The dreaded double stoller

[DisneyPhD]

Hi everyone. The PhD family is all getting used to the our newest member (baby PhD born Aug 3rd 2004 ) So now the dreaded double stroller question has become an issue.

When ever we put baby PhD into the stoller, Little PhD (3 years old) insits on strolling too. Not bad when you have 2 adults, but I can't take them both out alone. We have a trip planed for March 2005, Little PhD will be almost 4, Baby 7 months. We want a double for this trip, but also to use otherwise. Little PhD really is little (27 pounds at 3 1/2). I know the 3 year old will want to walk a lot, but we want a stroller too and don't want to rent one.

We have researched and narrowed it down to 2 models.

A side by side, Peg Perego Aria Twin LB (2004 model) It rolls and folds up really well, only 14lbs and is rather small. All in all a good WDW stroller. The bad thing is the car seat won't fit in it, making it not as useful for home use. (and in the winter when I don't want to take the baby out of the car seat.) Also it is rather pricey ($300) Since we have most everything for the baby already I don't mind the price too much, if it works really well for us.

The second stroller is an Evenflo "Take me too" tandom. A frount/back double stroller. The car seat fits in it, but boy is it big. It folds ok, but weights 31 pounds and is really big. Hubby can't imagine trying to sit on the bus with it. Oh it comparitly it only cost $100.

I personally can't stand the very popular graco duo gilder, but the evenflo seems a little bit better, but I just can't imagine trying to lug the big heavy thing out of the mini van, let alone around the airport and WDW.

Any advice? Anyone deal with either of these before?

 

[alloyd1170]

Have you seen the one at One Step Ahead? Babies R Us has one too, but bigger. It is called Baby Trend Compact Sit and Stand. Its a bit heavier than some doubles (I think ~25 lbs), but Ive been eyeing it for when we have another child. Ive seen people at the zoo and at WDW with them and they love it. The front seat is for the baby and can hold several brands of car seats. The back has a small seat and a standing step where an older child can either stand or sit. There is a strap that goes across the handles to keep them in that spot. Whats nice about it is if they want to get off and walk, you dont have to lift them up. They just step off! Each seat can suppost 45 lbs. Ive seen one stroller (Peg ?) that has a standing bar on the back, but it is so narrow and close to the babys seat I dont see how a child has room to stand without leaning back. I think it runs around $150.
If anyone has this, please let us know how it works for you!

alison

 

[SouthFLMommy]

I had the Sit N Stand and I wouldn't recommend it. I actually got rid of mine. The steering is horrible, and the basket is useless when the toddler is sitting on the back.

I would definitely go with the Aria Twin or another lightweight side by side double.

Good luck.

Nicole

 

[DisneyPhD]

Thanks for the answers.

My best friend actually has the sit in stand (baby trend) . She has a son the same age as my daugther and she should be having a baby any day now (but not soon enough for her.) Last week when we went to the mall I borrowed it since I have 2 kids now and she still has one . They are also going to WDW with us on this next trip, it will be 4 kids (ages almost 4 and 6 and 7 months). She doesn't know if she is going to take the sit and stand because of how big it is and also the older kid can't "kick back and relax in it."

I thought the same things SouthFLMommy said, it was hard to stear and since the kid was sitting on the bench the very large basket was useless. Also you could not hang your bag off the back since it would hit the older kid in the head. Also my DD thought it was fun to "step off it while it was moving." So all in all not a good choice for me.

I had stroller dreams last night, I think I am obessing about this too much.

 

[Rapunsel]

I was just given the Sit and Stand from Babies r us as a gift and I have used a freinds and we just love it.. We went out ad bought 2 cup holders. One for me and one for my DS 2.5. We have use a friends with their infant in it and it was just right for us. My ds is really good about staying in one place and wanting to get off, but asking first. As he likes it as he will be able to see his baby.

I think that it is a personal choice. We didn't find it any harder to steer than some of the tandem ones and it actually is smaller than our Eddie Bauer one that we got when ds was born. I did find that the side by side can be a nusiance as they do pull to one side and some don't let you put in the car seat...

We have also gotten a Maya Wrap so that is another option for us also..

So just take them for a test drive in the store and load them up.. We have also learned to consolidate the diaper bag.. We just keep extra stuff in the car. As we might need it otherwise..
Good Luck

 

[Lollipop Mom]

I have a good friend that actually uses the Aria twin with an infant car seat. It doesn't snap and lock like a travel system but she reclines the seat and sets the baby's car seat in that seat behind the napper bar. When she first told me she was doing that I thought she was nuts, that the car seat would just bounce right out if you went over anything uneven but it really does fit well in there. Of course some of those travel systems may sound like they "lock" the seat in place but they can still flip baby right out if you aren't careful. We returned a stroller when DS #1 was a baby b/c we saw that happen to someone else using the same stroller. Thank God she had her baby strapped in good and tight or he'd have dumped right out onto the pavement! She is primarily using it at malls and such so no "off roading" but it's worked well for her. She did say she tried more than one infant seat at the store before she found one that she felt comfortable using that way.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Lollipop Mom

We sometimes use the combi travel savy that way, the car seat fits down in it, but doesn't lock in. I know they sell a strap to wrap around it for around $14 but we don't have it. However I tried our current car seat in the pergo and it was just too big, and there was not way to wrap the strap around it.

I still am not comfortable with the car seat in the combi, but sometimes do it (I seem to hold on to the thing the whole time!)

How does your friend like the Aira twin?

 

[JennsBabySky]

Boy can I relate to your post! I have a DD (now 4) and a DS (7 months old). DD never rode in the stroller until I purchased a new one for baby to be. From that point on, she never walked again (or so it seemed). I decided on a side by side because they generally have better steering than a tandem. I have owned both the Maclaren Rally Twin and the Inglesina Twin Jet. The steering on the Mac is the best, but the padding on the Inglesina is unbelievable. Unofficially, I can fit my infant seat in the stroller, but I rarely use this function. Most infants are only in the infant seat for maybe 6 to 8 months, so I wouldn't base too much of your decision on that. You'll have the stroller a lot longer than your infant seat.

As unbelievable as it sounds, I belong to a stroller swap board on yahoo. There are some super nice people who will answer specific questions. Also, many members are selling lightly used, high quality double strollers. If you can afford it, I think it is better to invest in a better quality stroller that is easier to use. Usually, these strollers will hold their value, so you can resell when done. Therefore, in the long run it may be less expensive to buy a better stroller (at least this is how I justify my purchases to my husband).

Let me know if you want the link to the stroller swap.

Good luck,
Jennifer

 

[lvp49]

You sure can put the car seat in the Aria, and it is pretty stable. I have done it in a borrowed one,a nd did it all the time with my Peg Pliko P3 which has a similar tray. No problem.

We went through a very similar dilemma, only DH has veryt strong opinions about this. We was totally against a SBS. I still disagree, but he managed to talk me into the Graco Duo glider, and I actually like it quite a bit!..

I am a stroller snob though, so it still does not thrill me, and it is not made as well as a Peg or a MAc to be sure, but it works, and it will never get the same amount of use as any of my singles so I guess its ok. I still lust after a SBS Peg or MAc though.. MAybe another baby!!

Good Luck

Oh, and Stroller swap at Yahoo is GREAT!!

 

[DisneyDW]

Is Tiny PhD small like Little PhD? I ask because both of my children were out of the carrier early because they hit the 20 lbs (or 19 1/2 - when we moved up). They were chunky though and moved out at 6 and 9 months. How long do you think the baby will be in the carrier? That may be a consideration.

I also love my Sit & Stand. We had to get rid of an older used one because it was falling apart but the new one seems to work well. We love it because DS decided at 2 1/2 that only babies sit in strollers so our first visit to WDW w/them in 2003, he walked the entire park without complaint. We used his seat in the double stroller for all the stuff. He'll use the Sit & Stand though.

 

[DisneyPhD]

That is the question isn't it DisneyDW. They were both born average (7 1/2 lbs.) But my 1st born was 16 lbs at one year ( I was too for that mater, and I am 5 foot now. Infact I only weighted 93 pounds when I got married in 1993, however 10 years and 2 kids later I can't say that, and never will again most likely )

However the baby does like to eat and is gaining weight fast. So I don't know if she will stay small like her sister and mother, or grow fast and tall like her daddy.

Right now big sister seems content to stay in stroller for long hauls, get out as soon as you stop the thing. (if you don't have a stroller she wants dad to carry her, has given up on mom doing it.)

I think if I was going to do a sit in stand I would consider the new peg pinko p3 that everyone is raving about. However I do want a place for both to be able to relax and kick back in.

I think in the long run I will be happiest with the peg SBS so right now I am leaning that way. I know it is easy at home to keep her in the car seat (especailly in the winter) but most places in the winter that I keep her in the car seat I can put the seat in the shopping cart. The mall is an expection and latey she likes to be picked up a lot in puplic anyway, so I would have to get her out as it is. The question is what is harder, getting the baby out of the car seat and into the stroller, or getting the really big mongo stroller out of the minivan and pushing it around?

Happy to hear so many people like the sit and stand since my friend already has it (she had the baby today BTW! 9 lbs!) and is stuck with it!