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thread: Did you buy a twin pram for your older child and new baby???

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Feb 2008
    Country Victoria
    5,945

    Did you buy a twin pram for your older child and new baby???

    I just can't decide what I want to do.

    DD will be around 2yrs 11months when this one arrives and she can be difficult when out (in regards to staying by my side) as it is.

    I don't know whether to buy another pram (mine currently is not one you can attach a seat to). Some days I think yes I should and my reasons being - I want to get back into shape asap after bub (the people who know my story would understand why), which would involve exercise (walking) about a 2.5k trip a few times a week. I dont think DD could handle this and we walk along abit of a main road for our country town. I think it would be easier when out and about shopping aswell.

    A few things that leave me undecided is... DD will proably be around 15-16kg by then and some I have seen have a weight limit of 15 kg. Also the cost of them and whether it is going to be a waste of money? Then I would have the hassle of selling it when it has only been used for 12 months IYKWIM.

    This is probably a little all over the place ( a little like my head atm lol). Did you buy a double/twin pram? Which one? Do you regret your decision?

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Dec 2006
    Melbourne
    3,737

    I got the valco ultralite, with the toddler seat. It's rated to 20kg. Dd1 was 21months when dd2 was born. It was a lifesaver. The pram is great on paths and the toddler seat has a sunshade.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Middle Victoria
    8,924

    What about looking for one second hand? If you only use it for 12 months you might get your money back if you sell it again.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    In Bankworld with Barbara
    14,222

    I didn't bother getting a twin pram or stroller. My eldest was only 20mths when our second bub was born and we just used a skateboard on the pram and he was happy to stay on that. Don't forget too that by the time your baby is born, your DD will be close to 3 years and she may have grown out of a lot of what she does, or the other alternative is to wear bubs in a sling or a carrier and keep DD1 in her stroller for a while. I did that when I had our 3rd bub because DS1 was only just over 3 and DD1 was 20 months, so it was a little more practical at first to keep DD1 in the stroller and put DD2 in a carrier.
    Last edited by Trillian; March 5th, 2011 at 03:31 PM.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    Qingdao, China
    1,196

    MummaMia,

    I had a Valco pram so when DD2 came along, I just got one of those chair thingy's you attach at the front of it. Being that your eldest will be almost 3 when bubs is born, I'm not sure you will get the use out of a twin/tandem pram. KWIM? You might find you have new bubs in there & nobody wanting to use the other side because they are a big girl now?

    You could always look for one that is second-hand to save some $$ & it won't be wasted if you don't use it as much as you would have liked?

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    Sunny Qld
    14,682

    Nope, I got a carrier instead.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    6,979

    Yes!!! We just picked up our double pram today! we got an Onyx Baby Jogger City Select and it's awesome!! So excited DD will be 2yrs 3mths when bub arrives and still very much needing her to be in a pram at times esp when I'm on my own shopping which is most the time.

    I also have a carrier for bub and will use that at times too, just depends!

  8. #8
    2013 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.

    Apr 2006
    Winter is coming
    5,000

    I got an el-cheapo double for $50 second hand. It is a monster and isn't really suitable for taking in the car but it did the job for a walk to the shop etc. If we were in town then I used a sling for bub and sometimes a pram for DS, but more often he just walked next to me (he was 2 when DD was born).

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    In the middle of nowhere
    9,362

    Nope, I didn't. My DD was 2y10months when DS arrived. She was a bolter too. My mother thought I was nuts, especially after she let her go one day in the main street and I (heavily pregnant) had to chase her...but that's another story.
    I had one of those backpack/lead things for her, but she only wore it a grand total of 2 times. That was enough for her to realise that she hated it and she could manage to do the right thing. When walking I wore DS and pushed her in the jogger, and same when out with the stroller. When she got bigger and only wanted to walk she had to hold onto her strap at the side of the stroller. lol she still holds it. That meant in the small amount of time she might still have needed to sleep in the pram, DS was still tiny. Then when he started to want to see more of the world she didn't need to anymore.
    I also didn't want the bulky hassle that goes with a double if I could get away with it.

  10. #10
    BellyBelly Member

    Mar 2008
    Kurri Kurri
    1,715

    There was only 20 months between my DD2 and DD3 so a twin pram was a must. I ended up buying a side-by-side from either Target or Kmart for under $200 and it has been the best thing ever. Folds up small like a normal stroller, both sides recline to sleeping positions if needed and is sturdy enough now to still carry my 4yo when she needs it. I can recommend one of those anytime

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Add helle on Facebook

    Sep 2008
    Bunbury, Western Australia
    3,963

    Nope, I got a carrier instead.
    That's what I was gonna suggest... (because it's what I plan on doing) Think how much extra weigh you'll burn! XD

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Apr 2010
    422

    We did when Ds2 was born, bought the Phil n Ted. Barely used it. Complete waste of money. Ds2 was always carried and ds1 walked everywhere mainly. Now I just put Ds2 in an umbrella stroller and carry DD. Carriers are so much quicker and easier than lugging a great big double pram in and out of the boot imo

    Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    1,794

    I got one 2nd hand but DD was only 21 mths.

    DD is now 3 and 2 mths, and very rarely wants to get in the pram. If I am in a hurry, she will hope in the toddler seat with some bribing, but it isn't a common thing.

  14. #14
    BellyBelly Member

    Jun 2005
    Sydney
    2,121

    I wouldnt, not when the toddler is nearly 3. Defn a good carrier, and if your really worried, you can get a side by side on ebay for well under $100.
    My DD#3 is nearly 3.5....and most times we are at the shops she prefers to walk...sure there are times where she wants to sit down, and lucky i do have my side by side stroller, but more often than not i end up push the twin stroller with only 1 kid in it !!!

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Mar 2008
    North Northcote
    8,065

    we got a phil and teds and TBH we dont really use it that often. DD1 had just turned 3 and she was much more able to walk than i had thought...as up until the point that we bought it she was still using the pram a fair bit for trips to the shops etc. and i also wanted to be able to wrangle her if i went for a longer walk or went the shopping centres IYKWIM.

    in the end i used a wheely board on our bugaboo (you know the boards that they can stand on). she stands on that and when she gets tired she sits down on it.

    if i were to have my time again i'd probably surf ebay for a second hand phil and teds and have it for those (now) rare occassions where i think she might need to be restrained...ie antique stores hahaha!

  16. #16
    Registered User
    Add Catherine on Facebook Follow Catherine On Twitter

    Jan 2011
    Canberra Region
    266

    best investment I made when my second was born, was an ergo carrier. THe pram I have does not have toddler seat attaching capabilities, but my first (also a bolter) prefered to walk. I found that keeping the pram for her, and putting bub in the carrier was best for us. On a few occasions it was the other way around (the ergo is good to 18 kg, and at 4 I still use it for her sometimes).

    Sometimes my 3 year old sat in the basket behind the seat, baby was in sitting up position in the pram...

  17. #17
    Registered User
    Follow Early Kids On Twitter

    Oct 2007
    Eastern Wheatbelt WA
    3,282

    I had DS1 in the stroller and DS2 in a sling and that worked really well for us.

  18. #18
    Registered User

    Jun 2009
    Gold Coast
    134

    My DS will only be 17 months when this bub is born next month, but a few months ago I bought a Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem pram from the States - bought it from Walmart through an Australian consignment company, all up including shipping to Queensland it cost less than $500 and is better than most I have seen lately on the market. It has HEAPS of room underneath and 6 or 7 different seating combinations. It's designed so you can even take one seat out and it becomes a single-seater with a massive trolley-like space. Obviously my DS is a bit younger than your DD (mind you, he's already 13 kilos, so I understand the weight-part of the concern with getting a pram!), but I figured I really don't need the stress of chasing a toddler while pushing a newborn, and I won't be physically able to do much baby wearing, unfortunately.

    I will add that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the pram and can't wait for bub to come out so I can use it!! That being said, I can wait for the night feeds.....

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