Stroller Advice?

I went through two double strollers trying to find the perfect solution to having kids that were 23.5 months apart. I had a side by side and a tandem. The side by side was great for traveling because it was a lightweight umbrella style stroller that folded easily. The tandem was great for long walks or longer shopping trips because it was so comfortable for the boys and not so wide, but it was really heavy to get in and out of the trunk. I'm glad I had a double for that first year because my 2 year old still really needed to be in a stroller if my husband wasn't along to help chase him. In hindsight, I think I should have looked a little more closely at the sit and stand or the joovey because I hated pushing a really big, half empty stroller around as my older child got closer to 3. You could get by with using a sling or a baby carrier like an Ergo for the little one and a single stroller for older one the first few months and then putting him or her in a pliko p3 or an inglesina zippy (what I use now). The step on the back is not big on either of these strollers and not comfortable for long rides, but it works for getting 2 young children across the street or through a store. I'm really happy with my inglesina stroller - my younger son didn't used to sleep in his stroller and now at 18 months, he will sleep in it when we're out walking around at nap time. Good luck with your decision.

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Hi J. I have the Peg Perego Pliko 3. I only have one child, my son who is 10 months; however I watch my niece sometimes, so I thought it would be smart to have a bigger stroller. The step is nice, but my 5 year old niece is almost too big... but it does help in a pinch (I did have my 3 year old niece ride on the step, and she was just fine, she just had to find a comfortable way to hold on). Part of the canopy is removable, but even with the whole thing on, it is not in the way of your standing rider. The Pliko 3 does accommodate infant car seats, it actually comes with a kit to accommodate brands other than Peg Perego... I have a Peg Perego car seat, so I don't know much about the conversion kits. Your daughter will NOT be able to stand and ride if you do have the car seat in the stroller... for the car seat to fit you have to lay the seat back and it does not allow for a standing rider when the seat is reclined. It is a wonderful stroller, but it may not be the best choice for a new baby and a 2 year old, unless you want to take your son out of the car seat everytime you use it. Also before you purchase a stroller make sure you check these websites; tinyride.com, and happymothers.com... they both offer free shipping and NO TAX... which always makes it cheaper to buy from them. Good luck!!!

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We like our Pliko P3, but my kids are 4 years old and 20 months. Your 23 month old might not be comfortable standing on it for very long as the canopy would be in her face (but it is removable). Also, when the infant seat is in the stroller the back must be reclined, which I think inhibits the older child from standing on the rear footboard. My neighbor just got one for her newborn and 22 month old, I'll see how she likes it... We've only had ours for a few months, but we like it because it folds up like an umbrella, is lightweight for traveling, and allows my son to walk or ride if he wants to without me pushing around a half empty double stroller. I hope this helps. You should try to check out out at a local baby store if possible.

My neighbor has taken the cover off of the Pliko and attaches her Graco carseat for the infant who uses the carseat's cover. There actually is room for her 22 month old to ride on the back while the carseat is in place, but it's for short rides only as the toddler usually won't last too long on it. Good luck.

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My kids are 21 months apart, and I LOVED the sit and stand! It was perfect for them. The best part is it was not as bulky as a double stroller and not as wide as a side-by-side. I am still using to this day (2 years later).

We bought the Kolkraft Contours Options Duo. I will hold an infant seat and has room for a *much* bigger older child (my son is 3 and very tall!) We haven't actually gone for a walk w/ the infant seat attached as our daughter isn't born yet (less than 6 wks, YAY!) but we did mess around w/ it at the store to make sure there was enough room. We've also used to stroller just for our son and he actually likes to ride in it. He's never really liked strollers before this one. You can go to Kolkraft.com and check it out. I absolutely love it. It's really easy to steer, and despite being long than most double strollers (a major plus for us, since our son is so tall) it is really easy to get in and out of the car, even for me.

i just bought the baby trend sit n stand from walmart.com and i love it. i have only used it 3 times but i have a son who will be 3 next week and a daughter that will be 1 in aug. i paid like $115 and got it shipped to the store amd i looked for mths before i bought it and this was the better deal. hope this helps

You know, it has been a while since my children were young enough for a stroller, but I found that I had sort of wasted my money when buying a double stroller. On fairly short trips my older child always wanted to walk (he was two and beginning to assert himself)and when spending a long day out I ended up using my sling for the baby and pushing a half empty stroller. Plus, at the zoo and amusement parks and the like they usually have double strollers you can rent thereby negating the need to lug your own. Of course there are times when you really need a double and it is something nice to have, but I don't suggest investing a lot of money in one. They just aren't as practical as you would think.

I have a 24 month old and a new baby and I got the sit and stand elite double stroller from One step ahead. I love it!!! You can use it as a double stroller or a sit and stand. It is very easy to operate too. It folds very easy and compact.

If you're wanting either of these products, but not wanting to pay full price, I recommend either ebay or your local childrens consignment shops. I purchased quite a few swings, playpens, and large toys at a greatly reduced price and made a little more back by reselling them when I was thru :}

I purchased the Baby Trends sit and stand - really the most affordable. It has worked great. My son can sit or stand in the back and get off and on easily. He loves it and it does not feel babyish to him at all. He was 3 when his sister was born.

I do agree though with another poster. Think about how much you use your stroller. It may be that you really don't need one that will accomodate both. But, with a 23 month old, she is probably young enough that you will need to be able to push two at a time.

These days, we almost never use the double stroller. My daughter will be in an umbrella stroller and my son walks.

Best of luck!

Peace

When I had my second child (also 23 months after the 1st) I got stroller connectors, and just bought a second umbrella stroller. I found them at baby universe http://www.babyuniverse.com/Stroller-Connectors/PID/47825... . This solution was economical, and it only takes seconds to connect them. Of course umbrella strollers are only appropriate for older babies, once they can sit up. so their will be some delay before you can use it with 2 umbrella strollers. You could probably experiment with different types of strollers (an infant stroller connected to an umbrella). All that is needed is to have three connection points at the same spot. I bought the same model of the umbrella stroller I had with my 1st. I bought a different color stroller the second time, so that each girl then had her own seat, although I wish they could have been the same color so it would at least look like a double stroller. They were very easy to push when together, and I was so glad I had these little attachments. This way also makes it so you can store the stollers in the car easier, and be more flexible if one child isn't with you. This is also a good solution because pretty soon the older child will not want to be in a stroller, so you can still utilize the second stroller (I kept one in the car and one at home once I didn't need to have them connected). good luck ...A.

I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 9 month old and I use the Peg Aria Twin stroller and I LOVE it. It is very light weight and my kids really like it too. I researched a lot of strollers before I had my 2nd and found this to be the best fit for me. The only down side I can find is the price, but to me it was worth it. I hope this helps!

It has been over 25 years since I have used a stroller so don't know any advice for you except please keep other people in mind. Other shoppers groan when they see a double wide. Shopping aisles are barely wide enough to get 2 grocery cars to pass and no way with a double wide stroller. In clothing stores it's just as bad. Just a thought for you to keep in mind. Good luck with your decision!

Blessing,
J.

I recommend the sit n stand. You can order it from One Step Ahead. www.onestepahead.com

If you don't want to go brand new you can always check www.Craigslist.com and search for your area. There are always great deals and since most people don't use their stroller for very long, most of them are in great condition and for a great bargain as well! Hope this helps!!!