Big Brother Books and Double Strollers

I have two boys 3 and 1 and my three year old still loves the book that someone got him when I had my second, I'm a Big Brother Now, By Joanna Cole (you can get it on Amazon, B&N, etc)

As for double strollers I have one but I find myself using my wagon (at home) more than my double stroller (you can't for the first few months) but my stroller has seat belts. The double stroller I use only in case of me being the ONLY one around. Otherwise when we go out (i.e. Disneyland, park, etc) my husband and I use two single umbrella strollers. The double strollers are either too wide to get through aisles and blocking the way everywhere or too long and hard to steer when you have two kids in the them. They also have sit n' stand strollers which are nice too but they sitting part doesn't recline--my sister likes hers. I think that you can attach the baby seat on that too. :) Good luck!

Hi M.,

My kids have always loved the Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer. They have one called The New Baby. I sent it to a friend of mine when her two year old was going to be a big brother. He loved it so much that she bought a copy for a friend of hers who was also expecting her second child.

The Mercer Mayer books are in any bookstore or you can find them online. They are short but cute and clever. Your son should love any of them.

C.

My first two DC are also 24-months apart (son was 3-weeks shy of 2 years when baby sis came along). We pushed a lot on him in the 8 weeks prior - new room & new bed. Then a baby sister and about 4-weeks later took away his paci. He handled everything better then I did! As for getting him ready to be a big brother, we just talked to him about the things he could help with (getting diapers and wipes, telling me when sister was crying, and making her laugh when she was sad) and the things he would be able to do that the baby couldn't (eat cookies, play games, ride a trike). He also went with me to EVERY doctor's appointment and listened to the heartbeat and viewed the baby on the ultrasound. When I went into the hospital and they started hooking me up, he wasn't the least bit nervous or scared as I kept showing him things that were just like the doctor's office - and when he finally heard the heartbeat, he just sat close and listened (family came and picked him up before and action started). I also never blamed anything on being pregnant. When I could no longer pick him up, I just said it was because my back hurt. And I let him feel when the baby moved and he would talk to the baby. By the time she arrived, he was ready. Just talk and listen to your son. When I looked at books, I found a lot of them addressed child concerns that my DS hadn't expressed and I didn't want to introduce them. So we just answered his questions. Good luck and congrats! (sorry, no stroller recommendations).

I realize that spending $ 600 is a lot is money, however if you go on to REI.com you can receive 20% off the bob stroller. I have 14 month old twins and never leave home without it. I have also purchased baby planet twin stroller and Greco twin stroller neither compare to the convience and durability of the bob.

Hello,

I've got the Mclaren double stroller, very durable but it is heavier than the Combi double stroller. Wish I had known about "Craigslist" back then... they've got some good deals.
Hope that helps!

"A Pocket Full of Kisses" by Audrey Penn is a great big brother book! It may be for when he is a little bit older, but it is a great book about Mom's love being plentiful for everyone. Enjoy!

I love my Baby Trend Sit and Stand Deluxe. It starts as a double and convert to a Sit and Stand. It wouldn't be good for walking/jogging though. Do you have a children's orchard in your area? If you do, you can get on a wait list for used strollers - all of their stuff is in good condition.

I don't have any suggestions for the books (my eldest was only 15 months when his little brother was born so he didn't need much preparation), but I do want to share what I have experienced with double strollers. I initially bought a double stroller for only $90 at a 2nd hand store, and it was a total waste of $90 (piece of junk, impossible to push/turn with 2 babies). I then paid $200 for a Schwinn double jogger. This stroller was a dream to push (especially compared to the last one). It had a swivel front wheel that could lock into place for jogging, but it is SOOO nice to have the swivel front wheel for walking. You may be able to find an affordable jogger with stationary front wheels, but if you plan to use it for anything other than running, I would say that the swivel front wheel is a must. The Schwinn turned out to be a poor "fit" for my family because it was too wide to fit through single doors for a store, so I could not reliably use it for shopping, and the seats angled inward, pushing the 2 kids together, which my youngest did not like and he would cry constantly in the stroller (no fun!).

I tried the Kolcraft Contours, but there is no way you can even walk fast with that beast of a stroller so I won't go into it. After 15 months of terrible double strollers, I knew exactly what I needed. I definitely needed a jogger with swivel front wheels. I do not jog, but my husband does, and the joggers are the only double strollers that can be pushed one-handed and are easy to maneuver on any terrain. I wanted a side-by-side because both of my boys liked an unobstructed view, tandem strollers are too long, and I don't think they make tandem double joggers (unless the Phil & Teds is considered a jogger). The stroller needed to be less than 36" wide (the standard width of commercial doors), and I wanted a front bar for the kids (they liked to lean forward and hold on to a bar) and I wanted an adjustable handle for me (the perfect handle height is very helpful for me in avoiding back strain). SO... with all of those considerations, there was no "affordable" stroller that would work for me. It took some sacrifice to come up with the money for it, but we got the $659 Valco Baby Tri-Mode Twin and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It is worth every penny, and would have been worth more! It is a dream to push (one-handed) on any kind of surface, fits in any store/aisle, etc and my boys are HAPPY in it! It is quite bulky when it is folded and is not easy to fit into a trunk (but it can be much easier if you take off the quick-release wheels), it takes several steps to fold/unfold, but for the convenience I get when it is in use, I have no trouble with 2 minutes of a little inconvenience when I fold or lift it.

I have also heard good things about the BOB double jogger and it is about the same price as the Valco, but I did not choose that because the seats seemed a bit more reclined in the full-upright position than the Valco, and my boys like being fully upright with a good view around them. It also did not come with a front bar for the kids at the time I was looking, but I believe it is an option now. Since you have the BOB single, you probably know more about it than I do.

I have a couple of friends with the Phil & Ted's. It does have the large tires, but it is pretty heavy when occupied and I am not certain if it can be used for jogging. It does have the added plus of easily converting to a single stroller, and it is "only" in the $400 range (if I remember correctly). I did push it a couple of times and it seems very heavy to push, whereas with my Valco, I do not feel the weight when I push it.

I just want to emphasize, the weight makes a big difference when you are pushing a double stroller. We had a simple single stroller for my first baby, small wheels, nothing fancy, and it was great. But adding a second baby, and the extra stroller room, makes a HUGE difference in how easy a stroller can be maneuvered. If you can, try to test out a double stroller with 2 kids in it. There is a shop I have heard about in Orange County (I don't know if you live anywhere close to there) that will rent strollers for a day, if you want to get a good idea of how a stroller will work for you. Their website is www.octraveltykes.com. Also, check-out eBay or Craigslist. Someone may be ready to pass theirs on and you could get a better deal than having to pay full price for a new one.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Bob is having a sale right now, I just got mine for my two girls who are 14 months apart!!!

Check out Dr. Sears' books. I loved "Baby on the Way" and "What Baby Needs" when I was having my 2nd.

http://askdrsears.com/store/products.asp?cat=38

~N.

Which stroller to buy is such a personal decision as you have so many factors to consider. I own a baby gear store in San Clemente called OC Travel Tykes where we do stroller consultations to help with all those questions and make sure you end up with a stroller you LOVE! If you aren't in our area you can still call us and get a ton of great advice and service right over the phone.

In regards to BOB, if you decide that is the right one for you - we are having a BOB sale right now. BOB never goes in sale so this is such a great time to buy. The duallie is only $455!

Anyway, give me a call or shoot me an email, I would love to help!
K.
www.octraveltykes.com
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http://www.mamasource.com/request/6828390721557364737

Above is the link about double strollers, which was a question asked in MamaSource not long ago.

For books, just go to www.amazon.com and type in the search word "big brother books." Many will come up and you can see the reviews.

As for your son, he will be 2 years old when baby comes, right?
Main thing, is to talk with him about it & LET him express himself about it with no judgment or criticism, and likewise, whether for good or bad moods. 2 years old is a hard age... and in fact 2-3-4 years old is hard developmentally because they are changing so rapidly and transitioning in many ways. Just keep your 'routines' for him consistent and this helps a great deal.

As for books, I just went to the bookstore and picked up a couple for my daughter when I was pregnant with my 2nd child. But in reality, the books were okay...but mostly, my girl just got the 'big sister' thing just by us talking with her about it, and exploring things and her feelings. At 18 months old... they will not yet grasp the concept of being 'a big brother' because it is an 'abstract' concept... and developmentally, at his present age, it might not get comprehended literally. And yes, the attention span at this age is different, than an older child. But it's always good to read to a child, and its a nice one-on-one time with him.

Or an alternative would be to get him an age appropriate video about it.

As far as moving him into a toddler bed... will he be in a room of his own? Or having to share it with baby? Keep in mind, that if baby is in the same room, you will have 2 different sleep patterns/problems/issues going on at the same time. Some eldest children adapt to it, some don't and need their OWN routine/room.

Getting him IN a toddler bed is one thing... then him getting adjusted to it, is another 'phase.' Be prepared for a toddler getting out of bed, 'escaping', coming into your room... not wanting to sleep 'just yet,' dilly dallying etc. And if he will be potty training at the same time... well, that is a LOT for him to adjust too... along with having to adjust to having a baby, having his Mommy be busier, and having to be in a toddler bed. Many developmental things to keep in mind, and the 'emotional' aspects to it as well.

But, some have done it this way. Each child is different. Just gauge him. Go according to HIS readiness. Or he may feel 'forced' and pushed out/away....and all because of 'baby.' Then again, some toddlers have no problem transitioning. So just see how he does. But do not 'force' or punish... there is no reason to do that, or he will think going to bed is a torture and not like it, or resent the 'rush' for him to do so.

So many things to thing about. Just keep things age appropriate. VERY important. Key word. Many times, once a 2nd baby comes, the now eldest child is indirectly expected to 'be' and 'act' older than they are, and they get stressed out, regress, tantrum etc. because they don't have 'coping skills' at this young an age.

SORRY for rambling... I got off track! Didn't mean to... I'll stop now.
All the best and congratulations,
Susan

Hi M.,

I recommend "You're All My Favorites"--I forget the author's name, sorry! "A Baby Sister for Frances" is cute, too. Also, the Berenstain Bears books include one about a "new baby", and that one has the "big brother" moving to a big boy bed, while the new baby will receive his old crib.

Have fun!
:-) D.