Calling all experienced E3 PHIL AND TEDS buggy users - Your thoughts please...

[barefeete]

I have a 4 month old DD who is now way too big to go in the cocoon and so i have been for the past 2 months lying her just in the bottom of the lying down bit of the buggy. Only problem is that she now hates that and cries like mad, doesn't sleep and wants to be more upright.

When DS is not with us i have put her in the main chair in a more upright position but can't for the life of me work out how to make it more suitable for a 4 month old as she seems to colapse to one side a lot. The strapes come over her head and so i can only clip her in with the tummy straps.

How can i work it so that DD (4 months) goes in the main bit properly?

I have seen some MN's say that they have put eldest child in the back which i can see why as DD just wouldn't cope in the back at all. Comfort level is bad.

Help any suggestions.

Also has anyone actually worked out what all the clips and gagets bits are for on the P+T E3. I have no clue what most of them do!

How old is your older one? do you have an older one?

Foot muff good for strap fiddling. Or stick a head hugger on it, The straps have to feed through the head hugger which will help with the sideways collapsing. Can you let the zips down a bit to tip it back a bit more without restricting DS too much?

Instruction book v good I an't think of any bits I don't use tbh.

My oldest one is nearly always in the doubles seat(or walking obv) I just flip the seat into either position depening on what is required. DD2 is still flat if sleeping so dd just gets out while i change the seat over.

Older child is 21 months so definitely needs to be in a buggy still. Can't use a footmuff as although we do have one it is in the UK and we are in the caribbean. Also WAY TOO HOT for footmuff - even just the back part would be too hot.

Zips are down already and i have also unclipped the top back clip but left the bottom back clip done up.

Instruction book crap - just 6 or so pictures of the children sitting in different positions. Thinking about this maybe i haven't got instruction book! Will check. but i def have a few clips and velcro bits that i can't work out what to do with!

So did you put eldest at front and youngest behind?

ahem no youngest always in main seat either sitting up or lying down. bigger age gap than you though.

Sheepskin quite cool to lay on in the heat also good for getting the straps down a bit.

I would def try a head hugger for the wee one.

Yes, a lambskin liner is what you need, or the P&T buggy bunny which is like a liner with a pillow attached at the top. I put my ds2 in the back seat at 4 months and he was fine with the lambskin in (saying that, I have a V1 E3 and the back seat doesn't look so upright). He mainly rode in the main seat with the zips undone and that was also fine.

try putting a cushion in the main seat then putting your younger DD sitting on that - that worked for me. also unzipping the main seat a little so it was slightly more reclined.
a head hugger is also a good idea to feed the straps through.

tbh i think at this stage the P&T isn't great, i remember being a bit disappointed in it for a couple of months, but in a few more months when she needs less support in the main seat you will think it is fab once again!

we have a lamswool, sheeps skin thing and it boiled her when we used it in the cocoon so tbh haven't given it a thought for the main buggy.

Can't get shipping out here so no use on the headhugger thing usless i come back to UK. No postal addresses that anyone will ship to. Poop.

Thanks all for you help. I gave it another go in the main buggy this morning and she was fine a bit more stable but only put the tummp straps around her. She looked happy so we perserver with it as she should be able to sit up in a few months anyway and then all will be fine.

Cheers x