Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

I am pregnant with #2 and will be giving birth a month before DD turn 3 years old. I am currently looking at strollers to accommodate both DD and the baby. Can you please post a pic of the stroller that you are using with your baby and toddler? Also, can you tell about what you like and dislike about the stroller you have? TIA!

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

I think the best one for you will be a sit-n-stand. I have the Baby Trend one and love it when I use it. The front seat needs to be reclined all the way when you are putting the infant carrier in there and it doesn't affect Ella being able to sit comfortably on the jumpseat.
I also have a Maclaren twin triumph and I love that one too. It is great and when my kids behave they both are comfortable. The only thing is that the baby needs to be 6+ months to be in it.

To be honest, I would just get the sit-n-stand. Chances are you really are not going to get to much use out of a double, unless Ella still naps in the stroller. If she is in any type of school you would probably go out with your single. If you go out with only once child when your DH or someone is watching the other, you only need a single. If you go to Target or any store that has carts, they are both going to be in the cart or you will push one in the stroller and the other will be in the cart.

Maybe even see how you do with just your single since Ella will be 3, you may not even need one or get another single.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

I don't have many but when we were living in our old house DH would sometimes have court appearances in Brooklyn or NYC and would take the train rather than drive. So I would put the girls into the double and walk to meet up with him and so that Kaitlyn could see the trains (she LOVES trains). Not the best picture bc she is trying to get out and run to DH.

Sorry about the funny face she just wanted out and didn't want her picture taken. I only have pictures of them in the bumbleride indie twin - I also have a city mini double and a sit and stand deluxe from one step ahead. I use the city mini a lot actually but I don't have pictures. I LOVE my bumbleride - it has a huge basket that can fit a ton of things including 2 vera bradley diaper bags, snacks and blankets etc. That is the stroller in the pictures. I never used the car seat with the city mini so I can't tell you how that works with the seat. I have the snugride 32 - so it is a bigger seat than the regular snugride and it really doesn't encroach on DD#1. She likes the stroller and is very comfy in it.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Congratulations on #2!

I hope to space my kids out similar to you.

I always see Phil and Ted strollers around the city. I think they are cute and plan to get one in a few years when we have #2.

Image Attachment(s):

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

i have the sit and stand deluxe w two seats and so far i love it. when jack gets bigger i can take out the seat and he can sit/stand on the bench.

i was shopping yesterdat at the mall and watching this poor mother try to squeeze through these little areas w/ her side/side and i had no issues at all.

i would wait awhile before you buy a stroller though bc Ella may change. I did buy a side/side very early on in my pregnancy w/ tyler and as time went on jack started to hate the regular stroller so i knew he wouldn't like the side by side one.

so far i am very happy w/ the sit and stand

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

I got the Graco Quattro Tour Duo. I decided against the sit n stand deluxe b/c the salesgirl said that my Graco infant seat isn't compatible with it and also I was afraid my elder DD wouldn't fit comfortably in the second seat and wouldn't be contained enough in the standing part. She really isn't the type of child to sit quietly in the stroller, but she also doesn't stay with me when I let her walk so I need the stroller when we go places like the mall and theme parks, parades, etc.

I didn't get a side by side b/c it would't accommodate an infant seat plus the girl said that since my girls are 3 years apart the weight would be really undistributed and difficult to push.

This one is heavy, but it really meets our needs the best. I also got a great deal by buying last year's print from BBB and using a 20% coupon.

Message edited 12/29/2009 8:55:55 PM.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Elizabeth will be 2.5 years old when the new baby comes and she hates sitting in a stroller now so I am not wasting my money on a fancy double (even though they look so nice and I'd love to have one! ) I am getting a Sit N Stand.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Sit and Stand all the way. I wouldn't invest the $ in something super expensive since Ella will be at that age where she will be done with the stroller soon. I have this(Mia Moda Compagno) which worked well but it was heavy compared to the PP that I'm used to...I lasted for about 8 months or so and now she's done with strollers all together.







This Joovy S&S looks cool



JOOVY

Message edited 12/29/2009 9:04:22 PM.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Congrats on baby #2!!! So exciting!!

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

I hate, hate, hate my Graco Duo glider. The only one thing it's good for is that I can get through narrow doors and you can use one hand to steer if necessary. I had to remove the basket, it's a PITA overall to assemble in a parking lot (and yes, you basically have to reassemble the dumb thing everytime you unfold it) but between the basket and lowering the back of the rear seat for the baby's car seat (which every time you unfold it if you use a carseat you have to use 2 hands (so please don't have the baby in one) to separate the sides from where they attach to lower the seat to fit the car seat in - a few times I forgot about this and took the baby out in the car seat and realized I can't get the carrier in without using both hands to lower the dumb thing - so I had to put the baby back in the car) - I almost got hit by other cars when I was bent over a few times. The basket disconnects from the axel when it folds up so unless you want it hanging on the floor, you have to bend down (also tons of fun to bend after your second c-section - go Graco!) and reattach it. My basket actually ripped too. My older DD fights sitting in it, but I'm not comfortable with Sit and stands so she squirms out through the bottom of the seat when I'm trying to get that 5 pt harness strapped together. It's quite heavy, but I was also told a lot of the sbs strollers are the same wt or heavier depending on which one you go with. We had to remove the baby's canopy from the stroller b/c it wouldn't fit over the car seat, this left a lot of light to get in with just the car seat canopy. When I just had one baby I used the metrolite and I loved that I could use both the seat canopy and the stroller canopy to keep light out. So I have to carry a blanket to drape over her seat when we go for walks, oh but I have no basket so I also have to take a small diaper bag (I use the free-bee I got from NSUH when I had DD#2) everywhere I go, even if it's for a walk down the block. Biggest piece of garbage I ever spent $150 on.

I was also told and apparently I'm not sure there is truth to this, that side by sides are meant for twins (this is not my opinion, it's what I was told at BRU by a sales person when I was looking to toss my Duo Glider). I was told that you have to purchase some kit separately to get the car seat in place on them and b/c of the weight difference (they told me there should not be more than a 10 pound variance) that the side by side can tip over. My girls are 14m apart, so they are curently about 9 pounds different, but it was more extreme a difference before. I'm not sure there's much truth to what I was told b/c obviously some have been using sbs strollers without incident, however, it was enough to make me suck up and deal with the duo glider.

ETA: since this summer they will be 2 y.o and 1 y.o. I may just get a second Maclaren Volo single. Usually if we go out b/c there are 2, I usually don't go anywhere alone. So the other person (Dh, my mom or the nanny) can push the second single stroller.

Message edited 12/29/2009 9:42:42 PM.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Hi Opal,

I know you like to plan ahead but I think you should wait on this one. My 2 are 27months apart and I don't have a double. Chelsea decided strollers are for babies and refuses to use one. The only time she has used one in the last year is airports and amusement parks. I thought she would want to when she say the baby in it-nope. This may change in the summer when we are walking outdoors more but for now L in the snap and go or sling and C walks.

Congrats Again!

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

mine are 16 months apart (6 weeks and almost 18 months) and i love my graco quatro tour! i HATED the graco duoglider that i originally bought and returned. i didn't want a sit and stand because DS is too young for it.

i will use it for as long as DS tolerates being pushed around

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

mine are 18 months apart and DD barely used the double (Maclaren Twin - side by side). I'm so glad a friend gave me a hand me down. I ended up buying the Babytrend Sit n Stand and she loves it. She has the freedom to walk next to me or sit/stand if she gets tired. Unless she's the type of child that takes a nap in the stroller I'd go with the sit n stand.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Opal, I did a ton of research and we decided to buy the Zooper Tango. Obviously I havent been able to use it with both babies yet but I have brought just Nina around in it and I totally love it. Its a dream.




Zooper Tango

Message edited 12/29/2009 10:21:36 PM.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

DS and DD are 26 months apart. We ended up going with a Maclaren Twin Techno and put a snuzzler insert in for DD so she could use it from the get go. Since it is the winter time I also have to put her in a snowsuit so she is warm for the transfer from her car seat to the stroller. I don't love, love, love it. My reasoning for going with this option is:
1. DS still sleeps in the stroller so I needed something with a full recline for both seats.
2. He hated the sit and stand options. He is a tall child (75%) and the car seat went directly where his head would go for the sit and stand models.
3. I don't have the best back and lifting a 35+ stroller was impossible for me.

The stroller fits my needs for when I have both kids. When I just have DD I use a snap and go. When I just have DS I use the Peg Perego Pliko P3. I looked at the Peg Aria Twin and while I loved it, DS did not. The older child goes on the smaller side and the car seat goes on the larger side. To me that was not intuitive. Also, I liked the Greco car seat more than the Peg car seat.

A lot of people like the city mini duoglider because the infant can stay in the car seat and the older DC can stay on the other side. Unfortunately for me, DS wanted nothing to do with that stroller. He refused to get into it and when we got him in he was in hysterics. That is not typical for DS. It was also really heavy.

If you look under my user name and city mini I did a review for a lot of double strollers over this past summer when I was looking. I would go to BBB and bring DD to test drive all of the different double strollers on the market. BRU near me only had 5 double strollers to test whereas the BBB had almost every single double stroller on the market to test.

ETS: I never saw a zooper tango before but that looks great. I am sorry I never saw that one.

Message edited 12/29/2009 10:40:08 PM.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

love my Bumbleride Indie Twin, but I really just use it for neighborhood walks now (that they're 1.5 and 3.5). I used it a lot more often earlier on when #2 was still in the infant seat.

Message edited 12/29/2009 10:45:52 PM.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

honestly, we bought a baby jogger city mini double which I only use for neighborhood walks/park walks/etc...otherwise I use the snap n go and either carry dd when she's tired or she walks...she turned 3 in sept and dd was born in june! i didn't love the sit and stanf b/c of the angle the front seat has to be in for the base of the car seat to fit....

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Thanks ladies for taking the time to give me some great advice which is quite valuable to me! I think I will just invest in a sit or stand stroller or one of the Phil and Ted strollers because they seem more logical.

Also, Giselle I told Dh what we spoke about yesterday and we greatly appreciate your advice regading the strollers so much. We were not thinking along those lines but once again thanks very much!

Message edited 12/30/2009 6:35:43 AM.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

Opal...we went with the Baby Trend Double Sit and Stand (and thanks to Diana's help we are really excited that this is the best option for us). We tested it out with Lucas and he had no problem so I am hopeful this will be our one and only option until he's walking on his own. I like that it's narrow like the regular stroller to get in and out of doorways and aisles. Plus if we have another the double option will continue to be necessary.

Message edited 12/30/2009 8:36:42 AM.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

My boys are 19 months apart and I'm wondering how much use I'll get out of the double b/c Ryan wants to walk more and more. I would hold off as long as possible.
I have the Citi Mini Double with adapter for Colin. I like it but Ryan gets a little annoyed after a bit b/c he has to sit pretty far back in it.

Re: Question for the Mommies With a Toddler and a Baby - Stroller Related

DS was 20 months when Mattea was born. I had the double stroller,,,never used it. Returned it for a sit and stand! Best thing ever. Ella will be 3, so I personally think the sit and stand is your best option.