Do I Really Need a Double Stroller??

It's really up to you and what you want to do with it. Do you walk to the park or somewhere else a lot? If so, you probably would like one for a 2 or 2/12 year old. If you take her shopping, you may like the option of being able to strap her down when necessary? When I had my 2nd, my oldes was 2 1/2 and I got a sit and stand stroller. It was perfect. He stood most of the time on it when we went for walks and my baby had the seat in the front. But when I needed to go shopping and didn't want him running off at the mall, I was able to have him sit and strap him down. Now we have a 3rd and I use it all the time with my younest two. I have gotten SO much mileage out of this stroller and found it completely worth it!

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The problems I had with the double strollers are that when you older one is not there (ie preschool or whatever), I felt silly pushing one child in a double stroller. Also, they are bigger and bulkier and were very hard to navigate through isles and racks in the store. Some even require double doors to fit through a doorway!
I have two solutions. One is a double stroller that your toddler either stands on the back (with easy access to get on and off) or she can sit on a bench... no full seat for her to fall asleep or lounge in. There is the Sit N Stand stroller by Baby Trend and the Caboose stroller by Joovy. Both will fit both kids, but when you only have one, you just have a nice bench for storing your stuff on.
The other option is to get a good front/back pack for your younger one and when you need both to be riding, you can push the older one in the stroller and carry the younger one... Platex has a nice hip hammock (just be sure to get the one that goes over your shoulder instead of the older model that rides by your neck).

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We love our Joovy Caboose, it allows the toddler to sit on a jumpseat or stand and ride, or get out and walk if they choose, but then they still have the choice to sit when they need a rest, which is nice if you're walking a lot (the zoo, traveling, etc..). It works with several different infant seats with the included attachment as well. Two is so fun, congrats!

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I had 5 children, they are now 23, 19, 17, 15, and 12.
A double stroller is ok, and when you have the baby it will be yard sale time, so maybe you can find one cheep. But I found that teaching the older child to hold my shirt, using the "strap" that connected the child to me, and using a baby sling worked great.
The issue I have with strollers is that you have to put them in and out of the car. I had one fold up on my daughter while she was still in it. I don't know how many pinched fingers we had over the years.
I think that wearing your baby is a great way to keep your hands free for grabbing at little ones. Do NOT wear while cooking....
Good luck
B.
www.SouthSoundDoula.com
www.DoulaMatch.net

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Go for a sit n' stand stroller. The toddler has the option of sitting facing backwards,or standing up and riding. It is really convenient for me (mine are 2 years apart.) I keep my single stroller as well for occasions when I need something less bulky.

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A sit & stand stroller might be better for you..& fun for the 2 year old...I've never used one...but have heard good things about them..hope you find what you're looking for and congrats on baby #2

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For me, personally, it might be easier at first to wear the baby and push the toddler in a stroller for one. My experience with double strollers is spotty. They don't always have a seat that reclines completely, which is necessary for infants up to 6 months or sitting up on their own. My other complaint with them is that inline double strollers are exhausting to push, esp. as your kids get older. A well-made side-by-side is better, but then you have the "close proximity" issues of grabbing hair, toys and each other. There are some more expensive top-and-bottom double strollers that look promising, and I've heard good things about them although I haven't tried them. As a nanny my favorite was a side-by-side jogger by Schwinn which had a rain cover and folded up pretty compactly, but the pivoting front wheel made going up onto curbs tricky at times. And the sheer bulk of it made it necessary to get them out of it at the store and walk anyway, but it was great for outdoor excursions to the park and library.

I think that it's important to have someplace both children can sit. The other option to consider is getting a sit and stand style stroller. Still, they can be heavy. Look for one that is as lightweight as possible.

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My two boys are exactly that far apart in age. I bought the sit-n-stand and used it for a year and a half. I don't really need a stroller for the 4 year old, so I now use just a simple umbrella for the 2 year old. I still have the double in the garage for ventures to the zoo, though. I do believe it's worth your while if you like strolling anywhere longer than 30 minutes since your 2yo is going to get tired fast!

Congratulations on becoming a mama again - it's wonderful fun!

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Well here's an easy one for me. Personally we have a double stroller but don't use it very often. Our youngest of five kids are 4 1/2, 2 1/2, and 4 months. I bought a baby wrap right after our baby was born and that is normally how I carry her around. She's only been in a stroller a few times. The little kids are big enough to walk most places, but a stroller is a big help at times with our 2 1/2 year old. If I were to do it over, I think I would buy an umbrella type double stroller if I were to buy one at all. You can visit my site to see pictures of the type of wrap I use. I love it! My little one has taken countless naps in it. We've ridden the MAX, hiked, done dishes, tied shoe laces, etc. It's been very handy. I highly recommend it!
Congratulations on your new little blessing.
my site is www.joyful-journey.webs.com

We have two boys that are 20 months apart. I would have been lost without the double stroller. It is fine if both parents are out with both kids, but trying to keep track of an active 2 year old while pushing a stroller would have been most unpleasant. We did a lot of talking to people and decided on the Phil and Ted system. It is the most compact double stroller out there and allows you to adjust the seats as the kids grow. Now (19 months later) we use it mostly as a single stroller, but on long days at the zoo, it is nice to have the option of allowing the older one to ride as well.

My kids (now 6 and almost 4) used it all this year. The double stroller eliminates whining and fighting (at least for space). Your older child may want to regress, or at least feel like she has the stroller ride as an option, her new baby sibling won't have moved her out of yet another thing (does that make sense?) Also, if your older child doesn't want a ride, you always have room in the other seat for all that extra junk! I must say that our double stroller is a jogger only (I quickly abandoned the regular one, mall rides and stuff were just too much work. I figured that in situations that didn't warrant a jogger, one could walk and I could carry the other in a sling/bjorn.)

I have one and use it often, though not all the time. My kids are almost 4 (he never rides anymore, even for long walks) 2.5, and 5 months. I frequently use just my single now, with either the 5 month old in his seat as a travel system and my two older ones walking, or my 2.5 yr old in the stroller and the baby in the Bjorn carrier or sling. Depends on the activity and how much energy I have for carrying the baby. Here's where i think the double is useful:

- long walks where you want to get some exercise
- when you will be out a while and potentially both little ones will nap or get tired and/or you will be too tired to be toting one constantly (think zoo/aquarium/etc)
- when you know the 2.5 yr old might try to run off or throw a fit or be grabbing stuff you don't want her to - those buckling seats are useful! This really depends on your 2.5 yr old's personality, whether she stays close to you on her own, listens and obeys well in public, busy places, or needs "help"

I love my side by side jogger with swivel front wheel. It's a Instep/Schwinn Safari TT.

http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Schwinn-Safari-TT-Double-SC905

Not too expensive and very easy to push and manuever, easier than my single Graco! It's a little bulkier, but still not a major hassle to load and unload when compared to carrying kids + bags + coats + purse + drinks and ... you get the idea. It also fits through almost every normal door or aisleway and is awesome in the mall. If I could only keep one of my multiple strollers, that would be the one. If you live near a Stupid Prices, they sometimes get them in, I got mine there for $125.

I would. They are not going to be ready to leave the stroller until 3 and then they will be getting out of hand and tired of walking. For your convenience and their's I would say yes to a double stroller for at least two years. Good luck.

I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 3 month old. We still have not needed a double. I wondered the same when we were pregnant. I just put the baby in a carrier and push my daughter. I wonder if we may need a double somewhere down the road too. I think I am looking for the kind where a toddler can stand. I think she would like not being strapped in.

I carried the baby in a backpack or a front-carrier and kept the run-about kid in the stroller. Up until about age 4 or maybe 5 seems to be stroller-appropriate, to my experience. (Of course, having babies every two years, I may have just 'decided' the olders were 'ready' to not be strollered ;). For sure my current 4 year old is only questionably responsible enough to be unrestrained ;)!)

I only have one child, but I know if you don't get one now, you will after struggling with one stroller and two kids. I loved my Graco stroller for one. When you are looking, keep in mind to check the height of the handle as well as the angle and everything. Make sure you are comfortable pushing it. I pushed a friends toddler in her stroller and I hated the feel of the handle. Look for the location of the cup holder, the one I didn't like had an awkward location for the cup holder also. See how easily they recline and stuff. You might as well get one you love to push.
congratulations on the new one.
Blessings,
J.

I have the same age spread between my kids. When #2 came along I got a hnad-me-down double stroller from a friend and used it for a bit. They are large and more awkward then the travel system strollers (mine was a back to back not side to side double). After a little bit I just had my oldest walk with me cause it was easier and went back to the little one in her travel system stroller.

Our oldest was 2-1/4 when our second was born. We got the Phil & Ted Stroller and it turned out to be the best thing. Our oldest one still got tired easily and could not walk as far; the baby slept in the basinette. My advice is yes to a convenient double stroller.

If your daughter is ok walking, I don't think you need a double. My sister had her last two kids 23 months apart and spend a lot of money on a double with separately reclining sides, since newborns are supposed to lay flat or be in their carseat. She only used it for a few times, because the weight difference made it a pain to steer and her daughter didn't want to be in it most of the time anyways.
I would look into kiddie board, that attaches to a single stroller, or one of those sit'n'stands. That way your daughter can rest from walking if you're out for a long time. Also Phil and Ted's makes a stroller that has an attachment for another child underneath, you can take it off when you don't need it.
Good luck.

how mobile is your toddler? If she is so mobile that you are concerned for her safety perhaps a two-seater is necessary. But if your child is just a wanderer, there is another option-like my son.

My children were two years apart but my son was not a fast walker, just a wanderer. And he was perfectly happy to walk behind me and get lost that way. So when I went shopping, I got a "leash" and put it on his wrist. My daughter was in the stroller. It was a soft, coiled, and flexible, but not too long cord.

We made quite a site, a stroller packed with packages, an balloon for my daughter and son, with my son perfectly oblivious to anything but what he was looking at trailing behind.

He was happy, he didn't have to have his arm continually stretched up to my level, he got to look at "things" and I knew he was safe.

I have 5 year old and 4 year old they are 16 months apart. My 5 year old is autistic. I could not have handled these two without my double stroller. I bought it new and up until last summer we used it all the time. Now they are just a little big. I have fibromyalgia and I could not have taken them to the park and on walks, to the zoo, to alaska, wherever I had to go with both of them. It saved me several times. My 5 year old is a runner and doesn't respond to stop or danger (like cars, dogs, or even being out of sight). I have a graco dual glider one hand open and close. This is needing a new home. I have tried to list on craigslist no luck. A carrier is nice for the first few months but at some point they will want more movement, freedom, or the sibling needs held or ???. Any way I'm for the double stroller.

I think it really depends on how much walking you do.

My oldest was 3 when my youngest was born and I went back and forth over a double stroller as well. I know many people that never had them and did just fine.

We were without a car for a year and I did quite a bit of walking. I was so glad I decided to get one because, though I tried to be home at nap time and keep a decent schedule, you cannot always prepare for a toddler's tired or cranky time. I also found myself in places or situations where it was better for my toddler to be restrained in the stroller rather than running around or me having to hold her.

I don't remember the exact kind I had, I am pretty sure it was a Graco. The back set reclined to a bed for my infant and the front seat reclined slightly for comfort.
THe wheels were big so it navigated different terrains nicely. In some situations the size made it a little cumbersome but overall not much more cumbersome than a regular stroller. The one I had also had a nice sized storeage basket underneath for a diaper bag, snacks, purse, etc.
Think about the places you go, how much walking you do and how often and for what purposes you use your current stroller- this will help you decide if you really need a double stroller and what features to look for in one.

I found it greatly relieving to have the option of putting my toddler in the stroller if need and she actually enjoyed the aspect of riding with her sister and sitting in the 'front seat'
It helped, also, when I was babysat for a friend's toddler or baby.

I loved my sit'n'stand stroller when I had two. I found it much more useful because my then 3yr old could get down to look at something and get back on without disturbing the baby--the older child can sit facing front or back on a bench--you can strap them in if necessary--or stand. There is an attatchment for an infant seat to go in the front. They cost a lot less than most double strollers and grow with your kids more. Now that I have three, I haven't put the infant seat attatchment back on--I just carry my baby in the moby wrap. Drawbacks? If your older child needs a nap, their seat is just a bench with no back to the seat--although my oldest son did nap occasionally leaning on the side of the shade awning. There is also less storage underneath than in a regular double stroller. All things considered, I still would have chosen this one. Good luck!

double strollers do come in handy but they can be hard to handle. i have one that is side-by-side and it is too wide to fit through some of the doorways downtown...there are some that aren't as wide tho. a friend has one with the seat in front of the other and her oldest likes to ride in the front but it's easier if the heavier weight is in back. my three year old granddaughter prefers walking unless it is a very long walk.

I got a double stroller when my 2nd was born. I loved having it and being able to put them both in there. BUT I HATED the bulk of it. I couldn't put it in the trunk of my car easily. And once in there it took up the whole trunk.. so what was the point. I toughed it out thru my 3rd with that stroller, and when on the way, I went out and got a Sit and Stand! I LOVE my sit and stand. It is soo much more compact. My 2 yr old can still sit if he wants, or he can stand like a big boy. My baby seat still clicked in the front or she can just ride in the front seat. And they are soo much more light weight, I Love love love it! And you can get them on Craigslist pretty cheap. But if you want to buy one, they are only like 130.00 at the store. Good luck!

get a double stroller...
We liked the Jovy sit/stand. that way when your toddler gets tired she can either sit or stand and feel like a big kid. they have great deals on craigslist.

We couldn't live without ours. My kids are a year and a week apart so it was more necessary for us, however.. we used it just until this past summer when our youngest was 3.5. Our oldest at 4.5 was too big to push, but she's a big girl too. she's very tall weighs 50 pounds...

I still cringe when we take my son places without a stroller.. my husband refuses to allow him to still use one at almost 4. BUT!
his legs are constantly "broken" and he "can't make it any further" that is always what he tells us.

The joovy also comes with an attachment for your car seat so it makes it great for the infant carrier.

Good luck!

Double strollers are nice to have. Do you really need one? It would probably depend on what type of child your oldest is. My first two were just under two years apart, but my oldest was a good walker, and we never got a double stroller. I do remember a couple of times where I pushed the big stroller, and my husband had the other one in the umbrella stroller. It's up to you!

Hi, I know you have lot's of responses already and I haven't totally read them all. My kids are 21/2 years apart. My son was very attached to his stroller. I got a sit-n-stand (as many of the other responders did). I like it OK but it was kind of long and cumbersome. If I didn't have to use it I didn't. (judging from some of the responses they may be a bit different now- this was 2 1/2 years ago). It worked great for mall trips or travel when we had the baby in the "bucket". One thing my son and I discovered was that he could ride in the basket of the "universal car seat carrier" type stoller that had been a loaner to us. When my youngest was able to sit by herself- I sold the sit-n-stand and switched to a side by side double Maclaren that I bought on Craigslist. It was much more light weight and easier to push. It also folded up very compactly. I liked it much more than the "longer" stroller.
We graduated to a single stoller when my son turned 4. I had casually talked about how he would be too big for a stroller when he turned 4 and miraculously and painlessly he bought the line and now refuses to sit in any stroller. It's great!
The thing with using an infant carrier and strolling your older one is that you have to wake up your baby to put them in the stroller. It may bridge you to the point where your older kid walks and the baby rides.
Basically you will figure out what works for you and your family soon enough. Remember Craigslist is a great place to buy a stroller (and sell one you don't like or are finished using). We really didn't lose any money with the stroller changes. Good luck and I know you will enjoy having two kids. It's the greatest!

In my opinion,it's just one more contraption that will eventually clutter up your garage. I have a toddler and a newborn, and I don't feel I need one, the toddler can walk...

I have two children that are two years apart. We bought a sit/stand stroller. I think I got it from One Step Ahead. It's really nice. It comes with an attachment so you can put the car seat in it. It's designed so the older child can either stand at the back or sit facing backward. We still use it and my two kids are 2 and 4. The other option for you could be to buy an attachment for your current stroller that would go on the back for your toddler to stand on. The only thing I've heard about this that is bad is that it sticks out and you have to lean over it to push the stroller. I'm short so that was not going to be an option for us. Good luck!

There are also lots of great baby carriers on the market that you could use until your first is ready to leave the stroller. The ergo (www.ergolady.com) is a particularly great one since it can hold a child up to 40 pounds so you could use the stroller for #2 and the carrier for #1.

I recommend getting a Lascal Buggy Board. I have a 3 1/2 yo and a 16 mo. I hooked it up to our mountain buggy, and the 3 yo loves it, sometimes too much LOL. It hooks up to almost any stroller/baby carriage. You can detach it at any time, for example if you want the older one to walk a bit :) Of course it's not cheep, but nothing is for kids and a double stroller you don't get or free either. I saw it on Amazon too. I hope this is helpful. Happy New Year.

R.,

Just to add my two cents. I have a double that my twins do not want to use anymore...they want to walk everywhere. They are 2.5 yrs now.

Hope this helps.
T.

Part of the question is, will you be going out for walks or to the mall or store with both children? If so, I think you probably need a double stroller. the 2-year old will get tired of walking - I'll guarantee you - especially if you go shopping. My two youngest are 2.25 years apart.

I LOVE the sit and stand stroller. It has a place for baby to sit and moveable seat behind baby for an active toddler allowing them to sit or stand. One of the seats is behind the other, so it's not really wide like some of the double strollers. The double-wide stoller would be impossible to navigate through a department store. The sit and stand stroller is easy for the toddler to get in and out of, so when they want to walk you can just let them out without having to lift them, then when they want back, it's very easy for them to get back on without your help. I found this ideal. The only problem I had, it has a long wheel base, so sometimes it was hard to turn in a tight space.

I don't remember the brand - it was a few years ago - but I believe you can still find it. You can call around to the different stores, and ask if they have it.

I have a 6 month old and a 22 month old. And let me tell you the duble stroller I got from the girls at my work for a shower gift was one of the greatest gifts. Think about all the times you go places now and put your current child in the stroller... now imagine her walking while you push the new baby??? It would be so much more work! If you have a double stroller and your older child wants to walk that is fine but soon she would get tired and then what? We have the Graco Sit and stand $130 at target.
It is nice right now because my older daughter can sit in the front and my baby girl can be in her Carseat and it still fits in the back portion. We havent reached the stage to turn the Stroller into the sit or stand yet... but it is nice to have the options.
It is easy to set up It is a one button push to open and fold shut. It is kind of bulky. I have a Plymoth Neon and it takes up the entire trunk.. but at the mall Softball games, and everything else we do is worth it!
Good luck.
Cori

Congrats on baby#2. My kids are 36 months apart, and I found that it really depends on your first child. My daughter liked to be everyhwere, would walk into people, etc etc, so ultimately she would get tired if we had a long way to walk. So I got the Babytrend Sit n Stand so she could rest when necessary. Like a previous mom suggested, it is fun for them to be able to get up to walk or ride when they need. We love that stroller and I could not have imagined putting my big girl in the stroller and using a carrier for the baby - my back couldnt handle it. good luck

Hi,
Well I have 2 boys that are 14 months apart. When the second one was born we used the travel system and had a stoller for our other one. When the baby was big enough to be in a stroller we went and bought a Sit n Stand deluxe stroller. It starts out as a double stroller then as the kids get bigger you can convert it into the "sit n stand", where one child can either sit or stand. We still use it as the double stroller. My boys are 26 months and 12 1/2 months, so the 2 year old is too young yet to stand, he likes to sit! I just find it so much more convenient to have a double stoller and the Sit n Stand deluxe is lighter in weight and it folds more compact than other strollers. We started with a Graco double stroller and it was way heavier and more bulky. We got the Sit nStand at Babies R us and we love it. It would be wise to have a single stroller also just incase you go someplace with just one child and don't need the double one. This is something I still need to do!!Hope this helps, good luck with everything!
Cheers,
A.

Hi!
I have two boys who are 2.5 years apart, so I went through the same questions you have. Since my youngest is now 9 months old, I can tell you what we have done so far. Since my son was in the infant car seat, we bought a Snap and Go stroller to put in the car whenever we went out. My older son would just walk beside the stroller and hold on. We got ours for $10 on Craigslist. When we go places where both kids may get tired, we use a Baby Trend Sit and Stand stroller. The infant car seat fits in the front, and my toddler can sit in the back facing me as I push the stroller. He can also stand and hold on if he wants to. The only thing I don't like about it is when my toddler wants to rest or sleep, he can't in that stroller. There is no back rest for the older child. I have seen some strollers that have two seats with backrests, but my son wouldn't sit still for that long for it to be worth it. You need to buy what you think will work best for your children. I like our Sit and Stand stroller, but it does take up quite a bit of room in the trunk, so we only bring it along when we know we are going to need it. You can find these for good prices on Craigslist as well. Good luck to you!

My two younger kids are 20 months apart. I had two different double strollers that were gifts. But I know they are very expensive.
I got a lot of use out of the jogging stroller that was a double, until the kids were 2 and 4. I walk A LOT, though.
I only used the 'city' stroller, which was good at the mall or someplace paved, for a few months, and then it got to be a pain. They were both the side by side models, too, which makes it hard to fit into tight spots. They are bulky and if you don't walk outside a lot, I wouldn't bother.

i have a 3 1/2, 2 1/2, and 1 1/2 year old..... I have a Combi Saavy Twin stroller which comes in handy for mal trips etc....at least i used it a lot for the first year or so after the last child was born.

Since she turned 1, child number 2 is more more independant about walking wherever we go. I have stopped carrying the double stroller around and keep a Chicco umbrella stroller with me if I need it.

Most of the places we go now where we would need a double stroller, offer them for rent so I just rent one if I discover I need it. (like the mall, zoo, etc.)

I would say yes, you would probably like to have one. In the begining you might be ok if you wear your new baby, then your other child can still use the stroller. I might reccomend a sit-n-stand stoller there is one made by baby trend, and others also make this style. It is quite functional, fits in the aisles and through doorways. check it out and see what you think.
Good luck.
Hillari
Mom to a 3 1/2 year old girl and a 1 1/2 year old boy.

I have 4 kids all 2 1/2 years apart. I only had a single stroller for the 1st 3, but with this last one I got the sit-n-stand and I love it. Even the older ones will sit in back sometimes all 4 will climb on. My sister in law got a sit-n-stand that has a seat attachment for the back so it can be used like a regular double stroller or a sit-n-stand. She loves it. If you plan having more kids I definitely recommend getting one, but if you are stopping with two and only walk occasionally or with some one else most of the time, I would get a cheap umbrella stroller.