Do I need really need a double? Stop me spending!

[8dpwoah]

Second child due in October. DD will be nearly 2.5. We already have a 'town' travel system, a set of off road wheels for the same system, a backpack and a baby sling. We live rurally and do a lot of walking so with two DC we will be using carriers, no worries there. The off road wheels are used for when we go walking somewhere suitable (country park tote of thing) to save having to carry. The 'town' wheels are used for popping to the shops, doctors, pavement walks round the village etc. So all the kit I've had so far has been well used and well loved.

BUT I have a nagging feeling that with two smaller children those 'town' wheels would be really useful if they could carry two, I don't like using slings in shops nor do I want to walk DD round free range 😂. I did buy a really old second hand tandem pushchair that is compatible with the other stuff but the chassis isn't very sturdy. I'm going to see how it feels using the double frame piece with our newer chassis, I'll put some potatoes in it and check the stability!

Or shall I just buy a cheaper side by side buggy and try to find somewhere to keep it? Anyone recommend a good one?

I keep looking at the icandy orange with the buggy board but I really can't justify that even second hand...can I?

I have a 2.3 year old and a 3 month old. I use my double every single day. I power walk everywhere with it. No way would I get anywhere waiting for DD to walk (she picks up every stick she finds), and my back would be broken with my mahoosive baby in the sling all the time, and DD wont stay on a buggy board. I am all for strapping her in and getting wherever I need to go while the baby naps flat.

But, it depends on your toddler, if they walk well, and if you go far every day. I walk at least 3 miles so it's a must for me.

Also, mine is a city select jogger double. Folds nicely. Can lie nearly flat for the baby. Massive basket for picnics or shopping. I bought it for 250 second hand.

OP Sounds like you should get a stretchy warp for the newborn to solve the shop problem (I could easily bend down, cook etc with a tiny baby in that) and then see how you feel.

FWIW, I bought and two years later sold a secondhand Phil and Teds with full double seats and newborn kit on eBay, and actually made money (not my intention, just as it happened), so it doesn’t need to be expensive.

Same age gap- I didn't have one until DD2 was 6months then chose a second hand side by side out n about for £30. If you're comfortable with using a sling it makes things a million times easier whilst they're small.

There's 16months between my 2 (now 2 and 4). I got maybe 9m use out of a double buggy so with your age gap I really wouldn't bother.

A buggy board is a good idea for longer pavement walks.

I didn't get one with a slightly bigger age gap and wished I had. Does you oldest nap? Oldest napped until she was almost 4 and was a bad walker- she didn't learn to walk until 2, we don't have a car and did lots of whole days out. It was incredibly annoying when they both wanted to nap at the same time, but I kept putting it off thinking she would soon drop the nap. She didn't.

You don't need it straight away though, I'd stick with a sling for the new baby at first. Something like a double nipper or baby jogger should just about fit in shops.

I second the second hand Phil and teds. Keep an eye on marketplace. I got mine for £25. Found it really useful but we are 1.5 miles out of our village which we would walk to most days. Now my daughter is 4 she's only really able to get there and back in a reasonable time. We ditched the double when she was just over 3 and life became a lot harder!

Yeah she does love her nap still but that might phase out when she goes up to the next room at nursery at 2...that's an unknown I guess.
I used my Close Caboo with her and although I liked it for dog walking I always felt she might sort of pop out the top when I bent over to clip the lead off our dog or whatever. I think I need to dig that out and see if I can put a bit more faith in it.

I've had a look for the various options suggested here and there's lots of choice of second hand for most of them so that's really reassuring, takes the pressure off to jump and buy something when I see it if I know the same thing is likely to pop up in another months' time.

I tried to manage without with a similar age gap and only lasted a short amount of time.
I hated baby wearing plus chasing a toddler. Sometimes I just wanted to put them both in the pram and walk without worrying. When oldest was ill he still really needed the pram. When he started nursery he was too tired to make the walk home.

I used the double on and off for about a year and a half. I had the nipper 360 double it’s amazing.

Another vote for getting the double. I had a 3 year age gap. We just about managed with single buggy, sit down buggy-board and baby wrap but it really wasn't pleasant. DS2 was a huge heavy baby who arrived in a heatwave and 3 year old wasn't a reliable enough walker, wouldn't stay on the board and if tired would fall asleep (and fall off the buggy board!).

If you're the type who likes to be out and about for a few hours its worth it. In the end we had to "force teach" DS1 to use a scooter. I always thought 3 year gap was doable but any closer and I'd get the double buggy.

I think see how you go. My first was 2yrs 1m when baby was born and we had a tandem but baby is a reflux baby and hated the carry cot. Luckily I love slings so has several from first child so carried baby and our eldest in pushchair if needed to or used trike in the summer a lot actually. Then baby got bigger and sat nicely in a seat and started to nap in the pushchair so I got a double. We already had a single out n about nipper so got a double second hand and it's brilliant. So we currently have 3 pushchairs which is excessive but they all get used. With covid and lockdowns having a double has been invaluable and given me a lifeline of being able to Chuck them both in and actually walk rather than dawdle with a now 3 year old.
In summary out n about double is brilliant. Really recommend but equally you can always pick them up second hand so prob worth seeing how you go.

You are all so sensible....here's a curve ball. I am a big fan of Maxicosi and hadn't seen a double mentioned which I thought was unlike them...what about this to solve my town/shops/ paved park/day at the zoo problem? Clearly an end of line reduction. I know it won't do much off tarmac but the off-road single and the carriers would get us round that I think, based on what we use for good walks now.

www.maxi-cosi.co.uk/pushchairs/dana-for2

Get a second hand double....
I have a tandem and the 2nd seat is great for when DS decides to fall like jelly onto the floor/do some of the "shopping himself"/refuse to leave the bit of road by the train tracks. Lock them in and go!

@flappityflippers1 you are my icon! But I have so many questions.. How did you amass 50? Where are they stored? Which ones did you love? I have 6 between 2 kids and thought that was decadent 😂

Oh ans Ds had a nasty fall off a buggy board so I'm really out off them

@JanewaysBun

Oh ans Ds had a nasty fall off a buggy board so I'm really out off them

I'm so addicted to them haha - it doesn't help that I work in the baby product industry, so I started off with 3 pushchairs straight away from work - then decided I wanted one with better suspension, then that was too big etc etc.

The most I had at one time was 7 - all stored in the conservatory much to my DH's lack of amusement! Generally though I tried to keep a 1/2 in and 1 out rule

I sort of made it my mission to find the 'perfect' pushchair for us, as DH only seemed to love what I hated, and vice - versa (perfect pushchair still doesn't exist for us!..)

One's I loved:

Bugaboo Cam 2 (I now have a Cam 3 for this baby)
Bugaboo Bee Plus
M&P Armadillo Flip XT
Cybex Priam
Joie Literax
Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle
Britax Smile (vv similar to Uppababy Vista)
Baby Jogger City Mini GT (but really didn't like the texture of the handle, felt like a dildo
Britax Holiday

One's I hated:

Silver Cross Wayfarer
Bugaboo Bee 5 (detested the skinny handle!)
Silver Cross Pop star
Cosatto Giggle 3
Cosatto Air/Wish
Britax Affinity 2

Also had some which were 'meh Ok'

Silver Cross Sleepover (loved the suspension and size, but a PITA in shops)
Bob Revolution Pro
M&P Armadillo (world facing only, really though I'd love it but meh)
Silver Cross Reflex
Cybex Eezy S Twist
Britax B Agile 3
Britax B Motion Plus (although I do still have this, it's so versatile)
Quinny Buzz
Britax B Lite
Mountain Buggy Nano

There have been a fair few more too, some cheaper umbrella strollers, some randoms like a Maxi Cosi Mura, also sometimes re-bought one because I couldn't remember why I hated it, then was like "oh I remember!" and sold on quickly!

It kept me entertained when going through PNA and PND

Oh wow Flappity, you truly are a puschair expert! (I love the Cam 3 too)

Thanks for the run down, sorry to hear about your PNA/PND X

Our off-road wheels are from a Mura! Heavy but not as heavy as it was with the ridiculous seat on in, the Adorra seat makes it much more manageable. The dog doesn't like sharing the boot with these wheels though 🤣

Hi there

Just reading your post and in a very similar situation. DS will be 2 in September and another due the week prior to his second birthday.

He is a chunky toddler but not very good walking. He tends to do what he wants when he wants it currently. Heading into the terrible twos rather rapidly.

I have bought a I candy orange and hoping to use it but worried about the 15kg weight limit. Im hoping that I will be able to get some use out of it as a tandem as it was really expensive and I also have an occaro which I love as a single pushchair.

I guess it gives me the freedom to use as a single or a double with the Icandy and hopefully my eldest son will become a better behaved toddler on the next few months but I’m not holding my breath!

Can’t work out if I’ve made the right choice or not 😫