Buggy Advice Please

[LillyD]

Hi

I am expecting my second child in December when my son will be 27 months and was looking for advice from second time Mums.

I am currently trying to work out the most efficient way to do the double buggy thing. I currently have a Bugaboo Cameleon which has worked well. What I am thinking of however is selling the Cameleon and buying a Bee on the basis that I can use it for both the new baby (toddler on buggy board) and the toddler (carrying baby in a sling). I would then buy a very cheap second hand Phil & Teds (anyone selling?!) for longer trips with both children. I am working on the assumption that my son will be mainly walking as he gets closer to 2 1/2 so the Bee will be the main buggy. Is this too ambitious? Or should I just bite the bullet and admit defeat and get a double buggy as my main buggy and not bother with the Bee?

Also has anyone got a Mountain Buggy Duet and is it as good as it seems?

L

[snowboarder]

Ha - the double buggy or not to double buggy is SO tricky!! I think depends on your little boy's character. I have a buggy board for my now 28m old but he's seriously terrible on it and there is NO way we could use it as our main means of transport. But I have friends with similar aged children who do, just about. And you need to think about what you generally do - we zip about walking quite a lot to various parks etc and always in a bit of a hurry...so I need 2 children strapped in and happy (ish).

I have a 23m age gap and initially got a phil and teds as our main buggy. And I did similar to your idea - sold my icandy and got a bee with buggy board which we keep in the car for nursery drop offs etc - and can plug the car seat onto it too so great. I don't love the phil and teds - and have just bought a mountain buggy duet - it's great to push and lift up kerbs (phil and teds is NOT!) but even though it is v slim I'm not sure we'd be good on a bus with it - haven't tried yet.

There are alternatives to the phil and teds...the britax b dual/icandy peach blossom etc if you want a tandem...

[born&brED]

I have an old-style (i.e pre-2010) double Mountain Buggy (73cm wide - is the duet the new slimmer one?) for my 20 month old and 4 week old. I knew with this age gap I'd NEED a double and I've been really happy with it so far - and haven't got stuck in a single doorway yet! I use a single carrycot on it for my newborn at the mo which is a fab option as can unclip it when arrive home without disturbing baby, and found it fab on holiday last week on beach, etc. Would def recommend! Like snowboarder, I find it really light and easy to steer, tho haven't attempted public transport yet. Hope that helps!

[INMCD]

I would recommend the Phil & Teds. My son was 2 1/2 when my daughter was born and it was brilliant. She slept in the carrycot at the bottom for hours at a time and he loved being up high. I still use it now nearly a year later - he sits in the bottom and pops in and out when he feels like it. He uses his scooter a lot but on long walks he does like to sit down. I've just got a Bugaboo Cameleon as he's starting nursery in September so thought I needed a single buggy. The P&T is very heavy though - now that they're both bigger its getting harder to push around. Great exercise though!

[emily88]

on kiddy care web site there is a buggy that is just like the phil & teds and half the price about ?265 its really good a little heavy but ive found it to be really good theres a video on there to show you how it all works.

hope it helps!