Double Stroller for 4-year old and Newborn?

[garlicsalt]

I'm due early July. My son turns 4 two months later.
I foresee us using a double stroller for trips to malls and outdoor public events. So I was going to ask if I need a double stroller, but maybe I just answered my own question.
Would you agree that I'll need one with a 4-year old?
What about for the following summer, when son is 5? Probably not, eh?

[Tondi G]

I don't know about your 4 year old but my four year old complained about not having a stroller to ride in. I would have bought a double but he was so big he didn't fit in any well. he is tall and heavy with broad shoulders and double strollers are narrower so they can still fit through doorways!

My DS is now 5 and he would gladly ride in a stroller if I let him!

It depends on the child I guess! You might be able to get away with shopping trips with a single but if your kiddo likes to ride on all day events (Zoo, Disney, Fairs) I would get a double of some sort!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01 and Aidan 5/4/05

[mom2jakobandlukas]

my son turned 4yrs, 2months after his bro was born and i was in your spot.

i bought the peg p3 with footboard so when at disney,etc he had a place to rest. if dad is with us and lil bro is walking or being held big bro can still fit in the stroller and he likes that sometimes.

i'd say save yourself the hassle and get one with a footboard.

[C99]

>Would you agree that I'll need one with a 4-year old?

No, I wouldn't. My DS is 4, my DD is 20 months and I sold my double because it was *rare* that both kids wanted to ride. I often slung my DD and pushed my son in a single, and if I had had a stroller w/ a boogie board, probably could have gotten away with that. Now, I just bring a single and the odds are pretty good that it's holding our coats and bags, not a child. My DS rarely wants to ride. I ended up replacing the double with an e3, but only because I'm expecting #3 in May and expect to use it with DD and #3. And if not, the e3 works well as a single.

[Momof3Labs]

ITA with this, as a mom of a 4.5yo and an 11mo. Our older DS hasn't ridden in a stroller since well before his brother was born, even at the zoo or outdoor festivals, though he does hop on a footboard on a rare occasion. Disney may be an exception but we haven't been there with both boys yet. We may just bring two singles (since we will often only need a single while there) or rent a stroller if and when DS1 needs one.

[Niki_n_Abby]

I got a Twin Swif for my 4 year old and new baby and LOVE it. It is perfect for both of them. I don't know about your 4 yo but mine wouldn't get out of the stroller for the baby(and I prefer to have her contained in a stroller anyway) and I still think she will be riding at 5. We use the TS for shopping, zoo, travel, it is perfect for us.

Niki

[cbegbiewesterfield]

I have a 7 month old and a 22 month old so I'm unsure how long kids like to ride in strollers. We have the Phil & Ted's E3 with a double seat and it's worked great for us. I could justify the price because it converts from single to double and back so easy. So when my older son doesn't want to ride in the stroller anymore I can convert it to a single. It seems like it might suit your purposes well...it's narrow enough to easily fit in stores and around the mall and it's got air tires so it's great for outdoor events. Hope that helps.

[babybear]

My sons are almost 4 years to the day apart. I would just get one that has a higher weight limit. We had a Techno XT and DS 1 would ride in it. When DS 2 was little I would let him ride in the stroller. When he got tired I would put him in a sling and DS 1 would ride. Now they do the same except the baby wants to walk occasionally. We used a little headrest thing to help out with the support. My son also fits in a Peg but it is harder to push. He was about 45 lbs. when he was 4 now he is 53 lbs. at 5.

HTH,

[kep]

I know I'm a bit late to the topic, but I seem to have the only different opinion here. I have a soon to be 4 year old, and a 4 week old. I promised my dh I would wait until the baby came to deceide if we needed a double or not, since we already had a P3 with toddler step.

I tried it out several times with the P3 and both kiddos, and quickly realized a couple of "fatal flaws". First of all, if you have a carseat in the stroller, you have to have the seat back reclined all the way. This makes it nearly impossible for my older son to stand on the step. This problem is also an issue if you place the newborn directly into the stroller, the seat back must be reclined. This meant that my 3 year old had to walk everywhere.

Now, perhaps my preschooler is just busier than most, or just isn't good at listening all the time, but my ds just did not seem to have the maturity to be trusted to stay with me at all times and not run off. This was esepcially problamatic at the mall, when I almost lost him 3 times, and actually lost him for about 5 minutes one time. I'm really not a bad mother, and I try really, really hard to keep my eye on him all the time, but he is so fast at this age, and he just doesn't have great impulse control yet. He knows to stay with mommy, he just doesn't have the maturity/dicipline to do it 100% of the time. We also take the train into the city pretty frequently in the warmer months, and there is just no way he would be able to walk the entire day.

The risk of losing him was just too great. We purchased a 2007 BJCSD and have been thrilled with it. It has fit through every doorway I've tried it on, and the kids are sooo comfortable in it. I've had both of them nap through a large grocery shopping trip twice in it. (Which is amazing, because the baby hated riding in the P3, and screamed the entire time I had him it it.) The stroller is a dream to push, even one handed with kids of drastically different weights. I highly reccomend it. :) The best part is that he will have no problem fitting into it for at least another year or two, if he needs to ride then.

Sorry this is so long, but I felt like I had to respond to your post, since my situation was so close to yours.

Kelli

Proud Mommy to Lukey (2003). Weaned after 3 years of happy nursing!
And Mommy to our newest baby, Joseph, born 3 days after Christmas.

[HIU8]

I'm new to the whole double stroller thing. What is a BJCSD?

Thanks,
Heather
DS 11/27/04
DC#2 EDD 6/22/07

[kep]

Oops, sorry! It's a Baby Jogger City Series Double.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/37350.jpg


Kelli

Proud Mommy to Lukey (2003). Weaned after 3 years of happy nursing!
And Mommy to our newest baby, Joseph, born 3 days after Christmas.

[garlicsalt]

>
>The risk of losing him was just too great. We purchased a
>2007 BJCSD and have been thrilled with it.

>
>Kelli
>

What is this stroller? I don't understand all of the acronyms yet!
ETA: Nevermind! Someone else had the same question.

[gatorsmom]

I have a 3.5 year old and a 18month old. I use a double stroller all the time for both my DC. My 3.5 loves to sit in the stroller and it allows me the peace of mind to shop or do whatever I need to without worrying that if I take my eyes off him for a second he'll disappear. We have an Mountain Buggy Urban Double and absolutely love it. If you do a search, you'll find lots of discussion threads about it.

I've already decided that when DC#3 comes along I may have to buy a Mountain Buggy Urban Triple for outdoor walks!! ( if DH doesn't have a coniption about the price).

[DustysSweety03]

My son was born a few months before my daughter turned 3yrs she is roughly 37lbs and tall since she's wearing 4T jeans. We went with the babytrend Sit & Stand and love it. It's light, easy to fold and not very long. And when the front seat is reclined as far as it will go my 3yr old can still sit down.