I have an almost 3 year old (3 in two weeks…whaaat?? Where did the time go??) and am pregnant with my second. I’m curious about double strollers. On one hand, I feel like they’re handy, especially if I’m by myself, but on the other hand, they’re awfully large. lol And my daughter does like to walk a lot, but of course there are times when I need her in a stroller or she gets tired.
For those of you who have a double stroller, which kind did you get–brand, side by side or front and back, etc? Did you like it? Is it still relatively easy to navigate stores with it?
I would love to hear your thoughts/experiences/recommendations! TIA!
I’m not sure if this is quite what you’re after, but when I was your daughter’s age my parents had a board that attached to my sister’s pushchair. I’ll add a picture to show you but not sure on brands, sorry!
My first two were 18 months apart so this might not be that relatable but I loved being able to have our double stroller around. If we were at the park and suddenly the oldest was just “done”… getti by out was easier then having to walk at the speed of said child especially times when said child was also in mid tantrum. [name_u]Or[/name_u] if weather suddenly turned on us also requiring quick exits. [name_u]Or[/name_u] they when I had a so bug lemon hand didn’t like knowing that they were required to walk while the youngest was in the stroller
Now, this year called 2020 my 3rd came a double 6 months later has yet to be utilized because well… we’re just home!
We did do the side by side because we liked the idea of them being able to socialize which they did but sometimes that became too much stimulation for the baby. Plus squeezing through doorways and such was a big hassle so I’d likely recommend a non side by side for that matter
I have twins that are almost 2 1/2. We have a [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] Stroller and it is very nice and light weight.
While they were infants we had a Graco but it was so heavy I could barely get it in and out of the car by myself.
With the [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] the baby will need to be able to sit up though so probably good for about 6 months +
I have three children with less than two years between each baby and I never got a double pushchair. I have, however, got a lot of use out of my buggy board (as @lucyxo already mentioned)! I think at 3, your daughter will probably be more comfortable on a buggy board if you can find one, because then she can get on and off as she likes. You can even get ones with a built-in seat, although mine have always been fine standing.
I can’t speak to how useful a double stroller would be (I’m expecting my first). But I see them show up pretty regularly on my local craigslist and Buy Nothing group, so that makes me think they’re not favorites (I never see good quality strollers on these pages locally, but the doubles are barely used).
My sister and I are 3 years apart and we had a little red wagon once my sister was sitting up well.
Most of the stories that I hear are that they are pretty cumbersome. No personal experience though. I’d be inclined to go for a buggy board, especially for a three year old. Their are lots of different brands and most strollers are compatible unless they’re the really flimsy travel kind. Another option is to wear the baby in a carrier when your eldest wants to use the stroller.
I’ve got a handful of kids and highly recommend the city mini double. It moves easily, is sturdy, strong, durable and simple to fold. [name_m]Just[/name_m] check to make sure it fits through your front door.
Even though your oldest is turning 3 and shouldn’t really need a stroller much any more, depending on how far you are walking, you really don’t want to be left having to carry around a stubborn or tired 3 year old!
Thanks so much for the input! I had never heard of a buggy board and I don’t think I’ve ever seen them here in the US, although that certainly doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Lol I’ll look into that option, for sure!
Mine are 3y2m apart and I passed! Granted, a major part of that decision is that my older daughter is a giant, so at 3 she was more the size of a 6-7yo. She was too heavy for those board things too. But I found we didn’t need it – apart from initial jealousy that the baby was using “her” stroller (which she hadn’t used for the better part of a year anyway), we had no issues. Maybe think about what you would need it for too? I guess we only ever went out to a park where she would play, then come home. [name_u]Or[/name_u] spend a few hours at the shops. No walking long distances or staying out all day long – she might have needed a rest then.
ETA: We used a carrier a lot in those first months too. So if there ever was a time when she was legitimately tired, I could have baby in the carrier and her in the stroller. But it wasn’t often.
We’ve been thinking about this as well, our oldest is almost 17 months and our next is due in [name_u]June[/name_u]. We’ve thought about the buggy board option but I don’t think our oldest is quite ready to stand still and hold on that long. So as of late we’ve been leaning toward something like this. Where they have space for the older child to sit or stand behind the baby, and it’s not side by side and doesn’t look too much more cumbersome than a regular stroller.
[name_f]My[/name_f] kids are 3.5 years apart. We got the evenflo pivot expand. You can make it a single or a double. And there’s a bunch of ways you can do it- forward facing or parent facing. Honestly we hardly ever use it tho. [name_f]My[/name_f] 4 year old is a giant and the seat was almost too small for him. And he’s almost reached the max weight limit now too. We never really even use the stroller bc half the time I just carry the baby in my ring sling or now that she’s older we can put her in a shopping cart.
So do I recommend it… eh probably not. In theory it’s nice to have but we personally just don’t use it.
We have a double stroller for my 3 year old and one year old. I think it’s graco. We got in on Facebook marketplace for $20. It was so cheap that even though we haven’t used it a ton it has been nice when needed. We still use it when going to the park even if my daughter walks most of the way. It’s nice if she has a crazy tantrum or something. And sometimes she likes to sit in it with her sister. I’ve also used it at malls to keep my 3 year old from grabbing stuff. Maybe look into a second hand version so if you don’t use it it’s not a big deal?
P.S. It is big and bulky but I can still get it in and out of the trunk myself. I just don’t like doing it too much.
My daughter, though almost 3, is tiny so she won’t outgrow weight limits of anything for quite sometime, still. We have that going for us, anyway. haha We like to go places like the zoo, amusement parks, etc (although with COVID lately not so much), so I was thinking about a double stroller more for those kinds of places. I am not opposed to baby wearing and may just do that instead of buying a double stroller and let our older daughter use the stroller if she needs it. I’m also not opposed to buying used, either, if I can find one that works for us. We don’t really need a stroller currently at stores, especially since a lot of stores have carts, but if we plan to spend the whole day at the mall (my mom and I love to window shop, so sometimes we do that), I find one handy. [name_f]My[/name_f] daughter still takes a nap currently, too, which is another reason I was considering it. But we may not really find it as useful as we think. I appreciate all the personal experiences you all shared. Definitely gives us plenty to consider before we make a decision!
A certain sign of the times that we haven’t had to think about the stroller dilemma. There’s nowhere for us to go!
My boys are just shy of 2.5 years apart, with the older turning 3 in [name_u]March[/name_u]. I would definitely take into consideration the fact that your oldest won’t be using the stroller very often or for much longer before you decide what to buy. With my first, we made use of a carrier far more often than a stroller - I just found it easier to get around without worrying about maneuverability.
Unfortunately, my second absolutely hates it. But I’m on the side of the suggestions above that the baby can be carried when the three year old is having a moment in need of the stroller. By the time baby is getting too heavy or a handful to carry, big sister will be largely out of the stroller stage.
I’m a Teenberry but I can offer my opinion on this. [name_f]My[/name_f] sister and I (she’s 3.5 years younger) used to share a nanny with our best friends, who are the same age as us. We will call my friend Z and her brother T. They had a double stroller, with an upper seat and a lower seat. We would often go on hours-long adventures (city kids, btw), and Z and I would walk or scoot and my sis and T would go in the stroller. It worked really well, because they would get cranky if they were tired and would sometimes fall asleep together. It was fine on public transportation and had space to put snack bags, dolls, dance bags, whatever we needed to carry. I definitely suggest it, but do be careful which one to get because some are really heavy on their own.
We don’t really have anywhere to go at the moment, either, but I’m thinking ahead. I’m hoping at some point we’ll have some light at the end of the tunnel and be able to be out and about more and do more things.
I haven’t seen the buggy board either, but, line previous posters, fb marketplace is the place to go. I actually hate using strollers usually, especially bulky ones, so I try to stay away from them, but the sit and stand strollers really filled in the gap for us. One part stroller and then the other for the older to stand on, but also has a seat if they’re tired.
Thank you everyone for your feedback! I appreciate it very much!
I was an only child, so the world of siblings I’m jumping into as a parent is a bit foreign to me. lol I think for now, we’ll probably forgo the double stroller, but I do plan to look into the buggy boards/sit and stand strollers. I am not a huge fan of strollers myself, but they are quite helpful in certain situations, so I don’t want to rule out having one all together. I do hope to baby wear, so that should help some. I just didn’t end up baby wearing as much as I planned with my daughter because she was the baby that constantly fell asleep in the car and I never wanted to wake her up to get her out of the car sear and into a carrier. haha I can’t carry around a newborn car seat again like I did with her, though. I have one less hand, for one, and it killed my elbow last time.
But anyway, thanks again for all the insight and feedback!!
