Paging Strollerqueen..............

[elvisfan]

Hi. I saw your name and thought you might like to enlighten me with some advice:) I have a baby girl who will be 17 months when my second child is born in May. I am looking for a lightweight double stroller with the following features: reasonably sized basket/storage area, easy to manuever, no cutesy colors(read:pastels), can go over terrain like grass,small rocks(for nature walks). I'd like something nicer than a Cosco/Graco but I don't want to spend $1000+++++++++++ either(lol)Any ideas?

[stella]

I saw your post and wanted to give you some encouragement about the 17 mo. age difference - mine are that TO THE DAY!

My older is a boy - 20 mos and my babybaby is a girl - 12 wks tomorrow.

It's been a lot more fun than I expected - I think because the older child is still too little to feel usurped. It's as if he doesn't remember his life as the only child.

I rarely take both of them anywhere alone - only to places where someone is waiting on the other end - like to the church nursery or dad's office.

We've been doing lots of neighborhood walks with the bjorn and the single stroller. But I did just order a mountain buggy double urban so I hope to be out every pretty day with that one.

Good Luck. We've had a good time - just kind of surrendered to the chaos!

[elvisfan]

>I saw your post and wanted to give you some encouragement
>about the 17 mo. age difference - mine are that TO THE DAY!
>
>My older is a boy - 20 mos and my babybaby is a girl - 12
>wks tomorrow.
>
>It's been a lot more fun than I expected - I think because
>the older child is still too little to feel usurped. It's
>as if he doesn't remember his life as the only child.
>
>I rarely take both of them anywhere alone - only to places
>where someone is waiting on the other end - like to the
>church nursery or dad's office.
>
>We've been doing lots of neighborhood walks with the bjorn
>and the single stroller. But I did just order a mountain
>buggy double urban so I hope to be out every pretty day with
>that one.
>
>Good Luck. We've had a good time - just kind of surrendered
>to the chaos!

Thanks for the reply,Stella. We didn't get a Bjorn with our first dd but plan on it with dd #2. When will I expect to use a MBUD? How old will my second baby have to be?

[strollerqueen]

Sorry I haven't had a chance to answer right away. I guess the problem is the question. There really are not many lightweight strollers that do outdoors well. And there really aren't many lightweight strollers suitable for newborns. Unless you stretch the definition of lightweight to include the Mountain Buggy. The double Terrain is 28 pounds, and the double Urban is 32 pounds. There have been hundreds of posts raving about how wonderful they are, so I won't repeat, but either would work for you. They are expensive, but there are a couple for sale cheaper right now on StrollerSwap.

None of the truly lightweights will do what you want--the Combi, Aria, or the Graco Duo Lite (discontinued, found on Ebay.) All weigh about 18 pounds.

Too distressed about the quality of the new double Maclarens to recommend. Haven't seen the new Kidco yet, but it weighs almost as much as the MB Terrain, and won't do as well outside.

I also like some discontinued models for newborns/little babies--the Emmaljunga Double Husky, the Peg Perego Microtwin, and the Maclaren Vogue Duette. CHeck StrollerSwap for these as well.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StrollerSWAP/

Feel free to post any more questions.

[CherylT]

I saw your post earlier about when you can begin using the MBUD and thought I'd chime in. I have been using mine since DS was 1 week old - no problems at all. I do have the fleece inserts, so that helped. I also have the carrycot, however I didn't get that until DS was over a month old. Once I had the carrycot, I used that. The only difficulty using the seat at the beginning was that DS was so scrunched up there for a few weeks that it was a pain to get the seatbelt on him - at least with the carrycot I didn't have to worry about the belt. FWIW, the MBUD is my only double stroller and I really don't need another. I use it at the malls, outdoors, etc. - it is truly a wonderful stroller. Even my DH loves it and babygear is not one of his hobbies. HTH - good luck to you!!

Cheryl
SAHM to Lilli 9/20/00 & Alec 10/21/02

[atlbaby]

I'm also looking into getting a MBUD and would love to be able to use it when the baby is a newborn. I have no idea what a carrycot is or fleece inserts? Are these items you order with the MBUD?

Thanks--all this lingo to learn!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[CherylT]

You can view the carrycot at the MB website (moutainbuggyusa.com) - it is an accessory for the stroller - available for the singles and doubles. It is essentially a bassinet that snaps onto the stroller (after you snap off on of the seats). I also used it as a travel bassinet so DS had somewhere to sleep when we went visiting. The fleece insert is also an accessory, but you can get the same one for much less money at organicbebe.com (it is called the stroller fleece). I decided on the wool fleece instead of the synthetic so that it can be used year round (synthetic would be too warm in the summer I think). HTH

Cheryl
SAHM to Lilli 9/20/00 & Alec 10/21/02

[atlbaby]

Thanks Cheryl,
I had a look at the carrycots on the MB site. I'm wondering since you wrote that you put DS in without the carrycot before you got it, whether you think it is absolutely essential to have? I don't really need a travel bassinet, and it would add to an already pricey stroller...

Also, I tried to pull up the organicbebe site but it wouldn't load, I'll keep trying. Are the fleece inserts similar to the Bundle Me or other toddler stroller fleece-sack? I have a Bundle Me which I used for DD's infant seat and now I use a toddler size fleece sack (I forget the name).

Thanks for your help!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[CherylT]

No, I don't think the carrycot is necessary, but it is nice to have so you don't have to fiddle with putting a seatbelt on a newborn, if you know what I mean. I got it because I did need a travel bassinet, but the stroller is very capable of carrying a newborn without it. The fleece inserts are the same ones on the MB website if you want to check them out there - it is a piece of lambswool that fits on the stroller seat making it more comfy and allowing better air circulation (no sweating for baby), so it isn't the same as the Bundle Me which is more of a coverup for baby. The insert just happens to be much cheaper at organicbebe.com. HTH

Cheryl
SAHM to Lilli 9/20/00 & Alec 10/21/02

[parkersmama]

I hope you'll check back to this thread since you're the expert! I have a Maclaren Opus Duo (either a 1999 or 2000 model...mfg in England, I believe) that I got when my 2nd was born. Now that he is almost 3 and refuses to even consider sitting in a stroller, I'm considering selling it and I wondered if you know approximately what I could get for it. I've never been to StrollerSwap but I'm considering joining up. Do you have any advice? TIA!!!

Denise
mom to:
Parker, 9/1/1997
Wesley, 3/9/2000
and #3 (a girl!) due 4/29/2003

[Tondi G]

You may want to go on swap and ask Janet there as well!