what age gap render a double buggy pointless?

[BrandyTutter]

poss a bit early to be thinking about this (i'm only 9 weeks pg) but wondering whether i'll need one

ds will be 26mo when this baby arrives (touch wood). atm he is a runner-awayer, s for his own safety i'd be worried about him staying on a buggy board

views?

renders, even

I have a similar age gap and thought I wouldn't need one. (DS is now 9 weeks ish). Lasted 2 weeks without and promptly got onto Ebay. Good luck.

Mine are 19 months apart, and I borrowed a double buggy, but it was so heavy and awkward, I only used it once. After that, I just walked short distances, very slowly, with DS1 on a wrist strap. That was 10 years ago, before buggy boards were invented! We also had a pushchair, so that if there were two adults, we could go further and faster... At 26 months, your DS will probably want to walk, anyway. I honestly don't think you'll get much use out of a double buggy.

I have a 2.8yo and an 11mo and I still use a double sometimes.

Your ds might be completely different by the time the baby's born - 7 months is a long time in a toddler's life.

GAp between mine was 20 months, but DS is now 2 1/2 and I still use the double sometimes. Not that often admittedly, but if I want to go to town and into shops or need to get stuff done etc, a buggy board just wouldn't do it- he's all over the place (especially with Christmas stuff evrywhere at the moment). I'd say, get a cheap one, as light as possible, that folds down easily. Mine wasn['t fora new born suppsodely, but she was allright in it, didn't spend hours in there anyway so hasn't dne her any harm. (new born ones are suposed to let them lie flat so the pushchair ends up being longer & therefore more difficult to manouevre.)

I got a Phil & Ted's even when I no longer need the double I still used it for coats, shpooing, all the crap 3 kids gather/bring along. Good thing about this pushchair is it's reasonably compact so the double doesn't really take up any more space. Or you could of course removed the double attachment, and you've got a perfectly good single.....

I would definitels recommend a double, whichever model you go for - like you say, from a safety pov. Were I live there's lots of streches where there's no pavement and I really wanted to be sure I had all of them under control. A toodler who is suddenly tired when you've got a little baby is no fun.

This is bit cheeky, but I'm coming to the stage where I no longer need my P&T if you're interested....

Ds was 26mths when we had DD. I bought a marco sky for them but only used it for about 2mths and that was more DS seeing DD in pram so he wanted to be in.

meant to add I think it also depends on how much walking you expect them to do.

I still got one even though dd1 was 30mths when dd2 was born, because although she could walk competently, she liked to dawdle. I didn't use it that often, but it really came in handy for the times I did. I got a Mclaren twin on ebay - cost about $50 incl postage.

It is heavier than a single, so you won't use it all the time, but if you have the space to store both then it is useful to have.

The main use of it was to go places on foot where either there was a lot of walking involved, or to get somewhere quickly. If you think you will need these things, then it is good to have.

thanks all

ernest - i know everyone loves p&ts, but i'm just not so sure

maybe it's because i'm claustrophobic myself, i just can't bear the the thought of ds/the newborn being stuck at the back/underneath

convince me

i left it until a month before dd3 was born to see if we would need a double. we did. dd2 was30months old when dd3 arrived.

I did think the same about Phil and Teds, then have envied everyone with one ever since. The problem with most double buggies is the size and weight!

Everyone I know who has one thinks they are great.

i had a phil and teds and found it great in toddler and baby mode, but once dd3 outgrew the baby bit, we put her in the toddler seat, but she tried to grab the wheels. apparently the mudguards that are available now stop any injuries occuring. they will be as standard on their new models (which look lovely, but not out for a while yet), but atm you will need to pay £12 i think for them. If they had been available when i had mine i might not have sold it.

well I always put the baby in the front seat, once past the newborn stage in the lie-flat bit of course. Mine for some reason always preferred the bottom seat (used to confuse the hell out of people who didn't realise there was a second seat when they heard this voice but looked in to see a little one fast asleep etc. As a new born, they alwys seemed very content in the newborn bit, the swaying sent him off straight away, and I liked the fact they were tucked out of the way so didn't have people poking fingers in at him. And like I said, when he got to be a bigger baby I had the older one underneath cos he preferred it and liked to hop in and out.

But I understand plenty of people stick to the recommended. I never had a problem with the wheels. Goes to show, all kids are different.

DSs are exactly 2 years apart and we managed with a buggy board. Never used a double buggy at all.

My DS1 was 26 months when DS2 came along too. EVERYONE I spoke to said wait and see but I was convinced he wouldn't manage with the buggy board. Other people suggested using baby carrier for newborn but again, I wasn't convinced.

So, as you do, I ignored the advice and bought Firstwheels Twin Elite. Loved it. It meant straightaway I could be out of the house. DS1 had seat, DS2 had carrycot attachment which I loved been able to see my newborn. I very rarely had problem with double and doorways but this model was a bit slimmer than some others you can get. It was heavy to lift in and out of car but generally I walked everywhere so it was great and sturdy. When we did eventually move on to buggy board DS1 complained about standing and wanted to sit down and that was about 8 months later, he would never have managed at first!

I would suggest waiting until you are about 6 or 7 months pg and then think again. Follow your gut instinct. You can guess what your DS will be like (probably!)

I had a 2.5 gap between mine. Bought a 2nd hand double buggy, didn't use it all the time but was a godsend for longer walks. Also had a buggy board hated it. Made it diffcult to manouvre pushchair and kept bashing my feet on it.

I am 7 months pregnant and DD will be 27 months when the baby arrives. I have just bought a Maclaren Mx3 with a toddler seat that attaches at the front as there is no way I would trust her with a buggy board only, plus I think she'll still want to sit down as well. I went into the shop to buy a Phil & Teds and decided against it because the Maclaren was cheaper (with more accesories) and also looked really comfy for the newborn. The P&T was good too but if this baby is anything like DD was he'll be super long and will grow out of the lying flat bit before he's old enough to go in one of the seats.
They'll both be able to sit upright for a little while as well, and when the baby is too big to fit his legs behind the toddler seat, DD should be old enough for a buggy board/walking all the time (that's my plan anyway).
also it's easily just a pram for DD with a sling for the baby.

If I would you I would go for a single buggy but with a toddler seat on the front..

My dd's have this age gap, I didn't get a double buggy, but got dd1 used to walking long before dd2 came along. Didn't use her buggy at all for the last three months of pg so when it came out for her sister she didn't think of it as hers.

All worked wonderfully, untill I got pg again with an 11 month gap, so had to get a double.

dd was 18 months when ds was born and he's now 5 months and we still manage with no double buggy. i have a sling for him if she needs the buggy but usually she walks and he has the buggy. want to pick up a buggy board as she gets tired on long walks but works fine for the most part

I will have a 2.10 age gap this time (this week?!) and will use a double for a while. But... I have the school run to do for the oldest and that is a mile each way (uphill on the way back). DD was a late walker too so doesn't have the greatest stamina for walking.

I tried a buggy board once but it was hellish - especially up our pot-holed lane.

BTW - Never got on with the P & T. Had a Mountain Buggy for DS and DD (18 month gap).

dd will be 20 months when ds2b arrives in 5 weeks time and initially we wanted the jane twin two BUT when we were about to buy it we decided against it, mainly due to its cost (£450 with car seat) and the fact it was quite large. I didn't want to get it and dd to use for a month iykwim.

Sooooooooo we came across the cosatto duet lite which is brill from what we have seen so far. Cost £180 which is not so worrying if dd decides against it.
Light weight ish (well for a twin pram anyway) and not so big, infact almost the same size as a single pram and folds up compact.

We did look at the p&t but decided against it as although the idea of it becoming a single buggy was good it was a waste imo as we already have x3 single prams ..

Good luck!!!

cosatto duet lite