Ok people - should we get a tandem or a side by side double buggy?

[Holymoly321]

Bub No2 is due in November when DS will be 2 and 2mths. I don't really use his current buggy masses - usually travel by car. The most we use it for is about an hour or so when we have to go into town. DS will walk, but only for a bit before it's "Cuggle, cuggle", meaning "I'm tired of walking now, can you carry me" - this is when he goes back in the buggy! Anyway, question is, what kind of double buggy should we get? Pros and cons of tandem or side by side please. We have about 150 max to spend...

Personally I would use a sling for the first few months and then get a buggy board. Lots cheaper and a lot less hassle. Doubles are huge, awkward and annoying (tho sometimes essential I am well aware).

That's what I did very well with a 2yr gap and then a 22mo one.

Hmmm... had thought about this. It's diff because I had DS by c-section, and if I have to have another I won't be able to carry a sling around. Maybe I should just get a cheapo double from ebay just in case...

Clary, was your 2 year old walking well at the time though? My DS is prone to running off first chance he gets!

Smiling. I had a 22 month age gap: we did get a double buggy (side-by-side), but ds1 was big, and I found it very hard work to push. I also had dodgy back, so couldn't pick him up and carry him, or have the baby in a sling. So he just learned to walk.

It was very slow-going at first, but they soon build up strength and stamina; and it's much easier than a double buggy.

I don't drive, and used to walk everywhere - miles and miles; and we hardly used the double buggy. Pick one up cheap second-hand: you probably won't need it for very long.

DS1 was a late walker in fact (16mo+) and DD at 14 mo. I would say that when DD was born DS1 could do a 10-15 min walk OK, but anythign longer needed the buggy. DD was in a sling until she was about 6moso yes, by 2.5 DS1 was fine, would jump on the board for a ride as needed.. Ditto for DD who of course was a bit younger. I sometimes would have the sling on me to swap em over if needed to give older child a ride.

Poor old DS2 had no b/board option and just went cold turkey to walking everywhere at about 2.5! lol he was an early walker tho and always loves his gross motor.

If you have a runner, a wrist strap may be an option; or buggy board worked well to stop this, I found.

I would go for a side by side rather than a tandem. I had 18mth gap between my first 2. Started off with a tandem loaned by a friend but even tho no 1 was only little quickly found it difficult to steer and get up and down kerbs. DD1 hated not being able to lie down in the front seat. Also DD2 quickly got 2 big to lie down in the rear seat at 4 weeks old! After a couple of months we bought a side by side 3 wheeler Outnabout Nipper - which we are still using today 4 years later for no 2 and no 3! It is light, gets through most doors, easy to push and robust enough to take a 4 yr old lazy lump who hates walking!