Double stroller, or triple?

[cmadsen]

I did a search, but relevant posts seemed outdated so I thought I'd ask again.  I have a will be 2-year old when my twins are born, and was wondering if anyone has had a double stroller (probably preferably jogging) that they just LOVE.... or if there are thoughts on whether we should get a triple so that my 2 year old can ride along as well.  Maybe that's crazy. I don't know. I don't know anyone with twins! Any thoughts are appreciated :)

[Honey693]

What are you going to use the stroller for?  Long walks, community events, etc?  I plan on getting a double stroller when my third is born, but my oldest is 3.5 and we'll mainly be using it when she can ride her tricycle or walk.  If I was planning on more than a mile at a time or using it for long day trips (zoo, etc) I'd probably get a triple or get a double and baby wear whatever kid was most interested.  Right now we have a single and just switch out what kid is walking and then baby wear if the walker gets tired.

[Chloe'sMama]

I am not a mom of multiples, but I LOVE my bob double.  I can fit my 2 kids in the seats and an older child (my niece or nephew) can sit on the front where the feet go.  Even with my almost 4 year old, she can slide her feet to the outer sides and a big kid can sit in between.  I could not run like that (not safe for the kid in front).  It is super super expensive, but you can find them on craigslist or other resale places... or you can always get one and then sell it again when you are not using it any more.  I got mine at REI with the 20% discount for members.  Still a big chunk of money, but it was the only thing I wanted when I had #2.   I can't say how much I love that stroller!!!!

Also, it is BIG and a bit cumbersome to get in and out of the car.  Make sure it will fit in yours before you buy it.  It is fine in my van and my toyota matrix, but my friend has a prius and it didn't fit in the trunk.  

Congrats!

[ladydodson]

valco tri mode has an option for a toddler jumpseat out front...and it's an all terrain stroller/jogger.

[ljc]

I don't know if this will be helpful.  But my son was 20 months when my twins were born.  We had all kinds of strollers - depending on the situation.  I had a double for outings that didn't require a stroller for my oldest - or when another adult could push a single.  We often used a double and wore one child.  I liked having a light easy to fold double.

We did have a triple stroller (it was a runabout) we purchased it second hand and it saved my sanity.  It was horrible to pack in the car (probably only fits in a minivan or suv). I used it most to put all three kids in and push them around the neighborhood - for fresh air and exercise.  We do live in a downtown area - so used this to walk to many outings.  

My kids are a bit older now - so I can't tell you much about what's out there now for options.  But in looking at a triple you really have to think about how you will use it.  Three kids sitting side by side can barely fit on a sidewalk - let alone in a store.  We picked our triple because it had the "stadium steating" so we could get in and out of our neighborhood coffee shop - among other places.

[Peony]

Not a MOM. I saw a family out with a triple jogger over the weekend, oh my goodness. It didn't fit anywhere, the father was going first trying the clear the path the best he could. It seemed like a huge headache trying to take that thing out. They were moving tables, chairs out of the way, it did not fit through regular doorways. Later the same day I saw a triple stadium seater, a Peg perhaps and it was a completely different story. They were downtown in heavy foot traffic and able to function and actually move with it where the other family with the jogger would not even hardly walk in a mall in weekend traffic. I have a double BOB and Maclaren and while none of mine are multiples, I do have 4 kids so I almost always have a baby on my front or back and then 1-2 in a stroller. ETA: and I do the same thing with my BOBs (I also have a single) that the other poster mentioned, a kid can and does sit up on the foot rest. I wouldn't put a 2 year up there though, they have to be old enough to know not to move or let go. But it works. 

[ithappened]

I'm in the exact same situation.

DS1 will be 2.5 once the twins are born this summer.

I'd like something I can take the twins jogging in but is also light weight enough to take on trains and planes (we don't have a car). . . I'm curious if there is a solution. I've been looking at getting 2 umbrellas which snap together (for travel) with an ergo for the other child and then a jogger for running only.
 

[cmadsen]

Thank you all for your input! Very helpful! Peony - I had thought that a triple stroller side by side would be impossible to get in and out of places - I'm glad you confirmed that.  Won't plan on taking it into anywhere if we get one!  Thanks again everybody.

[rinap]

We adore our double mclauren for travel. Not quite as small as two umbrellas, but plenty small enough to fit in the trunk and to gate check for travel. (not a three-baby solution, but really nice for travel from 2 months on (when they don't actually need to be flat)

[ithappened]

Has anyone traveled with 2 twins solo via air?

I was thinking this fall I might try to visit my parents on the west coast with the twins- they will be 4-5 months old at that point but the flight is a solid 24 hours (with connections) to get there from where we live in Europe.. (I am a frequent travel so the concept doesn't freak me out and traveled many times with DS1 internationally the first 2 years of his life (US, Asia, etc)

Was wondering if I could pull off the flight using a Baby Jogger 2011 City Select Stroller with Second Seat or if I could do it with one in the ergo and one in an umbrella stroller with no carry on luggage along..

[rinap]

I have been thinking about that lately. I would not do it myself. We've done a bunch of travel with two of us and two lap babies, but while a 4-5 month old doesn't want to get up and get around, it sounds like an overwhelming prospect to me. Trying to deal with two crying babies on an airplane for 24 hours with no breaks sounds very hard. (and it was hard enough doing similar trips in which I ended up with whichever one was crying, if it wasn't both).

Bottle feeding would make it easier (can't tandem nurse babies who can't sit up on an airplane).

But I would suggest finding someone who might be able to come along if you could. (Our trips of similar length with 2 adults and 2 babies were all great)

It's the 24 hours I'm concerned about, not the airport. That and going through security. I have never been able to fold up my stroller while holding both babies, which is what you will need to do.

Sorry to be so negative. But you will know more when your babies arrive, because every set of twins and every mama are different. I really hope this is something you can do.

[ithappened]

I was wondering if I bought one twin an actual airplane seat and put it in the car seat, and one twin was a lap child. The twin in the seat would sit in her/his car seat and the twin in my lap could take the bassinet or lap.. . I could use the twin car seat with an attachment to roll it so it would function as both a car seat (for the flight) and a stroller in the airport. The other twin could be in an ergo with infant insert. . .

I traveled a ton with DS1 solo between 0-24mo (same flights) and found it doable but that was just one baby.. . It was exhausting some trips more then others but generally was ok, or as good as it can be with a baby. I also packed super super light and often my carry on was just a few diapers, a change of clothes and snacks so I could handle it all without help (but often asked strangers if I needed it, I was shameless)

hmmm.. I guess I will wait and see once they are born.
 

[13pumpkins]

Ah the stroller issue....

With our first two girls, I adored my Maclaren--so much, I do not want to lose it even though I might not even USE it now.  I'm really tall and a good stroller is hard to come by.  We wore DD 1 more than the stroller and when DD 2 was tiny I wore her as well.  She just loves the stroller, though.

Anyways, when we went to Disney we rented a Baby Jogger City Elite double and ADORED it.  It was great for both girls and it was the first place I looked for a triplet stroller but their triplet stroller does not have the same features.  Also, I really think three side by side would be rough to get through common places and doorways.  I am debating either getting a long stroller OR getting a quad stroller to fit DD2 as well but preserve the side by side width.  

Do you have access to a place to try out strollers?  I tried an inline one that did not work and then the city elite was a dream come true.  I think in the end, it just really depends on the stroller and user together.

[ithappened]

a double side by side would never work where we are living (in europe) there are days a single barely fits into some doors/arches/sidewalks here so its really out of the question (although if I was in the US, Id probably look at a side by side more seriously).

With DS1 we had an umbrella stroller which he pretty much lived in from about 6mo-24mo but then around 24mo refused to go into it without epic long horrible tantrums, then around 26-27mo decided he felt the same way with the jogging stroller and we basically were left with the ergo as the only option if we wanted/want to get around with him anywhere..

With the twins I just decided to get the baby jogger city select with second seat- I found one online and since we just sold DS1 jogging stroller we basically could afford the difference! I just hope now we like it, otherwise I'll be ebaying it and looking for the next option...

[Justmee]

Haven't read all the responses yet, but mine was the oppisite. The twins were 17 months old when their younger sister was born (and had only started walking a month earlier). I just used a double, and I held the baby if need be in a carrier. As they got older, I would switch in and out who was riding based on moods or who was tired. If we were doing a family type trip, dh was along so we took a single and a double.

[fragola3]

We used a double Maclaren (side-by-side)--loved it--not too large.  We also had a double BOB, which I also love for hiking/jogging.  My dd was almost 3 when my twins were born.  

If she was walking (like at the mall), I taught her well to hold onto the stroller as I pushed.  But usually, she'd sit in it w/ one twin, while I carried one twin on my front.

Also, the double BOB is great, b/c my twins would sit in the regular spots, while my older dd would sit right in front of them (there's a little spot where a child can easily sit--where the feet of the other child goes.)  I've hiked like this (but not jogged).  In fact, one time my husband, on a hike, had 6 children in our Bob (we're were w/ friends)--2 in the normal spots, 2 where their feet go, and 2 sitting up on the handle bars.  It was hilarious!

We still use our BOB sometimes--my twins are now 3.5 and my older dd is 6.5 and weighs 55 pounds, and she can still sit in the front while the twins sit in the regular spots.  (Like if she's tired of walking or something...)

[Momsarecool]

I was also curious about this. I like your suggestion sgomer. Thanks a bunch!

[~Adorkable~]

that Valco Trimode and the related "joey seat" are freaking amazing, i have twin momma friend with them and i am shocked how well the Valco moves around, its a tank but also a butterfly.

i personally am not a fan is side by sides but the valco might be the only one that changes my mind

[13pumpkins]

I would get a double stroller.  We're expecting triplets and the more and more I search there just is not one good triplet stroller.  They all seem like a total PITA.  Most of the recommends I am getting now are to get a double stroller and rotate with baby wearing!

As for double strollers, we rented a Baby Jogger at Disney and it was a dream.  The valco model looks really similar and has the toddler seat.  Also, a triplet mom pointed me in the direction of ABC strollers.  They have extra seats that mount (not in the same place) as the valco does and I am considering it as I could easily use it as a double with the addon option for a third or even go so far as get an add on option for my 2.5 y ear old if I find I really need help with her.

[~Adorkable~]

Ok I was to say that I saw a ABC stroller this weekend set up in triplet mode and out in the woods at a festival and it was amazing. I'm on my soapbox about my city select double all the time and even I wanted one. That was one of the best made strollers I have ever seen, I'm shocked at the weight limits, there are huge!

If I had more than my twins I would totally be looking into them.