WWYD? Newborn, and a 2.1yo, twin buggy won't go through front doors, I am far to short to be safe with a tandom, sling for baby, or buggy board for 2.1yo?

[NatalieJaneIsPregnantAgain]

Baby not due till January, but I like to be prepared, DS2(the 2.1yo) will be 2.1 by then, he is walking well, but as with most toddlers couldn't walk for e.g. all round town, and would never just hold on to the buggy and walk.

I am out every day for at least the school runs, in town normally once a week, on a bus, we have a Zafira so boot space isn't an issue.

I am a bit unsure about the sling idea as firstly there doesn't seem to be much protection from the weather for a newborn, and secondly of all the photos I have seen of babies in slings, they always look really uncomfortable with their body facing towards mum and the head turned at a jaunty angle away from mum (may just be the photos I've seen though?).

Again not sure about the buggy boards, I don't think DS2 would stay on one for starters, then there is my height again (I'll be kicking it with every step)

If anyone has any better ideas I will share my roast lamb dinner with you

phil and teds

Noooooooooo!

Nowhere to even put my bag, let alone shopping, and no matter how many people say "oh but he loves it" I cannot get my head around having the baby hidden in the bottom of it. Oh, and it has a wheel missing

When I had twins I had a full width double pushchair which didn't go through any doors !!, then I bought an umbrella style double with reclining seats and this went through all shop doors ,a bit tight on some of the old style but generally not restictive to use. I have seen a double buggy where one of the seats is low down at the back of the push chair, so not quite as long as a traditional tandem. John Lewis had a good range, but might be better to check out a specialst baby shop.

ditto misdee!
you cant go wrong with a phil n teds honestly!
nowhere to put yur bag?! get some saddlebags,you can fit loads in them! hooks for the handle bar.
as a childminder who does a school run with 7 children and all theirr bags etc i dont have any problem fitting it all on the p&t. honestly they are fab!!

i have to be honest i didnt like the bag seat idea when i first saw it BUT the kids really do love sitting in it!

Tooty, we have measure dour front doors (we have a porch built on) one fo them would just fit the Maclaren Techno through, the other wouldn't! It is about 3cm too narrow.

Smeeinit, hooks for the handle bar? Are they the plastic things? Do they actually hold any weight at all?

3 wheels as well, can barely drive my 4 wheel buggy Can you be done for dangerous driving with a pram?

the hooks are fab and not plastic! they hold loads!
i shall get a link for you.
it is sooo easy to push,the first time i pushed mine it was like pushing air! and this was with 2 x 3yr olds in it!
they are fab!

OK, I am looking, with one eye closed....

Can you use the cocoon thingy on the Vibe with the baby seat thing?

OMG, will have to learn the names of things...

How am I going to reverse through two doors (the porch and the front door) up two steps, and around the front door, on one wheel though?

My mountain buggy double is slightly narrower than a Mc twin techno, extremely easy to push and manouvre, can fit loads of shopping etc in it. So easy to push.

buggy buddys these are great!

i alos have one of these which fits loads in

Deeja, I've looked at the moutain buggy, it won't fit, can't remember the exact sizes off the top of my head now, but I know I discounted every single side by side buggy on Mothercare's site just on the width of our doors.

natalie, you wont need to do all that on one wheel.....if you need to tip teh buggy up to manouvere it then use the 2 back wheels.
maybe be worth you seeing if you can borrow one for a day or 2 see how you get on? or go and have a look at one in a store nad see how you feel after pushing it!

Ooooh those clip things look good, is it easy to add more bags on it, when you've already got a few?

How does the P&T balance with lots of weight on the clips?

...I'm starting to get a bit interested now, can you tell?!!

I saw one in Mothercare today, I agree it does push very well, just a bit worried about it either going off on a tangent or falling over completely (with the way my porch/drive/door openings are set up, I have to reverse up and into the porch, you couldn't do it using the back wheels)

i honestly have never had a problem with it,and i use it ALOT! im up an down the school 3 times a day and can honestly say this is teh best buggy ive had (and ive had afew!!!)
the clips are really easy to use and to add more bags too,i try to even out the weight on each side but do quite often bung all teh bags on one hook and have never had any unbalnacing problems!

if you have to reverse into your door,wont you be using the 2 back wheels? im confused!!

No I have to lift the back of the buggy up first, so it is resting on the front wheels.

So which should I be looking at, the sport or the vibe? Can you use the newborn cocoon thing in the bottom seat?

i have this one phil&teds
but the others look equally fab!

no the cocoon is for the main seat and cant be used on the 2nd seat. but your older child wont have to be at the back as the 2nd seat also clips on the front.

I have a P&T and have to do fancy wheelwork to get in and out of the house, and manage it no problem at all. I also manage to cram LOADS of stuff in the basket, and use the hangbag too (and just bought those buggy buddies, thanks for the link, fab!). I reall like my P&T having always said I didn't like the idea of them.

I started out with a Mountain Buggy, I adored it, really can't be beaten BUT after a while I got sick of not being able to get in and out of doors of local shops etc.

Now my elder boy is walking a bit more it's fab having the 2nd seat to shove shopping in. If he wants a ride then i pile the shopping on top of him!

He was 17mths when my 2nd child ws born. We switched to a P&T when the eldest was 2.5.

x

oops no i have THIS one!!!

So how do you set it up, with the newborn in the doubles seat, or in the main seat? Can the main seat lie flat when you had a child in the doubles seat?

Can't believe I am actually warming to it!

www.2became4.com particularly like buggypod. sorry can't begin to explain what I don't like about phil and teds list is quite long

Def go for a sling - you'll curse a big expensive pushchair when you push it round with one child in it most of the time. I used a ring sling with DS from when he was tiny - at first he was lying down in it, then cuddled up facing in, then on my hip. He loved it, and could see loads. It folds up very small, so is no hassle to carry around.

They get all your body heat, so warmth isn't an issue, and either buy a bigger waterproof coat, or get one of the special babycarrying ones which has an insert so that you wear them in the coat.

natalie,the main seat lies totally flat and the add on (2nd) seat goes on the top.you will have the newborn in the main seat in the cocoon (if you choose to use one) and the older child in the other seat on top.
this pic shows how the main seat lies flat

and this one!!

great pics here!!

Do you need your pram to come into the house? Or could you store it in the car/garage?

I have steps up to my front door (complete pain for prams) so while my lovely double nipper (which I rate very highly as a double buggy) does (just!) fit through our door, it doesn't need to come into the house.

Just a thought. Bargains to be had on ebay. A truly great pushchair!

(and i'd want more than a buggyboard/buggy and sling option with your age gap)