Hello!
I know I’m just 13 weeks pregnant, but that’s really a big challenge for me and I trying to solve this problem starting from now. [name_f]Zelda[/name_f] is 2y 8m, [name_u]Dash[/name_u] is 5 mo now. To travel with them, I’m using double stroller now. But in [name_f]April[/name_f] I will have 3 yo, 11 mo and newborn - do you have ANY IDEA how to manage to go out with them? Are there any multiple moms to help? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you have any ideas? I’m hoping that [name_f]Zelda[/name_f] will be able to walk by herself and [name_u]Dash[/name_u] and [name_f]April[/name_f]'s surprise will share our double stroller… or maybe I should buy baby carrier? Help!
Double buggy and then you get one of those attach-boards for [name_f]Zelda[/name_f] to stand on between you and the buggy. 
I’m recalling when we were making reasonable plans: 'oh, we will wait at least two years after [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] is born to start thinking about another kid… ha - ha. It’s wonderful, so wonderful, but hard
If you wear the newborn in a sling or carrier you can still use whatever you’re using now. By the time wearing the new baby becomes too much for you, the eldest should be able to walk.
I saw a mom at a coffee shop with a double stroller and then wearing her newborn in a sling. She looked really comfortable. I only have one six month old so I was very impressed (:
It’s a little out-of-the-box, but a friend of mine has two kids; her son is almost 3 and her daughter just turned 1. She was living in a city that’s not very stroller-friendly and she mostly wore the baby, so they got a little scooter for their son. He has the independence of being out of a stroller, but can move faster than walking and tires out less quickly. He had just turned 2 when he started using the scooter. If [name_f]Zelda[/name_f] took to a scooter, you could have both little ones in a double-stroller.
Here’s what people do around where I am (we’ve got lots of families with lots of youngsters…)
a. Double stroller + baby carrier
b. Double stroller + boogie board attachment
c. Double stroller + big sis walks and holds onto stroller
d. Double stroller + cool bike-like attachment that hooks onto the back of the double
e. Double stroller + big sis on tricycle
I didn’t even think of this…
I have two three year olds that just walk and then my 1 year old is in a stroller…
Thanks for posting this as I’m gonna need to figure something out for my 1 year old once I have the twins. (Though she will be almost 2 when they arrive)
What @tararyaz said is what I would have suggested for your situation.
Since [name_f]Zelda[/name_f] will be 3 by the time the new baby gets here, walking should be fine…especially if you wait till the baby is too much in the sling.
My son occasionally wants to be in a stroller but my daughter is very active and loves having the freedom to walk around.
So your daughter’s personality effects what would be the best choice for you.
The idea of the attachment on the back of the stroller also seems like it could work for you.
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] you figure something out! Good luck!
And congrats! 
My first three are less than 4 years apart. I did a lot of carrying the baby in the infant carrier and using the double stroller. I also had my oldest hold onto my pocket as I pushed the younger two in a stroller. I remember my husband was fond of putting the oldest (the 3 year old) in the basket section of the double stroller – I never did that but you know daddies.
This was how I managed to go out with three under age four. It was my toddler needed to be strapped into her stroller the most during this time. She was a flight risk. I used a sling for the baby when she was a newborn and I transitioned to an Ergo carrier when she was a bit older.
We have 2 sets of twins under the age 3 right now… going out anywhere is an “event” to me, but I’m getting good at it! haha.
When the twins were in their infant carseats/carriers it was usually set up like this in a store with carts – like grocery shopping:
One of the older girls holds [name_f]Alice[/name_f]'s (she was 2.5 at the time) hand. I pushed a cart with [name_f]Fiona[/name_f] (2.5) in front & one of the babies (in their carseat) in the back…other baby was being carried by me in a sling. Other older girl pushes a 2nd cart where we load the groceries, along with whatever space we can find aound the infant in cart #1. In the past, I have attempted to swap [name_f]Alice[/name_f] & [name_f]Fiona[/name_f] or allow both girls to walk, but this always turns out bad because Fi gets too wild! So she lost that chance. I should mention that I tried to only do grocery shopping twice a month!
Now that the babies can sit up and sit in the front of a cart, I do have the nearly 3 yr olds walking holding onto the cart or an older sister’s hand. We still end up getting 2 carts most of the time unless we bring a smaller/foldable stroller in the store with us.
The most dangerous part of shopping is the parking lot. I actually did a “dry run” on getting into/out of a store when I had an extra set of hands (my mother in law) the first time because I wanted to see how it would all work. I always park near a cart return so I can load kids into the cart (even if we wind up getting another cart inside because there is a better option one-- like a double seat front–oohh!) for walking through the parking lot. I put the “sling baby” on in the parking lot – I’m a pretty hardcore sling wearer and I’ve been known to double-sling the twins (one front/ one back) when we’re shopping in a non-grocery/cart type situation. Getting the baby on the back takes a little work if you are alone (having my DH there makes it easier) but I can do it! Depending on what we’re doing, I will also wear one of the toddlers in a sling if that makes more sense. We are out and about alot and we only own one (single seat) stroller and one foldable umbrella-type stroller…so you can bet I always have at least one in a sling.
When [name_f]Elise[/name_f] was a newborn, I’d either put her in the [name_m]Moby[/name_m] wrap and put [name_u]James[/name_u] and [name_m]Will[/name_m] (2.5 and 1.5 years old at the time, respectively) in the double stroller OR, if I felt up to chasing someone, [name_u]James[/name_u] would hold hands with me and [name_m]Will[/name_m] and [name_f]Elise[/name_f] rode in the double stroller. The first scenario worked best (wearing baby and strapping the boys into the stroller), especially when [name_f]Elise[/name_f] was old enough to be carried in a framed backpack.
If you have three young children and live in the U.S., it might be worth it to buy a Costco executive membership. The savings on diapers, wipes and formula there can offset the higher cost of the membership. That was the case with us since I only breastfed #3 for about 3 months. The other thing about shopping there is that there are carts with two child seats (w/ seatbelts) and you can keep baby in an infant bucket seat, sitting the seat in the large, grocery-carrying part of the cart.
When [name_f]Elise[/name_f] was a newborn, I’d either put her in the [name_m]Moby[/name_m] wrap and put [name_u]James[/name_u] and [name_m]Will[/name_m] (2.5 and 1.5 years old at the time, respectively) in the double stroller OR, if I felt up to chasing someone, [name_u]James[/name_u] would hold hands with me and [name_m]Will[/name_m] and [name_f]Elise[/name_f] rode in the double stroller. The first scenario worked best (wearing baby and strapping the boys into the stroller), especially when [name_f]Elise[/name_f] was old enough to be carried in a framed backpack.
If you have three young children and live in the U.S., it might be worth it to buy a Costco executive membership. The savings on diapers, wipes and formula there can offset the higher cost of the membership. That was the case with us since I only breastfed #3 for about 3 months. The other thing about shopping there is that there are carts with two child seats (w/ seatbelts) and you can keep baby in an infant bucket seat, sitting the seat in the large, grocery-carrying part of the cart.
I agree sling the newborn in the early months, then move the oldest to walking or sling the newborn, middle in buggy and eldest on buggy board. I’ve done both and found the later easier/quicker to get about.
Following along with interest, as I will have 3 under 2 in a few months (twins will be 22 mos when new little guy arrives).
As others have suggested, I think a carrier for the baby and a double stroller would be your best bet, at least to start. The stroller board is also a great idea, but it depends on the personality of your eldest and how long she is okay to stand if you’re out for an extended period of time.
We were also planning on using a sling/Ergo for the baby, with the twins in their double stroller. I think that will work well for at least the first year. However, not sure about after that – twins are best contained sometimes, and I can see them still wanting/needing to be in the stroller for lengthier treks after the new babe is too long for me to wear in a carrier (hubby is tall, I am tiny, and our boys are very long – couldn’t wear them easily after 10 months). Thinking about the stroller board, but I think the twins might fight over either the board or the stoller seat (and whatever one wants, the other one usually decides he has to have it, too). Keeping open-minded about maybe needing a triple stroller for longer excursions.
This is interesting to me to see the different methods. In preparation for number 3 we purchased a sit and stand stroller that has a normal seat in front and the standing board but additionally has a jump seat in case the stander wants to sit (ours is a joovy and I’m very happy w it). My plan is to put the 2 year old in front, the 4 year old on the standing board if she tired of walking and baby in a carrier OR 4 year old walks, baby carrier gets snapped on stroller and 2 year old on standing board. Of course right now they fight over the standing board/jump seat and nobody wants to sit in the front more comfortable seat… Sigh. But I’m sure it’ll sort out once baby arrives.
And I just want to add…
@crunchymama, you are my hero! That is certainly a challenge and it sounds like you do it in stride. I get looks when grocery shopping w 2 young kids and being pregnant. I can’t imagine the comments and interest you receive!