Newborn and Toddler Pushchairs?

[Lighthouse88]

Hi, I'm currently pregnant with my 2nd baby and will have a 3y/o in Oct, the same month I'm due. My 3y/o loves to walk, although can be very slow at times and has a tendency to run off! So although I don't think it will be needed all the time. I do think a double buggy might be necessary at times. Has anyone ever used the Joie Evalite Tandem? I'm torn between that and the Hauk double pram. Could anyone advise on either please?

I'm also considering just buying a sling/carrier to start with and using that while having to push my toddler. Has anyone ever just done this instead of a double buggy?

We have a trip to London planned in Dec for 2 nights so I'm debating whether to get a buggy purely for this?!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! X

Same age gap. My son has a backpack with ‘reins’ to stop him running off (reminds me of the labrador on his harness but it works and he loves it). Daughter in the baby pram (DH takes her in the sling but I have never got on with it).

I had an exact 3 year gap and someone gave me their old Phil & Ted's, I did use it a few times, but TBH it wasn't really needed and I wouldn't have bought a double specially. Also the baby got pissed off being on the bottom.

What I did which was more helpful was let the toddler jump on the back of the buggy while I pushed the baby in it, (kind of like a buggy board) and I also had a stretchy wrap sling so I put the baby in this quite a lot and then once he was about 6-8 weeks I swapped to a Boba Air sling which was absolutely brilliant because it folds up tiny so I kept it in the changing bag. That saved me a few times! DH favoured bringing a bike for the toddler and encouraging him to use that for speed.

Be warned that whether you use a buggy board or let the toddler climb on the back of the buggy, it will wreck the buggy over time because they aren't meant to take so much weight. As I'd had it second hand for the toddler in the first place, I didn't mind this hugely and it lasted long enough that we needed it for, then I got a second hand beat up old workhorse type thing with a huge seat and sometimes I let them sit in it together. DS3 is almost 3 and it's mostly retired for good now.

For a day out, if you have two adults it is probably easiest just to bring something like one of those super cheap umbrella folds that you can hang on the main buggy.

We did a combination of the following for new baby and 2 year 3 month old:
If 1 adult:

• baby in carrier, toddler in buggy. Would then put baby in buggy when they needed to sleep or we stopped for lunch etc. Our buggy seat was suitable for newborns though. Or
• baby in buggy, toddler on buggy board

Would always have all with me so could swap around If 2 adults:

• 2 buggies with the toddler in the yoyo travel buggy

I'd only get a double buggy if your eldest was 1 or 2 years old. Maybe get a buggy board to attach to your baby's bram for your 3 year old to stand on? Get toddler reins too.

Everyone is different.
Mine have a just under 2 year gap oldest is a great walker....

I had 2 x yoyos and was sure I'd manage but it was an absolute ordeal trying to use them solo. Oldest has also had a bit of regression due to the baby lots of wanting to be held and carried
last week i cracked and bought a 2nd hand city jogger tour double for £150 and now its much easier to go to walking distance places alone

I have a 3 year age gap and a buggy board was perfect for when the eldest got tired. A double really wasn’t necessary. And we live in London so do lots of walking.

I have a 2.5 year age gap. I bought a bugaboo donkey second hand. Excellent pram but massive. Then went to single mode with buggy board. Then got rid of buggy board and had my old oyster3. However my eldest is crap at walking and a bit lazy. On holiday now and we've brought an old phil and teds we have as a running buggy and they've gone everywhere in that. They are 4 and 2

I bought the Bugaboo donkey double and it was huge and heavy .

I sold It and bought the out n about nipper double and it has been AMAZING. 2 year age gap. You can get a new born bassinet for it. Honestly incredible. I have now seen so many people with this pram and we all agree it is incredible . Steer one hand . Not too bulky. Fits in all
shops.

I had a Phil and Ted's and later we used a buggy board with a compact single buggy. I wouldn't have liked the buggy board when DC1 was younger as it wasn't comfortable for longer journeys and she still liked to nap. We could have managed using it but it wouldn't have been as pleasant for her.

We used a sling and Yoyo sometimes, but only if I was on my own with them and we needed to get somewhere on an awkward public transport route. It's very awkward trying to chase a toddler with a baby in a sling so I wouldn't have chosen it as my main transport especially for long days out.

On days out with DH to help, we used 2 Yoyos as it gave both dc their own space and they could go to different areas with one parent rather than having to both be in one double buggy.

I've got a 3yr old and a 12week old. We live in London and have no car. So far, im only finding the buggy board helpful for short journeys. DD1 is a bolter and its hard for me to wrangle the pram, buggy board, and making sure she isnt trying to run off etc when we are walking next to the road. The pavements are also so uneven that i just cant see how its comfy for anything more than short journeys. She was also a very late walker (20months) so still a lot of whinging on long walks. Our buggy converts to an (unwieldy) double, but at least this way i know DD1 is safe by the road.

Today we were going out all together and we found it easier to have DD1 in the travel buggy and DD2 in the main buggy as a single. Obviously only works with two adults.

I have a couple of slings / baby carriers. I personally dont like them for long days but i know some people swear by them. I find DD2 always gets hot and bothered in them, no matter what i dress her in!

As a pp has said, i think would be tempted by an Out n About double nipper with the newborn bassinet. But DH wouldnt be happy if we ended up with a 3rd buggy, given how much our first one cost 😅

Thank you so much for all your responses! I think for the mean time we are going to hold off buying a double pram. We have a silvercross pram that is suitable from birth-toddler, so I think the plan might be to buy a buggy board and a sling/carrier and just alternate between them all on trips out the house and see how we get on with that!!

I'll have a look for my nearest sling library- I didn't even know they were a thing, how amazing!!

Thanks again everyone! X

We have a double buggy, toddler was 22 months when newborn came along. We can manage without it for moving and often use a yoyo and buggyboard or sling but the double buggy comes into its own for sleeping. We've had lots of nice meals out, especially on holiday, when we've taken them out, let them run around loads, then put them in the buggy for a nap.