Another pushchair thread for all you pram addicts. A 2 year old and a newborn.

[Indith]

I do not want a double buggy. End of.

I have a loola, most likely going to sell it, hardly used it when ds was tiny and not been used at all since he was about 7 or 8 months and we bought a Maclaren Quest.

In an ideal world I would like something that was.

Light weight
compact
easy to stick newborn in or toddler with no faffing to change between carry cot or seat.
Easy to steer with one hand (as in while holding a toddler's hand)
Able to take a buggy board

The idea being that I'm also a sling user so one or other will be slung and the other in the buggy, can swap them around should they want it, ds can walk when he wants.

I'm trying to get ds walking as much as possible but he doesn't get too far yet! Plus we live a half hour walk to town, and on the way back it is all up a steep hill so a bit much to ask for a boy who can only just manage down the road.

Have seen the Luna that seems to fit the bill, or a Bee. Different price brackets though! Anything else?

What age would you put a child in a Maclaren Quest? It says 3 months but I can't imagine a 3 month old being very comfy in one,as that is my other option to not buy anything and just use the Maclaren. Can they take a buggy board?

Lastly, why the hell do they not have big signs up in pram shops telling you to think about future children and that if you are planning on any more kids you need to buy something with one handed steering etc!

Oh come on I've cleaned the kitchen, cleared the junk out of the dining room, cleaned mould off the antique table and waxed it, saved ds after he fell down the stairs and given him his dinner and none of you have any opinions!

Humph

A graco mirage or citisport if you are wanting something inexpsenive. I could get both of these folded up with a buggyboard still attached.

Only maclarens suitable from birth are the techno, xlr etc and are a nightmare to steer one handed.

Yay!

Cheers, will look those up once ds has stopped throwing pasta on the floor

Mountain buggy urban is another option, but more expensive and not a huge amout of shopping space.

Or how about my M&P pram, an older model fits the bill quite well actually - lol!

how about a nipper 360, or a second hand maclaren mx3, they're beasts but so easy to push and have a front bit a toddler can sit on, my friend has one and loves it, they're under 100 pounds on ebay.

Mothercare urban detour is great one handed, handles well with a large toddler in too. They suit from birth so you would only need to recline the seat for your new baby. I have not used one with a buggyboard though.
I would not use the Maclaren with a newborn or baby under 6 mths really, but that's just my opinion! I had a bad experience with my DD3 when a toddler lunged at her, she was about 5mths old and in the Maclaren quest, so that put me off, so I did not use it again until she was about 1, just kept her up higher while she was small.
HTH.

Phil and teds end of! I had 18m between my boys and have spent the last year saying i don't want a p&t i hate them blah, blah, blah. I've finally given in they are FAB and a lifesaver, you should consider one? my boys are now 2.8yrs and 14m i wish i bought it a year ago.

Have you seen the Baby Jogger City Mini, its got a continuous handle and is suitable from birth, easy to fold, and quite light. From the look of it, it looks like it would take a buggy board (3G lascal) as well.

I didn't want a double either, but as they both got a bit bigger I gave in.

Too many nightmare scenarios where both needed to sleep whilst out in a cafe/ park etc.

Sorry got totally waylaid last night!

Thanks for the suggestions, food for thought.

i second a p&t!!!!an absolute god send!!!! the inventor=pure genius!!!lol
plus its only the size of a single

The Phil'n'Teds seem to be on offer at Toys r Us when I was looking at the weekend, might be worth a look.

what is your age gap going to be?

i had an 18 month gap between dd and ds and never bought a double. i used sling, buggy walk combination for the first 6 months and then dd walked everywhere or stood on the back of the buggy (should have bought a buggy board but sort of never got around to it.

i had the buggy part of a cosotto travel system until ds was a year but then bought a cosotto hula stroller which is much lighter and suits us much better, wish i'd goton it much sooner.

lidl had 3 wheeler buggies suitable from newborn last week for very cheap.... was tempted to get one as new baby is due in feb when ds will be 2.5 but he already walks so much and i'll be slinging baby for months so i think i'll be happy with just the hula

2 years cargirl

Glad someone else just went for the sling until old enough for buggy option PT!

P&T scare me...the newborn bit is so low down! And surely most babies wouldn't stand it for long. Ds wouldn't have, liked to see where he was going that boy! Plus I have enough trouble pushing ds up our hill let alone pushing 2.

honestly the p&t is a breeze to push, i struggled with all other doubles but the p&t is so easy my 2.8yrold goes in the doubles and 14m old in front, that way when the older one wants to get in and out it doesn't tip. I didn't want a p&t but I should have got one from the start.

I think with a 2 year gap unless your older one naps a lot whilst out and about you should get away with a buggy board (perhaps get a strolli or The Tug instead as they can sit) and single pushchair & sling. I hardly used a double at all with a 2 year gap (didn't use a sling either) but I already had a double from a 14 month gap previously.

That was what I was hoping Cargirl! Not that ds will get much choice. He never naps in the pushchair anyway.

I know you don't want a double, but even if you get a Phil and Ted's and use it as a single you can push it up hills and manuever with the tip of your index finger. They handle so well.

And if you start to struggle in the future when your little one is older you can always pop him/her in the second seat. It's still no bigger or harder to handle than most single prams.

I had two toddlers in my phil and teds. It was easy to push holding onto my oldest child's hand (he is 8, autistic and hard to handle at times). No problem getting on the bus this way.

They can also take a child up to age 5. Took my kids to the park and my daughter broke her ankle. Was able to easily put her in the P&T and steer it home whilst hanging onto my 3 year old.

I have had my P&T e3 since for about 3 years and it is still going strong. I have replaced the basket/footwell and had to get new inner tubes for the wheels. But I don't drive and we use it to death. There are sites online where you can replace the parts in you need to. Mine still looks like new.

The only down sides is that the basket is small and it doesn't fold down that small.

but even so, I still can get loads of shopping in the basket, and manage to fit it in a 7 seater if one of the seats are down.

I love mine too. total godsend! X