Will we need double buggy?

fluffysox

Hi,
We are expecting Baby #2 in October and our little boy will then be 2 years and 5 months. We don't currently use the buggy every day as he loves going for a walk and we both have cars for longer trips. However there are reasons I'm doubting my original thoughts on this.
1. It will be the Winter and its nice to have the little one wrapped up warm and dry in the pram. (Although perhaps tbh I'll be more likely to drive so I can also be warm and dry?)
2. A toddler strapped into a pram is poss safer than one who can run off. (Although my little boy is very good at holding the buggy or my hand)
3. Trip to Zoo this weekend my little boy who is 2 next month loved walking on reins but did request a few rests for his little legs in the buggy. (If I had a grown up buggy for me I'd have had rests too as it was a lot of walking lol)

So do I need a double buggy- if so recommend one thanks? Or just a buggy board for the pram? Thoughts from those who've had similar age gaps much appreciated. Thanks.

nearlyrich

I had 17 months between mine and I had a double buggy for a short time but I don't think you will need a double buggy for a 2 and a half year old. Reins are a good idea so you can be sure he is safe one of my pet hates is seeing small children miles in front or behind a mum pushing a pram..

susiecm3

I would maybe go for a buggy board

stiltwalker

No personal experience as our two both have disabilities so we are actually just waiting for the big special needs double buggy to be delivered which will do them till DD is at least 7/8. However...... when DS arrived I didn't graduate to a double buggy until he was a good 6 months, I carried him in a sling and pushed DD in the buggy. I used a fabric sling (Calin Bleu) so was very comfortable for both of us and kept DD in the single buggy.

If your little one is already doing a good amount of waking you could always keep a sling handy to pop baby into if/when he needed a proper rest in the buggy and have a buggy board on the back for quick rides.

This would save you both the expense of buying a whole new double for what will probably be a very short space of time/ few occasions, and also save you from having to manoeuvre a double around - the side by sides are inconvenient as they don't fit through half the doors or shop aisles and the one in front of the other style can be really heavy to push, particularly with a bigger child in front.

HTH

Lola888

I've looked at double buggies and I think the side by side ones look very awkward and cumbersome. The one in front one behind ones don't look for comfortable for one of the children as one tends to be tucked away underneath.

I'm pregnant now and will have a 19/20 mth gap I'm thinking I might buy a buggy board. I rarely use the pram now to be honest as I have a sling and a wrap. I find it so much more convenient than manoveuring a pram, so I might use the single pram and carry one of them.

I don't think it will be worth it buying a double when your first will almost be 2.5 yrs old. I'd suggest a sling or a buggy board as it wouldn't really be cost effective to get a double buggy at this late stage. Unless you can find a cheap 2nd hand one maybe on eBay or Gumtree or local selling pages?

Spendless

I had a slighter bigger gap of just over 36 months and never had a double buggy, but I live round the corner from the state nursery son attended and had my own car to drive to further away playgroups/nursery son attended previously. Eldest liked to walk back then (he's now a amazing teen!). Are you likely to be on your own when you go to places like the zoo? As we had an umbrella style buggy we used this in addition to the pram/pushchair we were using for youngest.

pigpen

no you wont. I have 13 months between mine and used the double maybe 3 times. They are now 19m and 2.5 and I last used the double in May last year! My 2.5 y/o has been in the pushchair maybe 3 or 4 times this year.

TBH, I wouldn't bother with a buggy board either I'd just allow extra time to walk places.

I cannot push the tandem ones, the weight is all balanced on the front so it is impossible to manoeuvre, I tore the ligaments in my tummy getting the damn thing up a kerb the second and last day I used it..

I have had several side by side ones and never had any issue with shops or streets.. mine fits through the front door with room to walk past.

embob74

We got a Baby Jogger double pram when I had DD and DS was only 18 months old although we do drive to most places so it was just for a quick trip around the high street usually. A year later we didn't feel we need it.
It was a side by side pram and easier to steer than some single prams! I am short and have arthritis so don't have much strength and it was ideal. I loved the fact that both children were safely fastened in and it did make life easier.
The pram fit through the majority of doors but there were some shops where they had packed so much in there was no room for me to get about, usually if a wheelchair could fit then so could I.

I looked into the Buggypod's which fold up or out as you need them but as I bought a Pliko Pramette which has a built in toddler step it wasn't necessary.

DS is happy to walk for the short time necessary and he stands on the step if he wants to. It isn't great if the pram hood is up though so a buggy board might be preferable. I didn't opt for a buggy board as they stick out a bit more.

If my children had been the ages that yours are I probably wouldn't have bothered with a double pram as it takes up a lot of space to not get used very often.
Perhaps a baby carrier as a back up plan or if long day trips will be with you and OH then having a cheap, second stroller just in case.

quinechinoise

I would definitely get the double buggy. I have a 20 month gap with my two and I used a double stroller for ages. It's much safer than relying on hand-holding or reins, keeps more of your sanity and provides much needed storage for all the baby junk you have to tote around with you - particularly when you have one in nappies and one toilet training.

As your toddler gets older, it'll be more for the additional seat to rest in or nap in, on longer excursions, but it'll still be worthwhile even when it's no longer being used as... er, to stop them from running off! I reckon you'll get a year's use out of it.

While I love slings, it is backbreaking to lug one child on your back/front while dealing with a second, tired child. I have also tried buggy boards and buggypods. Nothing is as good as a double stroller. (On short trips, you can manage with a single stroller and a sling. Ring slings are particularly fab for small age gaps - you can carry a child up to 4 y/o, quite easily, so you can put whoever is sleepiest in the stroller and carry the other one at conversation height.)

an9i77

I am in the same boat as you OP, my little one will be just over 2 and a half by the time the next one comes along in october.
I am seriously considering buying a phil and ted's style in line double second hand on ebay, and then even if I only use it a bit I can sell it on hopefully with very little if any loss, so I'll only be paying the ebay fees. Looked at this way it is practically free!

We used a bugaboo bee with our first, so we have also got a buggy board for short distances, and I'll proabably pimp it up with a new hood/foot muff to make it feel a bit newer.

I can just imagine my first child will be ok for short walks but get tired walking much further, although we're going to start training him now a little and see how we get along before october.

mysk_girl

I had a 2yr 3month gap between my eldest 2. I 'forgot' the buggy a few times when we were going out in the lead up to the birth so DD got used to walking. I then used a sling for the baby if we were having long days out do DD could rest if she needed to, but by the time DS was about 3 months, she didn't need it anymore. I much preferred a sling, and then a backpack to be honest!