Do I *need* a double stroller

[Climbergirl]

Ok, there is a sale coming up this weekend and it is 20% off your entire purchase. So, I am really planning on getting a car seat and I was thinking a double stroller. But I am stuck on really knowing if we need it.

Here is the deal. I have a 3 year old (well, in a couple of days) that likes to run off. Or at least not hold my hand. So, I have a hard time keeping him near me as it is. Now, with a baby, I don't want to be chasing him. And we are working on it, but I have no idea if he will be where he needs to be by Dec/Jan time frame. I will probably carry the baby a lot, but if the baby falls asleep in the car, I would rather use the bucket seat to clip him into something because we live in a fairly cold area and I don't want to wake the baby by getting him in cold weather (suddenly) to put him in a carrier.

Any thoughts?

[nova22]

I have gone through a couple double strollers. They are incredibly hard to push and some of them are such a pain to get in and out of the car that I'd rather not deal with it. On the other hand they definitely come in handy sometimes, especially when you have a particularly exuberant child who doesn't like to stay near you when you're in public. You might have issues with him trying to escape or bothering the baby, but it couldn't hurt to get one, if you can afford it, and give it a try. If you really, really, really don't like it, give it as a gift to someone else or sell it on Craig's List.

[MegBoz]

I'm not planning on getting one - but I babywear a lot. Never used the stroller with DS until he was about 12 mos. I'm in Maryland as well. I think BW is great in the cold! I just wore a jacket of DH's so there'd be room for me & baby inside of it. Works great.

I would just take baby out of the car seat, try to hold him inside the jacket until I walked to my destination, then got him situated in the wrap once we were inside. If the walk was too far, I would sometimes get him into the wrap while standing outdoors. Not ideal, but it worked. DS LOVED being worn, so he'd always settle down in a wrap. I never even worried about waking him up from the car seat to get into a wrap.

In any case, I'd always buy something like that on Craig's list - generally 50% off new or more - so even with a good sale, CL will be a lot better. Yard sales are cheaper yet, but a lot more hit-or-miss & ya gotta get up early on Saturday to get the good stuff. I always find TONS of great kid's stuff on CL.

[allisonrose]

This is something I've been thinking over as well. I did have one mom suggest a Sit and Stand type of stroller to me.

Subbing to see the responses.

[MaerynPearl]

I suggest if you do, to do a LOT of research before deciding on one because way too many of them are horrible. (Hard to use, hard to transport, just plain bad)

Look way more into peoples actual experiences with them than what the manufacturers say though. Consumer opinion tends to (though not always) be way more accurate of usable something is than company opinion.

[ellemenope]

Have you thought about a buggy board? I see them everywhere right now where I live, but mostly on the buggaboos. Bugaboo makes one specifically for their strollers. But, i think you can buy a universal one for a BOB, Maclaren, Quinny, etc.

[finnegansmom]

We have the Phil and Ted's. My oldest was almost 2 when the second came along.
I have a back issue (disc) so carrying kids around isn't always an option (I do babywear as much as I can, but having am enormous baby sometimes requires a stroller for long stretches).

I love that we can remove the back seat. And it reclined for newborn.
We'll use it again and when #3 is the only one in the stroller, then we'll remove the back jump seat. And the resale value is great.

They are very small and not much bigger than a single.

I love ours.

[Babina's Mommy]

I love ours. I couldn't live without it. Mine are now 1 and 3. I'm even considering a triple stroller for our next one coming in March. I do babywear a lot, but also use the stroller. I have a tiny Neon for a car and my double stroller fits in ok. I have a jogging stroller, side by side...I think the kids like sitting side by side better, and I need a jogger because of our dirt and bumpy roads. I have the Baby Trend as I couldn't afford like a $600 stroller. But ours is good and it works for me!

[lilith1]

Phil and Teds here too. My oldest one not 2 yet, the youngest one 8 months. In public I use my Maya Tie, which is soo comfy for the youngest one, DS 1 walks most of the time. I got a McLaren Twin on Craigslist for days or places where I need more constraint, in the library for example. Folds really small and fast. If we lived in the City, a McLaren would have been enough.Also-fit's on the front seat so the dog can join us in the back. There are no Sidewalks here, that's where the Phil and Ted's comes in handy. For shopping trips I place my oldest one in the shopping cart(front) and the youngest one on me in the carrier. I guess there is a place for every gadget. P&T makes a cot that is super handy for a newborn in the winter, he was cozy in there, lasted 3 months before he outgrew it.
Now we start using more and more the little red wagon going to the Zoo and places like that. But again, DS1 has to be willing otherwise it becomes a struggle.
DS2 hates to be in the Bucket seat, that is not an option for him. Good luck figuring out the logistics.

[Aliy]

One i would say if your reasons to get a stroller is to keep you baby in a bucket I would look at the fact that is it suggested that a baby not be ing there bucket other than in the car casue that is when it is at it's proper angel for safety an such

Now that being said we got a single that converts to a double. We have the Valco with the toddler attachment.

I couldn't get over with the phil and teds that you put one child in the back and I like having the basket. So I looked for other options

I really like my Valco stroller

[LoveMyTwoBoys]

We got a double stroller before DS2 was born. After he was born, I wore him so much that the double didn't get any use. Traded it with a friend for a big TV for DH & bought a cheap single jogger for DS1. Last spring when I got pregnant, we got a double again for the boys. Though we lost the baby, I use the stroller daily now with a 5.5 & 3 year old when I take them & the dogs on exercise-for-me walks. Once this baby is born, I will wear him/her and push the boys in the stroller.

Basically, I wouldn't get a double until you would be using it on a regular basis for both your LOs. For what it's worth, when DS2 fell asleep in the van and I had to put him a carrier, he never woke up.

[donutmolly]

It depends what you want it for... personally I can't imagine dragging it through a mall or grocery store... but for outside, walks, zoo, festivals/fairs... it's a lifesaver! We got ours when DD2 was born (a big combined baby shower gift) and I was resistant because I thought I'd just carry DD2 and push DD1. We've probably clocked over 1000 miles on our Bob through daily walks, and it's useful for long days out. Now that we have DD3, we carry her and can still push both the big girls. So yeah, I'm a fan!

[katroshka]

I would look for one on CraigsList, personally. I got one handed down to me, and did use it a lot, but that's because I lived in an urban didn't have a car, so would take really long walks pretty much everyday. And our hand me down stroller lasted forever for us, even getting 20+ miles a week put on it! Also, my kids were only 15 months apart, so they both really needed it at the same time. But really, the prices on nicer strollers are crazy, and the cheaper ones don't last nearly so long, imo. You could get a really high end stroller in great condition for 50% off or more, so I would look into that.

[abiyhayil]

I like our Joovy ultralight sit and stand, it was a craigslist find. It's perfect to keep in the car because it is so compact. The only issue I have is the backseat doesn't have shoulder straps so when DS is in the mood nothing can keep him in there!

[Mrs.Music]

I didn't get a double stroller until after I got pregnant with my 3rd. I wore M and put K in the stroller. Or the other way around if M was asleep in the bucket seat. They're 24 months apart and K is small for her age, though. So IDK if switching them back and forth is an option for you. Anyway, as for a double stroller. We tested a few out. We ended up going with the sit and stand. K LOVES standing in the back. M has gotten curious about it lately too. So we'll be wearing the baby or putting him/her in the front with the bucket seat and M in the back and K walking. Anyway, it's thinner than the side by side doubles and not as long as the in-a-row ones, so it's more manueverable. Just my opinion. Hope it helps.

[redvlagrl]

I got a double 2 weeks after DS was born. I though I wouldn't need it (as we are babywearers) but I totally do. They are 18 mths apart. I figured I need somewhere to secure DD.

We got a Phil and Ted's Dash and are really happy with it. I especially like the small footprint (it's the same as a single stroller). We also looked at the Baby Jogger City Select, but it was very bulky (though cool design).

[sunnygir1]

Dd was about 2.5 when ds was born and didn't want to give up her seat in the stroller to walk. I got a side-by-side Phil and Teds on Craigslist. It has been great. It has large, air-filled tires and is super easy to push through grass, slush, snow, mud, etc. It fits through a standard doorway (like our front door or the door of a business. Its downfall is that it doesn't fold up very well. We have a minivan and I just put down the back seat to transport it...that wouldn't work with a smaller vehicle or if we had more than 2 children. Now that dd is 3.5 she rarely rides in the stroller anymore, but I see your point about a runner.

[chely7425]

I have a 2.5 year old, a 15 month old and a baby due in a couple weeks... I definitely need my double stroller!! We have a Baby Jogger City Mini double and it is amazing... fits thru standard doorways even though it is a side by side, I can steer it one handed even with 50+ pounds of kid in it and.. yeah, I love it. It has a car seat adapter you can buy to hold the infant seat.

[Dena]

I second the CL suggestion. I have a two year old and five month old twins, and I love my Sit n Stand - one baby in front, the toddler in back on the "big girl seat" and one baby on me. IMO, it is a lot easier to navigate with it than my lightweight double umbrella stroller, now that both babes are too heavy to wear together. Plus I still get to baby wear, which I LOVE.

Anyway, my point (and I do have one) is that I got both strollers off of CL. The babytrend was $20 (and it does have clips where you could put a bucket seat in the front until your new lo is old enough to sit) and the double stroller was $25. Both are in good condition - a little dusty, but not bad at all. Plus that way if you get one and don't use it much, or don't like it, there isn't a huge $ loss, or maybe none at all - the first $20 stroller I bought on CL I sold two years later for $20!

[Julia'sMom]

I got a double due to twins. However, it has come in real handy with my 4-yo. A lot of times I've ended up wearing a baby and pushing her with the other baby. I like it since she drags her feet, so the stroller lets me walk at a more normal (exercise) pace rather than a toddler pace. It also contains her for when I need that.

I will say that friends recommended against a sit n stand because the older child could not nap in the stroller. If you think you might use yours for naps, consider that.