Advice on getting a 2.5 year old in to a double buggy

[Strawbs]

I have had my second child 6w ago. In preparation for this I bought a baby jogger city select double which so far my 2.5 year old won't get in!! After selling our bugaboo and getting a maclaren for said 2.5 year old about a year ago thinking he wouldn't use it that much after hating the bug he developed a serious love affair with the mac and even watches tv in it! So so far since baby number 2 being born we have either taken out two prams or put baby in the ergo and taken the mac out. I am worried he isn't ready at all for a buggy board as is a runner but admittedly haven't tested him out on one (not sure how to without buying one!) any advice on coaxing him in to the double? It's an amazing pram and I am doing one last attempt this weekend before then reluctantly selling it.

Hoping to tap in to the wealth of knowledge on here!!

Thanks

X

[Strawbs]

Ps I did consider a double mac to keep him happy but it won't fit through my front door.

[Convex]

Could the maclaren go on a holiday so it's not even an option?

It could go away for Easter?

Might be a crap idea as he might refuse point blank anyway and then it's no pram!

When our double arrived it sat on our living room and my husband pretended to sit in it every night until my son wanted a turn. He is pretty open to being persuaded like that though. Bribery works for us too.

[Strawbs]

Not a bad idea. I might tell him that we could naughtily get in ben's pram and see if that entices him as he doesn't love that Ben has his own stuff!

[redjam]

Maybe just give him a bit longer before making the swap, if you can bear to keep using the sling for your new baby for a few more weeks/months. Your older child's nose might be slightly out of joint with the new arrival anyway so you don't want him to think that he's losing his beloved buggy as a result of the new baby coming. Once the baby is older you can make a big deal of them both going in it together and that might be fun for him. Sounds to me like he feels pretty cool in his Maclaren so might be a shame to take this away just when he might be feeling a little vulnerable. Sorry, I realise this probably isn't what you want to hear! Though to be honest I found a Maclaren and a sling much easier to manage than a double buggy anyway when my kids were little. Either way, good luck...

[etta166]

I've never really got on with a double buggy, and certainly never tried to get a 2.5 year old into one. I did use one initially, for a couple of months each time, but had abandoned by the time the older one was 2.5 in favour of scooting (or walking at a snail's pace). But like redjam I actually found a single buggy and a sling much easier to navigate public transport with etc. rather than a double anyway. Now I'm more likely to carry my 3 yo in the Ergo and put my 1 yo in the Maclaren if I'm in a rush or the 3 yo is really exhausted.

If you really need to get a recalcitrant toddler into a buggy, I've usually found that one hand across the pelvis and the other hand doing the straps does the trick. It does nothing for the ensuing tantrum though...

[Otta]

While the baby is small would a sling for the little one not be easier, and hopefully by the time baby is too big for that your older child may have grown out of his mac love...

I'd stop the watching telly from the buggy though.

[Strawbs]

After reading the above I am thinking of sticking with the ergo and the mac might be a good idea so then probably selling the double. It's hard to know how long the baby will be happy in the sling but he seems happy enough now. I wish I had of waited before buying the double as now feel it was a bit of a wasted effort. I do agree with redjam re taking his beloved pram away as I think he will definitely get very upset (I hadn't considered that he might blame his brother) so maybe for now as you all suggest I am best to stick with the sling and the mac. On the days when I just have the baby not sure at such a young age I'd want to put him in the mac so just need to think on that one as would like a pram option as well as a sling option. Maybe a single baby jogger. Thanks all! X

[bluesuperted]

Agree with Redjam too, if he loves the single buggy go with it. I hardly used a buggy at all (I bought a Bee for my toddler when pregnant) with my two (2.7m gap). In fact my 13mo has never been in one, she still loves the sling (Manduca mainly) so would say the sky's the limit in terms of how long you can sling your youngest! Now my eldest is 3.8 I only use the buggy if we are walking for ages, otherwise he walks or scoots. Only problem is I resemble a packhorse but I'm used to that after years of constant slinging!!