Need stroller advice - preschooler and twins

Hi, I am new to Twinstuff, so if there is a better place for this question to be posted, mods, feel free to bump it or link it elsewhere! Thanks!

I am expecting b/b twins in February. My DD will be close to 3 1/2 at that time. I am really up in the air about the type of stroller I should get! Most of the time, DD just walks everywhere... but there are still occasions where I will use her jogging/terrain stroller - ex: at the zoo, long days at the park (where there will be lots of walking and I know that she will get tired), long mall shopping trips (when I want to keep her close by and "contained" so that I can focus at least a little on shopping! ). I still put her in shopping carts (cars) for long grocery trips, etc. I KNOW that, even after the boys arrive, there will be times that DD will either be tired and need a seat, or I will want her secure in one spot close to me!

I already bought a double snap-n-go ($30 at a MOM sale, woohoo! ) to keep in the car through that first year, but I am stumped about which "good" stroller we should get! We LOVE our jogging stroller, and definately want one for the boys... eventually. I am waffling on getting the Joovy Big Caboose (which would hold 2 infant seats plus have a bench/step for DD), because we would probably only want to use that for about a year before switching to a side-by-side jogger/terrain stroller (and not worry about DD, who would be 4 1/2 by then). (I also like that new Kolcraft Contours, where the twins could face each other, but that doesn't solve the DD factor!) I recently looked into stroller boards (buggy boards) so I know that is an option as well...

So, Twingle moms who had/have a preschooler at the time of twins' arrival... what did you do? Did you get a stroller that accomodated your preschooler; or did you use a buggy board with a standard double stroller; or did you not worry about the preschooler?

Any advice is appreciated! I would love to know the stroller style(s) that you chose, and why you made that choice!
Thanks, jessica

 

I am lucky...my folks are getting us the Joovy big caboose! I have a 2.5 yo...who will be 3 in January. I thought that stroller was the best option for us. She still rides fairly frequently and I wanted to have that option with her....

 

I have a 3.5 year old and my twins are due 11/8. SInce my daughter has refused to ride in a stroller since she began walking at 10 months I am not going to worry about getting a stroller to accommodate her as well. Basically, we have very strict rules when out and about in publis and that is that she needs to be within arms reach of mommy and better yet holding hands or cart in a store (depending on where we are). In a parking lot or on the street she is to hold my hand or the cart and she does. This has been our rule for a long time and she knows the consequence is less independence and not being able to go with mommy. We have already begun talking about when the babies are here they will have to ride in a stroller and her job will be to hold onto the stroller with mommy to make sure they are ok... I try to make her feel that she is going to be the big girl helper and mommy will need her to help watch the babies.

 

hi, congrats on the twins!

I agree with stephanie's post and think this is a good idea.

When the twins arrive my kids will be 4 and a bit and the other will be almost 2 and a half. 4 year old knows the rules and holds the pram or cart and i have started encouraging 2 yearold to hold the cart and pram (if he gets sick of being stapped in)

I have purchased an emmaljunga twin cerox 360 (awesome pram) and have no intention of using a board, though they are an excellent idea. Its just that my second is already showing signs of idependence and obedience when out.

Whatever makes it easy for you and gives you peice of mind, but i would be encouraging some big girl respnsibilty now to make the transition easier, you might find by the time your babies come, she is happy to hold ontp the stroller or cart.

Goodluck with your search.

 

I'm expecting twins in March and have a son who is turning 2 in November.
We've decided to go with the Valco Runabout Trimode twin and will be getting the extra toddler seat for it (I think it holds up to 40lbs) that way I could have all kids contained if I need to.
I figure that for the first few months I could have one baby in a carrier and let my son sit in the stroller too. It will be easy while the babies are small since they will be nice na dlight to carry in a sling if need be but I think that we'll get good use out of the toddler seat was well.

 

My son will be two in a few weeks, and we are expecting these babies mid december. I bought the duoglider- figuring he is really wanting to walk more now- and if need be I can wear a carrier with one baby- and let him ride up front. By the time they are too big to be in the carrier, he will want to walk everywhere, and will under stand the rules, I hope :lol:

 

We have an umbrella (single) stroller in the van just in case Maggie needs to ride and we are at the zoo or on a long walking trip. We just did the double stroller for the twins, no extra for her. She was 2 1/2 when the twins arrived. Most of the time it is ok, although every once in a while we end up carrying a twin and having Maggie and other twin in the double stroller. Not so much any more now, though.

Congrats, and good luck!

 

My oldest was 2 1/2 when the twins were born, now almost 3 1/2 and she has been a good walker. When I go downtown with her, she'll walk everywhere ... up and down Michigan Avenue (got to love that girl) and never complains about the walking! I never take a stroller when I am just with her. But I do have a kiddie board an my Mountain Buggy Urban Double which I use when I need a little bit more speed or have less time. It works really well for us. She's a good and easy child and she stands very well.

It's the Lascal Kiddie Board (not the Buggy Board).

Here's a pic from our website: http://franca-tobias.fotopic.net/p40192409.html

I highly recommend it. It's an easy solution, which doesn't take up a lot of space.

 

Thanks for the input (and please feel free to continue with the suggestions!)

Just to clarify, DD does almost always walk with me, and is very good about staying close and/or holding hands. I don't keep the jogging stroller in the car anymore, but only put it in the car when I know I am going to the zoo or someplace similar which requires LOTS of walking (because she is not the most physical kid, and will get tired after more than an hour on her feet); and I will put her in shopping carts/stroller carts if I am shopping for more than a half-hour anyplace (more for my peace of mind - so that I can actually focus on comparing prices/finding the right sizes, etc). And, as a PP mentioned, sometimes I need more speed than her 3-yr-old legs will allow! So, it is the exception, rather than the norm, that DD needs a "ride" anymore... It is those rare occasions that I am concerned about... When I take her to the zoo next summer, I don't think she will be up to 3-4+ hours on her feet; or when I am at Kohl's, trying to find the right ensemble to wear to a wedding (even the most patient 3-yr-old gets bored clothes shopping! )...

Maybe, because these situations will be rare, I should just get the double jogger right from the start, and, when/if DD needs to get off her feet, I can either use a stroller board, or I can pull one of the twins out of his seat and wear him while DD borrows his seat?? (I am really just talking through all of our options at this point, so if anyone thinks this is a good or horrible idea, please share! )

 

I was going to get a Joovy Big Caboose as my DD is just turned 4 and the boys will be here in the next 1-2 months. But then I realized that they will be in the carriers/snap-n-go for at least 6 months, if not more, and by the time they are in a "regular" stroller, DD will be 4.5 - 5 years old and won't need the space, so we're just getting a double with no space for her.

Might be something to consider... how old will your DD be when you actually start using a regular stroller? Will you really need a place for her? Will you need it often enough to warrant paying the extra $$$ for it?

 

I've been contemplating my options on this issue as well.

My oldest will have just turned 4 when the twins are born. She's luckily great already about just walking whereever we go, so no need for a stroller for her. However, my son will only be 20 months and very definitely still needs to be in the stroller.

I never got a double stroller when my son was born. I just used the umbrella stroller for DD to occasionally ride (she was 2 1/2), but more often the stroller ended up carrying our stuff, DD walked, and I carried DS in a sling. I don't think I even put him in a stroller or grocery cart until he was a year old! That was what I did with DD too ~ carried her in a sling until around a year. Anyway, now with having DS so young and TWO babies, I'm obviously going to have to have a little bit different strategy!

So far, I think my plan is to just get a double stroller that at least one of the infant carseats can snap into and plan to put DS and one of the twins in the stroller and carry the other baby in a sling (and plan on switching the babies between seat and sling as needed).

LOL, or maybe I'll just stay home! LOL

 

My dd was 20 months when our twins were born. I just got a double stroller and for the first six months when we went for walks she road in the stroller and Avielle went into the baby Bjorn. (avielle was always lighter than judah!! which is why she always got the snuggle time at walks!) After she got too heavy to lug like this...somewhere between 6-8 months... then my older dd just had to walk next to the stroller. Now that they are all old enough we just rotate and take turns for who rides in the stroller. But honestly after like 3.5 my dd really didn't want to go in the stroller much, she's just too big for it now and not as comfortable. I think if you can get a double stroller with a sit and stand type thing without it killing your budget then it's not a bad idea. but I definitely wouldn't worry about it if you can't find that combo. I had a hard time finding anything like that when I looked for my double stroller... they were all way too expensive.