SilverCross Strollers

When faced with transporting two babies at once, moms have a difficult decision to make. Should mom carry one baby in a carrier and push the other in a buggy? Should each baby have her own buggy? Is it worth spending the money for a new pushchair?

Using a carrier may work in the beginning, but babies grow fast, and hauling around all the extra weight can be exhausting. Unless mom has a live-in nanny, pushing two baby buggies around is almost impossible. Most families come to accept the inevitable. It’s just not possible to schlep around two babies without a double pushchair. While there are plenty of makes and models out there, they all fall into two categories: tandem and side by side.

With a tandem double pushchair, one baby sits behind another. Often the rear seat is elevated, giving the older baby a better view. Usually one of the seats is designed for an older child while the other can be used from birth. Moms like tandems for several reasons. A tandem’s frame is usually the same width as a standard pushchair, allowing for easy navigation of narrow shop aisles. Tandems also tend to be easier to fold.

When it comes to maneuverability, tandem double pushchairs leave something to be desired. Don’t plan on taking a graceful jog through the park while pushing one of these monsters. The length of a tandem pushchair makes it difficult to steer, and nearly impossible to take over anything but smooth pavement. The tandem setup can also make it difficult to access the baby in the rear seat, so don’t plan on making any emergency diaper changes.

Unlike tandem pushchairs, side by side models allow mom easy and instant access to either baby. Side by side double pushchairs are essentially two buggies connected together. The side by side format almost always includes additional storage space thanks to double shopping baskets. Side by side pushchairs also give babies an unobstructed view of their surroundings, and some mothers claim it helps their children feel like equals. Side by side pushchairs are especially convenient for mothers with twins, since both buggies are usually suitable from birth.

Double pushchairs in the side by side style obviously have a much wider profile than a standard buggy. Getting through narrow areas and older doorways can be problematic. If mom spends a lot of time shopping in anything other than large, modern stores with wide aisles, a side by side double pushchair may not be convenient. Side by side models also tend to be difficult to collapse and store.

Prices of both styles are comparable with ranges of just over £100 for a basic double pushchair to nearly £500 for luxury models. Ultimately, the best choice of a double push chair depends on the family that uses it. Either way, mom and babies alike will enjoy the ability to be out and about together.