sure the 3 year old wouldn’t manage to walk, OP? I had just 16 months between my two girls, and never got a double buggy. The 16 month old was on baby reins and walking beside the pram.
My friend’s three year old used to bound up thousand foot hills, ahead of us all on walks - they’re full of energy at that age!

I was in the same position. Still am!
So we bought a buggy board. Son loves it. You can get ones with seat on as your walk is quite long. The boards without seat also clip up really easily out the way when child is walking etc. We attach ours to silvercross push chair. We brought a soft insert for the pushchair to support baby’s head etc. So much more convenient than a double pushchair.

What about a buggy pod? I think that’s what they’re called? It’s like a sidecar for a pushchair. A few mums have them tagged onto a bugaboo bee round here! I will try find a link x

I have a buggy board with a seat that has a lap belt.

www.buggypod.com/wordpress/

Hope that helps and congratulations on your pregnancy

Have a look at a BabyStyle Hybrid, I love ours (bigging it up on this forum today but it is great). There’s lots of room in the seats, really good for older toddlers. My tall nearly 3yo has the seat tucked underneath the carrycot and loves snuggling in under there when her legs get tired. It’s lovely and light too x

I had a gap of 13 1/2 months between first and second I had a McClaren double buggy but mainly used a buggy board with pram/buggy. Buggy board wasn’t ideal as it meant I was at an awkward angle. Only used double buggy for a few months as DS wanted his freedom very quickly but didn’t have the long school run you have.

I got a Phil and ted navigator second hand when my middle child was 3.5. Didn't think I'd need a double at that age but she wasn't coping with the school runs. I'm still using it 2 years later and still adore it. I mostly use the second seat as a big support basket now, but my now 5 year old occasionally
Jumps in (or stands on the bottom seat on the way home from our long school run). It is big and heavy but actually much much less difficult than a lighter type with plastic wheels in my experience.

Shopping basket not support basket

I’ve got 22 months between my boys and I got a Joie Evalite Duo.
DS1 is a very good walker but I still find the double handy for going into shops. It means I can pop him in the buggy and just push it while holding a basket or when it’s pouring down with rain and I just want to get home quickly. I think mine was £130 in the sale