Stroller Advice - Jamison, PA

Hi D.! I was in the same situation about a year ago. I was having a new baby and my daughter was 3 1/2. I thought my daughter wouldn't want to be in a stroller either so I wouldn't need a double stroller. Well, after the baby was born there was no way she wanted to walk when the baby was being pushed! Someone gave me a used Graco Duo Glide, which is the one that sits one behind the other. It is big and sometimes hard to maneuver, but generally it is a great stroller. It works well for shopping and we still use it all the time.

Anyway, I have a friend that has a side x side and she said she has trouble getting through some entrances because it is so wide. I guess there are pros and cons to both models.

Before you buy, try getting one through freecycle. You can join at www.freecycle.org. Good luck!

I have a McClaren Side by side and I love it. My kids are 5 and 2 and the older one still on occassion will get in the stroller if she is tired. It is narrow enough to get through any where a regular stoller would. I would definitely invest in a double though, your kids are small enough that you will get plenty of use out of it.

I love this stroller. I actually bought when I was pregnant with my 3rd. My older ones were 4 1/2 and 18 months. I used the attachment for the infant car seat and at times had both older ones stand in the back (especially in parking lots)! I wish I would've bought one when I was pregnant w/my 2nd. This stroller was recommended by a friend with 3 kids all 18 months apart. And she loves it too. Her oldest is now 2 and still uses it. Congratulations!

Hi, I have a son that is 4 1/2 and a daughter that is almost 16 months old. I resisted the Joovy Caboose until my daughter was about 9 months old and i really wish i hadn't. It's awesome! it's great when i take them to the zoo, (i have never had a stroller that dealt with the rough sidewalks outside the zoo until this stroller), my son stands and holds on till we are at the next animal and then he hops off and we don't have to worry about buckling and un-buckling over and over! we take the stroller on walks, to the mall... everywhere. The only issues i have with it is that the storage space is very small and hard to get to (especially with a child in the back seat) and there are no cup holders, but you can buy one separately. my friends say that when you have a baby in the carrier you have to lean the front seat back, which makes it harder for the older child to sit comfortably, but that only lasts for the 1st 6 month till the baby can sit up right. i really wish i had had this stroller even from having my son as a baby. it's great. If you get the stroller from babies r us, please ask for the replacement warrenty it costs something small like $20, but if anything breaks within the 1 year of owning it, they will give you the entire cost back! I hope this makes sense (i'm sooooo tired), if you have any other questions please let me know.

My daughter turned 2 in March and we had our second in June so they're about the same age apart as your two will be. The older one walks when we go out. I still have the same stroller from when Rebecca was born so I have the baby in that. Depending on how your son is about walking, you might be just fine that way. On the rare occassions where my older girl doesn't want to walk, I carry her and push the stroller. That usually only happens if we're out around nap time, though.

i have a sit and stand and i love it!
it has an attachment for the baby seat for the front and the older child can still use the back seat, or stand in the back. i got mine at a yard sale for $1, they are over $100 in stores. so if you are on a tight budget, since you have time, i'd shop around at the consignment shops or yard sales because you can get some terrific deals!!

the side by side strollers are nice, but they are wider than regular strollers and i've heard of kids teasing and taunting one another since they are right next to each other. and they usually don't come with attachments that the baby seat can fit in - these are super convenient, especially if your baby is sleeping, who wants to wake a sleeping baby?????

Hi D.,

I was lucky enough to have a friend give me a double stroller (the seats one in front of another) I think we used it for about a year. Now I use the Baby Trend, Sit and Stand and it works great.

Good Luck.

S.

hi!congratulations! we bought the sit and stand stroller, it is wonderful. I have a 4 1/2 and a 2yr old and they love it, and I do too. sometimes even take turns as to where they sit. It's easy to close, however, not with one hand, I place the kids in the car first and then I close the stroller. but its not heavy. It comes with attachment for newborns that then you can take out.
good luck!

In One Step Ahead, they offer a Sit and Stand double stroller. It can be a true double stroller, and the back seat can fold down so your toddler can stand. Its a great stroller!!!

i also agree with the sit and stand... you can get it at some target stores (just call ahead) for $120! some places charge $150. it comes with the attachment for the baby car seat, and the back seat does have a seatbelt too. i love it!

I also have an unbrella side by side stroller, and while it is narrow enough to get through a doorway, it has been too wide at the most inconvenient times (baby was sleeping!!!!! and I had to fold it up!!!!)

My oldest was 2 years & 2 months old when my second was born. We bought a Graco front & back. It works great. The side by sides aren't always convenient when shopping. The aisles and other fixtures are too close together. I like having a seat for both boys in case either wants to nap, which does happen from time to time. Another great feature is the basket, which is the perfect size for a diaper bag, purse, and shopping bags. I thought it was going to be too bulky, but it really isn't. For whatever you decide, I would suggest that if you have a smaller car, ask the store manager if they will escort you to your car and let you see if a floor model will fit in your trunk. I used to work at Toys R Us and that really helped people decide which item to buy.

I agree..the sit and stand one would be best. My kids are 17 months apart and we had a back to back one, which worked out well, but I wish we had bought the sit and stand one. Friends of mine have side to side ones and they are great for stability, but horrible to take shopping or anywhere where space is tight because of the wide size....

Hey Debbie,
My 1st daughter was 2 and 4 months when my second was born this past summer. We went with the combi side by side. I love it. However, My older daughter does not usually want to be in the stroller, so I end up using the single (I keep both strollers in the trunk), or I bring the double anyway because at one point or another she does want to ride. The double is good when it comes time for napping and we are out. If I had the sit and stand she wouldn't be able to take one. Also, my infant car seat doesn't fit in the stroller. It wasn't a problem for me though because the baby was born in the warmer months so I really didn't keep her in the infant seat (and I wanted her to be able to sleep through anything, so I like moving her around when she is sleeping). So now that I have been going on forever, i love my stroller, it was affordable, I can take it to the playgound, I can actually take it through some smooth trails in the woods, the baskets hold alot, the visors are pretty big for pretty decent sun coverage, I used it in the infant stage, it folds into thirds for better storage,and stands up when folded, there is a pocket for keys and etc. right on the back of the visor, it's not to heavy, fits through most doors and aisles, it has a extra piece of cloth under the seats that velcros around the front bar of the stroller to keep a infant nice and secure. Cons- you need two hands to open and close, and it has a draw string to lower the back of the seat, and you end up pushing it one side empty quite frequently. I think the Combi was the best choose, However if I had to chose a diffrent stroller it would be the sit and stand. I hope I have helped. A.

I'm not sure where you live, but we live Center City and have a Phil and Ted Sport Buggy. It's a jogging stroller, that is the width of a single stroller but accomodates two kids of different sizes/ages..including a newborn. It is quite pricy though, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case you are in the city or require one that is rough and can handle rough pavement and single wide!

I'm also expecting my second child and mine will be 2 years, 6 weeks apart! I purchased a Graco DuoGlider (I already have a Graco carseat from the first baby). The carseat snaps right in and then my other little guy can sit up front. I got mine off Craigslist for a really reasonable price.

I think a double-stroller is absolutely necessary. If your older one is anything like mine, keeping him in one place is not that easy! LOL