Double pram HELP!

Amzi

Hello,

I am very confused as to what double pram/buggy to buy. There is always something wrong with them??

I have a baby on the way and a toddler at the moment. By the time the baby is born, my son will be 2 years old. Obviously, my toddler won't be able to walk everywhere as he will still be too young and need to be in a pram.

If anyone could give any help or advice, it would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks in advance!

pigpen

icandy, oyster, egg, mothercare tandem only go up to 15Kg so it depends what your toddler weighs.

Phil and Ted I've seen too many little fingers in and on the dirty wheels.

It depends what your budget is and the weight and height of your toddler. My 2 year old is too heavy or too tall for most tandems.

I got the Joolz Geo for my toddler and Newborn.. it is far superior in build quality than most others we viewed.. pricey but worth it. the toddler can go in the proper seat.. away from the wheels and the baby goes in a carrycot until 6 months.. so much better for the baby and the toddler can still see the world.. the icandy has the same configuration but it is really rickety and flimsy by comparison. The other we looked at was the Oyster Max 2 which was lower build quality and also has really tiny seats so my toddler didnt fit in!

lulu_92

I have the mountain buggy duet. It fits through all doors and you can buy a carrycot, which turns into a parent facing seat, and you can buy a tote bag which can be used when you only need the pram for one child.

I totally recommend it.

hngrymummy

I used to walk everywhere, so we had an old coachbuilt pram for child 1, then when child 2 came along we got a pram seat for it. Child 1 sat in the pram seat until he was 3.5, and still occasionally sat/lay in the pram bit when child 2 decided she wanted to walk for a bit.

Savvy_Sue

Amzi wrote: »

I am very confused as to what double pram/buggy to buy. There is always something wrong with them??

I have a baby on the way and a toddler at the moment. By the time the baby is born, my son will be 2 years old. Obviously, my toddler won't be able to walk everywhere as he will still be too young and need to be in a pram.

If anyone could give any help or advice, it would be greatly appreciated!!

I wouldn't necessarily stress over this or spend a lot of money on something new. Think about what kind of journeys you're likely to be making, and work from there. If you'll be travelling by car and then unpacking wheels at the far end, you obviously need something that folds up and down easily, fits in your car and doesn't weigh a ton. A travel system where you can lift a car seat on and off a frame may work well if baby falls asleep (once s/he's a bit older).

But if you're mostly loading the wheels and setting off from home, think about how far you're usually going. A single buggy with a buggy board for your son to stand on may be good. A sling for baby might work better than a buggy for some journeys.

You may find one solution doesn't fit well: we had a (handed down from my aunt!) pram for babies, graduating to a magnificent silver cross pushchair as they outgrew that, bought (secondhand) by my inlaws. But we had the space to keep them, unfolded, in our hallway.

They were both hopeless in the car, so a (secondhand) folding buggy lived in the boot: it had a detachable carry cot, and for a while I borrowed a double frame from a friend, but it was too wide for regular use.

So, buy secondhand, and sell on if it doesn't work for you. When you see a friend with one you like the look of, ask what they think of it, see if any problems they have would be problems for you.

The other thing to be aware of is that some two year olds will walk very well, and some won't. It's partly expectations, I think. I used to see one local Mum who walked her four year old 2-3 miles to school, and 2-3 miles back, every day, pushing a buggy. (She walked past our house, but I knew which school she was going to from the uniform.) I can't believe they started walking those distances the day the child started school!

Kynthia

I have two friends who have had a second baby when their first was only just turned two. One went for a double travel system like the 2015 Uppababy Vista but I can't remember if it was a Phil & Teds or a City Select (or something else). Her boy would still nap in the seat. The other found her oldest refused to use a pushchair anymore saying they were for babies, so she just used a buggy board. A lot of people like the Cossatto twin stroller as it's light and I know the Baby Jogger City Mini is well thought of but these aren't travel systems.

What do you have now, what do you like about it, how much walking do you plan to do, do you think width will be an issue where you go (tandem or side by side), how often will you be out on your own with both of them and will you be going far, how much do you want a travel system option for tge baby (carrycot and ability to connect tge car seat)?

pigpen

I had a huge coach pram for #3 & #4 .. 3 would sit on the seat on top... I got rid when #3 sitting on top tipped the pram while I was stopped holding onto the handle and it was simply too heavy for me to stop it falling.. the baby ended up in the foot of the pram and the 19 month old on the floor still strapped in with a few bruises. To this day I don't know how he did it!!

My older ones would walk miles at 3-4 (we lived 45 minutes walk from school and had 3 runs a day) but these younger ones are spoilt.. My 4 y/o struggles with 2 school runs a day and we are 10 minutes walk from school.. though last time I did it it did take nearly an hour each way!

pinkshoes

I would measure your front door before doing anything!!!

I have the Out and About Nipper which is fabulous! So light and easy manoeuvre.

I also liked the mountain buggy duet as mentioned above, which is even narrower, but personally found it too heavy to lift in and out of the car so opted for the Nipper. I have rubbish arm strength!

I was advised against the front and back prams by friends who have them, as the child at the back gets bored and sticks fingers in wheels and leans out!

AndyBSG

In the same situation as the OP and I saw a buggy the other day that some parent had but never saw the make so hoping someone can name it.

Basically it was a normal front facing buggy but behind the buggy itself, in between the handlebars, was a saddle/standing platform so the toddler was basically standing in the parents arms.

Anyone seen anything like this?

pigpen

AndyBSG wrote: »

In the same situation as the OP and I saw a buggy the other day that some parent had but never saw the make so hoping someone can name it.

Basically it was a normal front facing buggy but behind the buggy itself, in between the handlebars, was a saddle/standing platform so the toddler was basically standing in the parents arms.

Anyone seen anything like this?

Joovy Caboose?

Babytrend sit n stand?

thriftyemma

pigpen wrote: »

Joovy Caboose?

Babytrend sit n stand?

I saw the Joovy Caboose being used loads when we were on holiday in America. They're incredibly light, compact and easy to handle. Toddler sits or stands in the rear. It's a lot more 'grown up' for a toddler who might think they're too old for a pram. Big basket underneath too. The frame does look a little sparse, the style is not for everyone.

I had a Graco Stadium Duo for when mine were little. If you're on a budget, it's cheap compared to some of the trendier prams, but it works brilliantly. Toddler sits up front, baby in back. It connects with Graco travel system car seats, so baby can be lifted straight from car and clipped onto the back. Or, rear seat folds completely flat, and sides lift up to form a 'cot'. It was lightweight, easy to steer, and folded up almost as small as a standard buggy.

OP, you need to decide how the pram will be used. If you're going in and out of shops, a side-by-side pram may be too wide. If you're doing lots of walking, a tandem (one behind other) is longer, and can be difficult to lift up curbs. And if it's going in your car, check it'll fit in your boot!

I chose a tandem because I knew we'd be going into shops sometimes, and the school run was only 15 minutes. Also, the toddler being in front meant no little fingers reaching across and poking the sleeping baby.