Do You Really Need a Double Stroller Right Away When Your 2Nd Is Born?

You don't need a double stroller right away. My second was carried in a sling for my convenience for the first several months anyway. Until they are able to sit comfortably on their own they never seem to like the stroller!
My first daughter was 23 mos. when my second was born. I carried number 2 in a sling or baby bjorn until she was about 5 months. By then my first was old enough that she hated sitting in the stroller and I bought a Peg Perego Pliko P3 that allowed my oldest to stand on the back.
It worked very well for us.
Good luck!
-S.

Don't waste your money. Chances are that your 14 month old will want to walk walk walk by then and if she gets tired you can carry one of them while the other is in the stroller. Purchase a nice sling or carrier to use if you don't already have one. If you really want a double stroller check craigslist you may find one for a lot less.

Hi S., I'm sure others have said this, but no - you don't need a double stroller right away. Wear your newborn in a sling and put the older child in the stroller she has been using. Take your time deciding on a double stroller and don't worry about accommodating a car seat! Just hold off until the baby can be safely strapped into a seat on their own. the right double stroller is important and individual, so you don't want to get stuck with something for the next several years just b/c it works with a carseat that you would use for 2 months or so! plus this way you can watch craigslist and probably find the stroller of your choice used for a great deal!

Congratulations and good luck!

I am pondering the same issue. I have a 15 month and one on the way. I think I an going to try to have one in the stroller and one in the bjorn. That is how my sister on law did it when she would watch my son and her older daughter.

You could use a sling, or some type of a front carrier instead of a stroller.

I have an 11 month old and a 25 month old. Before my second was born, I bought a Graco Duoglider double, thinking I had to have it. I never used it even once, it was bulky and cumbersome. I had my youngest in the bjorn (or the kelty transit baby carrier backpack, which is also EXCELLENT) and my oldest in an umbrella stroller up until about 1 month ago (youngest getting a little heavy for me in the bjorn). I then bought a joovy ultralight caboose (sit and stand type), which I also love - it is small for a "double", lightweight, compact, etc... So, I wouldn't bother with a double for a while, you can test them out later, with your kids, when the time comes,

best,
Kim

My girls are 2 years apart - the oldest is 2.5 and the infant is 6 months. We actually have the same carseat and when the infant was 3 months we got the Kolkraft Contours. Until we got the double stroller, I was fine putting the infant in the sling and the toddler in the stroller, but I'm really glad to have the double stroller as an alternatie even though I do sometimes still do the sling/umbrella stroller thing. Here's why I would go for the double stroller:

I can go to Target (or where ever) with both girls by myself and put them both in the stroller. This has been especially great when the weather is too cold for me to want to mess with the sling or when the infant is asleep in her car seat and I don't want to wake her by putting her in the sling.

Or I can do errands with just one kid in the double stroller and use the extra space to put my shopping in.

The Kolcraft Contours is actually pretty great - it configures in a ton of ways and it actually folds up pretty tight - I can fit it in the back of my tiny VW golf hatchback and I can handle it pretty well (and I'm only 5 ft tall).

Even though my toddler is capable of walking and would prefer to walk a lot when I'm running errands, her little legs do get tired and/or sometimes I just don't have it in me to be chasing her around when I have the infant with me too, and its just so much easier to have them both in the stroller.

Good luck.

I had my 3 daughters close like you (16 months between the 1st 2 & 16 months between the 2nd 2). I would totally recommend getting the double stroller, have gotten so much use out of it. As silly as this sounds, it also helped our oldest (Grace) get ready for her new baby sister. She 'helped' pick it out and we let her put baby dolls in the infant carrier & her in the front seat and took walks before the arrival of our second. You may want to try ebay or craigslist to see if you can get it a little cheaper. Also I know that USABABY has lay-away, so you can pay a little at a time. hope that helps! good luck!

Most strollers recline most of the way or fully and have 5 point harnesses to keep the baby secure enough without a car seat. I would shop around and find one that reclines enough that you are comfortable with the newborn in that position... you should save close to a hundred dollars that way!

Hi S.,

I had a winter baby first and hated being forced to stay indoors. It also meant I couldn't walk to loose the baby wait. I had baby #2 in late my and ran into the same dilemma as you. Instead of spending all that money, I went to Once Upon A Child in Enfield. We bought a gently used double stroller for $60. I put the baby in the stroller and strapped him in laying down and I put my daughter in front. it worked out really well.

It depends on your lifestyle. We are constantly outside and using our strollers. I own 4 different ones for my 4 & 2 year old.... and we use all of them. When my 2nd was born I put her in the baby bjorn until she could hold her head up, and could sit up on her own. I would wait until #2 is sitting up and just get one of the sit and stands. My son is 4 and still will sit in the stroller from time to time, and the sit and stand allows him to sit or stand, and isn't to big if you're using just the front for #2 and no one in the back.
But I found it much more convenient in the early stages to push a single stroller and have the baby in the bjorn.

We bought a Graco double stroller (about $200 also - you'll have a hard time finding one for less, easy time finding one for more). We used it a few times. It was nice to be able to leave the baby in the carseat, when he was small enough to fit in it. Now he's 9 months and I don't use the darn thing at all any more. I'd recommend using a carrier and putting your older child in a single stroller. We did end up buying a low-end double jogger which I use more often now. I'd put your money towards that instead. You'll use it longer. And I wish I hadn't bought such a low end one (it too was $200). Ergo's are rather expensive ($100 new, hard to find used), but I was able to find a used sling for about $20 which I can still use with my son.

Hi S.,
I had my second in October and I did not need a double stroller right away. If you could use some sort of carrier for the baby (or the older child) you would be fine to put it off for a while. You could use a sling for the baby and an umbrella stroller for your older child. If you don't have and Ergo carrier they are great and a lot less expensive than a double stroller. My nearly 3 year old is still able to ride on my back!

Good luck and congrats on the new baby!

Cate

My daughter was older (3 years) when my 2nd was born, so this may not fully apply to your situation. We were able to get away without buying a double stroller by buying a Buggy Board by Lascal. This is a little platform with wheels that hooks onto the back of just about any stroller, so your older child can stand on it and "hitch" a ride. They retail for about $60, which is pricey until you consider the savings from not buying a double stroller.

While my son was still in his infant carrier, we attached the Buggy Board on the back of a universal car seat stroller frame - I think it was a Baby Trend Snap N Go. It fit fine, and my daughter loved it. Once he could hold his head up, we strapped the Board on the back of our umbrella stroller.

Now she's 5, and happy to walk, but we keep the Buggy Board ready to go in case she gets tired. Most models are very easy to snap on and off, you just leave the adapters in place when you're not using the Buggy Board.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck to you!

Carry the baby in a sling. You'll still have your hands free to shop and push the stroller and you can discreetly nurse wherever you are.

It sounds like we are in the exact same situation. My daughter will be 14 months old when our second is born( due July 17th) We are also using her old chicco travel system and I found the same problem with the carseat fitting. I'm curious to see your responses, but I figure once the baby can hold his head up he will be fine in the stroller without the carseat. My daughter who is 10 months just started walking too, so I'm thinking in 4 more months she may not want to be in the stroller. Good Luck, I hope you get some good responses!

I would say YES get the double stroller. I have abn 18 month old and another baby coming next month. Although the 18 month old WANTS to walk, it isn't necessarily in the direction I want to be going in. It's much easier to keep her contained in a stroller--I don't have to go chasing her around. I couldn't imagine running after her with a baby in a sling or pushing a stroller in front of me.